• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
BeeyondCereal
  • Recipes
  • Summer Recipes
  • Resources
  • About
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Summer Recipes
  • Resources
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Summer Recipes
    • Resources
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    BeeyondCereal » Recipes » Beverage Recipes

    Old Fashioned Lemonade

    Modified: Oct 17, 2023 Published: May 1, 2023 by Nicole Durham This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Grab some lemons and your largest pitcher because we're about to fill it up with some old fashioned lemonade. Made with lemons, sugar, and water, it doesn't get any simpler than this summer drink recipe!

    Recipe: $1.66 | Per Serving: $0.17 | Servings: 10

    a pitcher full of lemonade and ice with some lemon slices inside.

    If you love the taste of lemonade, then you're going to love this old fashioned homemade lemonade. Nothing is better than the classics, and this drink really hits the spot!

    Packed with sweet and tart lemon flavor in every sip, this lemonade is a favorite for a reason. Make a pitcher full or make a Single Serving Lemonade and its guaranteed to not last long either way.

    We love our lemonade and often buy lemon concentrate in bulk to justify this summer expense. But that's okay because, with so many tasty variations like Blue Raspberry Lemonade, Strawberry Pink Lemonade, and Orange Lemonade, we really make sure we never get bored.

    If you're looking for something a bit more chilled, try this Whipped Frozen Lemonade!

    Jump to:
    • 🍯 Why This Recipe Works
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🧾 Substitutions
    • 🥣 Recipe Add-Ins
    • 🔪 Instructions for Old Fashioned Lemonade
    • 🍴 Recipe Tips
    • ⏲️ Make Ahead Instructions
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Storage
    • 💭 Recipe FAQs
    • ❤️ More Delicious Drink Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    🍯 Why This Recipe Works

    1. Minimal ingredients. You only need 4 ingredients to make this drink, making it perfect for when you want something quick and easy.
    2. Tangy and sweet. This drink is honestly perfect. Not too sweet and not too tart, this lemonade is strong and well balanced.
    3. Easy to follow steps. The steps needed to make this recipe are simple and easy, making it perfect for everyone to give it a try! Dissolve the sugar and mix it all in a pitcher. Add ice and serve.

    🥘 Ingredients

    labeled ingredients needed to make old fashioned lemonade.

    Ingredient Notes:

    Sugar- You will need some granulated sugar to sweeten this drink. If you don't have sugar you can try some sweetened condensed milk like in my Creamy Lemonade.

    Water- Water is the base of the lemonade and will help to dissolve the sugar so that it doesn't turn out grainy. I often use a little warm water, until the sugar is dissolved and then fill up the rest of the pitcher with cold water so it lasts longer.

    Lemon juice- You can use freshly squeezed lemons or lemon juice concentrate. Fresh lemons give a better flavor, but the concentrate is great for when you're in a pinch (plus it's cheaper). If you have a bunch of lemons on hand, check out my Raspberry Lemon Bundt Cake for an awesome dessert to serve alongside your drink.

    For specific ingredients and measurements, please see the recipe card below.

    🧾 Substitutions

    Lemon juice. If you don't have real lemons on hand, you can use concentrate instead. You can also use it to bring the fresh lemon juice up to the required measurement so you can keep that strong lemon flavor.

    🥣 Recipe Add-Ins

    The BEST part about lemonade is that you can add just about anything to it and still have it taste great! For example:

    • Add blue raspberry syrup for Blue Raspberry Lemonade
    • Add in pickle juice for Pickle Lemonade
    • Add in orange juice for Orange Lemonade
    • Adding strawberry puree will give you Strawberry Pink Lemonade

    Swap out sugar for sweetened condensed milk, honey, or maple syrup. Brown sugar also works well too.

    There are so many different options available you can have a pitcher of unique lemonade recipes in the fridge all summer long.

    🔪 Instructions for Old Fashioned Lemonade

    a pot with sugar and water inside.

