Classic Lemonade

A classic simple lemonade with balanced sweetness and acidity.

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated March 13, 2025
A pitcher and pint glass full of classic lemonade, garnished with lemon wheels.

Serious Eats / Dave Katz

Why It Works

  • A 2:1 ratio of lemon juice to sugar, a 3:1 ratio of water to lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and plenty of ice results in a perfectly chilled, sweet-tart lemonade that will quench any thirst.

The key to a good glass of lemonade is a balanced acidity and sweetness. I make mine by adding more lemon juice and sugar than I think I'll need to my base, then serving the whole thing with a ton of ice. Just like a properly stirred cocktail, the ice melts into the drink, diluting it down to the proper level as you drink it. If you want to have ready-to-mix lemonade on hand, simply add the sugar to the lemon juice and add the water later. This concentrated syrup will last in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days, though for best flavor, lemonade should really be consumed within hours after juicing.

Looking for more lemonade variations? Check out these delicious summer sippers.

June 2012

Recipe Details

Classic Lemonade Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Active 15 mins
Total 5 mins
Serves 4 to 6 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh juice from 10 to 12 lemons

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • Pinch salt

  • 3 cups cold water

  • 1 quart ice

Directions

  1. Combine lemon juice and sugar and whisk or blend until sugar is completely dissolved. Add salt and water and stir to combine. Pour into a pitcher with ice. Serve in ice-filled glasses.

Make-Ahead and Storage

If you want to have ready-to-mix lemonade on hand, simply add the sugar to the lemon juice and add the water later. This concentrated syrup will last in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
73 Calories
0g Fat
19g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 73
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 33mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 16mg 79%
Calcium 11mg 1%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 42mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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