On a hot day, there’s nothing quite as refreshing as this homemade limeade recipe. Learning how to make limeade is easier than I thought it would be, and it’s so delicious, too! All you need are limes, water, and sugar– yeah, it’s that easy! I love to sip on it in the backyard or bring it to all those summer BBQs.
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Summer is my favorite season, but it gets so hot. I won’t complain about warm weather, but it definitely makes me extra thirsty. Drinking a nice cold beverage after being outside in the hot sun is one of the best feelings, so it’s important to have some easy summer drinks around to quench that thirst. That’s where this homemade limeade recipe comes in. It’s super easy to make up a pitcher of this stuff, serve it over ice, and everyone will be so grateful for the refreshing treat!
What’s in This Homemade Limeade Recipe?
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar dissolves in boiling water to create a simple syrup that sweetens this limeade without making it gritty.
- Water: Forms the base of the simple syrup and the limeade itself.
- Limes: Flavor the limeade and the lime simple syrup. I used 11 limes to make this recipe. I recommend buying an even dozen just in case!
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Tips for Success
- I have found that making a simple syrup is the best way to fully dissolve the sugar. Sugar can be difficult to mix into cold liquids, so taking this extra step ensures it dissolves evenly. You can use this same trick for lemonade, iced tea, and other cold drinks that you need to sweeten!
- My favorite trick for juicing limes is to microwave them for 30-60 seconds. This softens them, making it easier to squeeze them. Ultimately, this will help you to get as much juice as possible out of them. Here are a few more tips to try.
How to Store
Store leftover homemade limeade covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, I recommend pouring the limeade into an ice cube tray and freezing. You can then blend these limeade cubes into a delicious frozen limeade!
Serving Suggestions
On a hot summer day, I love to sip on this homemade limeade while grilling. It’s great with my grilled tequila lime chicken or grilled flank steak with cilantro lime butter. I told you that extra lime would come in handy!
5-Star Review
“I made this for our pool party last weekend and I had to make 4 batches! So delicious!” -Stephanie
How To Make Limeade
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Ingredients
For the Lime Simple Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 3 limes)
- 4 teaspoons lime zest (from 2 limes)
For the Limeade
- 1 cup fresh lime juice (from 8 limes)
- 3 cups water
Optional Garnishes
- 1 lime sliced
- Fresh mint leaves
Instructions
For the Lime Simple Syrup
- In a small saucepan, set over medium heat, bring the sugar, water, lime juice, and lime zest to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Cool completely before making limeade. (If desired, strain the Lime Simple Syrup through a mesh strainer set over a bowl to remove the lime zest. Some people love the zest in their limeade and some don’t.)1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup water, 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 4 teaspoons lime zest
For the Limeade
- In a ½ gallon pitcher, whisk together the lime juice, water, and all of the Lime Simple Syrup (from above). Serve over ice.1 cup fresh lime juice, 3 cups water
- Garnish individual glasses with a slice of lime and a sprig of fresh mint, if desired.1 lime, Fresh mint leaves
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Nutritional information does not include optional garnishes.
Nutrition Information
How to Make Limeade Step by Step
Boil the Simple Syrup: In a small saucepan, set over medium heat, bring 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1 cup of water, 6 tablespoons of lime juice, and 4 teaspoons of lime zest to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Cool completely before making limeade.
Whisk the Limeade: In a ½ gallon pitcher, whisk together 1 cup of lime juice, 3 cups of water, and all of the Lime Simple Syrup (from above). Serve over ice.
Garnish and Serve: Garnish individual glasses with a slice of lime and a sprig of fresh mint, if desired.
Perfect recipe! Good thing I can get limes for free in our community orchard (or cheap at Sam’s Club). Lucky for me my wife is not a fan of ‘ades’ so it is alllll miiiiinnnne.
I made this for our pool party last weekend and I had to make 4 batches! So delicious!
It is one you need to keep handy because it’s so tasty!
This is the perfect drink for summer!
I could drink this all summer long! My kids are constantly begging me to make this again!
Thanks, Lauren! It’s one of my favorites.
This looks so refreshing! Can’t wait to make it!
This is simply the best. Easy and delicious.