Traditional American lemonade recipes?
Posted by organizmz@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 267 comments
Welsh person here, I just remembered a couple years ago I was shocked to learn that lemonade is commonly served uncarbonated over there and for the past few days I've really craved it! I was wondering if any of you know some particularly good or popular uncarbonated lemonade recipes so I can satisfy my bittersweet-tooth!
Electrical-Let-6121@reddit
One scoop country time lemonade mix
organizmz@reddit (OP)
Just looked this up and omg it looks perfect, I'm gonna have to go on a quest to make the best lemonade now
seatownquilt-N-plant@reddit
Just use lemons, sugar (simple syrup), water, and ice.
Electrical-Let-6121@reddit
Mmmmm
freeze45@reddit
If you can get your hands on Countrytime, that is what our lemonade tastes like from a restaurant or store - yes, it is over-processed garbage but many of us remember it fondly from our childhoods. Like the junk food of lemonade, but also has that classic twang
Remarkable_Table_279@reddit
Pink lemonade is my goto For country time. Or 1/2 sweet tea & 1/2 lemonade.
Carl_Schmitt@reddit
That stuff is trash lol
DimbyTime@reddit
Nooo don’t use lemonade mix, it’s nothing like fresh lemonade made with lemons and sugar
UnbelievableRose@reddit
There’s a pretty significant taste difference between this diff and fresh lemonade, just fyi
ilovjedi@reddit
I would have to agree. All the people saying real lemons must have had really rich parents or must have grown up some place where you couldn’t citrus.
Optimal-Age5397@reddit
That stuff was the best. Regular and pink lemonade. I remember pushing the boundaries when we got older and discovered there is actually a limit to how much powder you can put in before it'll taste nasty sweet.
chameleonsEverywhere@reddit
Adjust ratio to taste. That's really it.
BOSS_OF_THE_INTERNET@reddit
And a sprinkle of salt.
OddDragonfruit7993@reddit
My wife (making lemonade): How do you make your lemonade taste so good?
Me: I add a dash of salt to it.
My wife: Ew. No you don't.
Me: Yes, I do.
My wife: well, I'm not doing that.
Me: How does your lemonade taste?
My wife: It's good, but not as good as yours.
Me: Because I add salt. Try it.
My wife: No. That sounds gross. How do you make yours taste so good?
Me: argh.
Mental_Freedom_1648@reddit
So you really just do one shake to a pitcher full?
OddDragonfruit7993@reddit
I would do a few shakes. Maybe 1/8th tsp per gallon.
AnimusFlux@reddit
A lot of folks don't appreciate how important salt is as a flavor enhancer. Sorry to hear your wife is one of these unrefined souls.
OddDragonfruit7993@reddit
She's actually an AMAZING cook. But for some reason she refused to believe me about the salt in lemonade until I made her watch me make it.
Whybaby16154@reddit
Wait until she finds out it’s a secret to great homemade hot cocoa too!
Dealmerightin@reddit
And watermelon!
blue_eyed_magic@reddit
And non bitter coffee.
OddDragonfruit7993@reddit
Well I just now found out.
ididreadittoo@reddit
I had a similar thing with my dad when I was little. It took me a long time to realize that he had been right all along, a bit of salt brings out the sweet.
PabloPicasshooole@reddit
True enough, but make sure to use fresh lemons if available. Nothing beats that lemon pulp.
Practical-Ordinary-6@reddit
Yes, please don't make it from lemon juice from a bottle because that won't be real lemonade. You need the freshness and the pulp to give it the real lemonade experience.
What they call lemonade in the UK is just basically commercial lemon-lime soda and it's no different than Sprite and things like that. That's a 100% different experience from real lemonade.
lousyredditusername@reddit
It's unfair to say that using bottled lemon juice makes it not real lemonade.
Fresh squeezed lemon juice from whole lemons is better, but if all you have access to is bottled lemon juice, you can still make real lemonade.
Practical-Ordinary-6@reddit
It doesn't taste the same. I will die on that hill. Every bottled lemon juice I've ever bought has had a bitter, non-lemony extra taste.
username_redacted@reddit
That might be true for the UK, but elsewhere in Europe, lemonade is usually more like ours, just carbonated. Even mass market brands like Orangina and Fanta are made with real citrus, including pulp. It’s not as good as freshly made lemonade, but it’s a lot better than Sprite or even the Minute Maid “lemonade” they sell in cans and soda fountains in the US.
Clem_bloody_Fandango@reddit
Found this out two hours off a plane in So Ho waiting for my hotel room to be ready. Took it back to the bar because I thought they had made a mistake. Forehead smack traveler moment.
TheRealManlyWeevil@reddit
and way way more sugar than you think, lemons are really sour
Macropixi@reddit
Our go to recipe was one part lemon juice to two parts sugar, I believe we did one cup lemon juice to two cups sugar for a quart pitcher
KSknitter@reddit
Ours was:
Take water add all the sugar you can until it can no longer desolve. Add a second equal part of sugar... heat water and sugar until desolved. Let cool. Squeeze lemons. Add enough sugar water to triple volume.
FixergirlAK@reddit
The sweet tea method!
KSknitter@reddit
Exactly!
Though, I have kids that like drinking straight lemon juice. So... there is also that.
Froggirl26@reddit
I actually have adjusted over time and no longer add sugar.
FixergirlAK@reddit
Unless you're me, and like it extra sour.
If you have rhubarb this early in the season you can boil some down with sugar and add the rhubarb syrup to the lemonade. Yum!
hbi2k@reddit
I want you to go to the store right now, buy six lemons, and make lemonade the proper way . Then come back here and apologize to OP for steering them wrong.
commanderquill@reddit
Dude, I wanted to watch this but this man has the most annoying voice known to mankind.
hbi2k@reddit
1.) Shut your mouth, Chef John is a national treasure, but,
2.) Fine, here's the written version: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/281089/state-fair-lemonade/
Junior_Ad_7613@reddit
I recently learned that after you’ve use lemons for their juice in some other recipe, you can chop them up, combine two parts chopped lemon to one part sugar by weight, let sit overnight, strain to end up with a syrup that’s just lovely mixed with seltzer (if not quite as punchy as real lemonade).
