This Lemonade Concentrate recipe is sweet, tangy, and super simple to make! Made with just two ingredients, the concentrate will be ready to pop in the fridge or freezer in under 10 minutes. Add water and serve for the perfect treat on a hot summer day!
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My favorite treat to make over the summer is homemade lemonade. It’s extra tangy and has that fresh lemon flavor that you just can’t buy. But even better is this homemade lemonade concentrate recipe!
Making concentrate is a must if you have lemons going bad or want to prep ahead for a special occasion. Just pop it out of the fridge or freezer, add water, and voila! While you’re at it, make this iced tea concentrate for a tasty Arnold Palmer.
🏅 Why this recipe is great
- Only 2 ingredients
- Done in under 10 minutes
- Amazing flavor
- Refrigerate or freeze
🍋 Ingredients
- Lemons: You will need both lemon zest and fresh lemon juice. Don't skip the zest! The lemon peel is a powerhouse of flavor.
- Sugar: Just regular granulated sugar.
🔪 Instructions
Start by zesting the lemons with a microplane (affilate). Then juice the lemons. I use an electric citrus juicer (affiliate), but you can also use a hand juicer (affiliate).
Combine the zest, juice, and sugar in a medium saucepan on the stove. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is translucent. You are essentially making a lemon simple syrup.
Do not overheat or it will change the flavor of the lemon juice. It should not simmer or boil. Once translucent, remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. If you don’t like zest, you can strain it out.
Refrigerate or freeze the concentrate. When ready to use, mix 1 part concentrate to 3 parts filtered water.
👨👩👧👦 For a crowd
Lemonade is a real crowd pleaser, especially on a hot day! This recipe makes 3 cups of concentrate, which becomes 12 cups of lemonade with water. You can easily double or triple the recipe to serve more.
🙋 Questions and Answers
Look for fresh lemons that are bright yellow (no green spots) and slightly heavy for their size. They should be firm, but give slightly when you squeeze them. If there is no give, it likely has an extra thick rind and less juice.
Store the concentrate in a jar or air-tight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
For frozen lemonade concentrate, store in a plastic tupperware or zipper freezer bags in the freezer. You can freeze the whole recipe for a larger batch, or freeze in 1 cup measurements for 3 smaller batches. Frozen lemonade concentrate will last for 2-3 months in the freezer.
When you’re ready to serve, combine 1 part of concentrate with 3 parts of water. For a whole recipe, that means 3 cups of concentrate and 9 cups of water. Serve with ice.
👨🏼🍳 Tips & Tricks
- Use fresh lemons. You should not substitute store-bought lemon juice concentrate in this recipe.
- Don’t overheat while cooking. If the mixture gets too hot, it changes the flavor of the lemon juice. It should not simmer or boil while cooking.
👋🏻 Connect with us!
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating to let us know how it is! We’d also love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Tag @borrowedbites or hashtag #borrowedbites to show us your food!
📋 Recipe
Easy Lemonade Concentrate
Equipment
- Electric juicer optional
- Hand juicer optional
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest about 2 large lemons
- 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice about 8 large lemons
- 2 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
Lemonade Concentrate
- Zest the lemons. Squeeze the lemon juice.2 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
- In a medium saucepan, combine the zest, juice, and sugar. Cook on medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is transparent. Do not overheat - If it simmers or boils, turn down immediately.2 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 cups granulated sugar
- Once sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat and cool. If desired, strain out the zest. Store concentrate in the fridge or freezer until ready to use (see notes for more details on storing).
Making the Lemonade
- To make the lemonade, combine 1 part concentrate with 3 parts water. For this full recipe, that will be 3 cups of concentrate and 9 cups of water.
- We love comments! Please come back and leave us one after you’ve tried this recipe.
Notes
- Use fresh lemons - You can’t substitute store-bought lemon juice in this recipe.
- Don’t overheat while cooking - If the mixture gets too hot, it changes the flavor of the lemon juice. It should not simmer or boil while cooking.
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
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