BHA & BHT Free Sweet Classic Lemonade
There is something undeniably refreshing about a glass of truly homemade lemonade — bright, tangy, and just sweet enough to keep you coming back for another sip. What makes this version stand out is the simple syrup base, which dissolves the sugar completely so every glass tastes perfectly balanced rather than gritty or uneven. For anyone navigating preservative sensitivities, store-bought lemonades and juice drinks can be a minefield of additives hiding in the ingredient list, but this recipe uses nothing but sugar, water, and fresh-squeezed lemon juice. You squeeze the lemons yourself, strain out the seeds and pulp, and mix everything together in a pitcher — that's genuinely it. The result is clean, vibrant, and completely free of anything you didn't put in it yourself. Garnished with lemon slices and a few sprigs of fresh mint, it looks as good as it tastes and is equally at home at a backyard cookout or a quiet afternoon on the porch.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the simple syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
For the lemonade
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 6–8 lemons)
- 3 cups cold water
For serving
- ice, for serving
- lemon slices, for serving (optional)
- fresh mint sprigs, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat and let the syrup cool for 15 minutes until it reaches room temperature.
- 2
Juice the lemons through a fine-mesh strainer set over a measuring cup until you have 1 cup of strained juice, discarding any seeds and pulp.
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