State Fair Lemonade Recipe
If you love state fair lemonade, discover how to make your own fresh-squeezed, authentic homemade version with just 3 simple ingredients!
Easy Homemade Lemonade (Just Like at the State Fair!)
There’s no better way to quench your thirst on a hot summer day than with an ice cold glass of lemonade. It’s my favorite treat to get when our family visits the local fairgrounds!
With this easy lemonade recipe, you can recreate that delicious state fair lemonade in your own kitchen. No need to travel, spend a bunch of money at the fair, or stand out in the hot sun all day!
A lot of recipes for “state fair lemonade” will call for you to muddle lemons into granulated sugar and shake with water. However, while easy, this method doesn’t get all of the sugar to dissolve, so you’ll be crunching down on sugar crystals in each sip. Also, the white part of the lemon peel (called the “pith”) can add a bitter taste to the lemonade.
So when making my recipe, I decided to keep it classic and use simple syrup, fresh lemons, and water. This gives you a clean lemon flavor with no bitterness and no grit. It’s pretty much the best lemonade you can make and it is incredibly easy!
This recipe makes a large pitcher, so you can keep it in the fridge and simply pour over ice when you’re ready for a glass. It’s perfect for serving a crowd and never tastes watered down!
The simple, real food ingredients in this recipe allow the bright lemon flavor to shine. There is the perfect blend of sweet and tartness, for a balanced and delicious drink that’s both budget-friendly and tastes amazing!
If you’ve been wanting to try making your own lemonade, this is a great recipe to start with. We’re going back to the basics with a DIY lemonade recipe so easy it requires just 3 ingredients: fresh-squeezed lemon juice, sugar, and water!
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 4-6 lemons)
- 5 cups water (1 cup is used to make the simple syrup)
Helpful Kitchen Tools
For your convenience I’ve included shop-able ad links to some of the products used to make this recipe; disclosure policy available here.
Instructions
- Make the simple syrup – Simple syrup is just sugar and water that are heated and reduced to create an easily dissolved syrup that is perfect for sweetening drinks. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Juice the lemons – While the syrup is cooling, juice the lemons until you have 1 cup of fresh lemon juice. Strain the juice to remove any seeds and excess pulp.
- Mix – In a large pitcher, add the cooled simple syrup, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and 4 cups of cold water. Stir well until combined.
- Serve – If enjoying right away, pour lemonade into ice-filled glasses. You can also pour the lemonade into a serving pitcher and keep refrigerated until you’re ready for a drink.
Video Demo:
Prep Tips
- Lemons – For the best flavor, always use fresh squeezed lemon juice, rather than bottled lemon juice. Be sure to give the lemons a good scrub before juicing, to make sure there’s no dirt, pesticides, or bacteria that might be on the outside.
- Variations – For extra flavor, add lemon zest from one lemon (taking care to only get the yellow part of the skin) and not any bitter white pith) to the sugar mixture when making your simple syrup. The natural oils from the zest of the lemons adds a nice lemon essence to the drink. If doing this, you’ll want to strain your simple syrup before adding to the pitcher.
- Sweetness – This recipe is easy to adjust to your taste preferences. If you prefer a slightly sweeter lemonade, you can add more sugar, a Tablespoon at a time and stir well until it dissolves. A little bit goes a long way! If you prefer a tarter lemonade, you can add more lemon juice or water to dilute.
- Garnish – Fresh lemon slices or a sprig of fresh mint make a pretty and flavorful garnish. You can also add a bit of aromatics with fresh basil, rosemary, or lavender.
- Yield – This recipe as written will yield 4-8 servings of lemonade, depending on the size of your glass and how much ice you put in there. If you want to increase the output, you can double or triple all of the ingredient amounts. When making the simple syrup, you can make as much as you like, simply keeping the 1:1 ratio of sugar to water.
- Storage – Your homemade lemonade can stay good in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. A little separation is normal; simply stir to mix before serving. However, if it looks like it has completely separated into 2 distinct layers or if anything smells “off” it is best to make a new batch.
More Lemonade Recipes To Try
- Skinny Peach Lemonade
- Instant Pot Lemonade
- Spiked Strawberry Lemonade
- White Claw Sparkling Lemonade
- Red White & Blueberry Lemonade
- Chick-fil-A Frosted Lemonade
State Fair Lemonade Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)
If you tried this recipe and loved it, please rate it!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Soccer Mom Blog
State Fair Lemonade
Equipment
- Medium Saucepan
- Citrus Juicer
- Wire Mesh Strainer
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice about 4-6 lemons
- 5 cups water 1 cup is used to make the simple syrup
Instructions
- Make the simple syrup – The simple syrup is how we will sweeten our lemonade. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Juice the lemons – While the syrup is cooling, juice the lemons until you have 1 cup of fresh lemon juice. Strain the juice to remove any seeds and excess pulp.
- Mix – In a large pitcher, add the cooled simple syrup, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and 4 cups of cold water. Stir well until combined.
- Serve – If enjoying right away, pour lemonade into ice-filled glasses. If you want to keep for later, I recommend waiting to add ice cubes so you don't water it down. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Lemons – For the best flavor, always use fresh squeezed lemon juice, rather than bottled lemon juice. I recommend washing the outside of the lemons before using.
- Variations – For extra flavor, you can add lemon zest from one lemon to the sugar when making your simple syrup. The natural oils from the zest of the lemons adds a nice lemon essence to the drink. If doing this, be sure to strain the simple syrup before adding to the pitcher.
- Yield – This recipe as written yields 4-8 servings of lemonade, depending on the glass size and amount of ice. If you want to increase the output, you can double or triple all of the ingredient amounts. When making the simple syrup, you can make as much as you like, just maintain the 1:1 ratio of sugar to water.
- Storage – Keep refrigerated for up to 3-5 days. Some separation is normal; stir to mix before serving.
Nutrition
Pin our simple lemonade recipe on Pinterest:
You might also like:
- Easy Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe - June 30, 2025
- Red White & Blue Layered Cocktail - June 27, 2025
- Homemade Taco Seasoning - June 21, 2025
