Ginger Lemonade Recipe

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 05/23/22
Homemade Ginger Lemonade

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Steep/Chill: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 35 mins
Servings: 7 servings
Yield: 2 quarts
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
136 Calories
0g Fat
36g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 7
Amount per serving
Calories 136
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 8mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 33g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 20mg 101%
Calcium 9mg 1%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 54mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Ice-cold ginger lemonade is refreshing and has an invigorating, snappy flavor. If you enjoy fresh-squeezed lemonade, you'll appreciate how the zing of fresh ginger plays off that sweet-tart base.

This lemonade recipe is very easy to make at home and requires just a few ingredients. To get started, you'll make a fresh ginger syrup. It uses raw sugar, which imparts a deeper flavor that beautifully marries the bright lemon flavor and spicy ginger. The syrup should be ready in about an hour, then you can make the lemonade, which is the easiest part.

Keep a pitcher of ginger lemonade in your fridge so it's ready when you need a cool drink on a warm day. It's also a nice big-batch beverage option for entertaining and the ginger flavor isn't overpowering, so everyone will love it.

Ingredients

For the Ginger Syrup:

  • 2 cups water

  • 1 cup raw sugar

  • 1 cup chopped fresh ginger, peeled

For the Ginger Lemonade:

  • 1 1/2 cups ginger syrup

  • 1 1/2 cups lemon juice, freshly squeezed, from 6 to 9 lemons

  • 4 to 5 cups water, to taste

Steps to Make It

Make the Ginger Syrup

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Homemade Ginger Lemonade
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  2. Rinse the gingerroot under running water. Using a vegetable peeler, remove most of the skin, then cut it into thick pieces.

    Preparing Fresh Ginger Root for Ginger Syrup
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  3. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil.

    Boiling Water for Fresh Ginger Syrup
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  4. Add the raw sugar, stirring constantly until it's completely dissolved.

    Homemade Ginger Syrup on the Stovetop
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  5. Add the ginger, reduce the heat, and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and, keeping the pan covered, allow the syrup to steep until cool (about 1 hour).

    Making Ginger Syrup
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  6. Strain the ginger from the syrup by pouring it into a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl.

    Straining Ginger From Fresh Syrup
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  7. Transfer the syrup to a container with a tight seal.

    Fresh Ginger Syrup
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

    Tip

    • Store the syrup in the refrigerator until ready to use. It will keep for about two weeks.

Make the Ginger Lemonade

  1. Squeeze the juice from the lemons, enough to produce about 1 1/2 cups of juice.

    Squeezing Fresh Lemon Juice
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  2. Pour 1 1/2 cups of ginger syrup into a pitcher.

    Mixing Up a Pitcher of Ginger Lemonade
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  3. Add 1 1/2 cups of lemon juice.

    Mixing Up Homemade Ginger Lemonade
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  4. Add 4 cups of water to the pitcher. Stir well and taste. Add more water—about 1/8 cup at a time, using the full 5 cups if needed—until it reaches your preferred flavor. Stir after each addition.

    Mixing Homemade Ginger Lemonade
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  5. Store the pitcher in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld. Serve over ice.

    Fresh-Made Ginger Lemonade
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

Tips

  • The recipe makes enough ginger lemonade to fill a 60-ounce pitcher (about seven 8-ounce servings), with allowance for the extra water. You can certainly make more or less, just retain the ratio of 1 part each ginger syrup and lemon juice with between 2 and 3 parts water.
  • As you're adding the water, keep in mind that the flavor will become softer if you intend to serve it over ice. In this case, it's better to start off with a bolder flavor. You can also add more ginger syrup (you should have 1/2 cup extra) or lemon juice to taste.
  • The ginger lemonade will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to one week (maybe a little longer).
  • If you won't drink it within that time, freeze any extra in ice cube trays. Melt it later or simply use it as ice for your next lemonade.

Recipe Variations

  • Use white sugar for the ginger syrup if you prefer. Though it may take some experimentation on how much to add, granulated sugar substitutes (e.g., Sweet'N Low, stevia) can work as well.
  • Add some sparkle to your ginger lemonade by topping it with a clear soda (e.g., club soda, ginger ale, tonic) after pouring it in the glass.
  • Make it into a cocktail by adding a shot (1 1/2 ounces) of rum, tequila, or vodka to a glass of the lemonade.
  • In the winter, heat this ginger lemonade up on the stove for a warm, soothing ginger-lemon tea.