    Step 1: Prepare the simple syrup by cooking 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar in a small pot just until the sugar has dissolved.

    a pot with simple syrup inside.

    Allow to cool before use. Alternatively, you can make microwave simple syrup.

    simple syrup at the bottom of a clear pitcher.

    Step 2: Pour the simple syrup into your pitcher.

    lemon juice at the bottom of a clear pitcher.

    Step 3: Add in the lemon juice.

    lemonade and ice cubes in a clear pitcher.

    Step 4: Now add in the water and enough ice cubes to fill the pitcher. Stir to combine.

    a clear pitcher full of yellow lemonade and fresh lemon slices.

    Step 5: Add sliced lemon for garnishes, if desired.

    Pour into drinking glasses and enjoy cold.

    Keep stored in the fridge. Enjoy!

    a glass of lemonade with ice cubes and lemon slices inside.

    🍴 Recipe Tips

    1. How to get more juice from lemons. To squeeze more juice out of fresh lemons a tip I like to use is microwaving them for about 10-30 seconds. Then before slicing in half, roll them back and forth along the counter while pushing down on them, like you're rolling out a dough log. This helps to get more juice out of the lemons.
    2. No stove? No problem. If desired, you can make Microwave Simple Syrup instead of cooking it on the stovetop.

    ⏲️ Make Ahead Instructions

    Prepare Lemonade Base: Make the lemonade mixture according to the recipe instructions, but refrain from adding ice or garnishes.

    Chill in Fridge: Store the prepared lemonade base in a pitcher in the refrigerator for several hours or up to a day before serving.

    Add Ice and Garnishes: When ready to serve, add ice and garnishes to the lemonade pitcher just before serving to prevent the ice from melting too quickly and diluting the flavor.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Storage

    This lemonade is good for up to 5 days. Make sure you keep it stored in the fridge when not being used.

    💭 Recipe FAQs

    What are the main components of lemonade?

    The main ingredients in traditional lemonade are lemon juice, water, and sugar. Anything "extra" is exactly that.

    Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of squeezed?

    Yes, absolutely! I often find myself using bottled lemon juice for lemonade instead of fresh lemons because it's much cheaper and easier to store. The lemon flavor might be more pronounced with concentrate so you may need some additional sweetener.

    How long does homemade lemonade last?

    Your homemade lemonade can last about 5-7 days if kept stored in the fridge. Note that if storing lemonade in a plastic pitcher you may notice discoloration on the pitcher after a few days due to the acidity of this drink.

    a small glass of iced lemonade with fresh lemon slices inside.

    ❤️ More Delicious Drink Recipes

    • a glass cup full of vanilla iced latte with a green leaf plant in the background.
      Vanilla Iced Latte
    • a blue monster milkshake topped with whipped cream and cookies.
      Cookie Monster Milkshake
    • a tall glass full of maple iced coffee on a wooden board with a plant in background.
      Maple Syrup Iced Coffee
    • a close up of a mug filled with strawberry italian soda and ingredients and another cup of soda in the background
      How to Make an Italian Soda

    If you tried this old fashioned lemonade, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your feedback in the 📝 comments section below. I would truly appreciate it!

    📖 Recipe

    a pitcher full of ice cold lemonade.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Old Fashioned Lemonade

    Grab some lemons and your largest pitcher because we're about to fill it up with some old fashioned lemonade. Made with lemons, sugar, and water, it doesn't get any simpler than this summer drink recipe!
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Servings: 10 servings
    Calories: 86kcal
    Cost Recipe $1.66 / Serving $0.17
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Pitcher
    • Large spoon
    • Small pot
    • Measuring Cups