JarlOfPickles@reddit
And then after that, you can scrape the remaining pulp off the peels, cut into small pieces, boil for a couple hours with more sugar, and finally roll in granulated sugar for homemade lemon candy!
They really are the food that keeps on giving lol
Chicago_Avocado@reddit
Ever try Chef John’s garlic Shrimp? Its a staple at my house.
ehunke@reddit
this is a great recipe for the kids, granted he calls it "country fair lemonade" and its supposed to be sweet. Just saying for most of us as we get older we crave sweet a little less so the ratio of lemon juice to water would be a little less for most adults
hbi2k@reddit
You can definitely adjust the ratios to taste. As long as you have enough sugar to coat the lemon zest, better to use a little less if you think that's how you'll like it. You can always add more later, you can't take it away.
jupitermoonflow@reddit
I’m trying this
commanderquill@reddit
Why does he talk like that???
hbi2k@reddit
That sound you're hearing is joy. I know it's strange, there's not a lot of it around these days.
jcvtx1800@reddit
I didn't believe that his voice could be that irritating. I stand corrected.
Traegs_@reddit
He has a weird inflection at the end of every sentence. I've come across him once before and couldn't finish that video either.
hugemessanon@reddit
It took me a moment to get used to his voice but the more videos you watch, the more you get used to it and his personality shines through. I like to fall asleep to his videos, he so funny and soothing. And his videos almost never feature chewing sounds (only if he needs to exhibit the crunch).
commanderquill@reddit
Not just the end, the middle too. His voice is like a rollercoaster. Not the fun part where you're riding it, but the actual track itself.
hugemessanon@reddit
Love chef John. His videos for ketchup and vegetarian escargot are hilarious
shornscrot@reddit
Fuck are you talking about? What do you think the stuff that comes out of lemons is called after you squeeze it?
hbi2k@reddit
Tell me you didn't watch the video without telling me you didn't watch the video.
shornscrot@reddit
Yeah, cause that’s why people come to Reddit to watch videos in the comments. Go back to Facebook.
hbi2k@reddit
Well, if a five-minute video is too much of a stretch on your attention span I don't know why I would assume that you're literate, but here's the written version if you want to take a crack at sounding out the big words: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/281089/state-fair-lemonade/
Read it or don't, but what you definitely shouldn't do is assume what's in it without reading it and then angrily respond to what your meth-addled brain came up with, you absolute buffoon.
GreenBeanTM@reddit
Dude it’s not about attention span, it’s about what people are looking for.
RangerBumble@reddit
Red stockings if you want it to be pink
sfdsquid@reddit
Red stockings?
RangerBumble@reddit
One story of the invention of pink lemonade (there's at least two) is that Pete Conklin ran out of water while selling lemonade at the circus in 1857 and improvised by adding used laundry water from another preformers tights and labeling it 'strawberry lemonade'
Honest_Road17@reddit
1/2 teaspoon of Sodium Bicarbonate to reduce acidity.
Crayshack@reddit
Serve over ice. If you want to get really facy, put some of the lemonade into an ice tray for lemon ice chips.
szayl@reddit
Best if the sugar is dissolved into the water to make simple syrup before making the lemonade. 🙂
Appropriate_Form_660@reddit
Are you sure I don't need a gun to make this? It doesn't look very American.
ImNotToby@reddit
Add zest for extra points. Maybe a small pinch of salt.
eightbillionofus@reddit
Warning: juice of a (actual) lemon may be different than "lemon juice"
Emily_Postal@reddit
That’s it. Fresh lemons, sugar and water.
Sorry_Nobody1552@reddit
Hell yeah.
PapaTua@reddit
ICE!
LOTS OF ICE.
FluffySarcasm@reddit
Also, if you want to kick it up a bit add one orange!
segascream@reddit
Fucking love Fruited Lemonade.
Wallaroo_Trail@reddit
And if you're not American, put about as much sugar as you think is right, then double it and then double it again. As a Euro, I can't drink this stuff 😆
LaSerenita@reddit
I make lemonade and this is not how we make it. I actually cut back on the sugar.
jupitermoonflow@reddit
Yeah I don’t like my lemonade to taste like a lemon candy
Premium333@reddit
Make Oleo Saccharum, mix with lemon juice, water, and mire sugar as needed. Tastes like summer sunshine.
Oleo Saccharum 8-10 lemons 1 cup sugar Time
Peel the lemons really shallow. You want the yellow, not the white pith.
Mix with the sugar. You can muddle it if you want to speed things up. Put in the fridge over night. This draws the lemon oils out of the peel and puts it into this sugar.... Which makes a lemon syrup.
Lemonade
Juice the lemons you peeled earlier right into the oleo saccharum, approx 1.5 cups, and stir until the sugar dissolves.
This is your lemonade syrup. Add ~ 5 cups of water to this syrup to make lemonade.... Adjust with more or less water to your liking.... I like a lot more as this is really sweet for my tastes.
You can put some mint or musdle fruit in the glass with the lemonade to flavor it.
narwhals_revolt@reddit
If you use a sous vide (or just a warm water bath) you can get your oleo saccharin to be done in an hour or two. Just fyi.
Premium333@reddit
Great!
too_too2@reddit
if you add it to vodka instead you can get limoncello
Premium333@reddit
Yum!
King_Wataba@reddit
Here's a pretty good video
tlollz52@reddit
Yep, I was gonna come here and comment this. Much better than lemon juice sugar and water.
Premium333@reddit
Yes! Delicious!
_Xero2Hero_@reddit
Did this with lemons and blood oranges and it turned out so good. Totally worth making it you want the best lemonade you've ever tasted.
Premium333@reddit
Mmm... That sounds amazing!
hbi2k@reddit
This is the way. If you're not using the zest, you're throwing half the flavor in the trash. It makes me sad how many people on this post have apparently never had proper lemonade.
Premium333@reddit
Yeah. I mostly agree... But oleo saccharum is a pain in the ass to make and takes an extra day. A lotta people jist want to make lemonade now 😂.
