Enjoy a refreshing and natural homemade orange lemonade made with fresh oranges, sugar, and just a few simple ingredients. This easy recipe brings out the best flavor by freezing the orange first, which helps release more juice and reduces bitterness. Perfect for a cool, thirst-quenching drink any time!
Ingredients for 6:
- Oranges
- Sugar
- Water
- Citric acid
How to make homemade orange lemonade?
Prepare everything you need for this recipe. For the lemonade itself, you only need one orange. But if you want to add a few slices to a decanter or glasses, keep another orange in stock. Choose a larger orange for the lemonade — mine weighs about 280 grams. Rinse it thoroughly and pour boiling water over it.
Step 2:
Place the orange in the freezer for 2–3 hours to freeze. Then take it out and let it warm to room temperature so it can be sliced easily. Why freeze an orange? After thawing, it will yield more juice and reduce the bitterness that can come from the peel.
Step 3:
Cut the thawed orange into pieces, remove the seeds, and place them in the bowl of a chopper.
Step 4:
Grind the orange until fine. It’s not necessary to mash it completely.
Step 5:
Put the chopped orange in a saucepan and pour in 500 ml (about 2 cups) of water. Stir and let it steep for 30–40 minutes.
Step 6:
Strain the mixture through a fine sieve. Add another 1.5 liters (about 6 cups) of water, sugar, and citric acid to the strained juice. Stir well until the sugar dissolves. Refrigerate to infuse and chill. Adjust the amount of sugar to your taste and depending on how sweet the orange is.
Step 7:
Add a few ice cubes to your glass for quick cooling. This lemonade can be stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours, but it’s usually enjoyed faster. Enjoy your drink!
Tips:
- Instead of citric acid, you can add a little lemon juice.
- To dissolve sugar faster, dissolve it first in a small amount of warm water, then add to the drink with the rest of the water.
- You can use a sweetener instead of sugar.
- For best taste, use filtered or bottled water. Tap water may give an unpleasant flavor.
