The secret to smooth and well-balanced lemonade is simple syrup. Begin by pouring 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar into a small saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar completely dissolves. This should take about 4-5 minutes, but make sure not to boil it. Once your syrup is ready, remove it from the heat and set it aside to cool for about 10 minutes. The simple syrup ensures the sweetness is evenly distributed throughout the lemonade without gritty sugar crystals at the bottom of your glass!

While the syrup cools, it’s time to juice your lemons. Use a reliable lemon squeezer to extract 1 cup of fresh lemon juice, which usually takes about 3-4 lemons, depending on their size. Make sure to strain out any seeds, but you can leave a little pulp if you enjoy it for added texture.

Fresh lemon juice is what gives the lemonade its vibrant, tangy flavor. Trust me, this step is worth the effort!

Once the syrup has cooled, pour it into a glass pitcher. Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and stir well to mix the ingredients. At this point, you’ll already begin to notice the bright aroma of the lemons taking over. This mixture forms the concentrated base of your lemonade, and the next step will perfect it.

Now it’s time to dilute the lemon base to achieve that perfect balance of tartness and sweetness. Pour in the remaining 5 cups of water and give everything a good stir. The result will be a smooth, golden lemonade that’s ready to quench your thirst. If you prefer a slightly stronger flavor, you can adjust the water quantity to suit your taste.

For optimal flavor, I recommend letting the lemonade chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving. If you’re short on time, simply serve it over plenty of ice. Garnish with lemon slices for a pop of brightness, and enjoy!