State Fair Lemonade
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 5 large lemons, juiced (about 1 ¼ cups fresh lemon juice)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups cold water
- Ice cubes
- Lemon slices and mint leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Roll the lemons on the countertop to loosen the juice, then cut in half and juice them using a citrus juicer. If you have any pull or seeds, run the juice through a strainer. This should yield about 1 ¼ cups of fresh lemon juice.
- In a microwavable container, heat 1 cup of water with 1 cup of sugar until the sugar dissolves. Mix really well.
- Pour the fresh lemon juice and the sugar syrup into the pitcher. Stir well to combine.
- Add the remaining 3 cups of cold water to the pitcher and stir. Taste and adjust the sweetness or tartness by adding more sugar or water if needed.
- Fill glasses with ice cubes. Pour the lemonade over the ice, and garnish with a lemon slice.
Notes
- For the best flavor, use fresh, ripe lemons. Store bought lemon juice won't give the same bright, fresh taste.
- You can add a splash of vanilla extract to add a subtle depth of flavor that complements the tartness of the lemons. Adjust the amount to suit your taste.
- Dissolving the sugar in hot water ensures a smooth, even sweetness throughout the lemonade. You can make a larger batch of simple syrup and store it in the fridge for up to a month for future use.
- Add some sparkling water or tonic to the top of the glasses to make a sparkling version of this lemonade.
- Adjust the sweetness by adding more or less sugar to the simple syrup. You can also experiment with other sweeteners like honey or agave syrup for a different flavor profile.
- To make an adult version of this lemonade, you can add an ounce of vodka, tequila or gin to a 12 ounce glass.