Homemade Lemonade with Ginger and Lavender Variations

Homemade Lemonade

with Ginger and Lavender variations

Homemade Lemonade

1 cup fresh lemon juice (approximately 5 lemons)

¾ cup sugar

4 cups water

First, juice your lemons.  I used fresh lemons from a tree in my backyard for the lemon juice.  It’s really worth it to juice the lemons yourself, whether with a hand juicer or an electric juicer, rather than using store bought. 

If you have a cute helper like me he'll peel the lemons for you

Then, make the simple syrup.  You can do this by boiling 1 cup of water and stirring in 3/4 cup sugar until it dissolves.

In a pitcher, stir together lemon juice, simple syrup and remaining 3 cups of water. 

Serve immediately over a lot of ice or chill in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

For Lavender Lemonade 

1 tbs dried lavender buds (I bought mine from the The Spice Merchant)

When making the simple syrup, add 1 tbs of lavender buds to boiling water and sugar mixture.  Let simmer for 10-20 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve before adding to the lemonade. 

For Ginger Lemonade

1 in fresh ginger root

Ginger can be added one of two ways. 

If you have an electric juicer, simply put the ginger root through with the lemons. 

Without a juicer, the easiest way is to finely chop the ginger root, and add the boiling water and sugar while making the simple syrup.  Let simmer for 10-20 minutes.  Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve before adding to the lemonade.