Homemade Lemonade

Name: Homemade Lemonade
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6 glasses
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: 150 g white sugar; 250 ml water, for the syrup; 250 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice, from about 5–7 medium lemons; 1 litre cold water; Ice cubes; 1 lemon, washed and thinly sliced

Be the first to rate

20 min totalPrep: 15 minCook: 5 min Serves 6 glasses Drink

Homemade Lemonade in a clear glass jug with lemon slices, alongside ice-filled glasses on a summer table

This Homemade Lemonade recipe is a handy one for a hot South African Christmas, when a cold jug on the table is just as welcome as the food. Fresh lemon juice gives it a bright, properly lemony flavour, while a quick sugar syrup sweetens it without leaving gritty sugar at the bottom of your glass.

You only need lemons, sugar and water, with ice and a few lemon slices for serving. Make it earlier in the day so it has time to chill, then taste it before everyone arrives. Lemons vary in sharpness, so there is room to adjust the finished drink. It is lovely alongside a Christmas braai, cold roast chicken or a spread of summer salads.

Ingredients

Servings6

For the lemonade

150 g white sugar
250 ml water, for the syrup
250 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice, from about 5–7 medium lemons
1 litre cold water

To serve

Ice cubes
1 lemon, washed and thinly sliced

Instructions

1
Put the sugar and 250 ml water into a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring, for about 3–5 minutes until the sugar has completely dissolved. There is no need to boil or reduce the syrup.
2
Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave the syrup to cool to room temperature, about 20–30 minutes.
3
Meanwhile, squeeze the lemons and measure out 250 ml juice. Pour it through a sieve to remove the pips and any large pieces of pulp.
4
Pour the cooled syrup and lemon juice into a jug with a capacity of at least 2 litres. Add the 1 litre cold water and stir well.
5
Taste the lemonade. If it is too strong or sweet for you, add a little extra cold water, 50 ml at a time. If it needs more sharpness, stir in a small squeeze of lemon juice.
6
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until thoroughly chilled. The cooling and chilling time is additional to the preparation and cooking times.
7
Stir again before serving. Fill six glasses with ice, pour in the lemonade and add lemon slices. The recipe makes roughly 1.6 litres before ice.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 109 kcal
Carbohydrates: 27.9 g
Protein: 0.2 g
Fat: 0.1 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Sugar: 26.1 g
Fibre: 0.1 g
Sodium: 2 mg
Cholesterol: 0 mg

Estimated values based on the ingredients used.

Notes

Christmas tips

Make the lemonade the day before Christmas and refrigerate it in a covered jug. Add the lemon slices shortly before serving.
Put ice in the glasses rather than the jug so the whole batch does not become diluted while lunch is being served.
For a larger gathering, double the ingredients and use two jugs, keeping one in the fridge until needed.
Serve outdoors in small batches and keep the remaining lemonade refrigerated or in a cooler box with ice packs.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use bottled lemon juice?

Freshly squeezed juice gives the best flavour. If using bottled juice, choose unsweetened 100% lemon juice and taste the finished lemonade before serving, as its sharpness can differ.

Can I make it less sweet?

Yes. Start with 100 g sugar instead of 150 g, keeping the other quantities the same. If needed, sweeten the finished drink with a little extra cooled sugar syrup rather than stirring dry sugar into cold lemonade.

How long does homemade lemonade keep?

Keep it covered in the fridge and use within 3 days. Store it without ice or lemon slices, and stir before pouring. Discard it if it develops an unusual smell, fizz or signs of mould.

Made this recipe? Rate it!