Turn your leftover fresh-squeezed lemon juice into a single serving of lemonade. It is super easy and always refreshing!

Homemade Lemonade

Inevitably, if you spend much time in the kitchen, there are bound to be instances where you have a few tablespoons of leftover lemon juice. Which in our house, means one thing: fresh lemonade!

My kids LOVE homemade lemonade. It’s a regular practice to make single-serving lemonades with leftover fresh-squeezed lemon juice. So, whenever my kids see me in the kitchen juicing citrus, they start begging for it. I tend to over-juice for this reason too. Before your mind gets creative, I just mean that if I have a half, or sometimes whole, lemon leftover that I don’t have plans for in the next day or two, I’ll squeeze them just to make sure each child their own glass of lemonade.

I recommend using a glass jar or other container with a lid for your single serving of fresh-squeezed lemonade. It allows you to shake it (instead of stirring). Somehow, I swear, it just tastes better. And you get in a few seconds of an arm workout. (Get it where you can!)

Fresh-Squeezed

Pro Tip: If you’re still squeezing citrus by hand, or using a non-electric juicer, let me recommend that you switch to an electric juicer. I bought mine on a whim years ago and now it is one of the most-used kitchen appliances in our house! It makes juicing super easy, especially if you’ve zested the citrus first. Plus, it can be dismantled and popped in the dishwasher! We keep ours stashed under the cupboard because it isn’t the most glamorous item of cookery, but it’s got a prominent spot at the front for easy access.

Single Serving

I went ahead and did the math (quite literally) for you below. I factored in various amounts of lemon juice because sometimes you have a lot and sometimes you have a little. And none of it should go to waste! Because of the varying amounts and the variable strength of flavor, depending on the season and ripeness of your citrus, I recommend tasting and adjusting as you go. Some lemons are just more favorable than others!

Lemonade Varieties

Want to elevate the flavor of your single serving fresh-squeezed lemonade a bit? Add fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, and basil are all great options) or use a flavored simple syrup instead of sugar. I highly recommend our Homemade Vanilla Syrup, which gives it an old-world flavor, or a lavender syrup! Experiment as you go and make it yours!

Trying to cut back on sugar? Swap it out with a healthier replacement: honey, Stevia, or PureCane (our favorite) all work well.

Prefer to lick yours? Pour the mixture into a popsicle mold to have DIY Lemonade Popsicles!

Photo credits: Laura Chouette on Unsplash (lemonade) and Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash (lemons)

Single Serving Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade

Use up that leftover fresh-squeezed lemon juice to make an easy and delicious single serving of lemonade!

5 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 2

Total Time: 2

Servings: glass

Calories: 102kcal

Author: Alecia Stanley

Ingredients

If you have 3 tbsp of Lemon Juice:

3 tbsp fresh-queezed Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Sugar or Simple Syrup
¼ c. Hot Water
¾ c. Cold Water
Ice

If you have 2 tbsp of Lemon Juice:

2 tbsp fresh-queezed Lemon Juice
4 tsp Sugar or Simple Syrup This is the equivalent of 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
3 tbsp Hot Water
½ c. Cold Water
Ice

If you have 1 tbsp of Lemon Juice:

1 tbsp fresh-squeezed Lemon Juice
2 tsp Sugar or Simple Syrup
2 tbsp Hot Water
3 tbsp Cold Water
Ice

Instructions

Following the measurements above, depending on the amount of lemon juice you have on hand, mix sugar and hot water together until dissolved.
Add cold water and lemon juice.
Pour over a glass of ice and garnish with a lemon slice, herbs, or fruit, as desired.