Refreshing brown sugar lemonade made with homemade brown sugar syrup for a smooth sweet lemonade. Perfect for a little mid-day sweet treat!
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Lemonade and summer go together like peas and carrots. My family drinks lemonade all through the year, but summertime is when there is almost always a pitcher of half drank lemonade in the fridge (or left out on the counter because NOBODY can put things away…).
Anyway…this lemonade is really pretty easy. There is an extra step to make the brown sugar syrup, but it’s worth the effort. The syrup makes the lemonade super smooth and the brown sugar adds just a little bit of complexity to the flavor. Be warned, the brown sugar does make your lemonade a bit darker, more like the color of weak iced tea.
Let’s talk lemonade ingredients:
- Brown sugar syrup-very straightforward-brown sugar and water go in a pot and are simmered together until the sugar dissolves into the water. Cool it down, pour it in. (Side note, brown sugar syrup is having a moment in iced coffees so maybe make a double batch for your morning brew).
- Lemon juice-however you want to get it. If you’re die hard-squeeze some lemons, you need 1 cup of juice total. Google (plus a calculator) tell me that you’ll need about 5 (really 5.3) lemons if you want to squeeze them yourself. I opt to use bottled lemon juice.
- Water-plain tap water is just fine if yours is safe to drink, otherwise your bottled water of choice.
Why make a simple syrup instead of just using sugar in my lemonade?
Why indeed? I have made lemonade just using granulated sugar for years. And honestly, it’s good. I’m not that picky. But then I made this brown sugar syrup and put it in my lemonade, and dang-it’s just so smooth. The sweetness is evenly distributed so it’s not all tartness on top with crunchy sugar on the bottom. It’s a little bit of extra work on the front end, but it’s worth it.
Brown Sugar Lemonade
Ingredients
Brown Sugar Syrup
- 1 Cup brown sugar dark or light
- 1 Cup Water
Brown Sugar Lemonade
- 1 batch brown sugar syrup
- 1 cup lemon juice if using fresh lemons, 5-6 squeezed lemons
- 5 cups water
Instructions
To Make the Brown Sugar Syrup
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat combine 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup water.
- Stir ingredients together. Allow to come to a simmer and stir until brown sugar is dissolved, about 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before making the lemonade.
To Make the Brown Sugar Lemonade
- In a large pitcher, pour in 1 cup lemon juice.
- Then add in 1 batch of the brown sugar syrup.
- Finally, add in 5 cups water. Stir to combine. Enjoy over ice.
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Love lemonade? Try making my Creamy Lemonade Slushies, all you need is 2 ingredients and a blender!
Happy Baking!