Easy Lemonade Concentrate

Clear glass jar of yellow lemonade concentrate with yellow straws in background.

4.63 from 8 votes

This Lemonade Concentrate recipe is sweet, tangy, and super simple to make! Made with just two ingredients, it will be ready to pop in the fridge or freezer in under 10 minutes. When you're ready to serve, simply add water and enjoy! After making this dozens of times for birthdays, baby showers, BBQs, and dinner parties over the years, we are confident it is the perfect drink recipe to add to your arsenal.

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Total Time10

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Servings: cups of concentrate (12 cups lemonade)

Calories: 138kcal

Author: Misty

Equipment

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.

Notes

Tips & Tricks

Use fresh, real 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.

How to Store in Fridge

Store in a jar or air-tight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.

How to Freeze

Store in a plastic Tupperware or a zipper freezer bag 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 ready to use, thaw slightly to release from container. Then add to pitcher with 3 parts water and combine.

Nutrition