Do I need a fresh lemon for lemonade?

The fresh lemon is really what this lemonade recipe for one is all about! If you don't have a fresh lemon, you can substitute 3 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice and skip the muddling step. But, I highly recommend using a fresh lemon if possible.

What is the purpose of muddling the lemon?

While not strictly necessary, the muddling does serve two purposes. First, it helps to dissolve the sugar crystals. And, more importantly, muddling crushes the lemon rind, releasing some of the lemon oil into the lemonade. The lemon oil adds a nice fragrance and even more lemon flavor to the drink.

Can I double the recipe?

While this is a single glass lemonade recipe, you can definitely double the recipe. To make two servings, I would assemble the lemonade in a larger tall glass - something like a quart-sized Ball jar would be perfect. When finished, divide it up into two smaller glasses.

Single Serving Lemonade

Name: Single Serving Lemonade
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 - 1 1/2 lemons; 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar; 1 cup (237 ml) ice water; ice and lemon slices, for serving (optional)

Single Serving Lemonade

hand holding glass of lemonade garnished with lemon slice.

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This lemonade recipe for one tastes just like your favorite lemonade from the county fair! The lemon is muddled with the sugar, releasing oils from the lemon peel that give a lovely fragrance and complex flavor to the lemonade. And, you only need three basic ingredients and 5 minutes to make it.

Author: Kate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x
Category: drinks
Method: stir, muddle
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale

1 - 1 1/2 lemons
2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (237 ml) ice water
ice and lemon slices, for serving (optional)

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Instructions

Add 2 tablespoons granulated sugar to a tall glass. (If you like your lemonade on the less sweet side, you can reduce the sugar to 1 1/2 tablespoons.)
Rinse lemons with water and dry. Firmly roll a lemon on the counter to loosen the juice. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze out 3 tablespoons juice. Add the juice to the glass (see note 1). If your lemon is drier, you may need half of a second lemon to get the full 3 tablespoons juice. Cut one of the squeezed lemon halves in half again, and add to the glass.
With a cocktail muddler (preferred) or the thick handle of a wooden spoon, gently but with firm pressure smash the lemon wedges together with the sugar and lemon juice, until the lemon pieces look softened and the sugar begins to dissolve.
Add the 1 cup ice water and stir to combine, until the sugar is fully dissolved. Add ice and lemon slices (optional) and enjoy immediately.

Notes

If you're concerned about the seeds, especially if you are planning on giving the lemonade to a young child (lemon seeds could pose a choking hazard), squeeze the lemon over a strainer to catch the seeds and pick out any remaining seeds from the lemon rind before adding it to the glass.

The nutrition information below was calculated to include 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. The nutrition counts of your dish will vary based on the brand and exact amounts of ingredients used. This nutrition information is an estimate only, provided by an online nutrition calculator, and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. See our full disclosure policy.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 glass
Calories: 103
Sugar: 26.1 g
Sodium: 9 mg
Fat: 0.1 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 27.9 g
Fiber: 0.2 g
Protein: 0.2 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg

Find it online: https://nibbleanddine.com/single-serving-lemonade/