Guest Post by the Super Amazing One Hundred Dollars a Month reader Mel {she’s the one who made those AWESOME gift bags!}
I love lemonade in the summer, but I find it kind of tedious to make regularly, and it’s not super convenient to store multiple pitchers of it in the fridge. But, one summer when I was making a batch for a get together with friends, it finally dawned on me that I could make the recipe without diluting it and then store the concentrate in a jar in the fridge for when I needed it. Then, I could quickly mix it to refill the pitcher without having to crowd the fridge.
It also makes it easy for others to refill the pitcher, so this approach is super handy if you have kids—they can refill it by themselves! If you’ve already figured out this method, well, you’re smarter than I am. If this is exciting news for you, here’s how to do it:
Ingredients:
- 1.25 cups lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
- 1.5 cups sugar or Splenda
- 0.5 cups water (plus 5 cups to mix the concentrate later)
This makes one pitcher (about 6 servings), but you can multiply the recipe if you want to make more and have a few jars of concentrate ready to go. Also, yes, I know that that’s a lot of sugar. You can reduce it, but lemon juice is tart, so the sugar is really just to balance that. You can experiment with replacing some of the lemon with a naturally sweeter juice (like orange or pineapple) if you want to reduce the added sugar.
I tend to use Splenda just because it somehow dissolves down a bit better and fits in a 2-cup mason jar, so that’s another option.
Instructions:
- In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the sugar and continue stirring until it dissolves.
- Remove the pan from the heat, cool slightly, and pour the sugar mixture into a jar.
- Add the lemon juice to the jar.
- Store in the fridge until ready to mix. You could also freeze in a freezer-safe container.
- When you’re ready to mix the lemonade, combine the concentrate with 5 cups of cold water in a pitcher.
~ Mel
Jenn says
I’m going to try this! Do you know approximately how many lemons it takes to get 1.25c of lemon juice?
Thanks!
Mel says
I think one lemon usually has a couple tablespoons of juice, so probably 9-10 lemons. You can also do some fresh lemons and some bottled juice if you don’t want to squeeze that many lemons. Good luck!
Elise in the SF Bay Area says
If you own a lemon tree or bush you WANT to get a lemon squeezer, shaped like pliers. I just searched “lemon squeezer on Ama… and found exactly the right thing.
They’re AWESOME. You put the half lemon (or quarter lemon if it’s a huge one) in skin side UP (totally counter-intuitive), and use both hands to squeeze it as hard as you can. It gets all the juice while catching most of the seeds. You can also tilt it a bit to get any that’s floated to the top of the skin in the process. I get almost 1/4 cup per lemon with my squeezer (we have big lemons in this area, it’s not uncommon for me to have to quarter a lemon to get it to fit).
Also, rolling a lemon on the counter (while pressing on it) before cutting it will increase the juice production.
Mel says
Our lemon tree produces a single lemon each year in January, so I’m not quite to the point of needing a squeezer, but I’ll keep this in mind if my tree ever gets going!
Elise in the SF Bay Area says
Oh WOW! Lemons grow like CRAZY here. Seriously. Some rot, there are so many. (also many in the area, so not always easy to give away)
Mel says
Yup, I’m in Maryland, so we can’t grow them outside most of the year. I have a little twig of a tree that lives in a pot in a south-facing room. I should probably move it outside for the summer, but we have intense insect traffic in the warmer months, so it probably wouldn’t be much better off.
Christine says
Here in south Georgia lemons really grow well. I make the lemonade syrup and freeze it for use all year. You could also jar it up using the water bath method.
Also, if you have am abundance of citrus to juice, Kitchen Aid has a juicer attachment that is awesome.
Satsuma oranges also grow well here. I juice those for freezing.
Mel says
I always mean to freeze orange juice when they’re in season, but we usually eat them or make orange scones before they ever make it into the freezer! I wish citrus grew closer to us, but I do love our seasons.
Jamie says
Mel, I would love your orange scone recipe if you’re willing to share it! 🙂
Mel says
Of course! I use this recipe https://www.mybakingaddiction.com/glazed-orange-scones/
It calls for sour cream, but I always use yogurt (Greek or regular). I freeze them (cut but unbaked) and then bake directly from frozen on a few layers of parchment paper to prevent over-browning. You can freeze the glaze as well.
Kara says
You could also steep some lemon balm leaves to give it more lemony flavor!
Mel says
Great idea! I’ll have to grow lemon balm next year. I think it’s an annual in our zone, but that would be a great way of preserving it.
Wendy L says
Beautiful pitcher! Thanks for the helpful instructions. On the gift bag idea: I have been
making fabric gift bags for years and we use and reuse pieces of Christmas wire for closure.
I made a large box of gift bags and donated them to a school auction. They were appreciated.
Mel says
Thanks! I have no idea what pattern it is, but I have a whole set of dishes in it. I don’t use the dishes much, but the pitcher seems to drip less than other pitchers, so it’s my go-to for lemonade.
How lovely about donating the bags! I thought they’d be fun to donate to our Christmas in April auction since they’re Christmas themed, but I haven’t gotten around to making a set for that yet. Maybe next year.
Judy says
Thank you for the recipe, love the lemonade! PLEASE anyone out there have a recipe for sweet tea. I live in Canada and have enjoyed the sweet tea anytime I have visited the States. I have made the recipes that I have found online, they just don’t taste the same. Does anyone have a recipe for authentic cold sweet tea?
Thank you
Mel says
So glad you liked it! I don’t have a sweet tea recipe because we make it unsweetened (sometimes with a splash of the lemonade mixed in each glass), but Southern Living is my go-to for all things southern. Maybe try their recipe? https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/classic-sweet-tea
Jennifer says
This is my mama’s recipe who was a lifelong SC woman, so it’s pretty authentic. Out three to four cups of cold water in a small pot and bring to a boil. Turn off, remove from heat and add 5 Tetley yea bags. Mama was brand loyal, but substitute your brand. Let tea bags steep in the water for 2 – 3 hours . Pour steeped tea into a gallon pitcher and add 2 cups of sugar. Yes, that is a lot of sugar, but it tastes perfect to me. Stir until sugar is dissolved, then fill to the top with water and refrigerate. I add a mixture of ice and water so I can drink it earlier. It’s only good when I’ve cold.
Louise in Jax says
5 family size tea bags…I like Lipton
Judy says
Thank you!
Linda Practical Parsimony says
I, too make the lemon concentrate. As for making sweet, just put sugar in it until it suits you. I do not like the taste of sweet in tea, just ice cubes, so I would not be able to give a recipe. However, Lipton tea is the best in my opinion.
Jude DeWitt says
My son in law’s grandmother from Georgia, makes her sweet tea with equal parts Lipton tea bags and Constant Comment (orange/spice) tea bags. Hers is always the preferred specialty blend” at the family reunions!
Maggie says
Not sure if this has been said, buy you could freeze this mixture and then use 2c hot/ boiling water and 1.5lbs ice to = 5c water
Lois says
Mel, this is just what I was looking for. Do you have any suggestions for how to make it by the glass or serving instead of the pitcher?
Laura says
I just bought a bag of the limes for 99 cents on the produce discount stand at the grocery store. Oh I love limeade so I’m going to do this with my limes. I was trying to figure out what to do with them