So, I get it. I'll usually make a liter of oleo saccharum at a time and then use it to make lemonade by the glass straight from tbe fridge.
hbi2k@reddit
I mean, you could microwave a steak and that would be easier than grilling it, but that doesn't make it a good idea.
comrade_zerox@reddit
Wait until you find out about Arnold Palmer.
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thunder-bug-@reddit
If you want to get that good secret upgrade, take some lemon peels (removing as much of the pith from them as possible) and put it in sugar for a couple hours. Then take that mix and dissolve the sugar in water and add the lemon juice. It extracts the oils from the peel.
Boogerpickfingerlick@reddit
The ratio is use 1 cup lemon juice, 1 cup sugar, 6 cups water.
Traditional_Trust418@reddit
I was shocked to learn that you guys call Sprite lemonade. At least they do in the UK
4MuddyPaws@reddit
Juice from 6 lemons. Should equal 1 cup/236-240 ml) Rolling the lemons before cutting seems to make it easier to squeeze out the juice. Make sure to remove seeds.
1 cup sugar (200 grams, I think)
6 cups water (236-240 ml)
You might have to reconfigure my measurements to metric.
Stir it all together and chill. Serve over ice.
Sledgehammer925@reddit
If you want to take it from good to great, add some lemon rinds and mash them in the lemonade. Remove them afterwards because it will turn it bitter, but you really need the oils from the rind to perfect it.
front_torch@reddit
That's called sprite
SuperShelter3112@reddit
Everyone already gave recipes, but this just reminded me of one summer when I worked at an amusement park when I was like, 19 years old. Every day I’d spend my lunch break waiting in line for a freshly-squeezed lemonade. They had a bunch of cups, with the bottoms filled with sugar. They’d pour water in the cup, then take a large lemon, cut it in half, and put each half into the giant lemon squeezer contraption above the cup. Once they squeezed it, they’d put some ice in, put a cover on, shake it a few times to mix everything together, and HOLY SMOKES it sure made that shitty job worth it. Was I making 7.25/hr and working 50 hour weeks? Yes. But the lemonade really did take off the edge 😂
Street-Ad7570@reddit
When you get lemonade down, try mixing it with iced tea.
Life changing.
organizmz@reddit (OP)
Oh this sounds so good!!!!
Libertas_@reddit
After that you have to try strawberry lemonade.
vermiciouswangdoodle@reddit
It's so good. OP, just thoroughly puree some strawberries and push through a sieve to remove most of the seeds and stir into the lemonade .
Living_Molasses4719@reddit
This drink (1:1 mix) is known as an Arnold Palmer
Kristylane@reddit
If you add vodka it’s a John Daly.
Living_Molasses4719@reddit
That tracks
pixel-beast@reddit
Garnish with Vicodin and you’ve got a Tiger Woods. Best enjoyed behind the wheel at obscenely unreasonable speeds
mdavis360@reddit
Or as my wife accidentally called it one day, an “All Nude Palmer”
Angsty_Potatos@reddit
An Arnold Palmer is a JOY
porcelaincatstatue@reddit
Then level up with some sun tea.
sfdsquid@reddit
This is really interesting to me since I love squash and it's not a thing in the US. Lemonade seems sort of like squash only it's not as... Subtle? Watery?
MainiacJoe@reddit
I really like substituting a 5:1 lemon juice:apple cider vinegar mixture for straight lemon juice.
Tron_35@reddit
Yall have carbonated lemonade???? Like a soda???
organizmz@reddit (OP)
Yup! If you ordered a lemonade in the UK, you would essentially get a sprite. It's the default over here so when I ordered a lemonade at a Texas Roadhouse I genuinely thought I was served flat soda 😔
Itsdanaozideshihou@reddit
And ya'll wonder why our ancestors staged a revolution against you! Tea over coffee....Carbonating lemonade...Calling soccer football!
organizmz@reddit (OP)
We're simple creatures, we see that a foot kicks the ball and we didn't ask any further questions 😩
MischaBurns@reddit
There's more foot-ing of the ball going on in soccer than in American football by a pretty wide margin. As an American, I feel like this particular bit of naming fuckery is on US.
Royal_Success3131@reddit
Britain is the one who originally named it soccer, so that's on them. I do agree football is a poor name for our football. I tend to like the term Gridiron
asphid_jackal@reddit
It's a ball game played on foot, it could not be any more appropriate of a name
Royal_Success3131@reddit
All ball games I can think of are played on foot barring polo.
V_Writer@reddit
Exactly. Polo, but played on foot rather than horseback, is called "football" for that reason. American football, soccer, rugby, even basketball are all footballs. Play polo in a swimming pool and you get water polo. (Play it on ice skates and you get hockey, though I'm not sure where that name comes from.)
ar46and2@reddit
But the field was really only a gridiron from 1903 to 1909, so it's also a bit obsolete
Rob_LeMatic@reddit
I gave up following football after 1909 for exactly this reason
Royal_Success3131@reddit
It's stuck around as a colloquial term strongly enough where the semantics doesn't matter all that much.
ar46and2@reddit
Sure, but you could say the same for football
organizmz@reddit (OP)
Learning that your football is our version of rugby was crazy! (Don't ask me why it's called that tho, couldn't tell you)
jvc1011@reddit
So football wasn’t originally played by the rules of soccer in the UK or anywhere colonized by Britain.
It was much closer to what the rest of us call football. Aussie rules or American or Canadian - highly variable, incredibly dangerous, and less foot-kicking-ball than you would guess. It was banned for centuries because each little village had its own rules and people were regularly injured or killed.
What you now call football was originally called Association Football. English people shortened that to Assoc. and eventually soccer, then apparently went back on it when other English-speaking countries started calling it that to distinguish it from other forms of football.
Limberpuppy@reddit
They eat things with names like spotted dick. We definitely drew a line there.
thewickedbarnacle@reddit
You got me on 2 of those but this lemonade thing has me intrigued
kittenpantzen@reddit
Actual carbonated lemonade is quite good. Green soda has one that you can probably find if you have Sprouts nearby.
