Lemonade Like a Summer Fair
Bright, sweet-tart classic American lemonade with a “fair stand” flavor: bold lemon, clean sweetness, and plenty of ice. This method uses a quick lemon-sugar syrup for smoother, more consistent results than stirring sugar into cold water.
County-fair lemonade isn’t subtle—it’s bracing, sunny, and meant to cut through heat and fried-food cravings. The secret is dissolving sugar first, so every sip tastes the same from top to bottom. Once you learn the base ratio, you can confidently adjust for sweeter, tarter, or stronger lemon flavor.
Total Time
15 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
5 min
Servings
6
Ingredients
Lemon-Sugar Syrup
- •1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- •1 cup water
- •2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (from 3–4 lemons)
- •Pinch of kosher salt (optional, enhances flavor)
Lemonade
- •1 1/2 cups (360 ml) fresh-squeezed lemon juice (about 8–10 lemons), strained
- •4 cups cold water, plus more to taste
- •Ice, for serving
To Serve (Optional)
- •Lemon slices or wedges
- •Fresh mint sprigs
Instructions
- 1
Make the lemon-sugar syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, 1 cup water, lemon zest, and (if using) a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves (about 2–3 minutes). Remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes.
- 2
Cool the syrup: Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher (press lightly on the zest). Let cool to room temperature, or chill until cold for the freshest flavor.
- 3
Mix the lemonade: Add the lemon juice and 4 cups cold water to the pitcher. Stir well.
- 4
Taste and adjust like a fair stand: For tarter lemonade, add more lemon juice 1–2 tablespoons at a time. For sweeter, add a little more sugar syrup (or stir in a spoonful of sugar until dissolved). For lighter lemonade, add more cold water.
- 5
Serve: Fill glasses with ice, pour in the lemonade, and garnish with lemon and mint if desired. Stir the pitcher before serving if it’s been sitting.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Nutrition calculated automatically from ingredients.