As the warm days of summer approach, there’s nothing quite as refreshing as a glass of homemade lemonade. But to take your lemonade to the next level, you need a delicious lemon syrup to sweeten it just right. Making your own lemon syrup at home is not only easy but it also allows you to control the ingredients and adjust the sweetness to your liking.
Lemon syrup is a concentrated mixture of lemon juice, sugar, and water. It serves as a fantastic base for lemonade, ensuring that every sip is bursting with fresh, zesty flavor. Using syrup instead of plain sugar means your lemonade will be perfectly sweetened and flavorful, without any gritty residue at the bottom of your glass. Plus, you can use this syrup in a variety of beverages and desserts!
Homemade Lemonade
Ingredients
- 1 cup lemon juice from 4 -6 lemons, plus the zest removed.
- 1 cup Pure cane sugar
- 1 cup Water
Instructions
- Start by washing your lemons thoroughly.
- Use a potato peeler to remove the zest from your lemons, trying to remove as little white as possible.
- Add your zest to a small sauce pan and mix in the sugar. Allow this to sit for a minimum of 10 minutes and up to overnight. The sugar will help pull out the oils from the lemon for a more intence lemon taste.
- Cut the lemons in half and juice them using a citrus juicer or your hands. Strain the juice through a fine mesh sieve to remove any seeds and pulp. You should have about 1 cup of fresh lemon juice.
- Once you have let your zest sit, add the water and bring to a boil stiringto help dissolve the sugar.
- Turn off the heat and let steep for 20 minutes.
- Strain and add the lemon juice.
- Let the lemon syrup cool to room temperature. Once cooled, pour it into a clean glass jar or an airtight container. The syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month.
- To enjoy the homemade syrup as lemonade, mix 1 part lemon syrup with 3-4 parts cold water (adjust according to taste). Serve it over ice and garnish with lemon slices or fresh mint for a delightful presentation.