Here’s a method to prepare invigorating sparkling lemonade at home using just three easy ingredients! This fizzy summer beverage is ideal for gatherings and requires only 5 minutes to whip up.
As the heat rises, I often find myself longing for something chilled, sparkling, and pleasantly tangy. That’s when I reach for this sparkling lemonade recipe! Alex and I have been refining this straightforward three-ingredient drink for years, and I can truly say it has become a family favorite during the summer.
There’s a bit of enchantment in the vibrant citrus taste paired with those charming bubbles—the ultimate combination of sweetness and tartness! I appreciate that there are no artificial flavors or high fructose corn syrup: only pure, refreshing taste.
Ingredients for sparkling lemonade
The components for homemade sparkling lemonade are straightforward: you only require 3 items to prepare a zesty glass! Here’s everything you’ll need:
– Lemons: You’ll want lemon juice squeezed from fresh lemons: skip the bottled lemon juice! For one serving, use 1 large or 2 small lemons.
– Simple syrup: Simple syrup is a breeze to create at home using sugar and water. Prepare a batch and keep it in the fridge for your lemonade or cocktail needs.
– Soda water: You can purchase your own sparkling water or club soda, or create your own using a Soda Stream (my preferred choice!).
Make it by the glass or in a pitcher
Once your ingredients are ready, simply combine them! The main way I enjoy making it is by the glass, as you get fresh fizziness directly in your cup. However, if you’re hosting and wish to serve a group, going with a pitcher is also an option!
– By the glass: The recipe below yields 10 ounces or 1 ½ cups of sparkling lemonade—perfect for on-demand enjoyment.
– Pitcher: For gatherings, prepare a pitcher that provides 8 servings of 1 cup each. Note that leftovers won’t last well due to the sparkling water.
My favorite techniques for juicing lemons
After crafting hundreds of lemonade glasses, I’ve discovered the most effective ways to extract maximum juice:
– Best tool: A press juicer is my first choice. It yields more juice than any other method I’ve encountered and keeps seeds contained.
– Second choice: A handheld citrus reamer with ridges functions effectively and requires no special tools.
If you plan to hand squeeze, a helpful tip is to slice lemons in half crosswise (not lengthwise) and squeeze over a fine-mesh strainer to catch seeds. This is certainly more labor-intensive, so opt for a press juicer if possible!
Elevate it with clear ice
Want a stylish glass of sparkling lemonade that resembles the one in the pictures? Prepare a batch of clear ice! Clear ice is homemade ice that’s crystal clear, unlike the typical cloudy ice.
You can cut it into large, naturally shaped cubes, resembling ice from an upscale bar or restaurant. We utilize clear ice in many of our cocktail recipes: and it works well for sparkling lemonade too.
Cocktails that incorporate sparkling lemonade
You can blend this homemade sparkling lemonade into cocktail recipes, offering a wonderfully bright citrus flavor. In fact, Alex and I initially created this recipe while crafting a Summer Shandy.
– Summer Shandy: A shandy is a British beer cocktail that combines beer and sparkling lemonade or ginger ale. Also consider a Classic Shandy.
– Pimm’s Cup: This British cocktail is refreshing and bubbly, featuring Pimm’s No. 1 and sparkling lemonade. It’s ideal for summer (and often enjoyed at Wimbledon, if you’re a tennis enthusiast like I am.)
Additional refreshing summer beverages
If this sparkling lemonade tantalizes your taste buds, give these other refreshing drinks a try:
You can also incorporate soda water into these beverages to convert them into sparkling lemonade! There’s something incredibly satisfying about crafting a simple, delightful drink from scratch that brings people together: share your thoughts in the comments below.
Dietary notes
This sparkling lemonade recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
Homemade Sparkling Lemonade
Here’s a method to prepare invigorating sparkling lemonade at home using just three easy ingredients! This fizzy summer beverage is ideal for gatherings and requires only 5 minutes to whip up.
Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 drink
Category: Drink
Method: Stirred
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
– 2 ounces (¼ cup) simple syrup
– 2 ounces (¼ cup) fresh lemon juice (1 large or 2 small lemons)
– 8 ounces (1 cup) soda water
Instructions
1. Single glass: In the serving glass, stir the simple syrup and lemon juice. Add ice and top with