This is a year-round drink. Ginger lemonade is fantastic cold or hot, so it works for every season. Fresh ginger adds a kick to this old-fashioned classic, which uses fresh ingredients and can be adjusted for sweetness and sharpness. The lemon ginger syrup in itself is wonderful and can be used for cocktails and teas.
A unique, easy lemonade recipe
There are many reasons to make this twist on a classic, and one of them is that it's good at any temperature.
Healthier: it allows you to control the ingredients that go into it. You can use fresh, natural ingredients and avoid artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives in store-bought flavored lemonade.
Easy to make: it's a simple process that requires few ingredients and tools. It's a great way to beat the heat on a hot summer day.
Our homemade classic lemonade is a must at our house, especially in the Summer. And I just love finding new variations like this one.
As with most (or all) of our drinks and beverages, you can adjust the amount of fruit, sugar, and lemon juice to suit your and your family's palate.
FAQ
While you technically can, I don't recommend it as it won't have the same fresh flavor as freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you do, read the label to ensure it doesn't contain added sugar or preservatives.
Yes, you can. It keeps for a few days in the fridge and can be frozen for a month. To delay degradation and spoilage, always use the right airtight containers or glass jars with a lid.
Absolutely! Use less ginger and/or lemon juice. Always taste and adapt recipes to your own palate; you're the one drinking it after all.
Ingredient list
- Lemon juice: freshly squeezed.
- Fresh ginger.
- White granulated sugar.
- Cold water: use regular water with ice cubes or make the lemonade ahead so it has time to chill in the fridge before serving.
- Lemon slices: from fresh lemons, to serve.
- Mint sprigs: optional to serve.
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post.
Variations & substitutions
Feel free to experiment with different ingredients and flavors to create your own unique homemade lemonade recipe.
- Mint: add chopped fresh mint leaves to the ginger syrup for a refreshing and cooling flavor.
- Club soda or seltzer: replace a cup of water for a slight fizz.
- Honey, maple syrup, or agave: substitute the sugar with another syrup for a more natural sweetener.
- Spiked ginger lemonade: add vodka, gin, tequila or rum and make a cocktail similar to the blueberry lemonade with vodka.
Steps to make ginger lemonade
It takes few ingredients to make this drink.
Make the syrup
You can make it as strong as you want to. Simply reduce it more or less.
Drain
Use a colander to drain it and leave behind the ginger, lemon strips and herbs. You want a clear syrup.
Storage
Use a glass jar with a tight lid (like a mason jar) and keep it refrigerated. Depending on the amount of sugar you used, it will keep for weeks. You can also freeze it.
How to store the lemonade
If stored properly in the refrigerator, this ginger lemonade can last up to 5 days. However, its freshness and flavor will gradually decline over time.
- Store it in an airtight container: transfer your lemonade from the pitcher to a clean container with a tight-fitting lid or cover.
- Keep it refrigerated: this will help prevent bacterial growth and keep it fresh.
- Check for signs of spoilage: If your lemonade or fruit looks cloudy, has an off odor or taste, or shows signs of mold, discard it immediately.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Simple sugar syrup: you can use it instead of sugar. If you already have some, use ½ cup instead of the sugar. If you want to make it, heat ½ cup sugar with ½ cup water, stir it once to mix and let it come to a boil. Let cool completely and use. It keeps in the fridge almost indefinitely. Always in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
- Freezing lemonade with ginger: it keeps for a month. You can use a freezer-safe container or pour it into ice cube trays as we do for the frozen lemonade concentrate.
- Stir before serving: The ingredients can settle at the bottom of the jar or pitcher over time. Give it a good stir before serving to distribute the ingredients evenly.
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One last thing
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Ginger Lemonade (3 ingredients)
Ingredients
Lemon ginger syrup:
- 4 large lemons
- 2 cups water
- 5-6 slices of ginger
- 1 and ½ cups sugar
- A few sprigs of fresh mint, optional
Lemonade per 1 glass:
- Taste and adapt to your own liking.
- ½ cup cold water
- 3 tablespoons syrup
- Two slices of fresh lemon
- Mint leaves, optional for garnish
Instructions
For the ginger simple syrup:
- Using a paring knife or a vegetable peeler, peel the lemons. Try to peel as little white part as possible. Set aside.
- Squeeze the juice.
- Peel a piece of fresh ginger and cut slices.
- Put the lemon juice, lemon zest, slices of ginger, sugar and mint (if using) in a saucepan. Pour in the water.
- Put on the stove at medium-high heat.
- After the liquid boils, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and let it simmer for 25-30 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and cool completely.
- Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a jar or another type of glass container.
- Refrigerate until cold. Keep refrigerated if making ahead of time.
Make the lemonade:
- Per each glass, pour 3 tablespoons of syrup.
- Add two slices of lemon and a few cubes of ice.
- Add cold water and stir to mix.
- Taste and adjust to your liking.
- Garnish with mint if you want to and serve.
- You can also fill a pitcher with lemonade, using half to 1 cup of syrup and going from there.
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