Legitimate_Salt_8391@reddit
tbf, tea over coffee hasn't been a thing for a while now. Coffee definitely dominates Britain these days
TheLeopardMedium@reddit
The loop that threw me for when I first ordered lemonade in Europe! I almost spit it out reflexively just because of the shock haha
Maybe it an indoctrination but I really do prefer lemonade uncarbonated
DragonScrivner@reddit
You know what else is yummy? Limeade. Try it, it’s sooooo good
Porchmuse@reddit
I had the opposite experience while visiting the UK!
porcelaincatstatue@reddit
If I ordered a lemonade and was given a fizzy beverage, I'd cry. I love a good fizzy drink. I'm sipping on an apricot La Croix right now. But carbonated lemonade sounds like a war crime.
cocaineandwaffles1@reddit
Go look up how to make southern style sweet tea. Or maybe southeast American for you. Go mix our lemonade with that sweet tea and you’ll understand why we have it flat.
Practical-Ordinary-6@reddit
Fresh lemonade in a restaurant here is pretty uncommon overall. The default drinks in most restaurants, especially in the South, are tea/sweet tea and commercial carbonated soft drinks or some brand of bottled water. They can't just buy lemonade (at least good lemonade) and bark like they can buy Sprite and other carbonated drinks. You have to take some effort to make it. It is the best thing on a hot summer afternoon. You don't need any carbonation.
lendmeflight@reddit
That’s weird and not what lemonade is here ar all.
chillannyc2@reddit
Its basically sprite in my experience
FastCar2467@reddit
It’s Sprite. My first time in London, I ordered a “lemonade” expecting the typical lemonade I get in the US and it was Sprite. I asked the waiter if it was a mistake and it wasn’t. I just ordered something that is completely different from what I was used to.
OriginalCause@reddit
I had the opposite problem with my wife. She's an Aussie, and came to visit me in the States before we got married. We did a big road trip, so we spent a lot of time in the car. Whenever we'd fill up she'd always ask for a lemonade, so I'd bring her out a Minute Maid or Tropicana, flat sweetened lemon.
We were halfway around America when she finally worked up the gumption to tell me that while she liked the flat lemon it was a bit harsh on her stomach and did we have something sparkling. So. I found fizzy lemonade. sigh
It took another couple hundred miles for her to say, "Sprite...do you guys have Sprite here...?"
coronarybee@reddit
They count sprite as lemonade ☠️
AdhesivenessCold398@reddit
It tastes like US 7-up. Was hugely disappointing to my kids when we moved to England from the States.
Remarkable_Table_279@reddit
It’s sprite. They just call it lemonade
ehunke@reddit
normally sold in the states as fizzy lemonade or if you had 7up with about half the sugar it would be carbonated lemonade
LiqdPT@reddit
Basically they call 7up like beverages "lemonade"
clekas@reddit
It’s basically like a Sprite or 7UP.
iwishiwasamoose@reddit
Less sweet though, in my opinion.
Meattyloaf@reddit
Make it using Sprite or Twist-up. It is phenomenal.
ClickClick_Boom@reddit
You can buy it in the USA. Or at least a form of it.
https://www.sanpellegrino.com/us/beverages/fruit/limonata
sneezhousing@reddit
They call sprite lemonade or really any lemon lime soda is called lemonade over there
Shoddy-Secretary-712@reddit
1 cup lemon juice 1 cup sugar 6 cups water
AbiWil1996@reddit
I do 6-8 lemons squeezed. A cup of sugar and a cup of water heated to make a syrup. 6 cups water (give or take). A pinch of salt. Makes about half a gallon.
Imaginary_Ladder_917@reddit
OP, this is important. You have to heat the water and sugar together to make a simple syrup. Otherwise, the sugar will just sink to the bottom. But then after adding all ingredients, you need to refrigerate it or serve it over lots of ice. Lemonade needs to be cold
jvc1011@reddit
We never did that for our lemonade stands, and it still eventually dissolved and became lemonade. That said, this does sound quicker. Getting sugar to dissolve in cold liquid is always a pain.
Imaginary_Ladder_917@reddit
I grew up in an area with a lot of lemon, trees and what we actually did was we would heat the lemon juice with the sugar. Tthen we could freeze it, basically making our own lemonade concentrate. When we were ready to drink it, we would get it out and add water and stir until the lemon/sugar mixture melted.
jvc1011@reddit
We had lots of lemon trees too, but we were kids and not that clever. Sounds amazing, honestly.
Imaginary_Ladder_917@reddit
I must admit it was not my idea. A family friend told my mom about it. I’m not sure when the freeze shed part started. The best part was it was Meyer lemons, which have a slightly different taste. No other lemonade will ever be as good good me. I knew they looked different from the lemons you see in stores but just assumed it was because they were home grown. I was well into my 30s before I found out the variety was different. It took me a long time to figure out why other lemonade never quite matched up.
Imaginary_Ladder_917@reddit
Here’s the recipe: OP, if you don’t have US measuring cups, just fill a teacup fully with sugar and put it in a pan. Then completely fill that tea up with water and add to the pan. It’s a 1:1 ratio by volume.
One cup fresh lemon juice
One cup sugar
Heat together until all sugar is dissolved and allow to cool.
For lemonade: add 5 1/2–6 cups of cold water (part ice cubes), mix and serve
One serving is 3/8 cup concentrate plus 1-1/2 cup water
Capital-Yogurt6148@reddit
Sounds perfect.
I don’t like lemon in sweet applications, only savory. But I did see a similar recipe to yours, only they roasted the lemons first. Thought that was interesting, but I’m still not a fan of lemonade, so I haven’t made it.
hugemessanon@reddit
Maybe you’d like lemonade if it had ingredients such as sage, cucumber, basil. I had an herby lemonade mocktail once and it was wonderful, not very sweet.
Capital-Yogurt6148@reddit
I do like limeade. I have just never been a fan of lemon in any form, until several years ago, when I started enjoying a squeeze of it on fish or vegetables. But I still don’t like it as a primary flavor, sweet or savory.
atropos81092@reddit
I highly recommend peeling just the yellow part off the lemons (bonus points for large, continuous strips) before you juice them, and putting the lemon peels into the sugar syrup once the sugar dissolves.
