Brown Sugar Lemonade
Brown Sugar Lemonade is a refreshing twist on a classic. It’s made with freshly squeezed lemon juice and a brown sugar simple syrup that adds subtle molasses notes and a deeper flavor than any standard lemonade. This recipe comes together quickly and is thirst-quenching enough to drink all spring and summer long.
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If you are a person who has ever looked in your pantry and realized that you didn’t have regular white sugar, but you had brown sugar and wondered if you could make lemonade with it, this is your answer.
Yes, you absolutely can, and yes, you absolutely should.
Why I love this recipe:
Listen. Bown sugar lemonade is like the big sister to the classic lemonade you already know and love.
She’s familiar; she looks similar… but she has some molasses notes that just speak of depth.
I’m not going to tell you that she’s better because choosing a favorite lemonade is like choosing a favorite child… but this easy recipe is delicious and a wonderful refreshing sipper to make all summer long or any time you want to enjoy some lemonade.
Some more things to love about this variation on a classic:
- It’s scalable. A batch of this makes a small pitcher but you could very easily double or triple the recipe if you want or need lots of lemonade.
- Make it early. The beauty of lemonade is that it keeps. Keep a pitcher in the fridge and enjoy it whenever you need something that is thirst-quenching.
More lemonade recipes to try: Peach Lemonade | Lavender Lemonade | Watermelon Lemonade
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Small saucepan (or another pan)
- Citrus juicer or citrus reamer
- Liquid measuring cup
- Fine mesh strainer
- Large pitcher
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here is what you need to get at the grocery store:
- Brown sugar — you may use light or dark brown sugar for this recipe to make the brown sugar syrup. There is no substitute for it. Please don’t ask me for one. You will not have brown sugar lemonade if you do not use brown sugar.
- Water — this is an essential ingredient in lemonade and the sugar syrup. You do not need to use fancy water for the lemonade, though you can swap tap water for sparkling if you prefer.
- Lemons — please, for the love of everything that is good and right in this world, purchase lemons and squeeze them yourself. The juice will taste so much better and be significantly less acidic and off-putting. You can also purchase pre-squeezed or freshly squeezed lemon juice in the refrigerated section of your grocery store but proceed with caution. I have noticed that the one at my local grocery does not taste very good. These are not the same thing as limes, though I suppose you could swap lemon for lime and make a brown sugar limeade.
How to make Brown Sugar Lemonade:
Make the brown sugar syrup. Combine the brown sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat on the stove. When the sugar has completely dissolved, turn off the heat and let cool.
Then we follow the rest of the steps we would use for a regular lemonade.
Squeeze the lemons. Use a citrus juicer or a citrus reamer to juice the fresh lemons until you have one cup of juice.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR
Juicing Lemons at Home
Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks about juicing lemons. They come in handy when you’re making a pitcher of homemade lemonade.
- Don’t juice a cold lemon. A cold lemon won’t give as much juice as a room temperature one. If you keep your lemons in the fridge, let it come to room temperature, or pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds to get it to warm up.
- Roll the lemon on the countertop. This will bring the juices to the surface.
- Slice the lemon at the equator, not from the stem to the tip.
- Don’t just squeeze it with your hands… use a lemon reamer or a juicer to get that good juice out of it.
- Run the juice through a fine mesh strainer if there is pulp and seeds in it before pouring into the glass.
Make the lemonade. Pour the lemon juice, water, and brown sugar syrup into a large pitcher. Stir to combine and taste. Add more sugar syrup if necessary.
Enjoy. Pour the lemonade into a glass with a lot of ice and garnish with a lemon slices or a lemon twist. Add some mint leaves (or mint sprigs) or a sprig of basil from the garden to fancy it up on hot summer days!
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
Brown sugar lemonade is a perfect warm-weather pitcher drink.
If I were to share it at an event that I was hosting, here are some things I might do:
- Double or triple the recipe. Keep the pitchers cold in your refrigerator until you are ready to serve them.
- Serve it in a pitcher at your next cookout, backyard BBQs or outdoor party and let people serve themselves. Make sure to have a cooler full of ice and cups nearby so that they can pour their own.
- Spike it. If adults want to turn this delicious lemonade into a cocktail, offer them the option of a splash of bourbon, whiskey or rum to take it up a notch. Let each adult add what they want to their own serving glass instead of messing with the pitcher.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, this is a non-negotiable. Squeeze your own or purchase freshly squeezed from the store.
Sure but then it’s not going to be brown sugar lemonade. I have all kinds of different lemonade recipes that you can try, including honey lemonade, if you prefer a natural sweetener.
Absolutely.
Yes, this would be great with a splash of whiskey or bourbon, as well as gin or even vodka.
This will keep for a few days in the refrigerator if you store it in an airtight jar.
This makes 5-6 servings, depending on how large of glasses you pour them into.
Yes, I actually recommend making it in advance and popping it into the fridge so that it’s cool. When you are ready to mix your lemonade, all you have to do is pour everything together.
If your lemonade is too tart, your lemons were probably more tart or you were using the shelf-stable bottled lemon juice. Add more brown sugar syrup until it tastes palatable.
If your lemonade is too sweet, add more lemon juice until the flavors are more balanced.
You sure can. Feel free to make two or three pitchers for a crowd.
It does but not as much as you would think it would. You’ll notice it looks a little bit darker but it’s not super murky and does not appear drastically different than a regular glass of lemonade.
Quick tips and tricks to make the best brown sugar lemonade:
- Make your brown sugar syrup in advance. It needs to cool completely before you add it to your lemonade. Otherwise, it will warm everything up. Transfer it to a glass jar, and pop it in the fridge if you want to speed things up.
- Watch for the visual cue. Your syrup is ready when there are no visible granules of sugar left in the liquid. If you can still see sugar, keep stirring.
- Always use fresh lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice tastes more acidic than fresh and will throw off the balance. It is worth squeezing your own — or purchasing freshly squeezed juice from the Refrigerated section at your grocery store
- Add ingredients in the right order. Lemon juice first, then water, then syrup. Taste once combined, and add more syrup if you need it.
- Taste and adjust. Every lemon is different. Some batches are more tart than others, and your tastebuds will tell you if it’s too sour. We like to make ours on the tart side, but make it however you like it best.
- Never add ice to the pitcher. This is non-negotiable. Ice in a pitcher will dilute the entire batch. Instead, add ice to glasses right before serving and not a moment sooner.
Here’s how you can make this lemonade in your own kitchen…
Brown Sugar Lemonade
EQUIPMENT
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Ingredients
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 5 cups water
- ½ – ¾ cup brown sugar syrup
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Instructions
- Make the brown sugar syrup. (Combine brown sugar and water in a saucepan. Warm over high heat until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool.)
- Combine 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, 5 cups water and ½ – ¾ cup brown sugar syrup in a large pitcher.
- Stir to combine.
- Taste, and add additional simple syrup, if desired.
- Serve over ice with lemon rounds as a garnish. Enjoy!
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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