Classic lemonade

Name: Classic lemonade
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 43 min
Ingredients: 150 g sugar; 1200 ml water; 240 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed; 300 g ice (optional); 1 lemon, sliced (optional); 4 sprigs mint (optional)

Vegetarian

Freshly squeezed lemon juice sweetened with a quick sugar syrup and diluted with cold water — the bright, sweet-tart drink of American summers.

Classic lemonade is an American cold drink, ready in about 43 minutes and made with sugar and lemon juice. It serves 6 and is rated beginner to cook.

Start cooking

Chilled citrus lemonade in a tall glass with lime wedge on neutral background. — Photo: Denys Gromov / Pexels · Pexels License

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 3 min
Rest: 30 min
Total: 43 min
Serves: 6
Level: Beginner
Calories: 106

Ingredients

6 glasses

150 g Sugar (opens in a new tab)
1200 ml Water (opens in a new tab)240 ml for the syrup, the rest cold.
240 ml Lemon juice (opens in a new tab), freshly squeezedFrom about 6 lemons.
300 g Ice (opens in a new tab) (optional)
1 (85 g) Lemon (opens in a new tab), sliced (optional)
4 sprigs (4 g) Mint (opens in a new tab) (optional)

Equipment

Saucepan (opens in a new tab)

Method

1
Step 1
Warm the sugar (opens in a new tab) with 240 ml of the water in a small pan, stirring just until dissolved. Cool.
- 3 min
- medium heat
- Saucepan (opens in a new tab)
2
Step 2
Mix the syrup, lemon juice (opens in a new tab) and remaining cold water in a large jug. Taste and adjust with more water or juice.
- 3 min
3
Step 3
Chill for at least 30 minutes, then serve over ice with lemon (opens in a new tab) slices and mint (opens in a new tab).
- 30 min

About this dish

Origin: Not attributed to one place · Origin uncertainSweetened lemon drinks have been made around the Mediterranean and Middle East for centuries; this still version is a US summertime classic.Also popular in United States, Canada
Dish: Snack · Cold drinks
Cooking method: No-cook
Taste: sour, sweet, refreshing, citrusy
Diet: Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients
All labels
Vegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-fat · Low-sodium · DASH-style
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for: Make-ahead · Child-friendly · Budget-friendly
Cook more with: Sugar · Lemon juice

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

106 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 266 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

Protein 0%
Carbohydrate 99%
Fat 1%

Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
Nutrient	Per serving	Per 100 g*
Energy	106 kcal	40 kcal
Protein	0.1 g	0.1 g
Carbohydrate	27.8 g	10.5 g
Net carbohydrate	27.7 g	10.4 g
Sugars	26 g	9.8 g
Added sugars	25 g	9.4 g
Fibre	0.1 g	0 g
Fat	0.1 g	0 g
Saturated fat	0 g	0 g
Trans fat	—	—
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	5 mg	2 mg
Salt equivalent	0 g	0 g

Vitamins & minerals per serving

Potassium: 43 mg
Calcium: 23 mg
Iron: 0 mg
Magnesium: 6 mg
Vitamin A (RAE): 0 µg
Vitamin C: 16 mg
Vitamin D: 0 µg
Vitamin B12: 0 µg
Folate (DFE): 8 µg

How these numbers were made

Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
*Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
Optional ingredients are not included: ice, lemon, mint.
“—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

Roll lemons firmly on the counter before juicing to get more juice.

Storage

Refrigerate in a covered jug up to 4 days.

Variations

Pink lemonade: Add a handful of crushed raspberries or strawberries and strain.
Sparkling lemonade: Use sparkling water for the cold water portion.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added 26 Oct 2026 · Updated 8 Nov 2026

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Customise in Sip & BlendCompare with

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Lemon juice, freshly squeezed240 ml · 247 g

Used in step 2

Less sweet, dairy-free, caffeine-free or for more people — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sip & Blend

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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