Let the peels steep in the syrup for 30-ish minutes (I usually juice the lemons during that time) and pull them out before using the syrup in your lemonade!
The oil in the peels adds a whole new layer of lemon flavor and really rounds things out beautifully!
CloudedLeopardDaemon@reddit
Boil lemon juice and add sugar at a 1:1 ratio so it forms a syrup. Let it cool in the fridge then add to water to taste.
GIRose@reddit
A solid pitcher will use the juice of 10 full sized lemons (and that might even be on the light side depending on the lemon), 2 liters of water, and 300 grams of sugar, and lemon slices to garnish.
I don't know exactly what you mean by twang, but one of the secrets to a good lemonade is that you will use more lemon than you think you probably should if you haven't done it before.
ProfessionalGrade423@reddit
M&S makes a good one that is the same as the American version if you want to just buy it. Theirs has the appropriate ratio of lemon/sugar.
choglin@reddit
I’ve always liked lemon shake ups. In my hometown we have an annual fair with rides, games, food, lots of beer, and a car show. Anyway, the Girl Scouts make lemon shake ups as a fundraiser for their troop. I always find it a little funny because inevitably the volunteer dads end up being the “shakers.” The scouts are collecting money and making change, the moms are prepping ingredients, and the dads are working their asses off in a trailer in the heat of July shaking their brains out.
The advantage of a lemon shake up is that it’s essentially a lemonade for one. Unfortunately I don’t have a recipe. I can, however, give you one critical tip that makes the Girl Scout offerings so good. Sugar. I don’t have an amount or ratio of sugar to use. You have to use so much sugar that you can literally chew the sugar as you’re drinking it. When you finish a sip, you can then crunch it a bit in your teeth before you drink another sip. But this is the target you’re shooting for. *Just* enough so that you can crunch that sugar but not so much that there remains a sludge of sugar on the bottom of the glass. It’s a delicate balance but in July in the Midwest nothing hits like one of these drinks.
Good luck and Godspeed
grunkle_dan78@reddit
lemonade and limeade. fresh squeezed is always best. mom always just made a big batch of simple syrup, like a 3 to 1 ratio of water to sugar and kept it in the fridge. then when she wanted some, she'd fill a glass with ice(crushed preferred) and then half simple syrup to half fresh squeezed citrus juice. she always wanted a couple of limes for brightness.
well, I suppose I need to go grocery shopping tomorrow to get supplies. that, and my wife has requested fry bread. so at least I've got my Sunday planned out.
wieldymouse@reddit
My grandma's lemonade had no twang in it, not one drop of bitterness. I didn't realize that lemonade was supposed to be tart until I was an adult, ordered it at a restaurant, and made a complaint about how tart it was. She never shared her recipe with me. The closest lemonade I've been able to find to it is Publix's lemonade.
miketugboat@reddit
If you wanna make it even better shake it with ice. All citrus drinks are better after being shaken like a cocktail.
FormidableMistress@reddit
I can't add pictures but I keep a large bottle of Real Lemon in the fridge. I've messaged you the recipe on the back of the bottle. Hope that helps!
OodalollyOodalolly@reddit
More water and sugar than you think! 1 lemon can make almost 3-4 cups of lemonade if you also add enough sugar. Serve ice cold.
saturnui99@reddit
American in Australia and the only lemonade here is this weird carbonated thing…. Man I miss country time 🤣 iykyk
caln93@reddit
Here’s a down and dirty restaurant homemade lemonade recipe. Make some simple syrup. Equal parts water and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes. Set aside. Juice some lemons. Equal parts syrup and juice. Then add that total volume in water. Example - one cup syrup, one cup lemon juice, two cups water. You can adjust after that to your specific taste, but that’s what my restaurant does as a baseline.
hugemessanon@reddit
I feel like a little bit of lime juice would be a tasty addition. And of course you can’t go wrong with raspberry or strawberry. Or blueberry or blackberry. Ooh and herbs are great in lemonade. Man I want some lemonade now
Suppafly@reddit
That's because your lemonade is just soda.
Inspi@reddit
Lemonade: Lemons, Sugar to offset bitter, water(optional)
Orange Juice: Oranges
Apple Juice: Apples
Grape Juice: Grapes
Wine: Fun Grapes
Most fruits can be juiced. Just be sure to use the real deal.
Far-Drawing-4444@reddit
Fresh squeezed lemons, fresh squeezed oranges, add sugar and water.
I don't remember the exact recipe, but I think it's 3 or 4 lemons, 2 or 3 oranges, then water and sugar to taste.
It's how my grandma made lemonade, and no matter how much she made, it was gone the same day. Absolutely delicious.
tcdaf7929@reddit
My MIL makes it this way….never lasts when we have family get togethers!
CockroachNo2540@reddit
Make simple syrup. Add lemon juice to taste.
CockroachNo2540@reddit
And water.
scarlettohara1936@reddit
A twang. That will be in my mind now forever. Thank you.
hwrdhdsn@reddit
My basic recipe is 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup lemon juice (I am a bit generous because I like the “twang” you described) and water to fill a 1 quart container.
Sugar dissolves slowly so stir or shake a LOT. A mixer will help. I have a stick blender that works well for me.
I also use an artificial sweetener (Splenda) to replace the sugar because diabetes. Tastes close enough for me
Lemonade is super refreshing on a hot day, super fast to put together, and keeps several days in a refrigerator.
I forgot about the carbonated lemonade in the UK. I prefer mine “flat” not fizzy.
_Molj@reddit
Lemonade is a fizzy drink in Australia as well. I was in my mid 20's before I ever heard of lemonade as a name for a carbonated beverage. (US)
_Molj@reddit
I mean, we have plenty of examples, Squirt comes to mind. Just different names
Fickle-Copy-2186@reddit
I use powered sugar, it melts easier.
