Juice the Lemons: Roll the lemons on the counter a few times before cutting them—this helps release more juice. Squeeze out all that liquid sunshine until you have about 1 cup of fresh lemon juice. Strain out any seeds, unless you like an unexpected crunch.
Make the Simple Syrup: Combine 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water in a saucepan and heat over medium until the sugar dissolves completely. No need to boil it—just stir until it’s smooth, then let it cool. This step ensures your lemonade isn’t grainy because nobody wants surprise sugar sludge at the bottom of their glass.
Mix It Up: In a large pitcher, combine the fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and the remaining 3 cups of cold water. Stir well, taste, and adjust as needed—more water if it’s too tart, more lemon if it’s too sweet.
Serve and Enjoy: Fill your favorite glasses with ice, pour in the lemonade, and garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint if you’re feeling fancy. Sip, relax, and pretend you’re on vacation.