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups water, divided ($0.00)
    • 1 cup granulated sugar ($0.20)
    • 1 cup lemon juice (can use fresh, about 5-6 large lemons) ($0.88)
    • ice cubes ($0.00)
    • 1 small lemon, sliced *for garnish ($0.58)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Prepare the simple syrup by cooking 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar in a small pot just until the sugar has dissolved.
    • Allow to cool before use. Alternatively, you can make microwave simple syrup.
    • Pour the simple syrup into your pitcher.
    • Add in the lemon juice.
    • Now add in the water and enough ice cubes to fill the pitcher. Stir to combine.
    • Add sliced lemon for garnishes, if desired.
    • Pour into drinking glasses and enjoy cold.
    • Keep stored in the fridge. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Substitutions:
    • Lemon Juice: If you lack fresh lemons, you can use lemon concentrate or a combination of concentrate and fresh juice to reach the required measurement.
    Recipe Tips:
    • Microwave lemons for 10-30 seconds and roll them on the counter to extract more juice before squeezing.
    • You can make Microwave Simple Syrup as an alternative to stovetop preparation.
    Make Ahead Instructions:
    • If preparing in advance, delay adding ice and garnishes.
    • Make the lemonade as directed and refrigerate it for several hours or up to a day. Add ice and garnishes just before serving to prevent dilution.
    Storage:
    • Lemonade can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.002g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.1mg
    Author Nicole Durham
    Course Drinks
    Cuisine American
    Diet Vegetarian
    Tried this recipe?Mention @BeeyondCereal on Instagram and hashtag it #BeeyondCereal
    Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used. To view how this recipe was calculated you can visit my Pricing Disclosure Page for more information.

    More Non Alcoholic Drink Recipes

    • aa tall glass cup full of peppermint iced coffee topped with whipped cream and peppermint pieces.
      Peppermint Iced Coffee
    • a tall cup of oreo iced coffee topped with whippped cream and a cookie.
      Oreo Iced Coffee Recipe
    • blue raspberry lemonade in a glass mug garnished with a slice of lemon.
      Blue Raspberry Lemonade
    • cinnamon toast crunch latte in a glass mug topped with whipped cream and cereal pieces.
      Cinnamon Toast Crunch Latte

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    A photo of Nicole from Beeyond Cereal

    Hey, I'm Nicole

    The proud owner and recipe developer behind BeeyondCereal. Here, I'm passionate about showing people how to navigate the kitchen with frugality in mind, whipping up family-friendly recipes that not only save money but also bring joy to every meal.

    Learn More→

    Summer Recipes

    • two loaves of snickerdoodle zucchini bread on a cutting board with two fresh zucchini.
      Snickerdoodle Zucchini Bread
    • strawberry blueberry shortcake with fresh fruit and homemade whipped cream.
      Strawberry Blueberry Shortcake
    • a white bowl filled with orange fluff sald and topped with marshmallows and orange slices.
      Orange Creamsicle Fluff
    • angled view into a glass of ice cold lemonade with sliced lemons on a wooden cutting board and fresh lemons to the side.
      Single Serving Lemonade

    Trending NOW

    • a white bowl filled with cooked canned green beans.
      The Best Canned Green Bean Recipe
    • a bowl of creamy 5 ingredient mac and cheese.
      5 Ingredient Mac and Cheese
    • roasted chicken, carrots and potatoes in a baking dish with a sprig of rosemary on top.
      Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots
    • sliced banana bread on a wooden surface.
      Eggless Banana Bread
    • a sliced beef roast on a cutting board with carving utensils.
      Poor Mans Prime Rib
    • cinnamon rolls with icing on top in an 8x8 baking dish.
      Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

    As Seen In

    as seen in various articles and websites.

    Footer

    ↑ Back to Top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Affiliate Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Public Sharing Policy
    • Pricing Disclosure
    • Accessibility Statement

    Follow

    • Subscribe for FREE eBook
    • Follow on Facebook
    • Follow on Instagram
    • Follow on Pinterest

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Services

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 Beeyond Cereal --Theme by Feast Design Co.

    promotional graphic for Old Fashioned Lemonade

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.