LetterheadClassic306@reddit
oh that twang is just fresh lemon juice hitting right. simple recipe - 1 cup fresh lemon juice (like 4-6 lemons), 1 cup sugar, 6 cups cold water. shake or stir till sugar dissolves. that bright tartness comes from using real lemons and not letting it sit. a good citrus juicer makes juicing way less annoying. throw in some lemon slices and ice. the store stuff here has that same fresh feel if you make it same day.
EmpactWB@reddit
Personally, I say 4 parts lemon juice to 4 parts sugar to 45 parts water by volume for the perfect lemonade. My wife used to prefer 3:4:45, but likes the stronger lemon flavor these days.
I’m tempted to try this with carbonated water to see how it goes, now that you’ve mentioned it.
thirteenorphans@reddit
I have a faux lemonade recipe from 1895 or so. If you want something weirder. If you are interested, I'll need to go find it, but I have one.
min6char@reddit
My dad's go-to was:
375 ml granulated sugar 375 ml lemon juice 3.25 liters of water
Which I'm pretty sure he got from his mom.
(In freedom units that's 1.5 cup sugar, 1.5 cup lemon juice, fill the rest of the gallon jug with water)
Dalton387@reddit
Yes, Chef John of Foodwishes on YouTube has a particularly good recipe. I’ll try to find it and link it after I reply. For his, the reason it’s a little better, is it uses the zest.
He’ll peel it and put the sugar on the peel over night. That pulls out some of the oils. Then he boils the sugar and peels to melt the sugar. You then strain out the peels and use that for extra flavor.
At its most basic, it’s a combination of pure lemon juice, water and sugar. Pure lemon juice is very tart, as you’d imagine. Like biting into a raw lemon. The water dilutes it and the sugar sweetens it so it’s not just sour lemon water.
Feel free to play with the ratio to dial in your taste. The reason you want to heat the sugar, is because it doesn’t dissolve well in cold water. At best, you’re stirring a long time and at worst, it’s grainy and sour.
If you want to skip the extra steps in the chef John version, I’d do a simple syrup. Either a 1:1 sugar/water or a 2:1 which is actually pretty shelf stable. I do that for cocktails. Find a recipe to get close on the ratios, but basically dilute lemon juice with water and add simple syrup till it seems just right.
GreenBeanTM@reddit
By twang I’m guessing you mean sourness? We get that from the lemon juice.
nauticalfiesta@reddit
Packet of koolaid add sugar and water.
Anianna@reddit
If you want that twang, you shave the yellow zest off the lemon peels and mix the yellow zest in the sugar and let that just sit in a container overnight. The sugar draws out the lemon zest oils, essentially making lemon-flavored sugar.
You then pour that mixture into some hot water (not boiling) to dissolve the sugar, then strain the peels out and let the sugar water cool.
Then you juice the lemons and add the zesty sugar water.
Im-a-sim@reddit
If you melt the sugar in hot water then cool before drinking it’ll be 1000% better
WowsrsBowsrsTrousrs@reddit
We in turn are shocked that you call any lemon-flavored soda "lemonade." -Ade means made from fruit juice, or concentrate thereof, and by definition is not carbonated. Your lemonade is just soda that happens to have lemon flavor.
elainegeorge@reddit
4 lemons, freshly squeezed 1.4 L water 200 g granulated sugar
Heat a cup of the water and sugar until sugar dissolves. Let cool about 10-15 min. Mix remaining ingredients together and chill.
National-Pressure202@reddit
You can substitute agave syrup for sugar… But OG lemonade is sugar and water, heated to form a simple syrup, juice lemons, combine lemon juice with water, add syrup to sweeten to one’s preference. Some like more tang, some like more sweet
Utaneus@reddit
Most people here don't seem to know how to make lemonade. Yeah, it's lemon juice and sugar and water, but the real key is tossing the sugar on top of the lemon shells and letting the sweat it out before you add the water, and keep the shells in there to steep.
segascream@reddit
I know you were just looking for the basics, but i might as well toss out a couple of my favorite variants:
Lemon Shake-Up is sugar, water, ice, and squeezed lemons literally just shaken up together
Fruited Lemonade is often just your basic lemonade, but also with a fresh squeezed orange tossed in
tibearius1123@reddit
Add muddled mint.
Senior-Tower-7643@reddit
4 lemons, 1 orange, 1 cup sugar, 2 quarts water. Trust me
anneofgraygardens@reddit
Okay, i have Meyer lemons, which aren't as sour as a typical lemon, so you might need more sugar, but this is what I do:
get eight cups of water boiling on the stove
while that's happening, squeeze two cups of lemon juice.
When the water is boiling, add a cup of sugar and your lemon juice.
drop in a few sprigs of mint. let it steep in there for like five minutes, then retrieve it.
Carefully (because it's super hot still) pour your lemonade into a pitcher or a large glass jar and put it in the fridge.
ehunke@reddit
per glass you need the juice of either half or a whole lemon, about a tablespoon or sugar or honey and the rest is water. adjust to taste
NagathaChristie91@reddit
This is so funny to me because I’ve seen a wave of UK folks making “American style” lemonade on YouTube the past couple of weeks. I liked L3WG’s attempt the best but there’s no correct way so long as you enjoy it. It’s just lemon juice, sugar, and water. More water than anything and you make a simple syrup before you add the lemon juice. If you don’t want to hand squeeze lemons, buy a lemon juice concentrate if you can find that in Wales
organizmz@reddit (OP)
Really! I was watching some tiktok and just saw one of those blank Styrofoam takeout cups you get in America in the videos background and I started having "that's so raven" esque flashbacks to lemonade 😭
starlight61@reddit
If yall like lemonade, you should really try limeade
According-Couple2744@reddit
I was once at a restaurant with a group of women, some of whom I didn’t personally know, when one ordered water with lemon and then requested extra lemon wedges. She proceeded to squeeze the lemon juice into the water and mixed in the sugar from the table. She then proceeded to say, “water plus lemon plus sugar equals lemonade. Why pay $3.00 for a glass of lemon when you can make your own for free.” It was the tackiest thing I ever saw. She was also one of the wealthiest women at the table.
Troyjam@reddit
Starting with Meyer lemons helps as they are sweeter than Lisbon lemons.
