summer

3 Fresh Ways to Make Homemade Lemonade This Summer

published Aug 9, 2016
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(Image credit: Susanna Hopler)

Do you crave lemonade in the summer? I do — especially if it’s homemade, so I can get the sweet-to-acid ratio just right. Luckily, the homemade version is so easy that it’s never a problem to have some around. Variations, of course, are welcome if not encouraged. Here are three that have been on rotation in my kitchen since June.

A good mama never picks favorites, but I have to admit that Bryant Terry’s gunpowder lemonade is in my refrigerator more frequently than it’s not. Made with a simple spearmint syrup, gunpowder (or other) green tea, and freshly squeezed lemon juice, this is the lemonade that both refreshes and invigorates. A true essential.

Spicy ginger lemonade is a peppy variation that’s perfect for serving with Thai or Vietnamese food, or on its own when you feel a summer cold coming on. (Adding a dash of cayenne is another variation on this variation!) Making the ginger syrup couldn’t be easier; once that’s done, you just need to add lemon juice and, voila! The perfect hot-weather drink is yours.

Lemonade is the perfect kids’ drink, but not all of us are kids. This is where honey bourbon lemonade comes in. The recipe is new to me this summer, but that hasn’t stopped it from quickly becoming a favorite. Tart, sophisticated, boozy, with a touch of mellow honey. Sometimes I just love being the grown-up!

Do you have a favorite lemonade variation? Do share!

Make Your Own Lemonade

(Image credit: Susanna Hopler)