William_Maguire@reddit
Definitely buy a hand juicer. I've seen videos of brits use the machines that grind up a whole lemon and spit out the juice and this is what you don't want to do. Just a normal juicer, cut the lemon in half and juice. You just want the juice and maybe a little pulp, no other solids.
mr_jugz@reddit
uk "lemonade" is just sprite. its not the same drink
sweetEVILone@reddit
What do you think lemonade is?
organizmz@reddit (OP)
listen I'm looking for that sweet tang you guys seem to have mastered, I wasn't sure if it was a specific power you guys use or something 😔 we don't really make lemonade in the UK cause a 2 liter is like 50p
Leia1979@reddit
US lemonade uses a lot more lemon than the UK kind. Or at least a good one does—some places make really weak lemonade. Different lemon varieties will produce different results, too. Growing up, we had a tree that produced these huge, really tart lemons. They made the best lemonade.
sweetEVILone@reddit
You can make lemonade from just a few lemons. How is that 50£
organizmz@reddit (OP)
50p is half of £1 😩 we've never needed to make it cause it's just cheaper to buy
sweetEVILone@reddit
😵💫 British money words confuse me 😆
organizmz@reddit (OP)
I can't judge you, I still don't know what a dime is 😭
sweetEVILone@reddit
It’s either 10 cents or $10 worth of weed
boosayrian@reddit
It’s best to turn the sugar and some of the water into a simple syrup that you let cool and add lemon juice and more water to.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/32385/best-lemonade-ever/
knifeyspoonysporky@reddit
Really good country fair style lemonade I mix the sugar with lemon peels and let them sit awhile.
Then I mix that sugar with hot water to dissolve the sugar, and then add cold water and lemon juice.
At fair you see juiced lemon halves floating in the big pitchers of lemonade. I think including some peels gives it that unique twang that is so good.
I can share my recipe if you want, I just have to find it.
HermioneMarch@reddit
“Take one pint of water, add a half pound of sugar, the juice of eight lemons the zest of half lemon Pour the water from one jug, then into the other, several times Strain through a clean napkin” Beyoncé
Brewcat111@reddit
When I make it at home, I use the juice of about 10 lemons and two to three limes, about 2 quarts (2L) of water and about a cup (150-200g) of white sugar. Mix, chill and enjoy.
katlian@reddit
For extra lemon flavor, peel the zest off the lemons and mix them with the sugar. Let the mix sit a few hours, then mix the juice and water with the sugar and peels. This draws the essential oils out of the peel and makes the lemonade more fragrant.
Angsty_Potatos@reddit
If you wanna make it a little easier on yourself. Make a simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar.) add this to your lemon juice and water until you get a ratio you like.
The simple just helps with desolving the sugar so you don't have sugar grit on the bottom.
Then do yourself a favor and make an Arnold Palmer- brew black tea in cool water over night in the fridge. How much tea to use depends on the amount of water your pitcher holds. I do 6 ish packets in 4 qts. Use a non fancy black tea. Like a of tips or equivalent.
Then mix your iced tea equally in a glass with your lemonade and enjoy
SabresBills69@reddit
we can buy it in the freezer section from concentrate, just add water and shake in a jug.
many stores have refrigerator sections with it and 2L soda companies ( coke, pepsi)make 2L, 6/8/12 cans/ sm bottle packs of it.
rachel7193@reddit
It’s just watered down lemon juice, sugar, and ice.
hbi2k@reddit
No it's not, at least not if you do it right.
JulesInIllinois@reddit
The key to the best lemonade is simple syrup. You have to make it ahead of time. Just heat up water and sugar. A 1:1 ratio is best. But, a 2:1 water to sugar will work, too.
Just put mix simple syrup, freshly squeezed lemon juice and water. Mix it up with ice or shake it.
Ducal_Spellmonger@reddit
Water + lemon juice + sugar.
Adjust lemon juice/sugar ratio to taste.
hbi2k@reddit
No.
katjoy63@reddit
You need to make a sugar syrup. Take a cup of sugar and put it into a cup of water and heat until it's dissolved, stirring constantly.
Then mix with your lemons and ice and more water to taste!
Terazen105@reddit
I like to make simple syrup first, equal parts water and sugar heat until sugar dissolved.
The for a single glass of lemonade (standard pint glass) (I prefer limeade but it's the same.)
-one small lemon freshly juiced (or a lime) -ice (to preference) I typically fill two about 3/4 cup - 1-2 tablespoons simple syrup (to taste) - cold water to finish filling the glass
Stir together and enjoy.
hbi2k@reddit
Please ignore all of the people who are telling you that it's just lemon juice, water, and sugar. It's all those things and lemon zest.
Watch and learn, try it at home, and you'll never go back.
Streamjumper@reddit
In addition to the lemon, water, sugar combo that has been mentioned here there is also a somewhat more decadent lemonade you can make with orgeat syrup.
Shake 2 oz lemon juice, 2 oz orgeat (an almond and sugar syrup with some other botanical like rose water and orange blossom water) with ice then strain into a tall glass filled with ice. Top with your choice of cold still or carbonated water and give a gentle stir.
Turbulent_Table3917@reddit
In New England we often sweeten lemonade with maple syrup instead of sugar. It’s amazingly good.
Happy_Flow826@reddit
My kids really like my lemonade comcentrate recipe.
2 lemons 3/4-1 cup granulated sugar (150-200 grams) 1 cup hot water the juice of the two lemons * Peel the rind off two lemons. Combine with the sugar, mix until clumpy and damp looking. Add the hot water and stir till sugars dissolved. Let sit for a half hour then mix in the juice of the two lemons. Strain and store in the fridge.
To serve, we do about one half cup of the concentrate, and one half cup of cold water. Serve over ice. I personally just pour my concentrate into two carafes and fill with cool water and store in the fridge for the family to pour and drink.
railroader67@reddit
Lemon shakeups like you get at the local fairs in the US. In a 16oz glass add 1 lemon quartered, press it and add a couple generous spoonfuls of sugar, add ice and water. Shake to mix. Adjust sugar to taste. The glass and metal shaker from a bartending kit works great for mixing. Made a lot of these in my youth as a volunteer at a booth.
clairejv@reddit
One part lemon juice One part sugar Four parts water
seatownquilt-N-plant@reddit
There is a cafe that is near and dear to my heart from my university days. They keep fresh lemons on hand and make it on demand. A ton of ice, fresh squeezed lemon juice, a few pumps of simple syrup, and fill the rest with water. Yum yum.
littleyellowbike@reddit
Make sure you try some of the variations as well! Plain lemonade (lemon juice, water, sugar) is a really good base for other flavors. Vanilla lemonade is my favorite, but I also like pink lemonade and basil lemonade. Go nuts, though. If you think a flavor sounds like it might be nice with lemonade, I bet you could Google and find that someone has already done it and posted a recipe.
No_Bottle_8910@reddit
I make a simple syrup and add the zest of 2-3 lemons to while it's cooking. When cooled, I add 5-6 lemons worth of juice, and make it concentrated goodness that's easier to keep in the fridge..
When I drink it, I mix it 1:1 with water over ice.
knightni73@reddit
1.4 liter water 150 grams sugar 236 ml lemon juice
thloki@reddit
I Tried 10 Methods for Making Lemonade (The Best) | The Kitchn https://share.google/Vf9POsYPIBebsR0L4
Here's a deep dive into various methods with graded results. I'm far too lazy to make lemonade by squeezing lemons and heating sugar water. In the past, I usually used frozen lemonade concentrate mixed with water to make an acceptable drink.
deadlyhausfrau@reddit
Fam, just squeeze lemons into water until it's the terror color you like, then add sugar until you like the taste.
riarws@reddit
If you have lemon squash or lemon cordial there, it’s about the same thing.
TenebrousSage@reddit
A good ratio to start with is:
1 part freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 part sugar 4 parts water
Then adjust to taste.
allflanneleverything@reddit
I like mine tart so I do equal parts lemon juice, water, and simple syrup (which is equal parts water and sugar)
totesmadoge@reddit
Lots of people sharing the core recipe—fresh squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup and water (or granulated sugar dissolved in hot water on the stove).
If you want a “twist” on the original you can try:
Muddling and adding fruit like strawberries or raspberries.
Mint. My grandma used to add very finely chopped mint. It’s so refreshing on a hot day.
An Arnold Palmer. Half southern-style sweet tea, half lemonade.
Silly-Resist8306@reddit
Lemon shake ups at county fairs. Fresh squeezed lemon, sugar, water and chunk ice. All shaken in a 16 ounce cup. Nothing better on a hot August day.
KinaGrace96@reddit
How we do it:
1 ¾ cups white sugar 1 cup water 9 medium lemons, or more as needed 7 cups ice-cold water ice as needed
We sometimes slice or puree other fruits like strawberries, watermelon, blueberries. It can be just about other fruit you want to add in and make it more fun
LaSerenita@reddit
1 cup sugar
6 cups water
1 cup fresh lemon juice from lemons in the backyard.
serve over crushed ice.
Alternatively: make limeade and use fresh limes instead of lemons.
Eureecka@reddit
First: 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water. Heat in a pot until sugar is dissolved. Let cool. This is simple syrup.
Now, juice lemons. If you don’t like floaties or seeds, strain it.
Add lemon juice and syrup to pitcher with water. Stir well. Serve over ice. Start with equal parts lemon juice and syrup and adjust at will.
WildMartin429@reddit
So the best lemonade I ever had I don't know what the actual recipe was but it was made by one of my grandmother's siblings using sulfur well water.
Sulfur water from a well is one of the most disgusting things you can ever smell or drink unless you grew up drinking it and are used to it however it makes the best damned lemonade that I have ever had in my entire 45 years of life. So maybe try to get a hold of some sulfur water to use and whatever lemonade recipes people recommend
Still_Can_7918@reddit
Fresh lemon juice
Sugar
Water
And add ice to it
You can also add extra things like mint, strawberries, peaches, tea, etc
frickenfantastic@reddit
Cut a lemon in half and then each half into four pieces. Use six of the pieces and mash them in a cup with some sort of a matching device like a wooden spoon.
Add about 3 tablespoons of sugar
Add about 20 ounces of cold water and a handful of ice
Stir or shake
Butimthedudeman@reddit
All of the above, but a little splash of pineapple or orange juice in it is delightful
shelwood46@reddit
Yeah, it's been popular for a bit to mix in other fruits, like strawberries & raspberries. You can also substitute limes/lime juice for the lemons to make limeade.
Tommy_Wisseau_burner@reddit
Lemon juice, sugar
Lemonade mix, sugar, water
bryanisbored@reddit
A 2 liter pitcher uses like 5 lemons and a cup of sugar. I've tried less sugar but it's not great.
Crazycatlover@reddit
Well usually we use powdered lemonade mix, but I'm guessing that isn't available where you are. In general it's equal parts lemon juice and sugar to 5 parts water. Adjust to taste (my family always used much less sugar).
msabeln@reddit
Served over ice.
Weary-Passion5346@reddit
Lemon juice, Sugar, a pinch of salt, water.
kapaxcat@reddit
Best results are with fresh squeezed lemons, not bottled, concentrate, etc.
TheMostLostViking@reddit
1:1:3 lemon juice:sugar:water roughly. It’s really never exact, you just juice lemons, pour water from the sink then stir in sugar and pour that over ice
Gunzablazin1958@reddit
One cup lemon juice
One cup sugar
65 oz water
We use PH (alkaline) water, it helps offset the acidity.
Sorry no metric conversion
themostblue@reddit
Simple syrup, lemon juice and water. I usually do about a cup of simple syrup, 1/2 to 3/4 cup of lemon juice and 4ish cups of water. I always adjust based on what I want on any given day.
sneezhousing@reddit
Lemons , water , sugar. That's it you make it to your liking.
whatisakafka@reddit
Lemon juice, water, and all the sugar you can possibly find
leeloocal@reddit
I grew up just mixing lemon juice, sugar and water. It’s kind of trial and error, but nowadays i mix in a little Sakura powder to make it slightly floral.