Make Limeade

Cool and refreshing, limeade is the perfect treat for a hot, summer day. It is similar to lemonade, but more tangy. If you are getting bored of lemonade, or simply don't have any lemons, why not give limeade a try? There are lots of ways to make it. The simplest method involves just mixing all the ingredients together, although you will get better results if you make a simple syrup first. Whichever limeade you choose to make, you are bound to end up with something cool and refreshing!

Ingredients

Simple Limeade

• 5 cups (1.2 liters) water
• 1 cup (240 milliliters) freshly-squeezed lime juice (about 6 limes)
• 1 cup (225 grams) white sugar
• Ice, to serve

Deluxe Limeade

Limeade

• 1 cup (240 milliliters) freshly-squeezed lime juice (about 6 limes)
• 2 cups (475 milliliters) water
• Ice, to serve

Simple Syrup

• 1 cup (240 milliliters) water
• ¾ to 1 cup (170 to 225 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated lime zest (about 1 lime) (optional)

Single-Serve Limeade

• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) white sugar
• ¼ cup (60 milliliters) hot water
• 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) freshly-squeezed lime juice
• ¾ cup (180 milliliters) cold water
• Ice, to serve

Steps

Making Simple Limeade

1. Juice enough limes to make 1 cup (240 milliliters) of lime juice. To get the most out of your limes, roll them across the counter while gently pressing down on them with your palm.
2. Pour the lime juice into a large pitcher. The pitcher should be large enough to hold at least 6 cups (1.5 liters) of liquid. This will include the lime juice, sugar, and ice.
3. Stir in 1 cup (225 grams) of sugar. Your standard granulated sugar will work just fine, but superfine or castor sugar (not powdered) will work even better because it dissolves easier. Keep in mind that, because you are not cooking the sugar, you may end up with a few un-dissolved grains at the bottom of your pitcher.
   • Be sure to stir the sugar well to help it dissolve.
   • For a twist, try ⅔ cup (150 grams) of white sugar and 2 tablespoons (45 grams) of honey instead.
4. Add up to 5 cups (1.2 liters) of water, and stir. Since every one has different tastes, it might be a good idea to add the water 1 cup (240 milliliters) at a time, and tasting the limeade after each cup you add; be sure to stir the limeade well after each addition. You may find that the limeade is just right after only 4 cups (1 liter) of water.
   • If the limeade is still too sweet or too strong for you, you can add another cup (240 milliliters) of water.
5. Serve the limeade. Avoid adding the ice directly into the pitcher, because the ice will dilute the limeade as it melts. Instead, add the ice into the glasses first, then pour the limeade over the ice.

Making Deluxe Limeade

1. In a small saucepan, stir together 1 cup (240 milliliters) of water and 1 cup (225 grams) of sugar. You will be boiling these together to prepare simple syrup. This extra step will give you a smoother limeade, and prevent those annoying grains of un-dissolved sugar from appearing at the bottom.
   • For a less-sweet limeade, use ¾ cups (170 grams) of sugar.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of grated lime zest, if desired, for extra flavor. This is not essential to the recipe, but it will give your limeade a more complex flavor. You will need about 1 lime to do this. It might be a good idea to zest the limes before you cut and juice it.
   • For a twist, swap out the lime zest for 2 tablespoons of minced, fresh ginger.
3. Bring the sugar-water to a boil, then let it simmer for 3 minutes. While the mixture is coming to a boil, be sure to stir it well so that the sugar dissolves.
4. Strain the mixture through a fine, mesh sieve into a pitcher and let it cool. If you omitted the lime zest or grated ginger, then you can simply pour the simple syrup into the pitcher. Make sure that the pitcher is large enough to hold the rest of your ingredients.
5. Juice the limes. Roll the limes across the counter while pressing down on them with your palm. Slice them in half, then juice them. You will need 1 cup (240 milliliters) of lime juice.
6. Once the syrup has completely cooled, add the lime juice and water. Stir everything well with a long-handled spoon until the simple syrup, lime juice, and water are completely combined. You should not see any simple syrup gathered at the bottom of the pitcher.
7. Give the limeade a taste, and make any necessary adjustments. Everyone has different tastes, so you may need to adjust the limeade to suit yours. If the limeade is too sweet for you, add a little bit more lime juice. If it is too strong, then add some more water. If it is too sour, then add some more sugar. Be sure to stir the limeade well after each addition that you make.
8. Serve the limeade. You can garnish it with some lime slices or fresh mint leaves for a fancier touch. It will taste even better with ice, but instead of adding ice straight into the pitcher, consider putting the ice into the glasses instead. If you add ice into the pitcher, the ice will dilute the limeade as it melts.

Making Single-Serve Limeade

1. Combine the sugar and the hot water in a 16-ounce (475 milliliters) cup. Stir the sugar until it dissolves. The water must be hot, or the sugar won't dissolve well; you'll end up with little grains of sugar at the bottom of your cup instead.
   • You are essentially making a very small batch of simple syrup.
2. Stir in the cold water. This will help dilute the simple syrup as well as cool it down. If you add the lime juice too soon, it may discolor; the taste my also change.
3. Add the lime juice. It would be best to use freshly-squeezed lime juice. If you absolutely cannot get limes, you can try using the kind that comes in a bottle. Keep in mind that this will affect the flavor of your limeade.
4. Give the limeade a taste. Everyone has different preferences, and you may need to tweak the limeade to suit yours. If it is too strong for you, add some more water. If it is too tart, add some more sugar. If it is too sweet, add more lime juice. Stir the limeade well after each addition.
5. Add some ice. How much ice you add is entirely up to you. You can even garnish the limeade further with a slice of lime or a few fresh mint leaves.

Tips

• When buying limes, choose limes that are already soft. If they feel heavy for their size, you can be certain that they are full of juice.
• It is best to use freshly-squeezed lime juice. If you can't get any, you can use the type that comes in a bottle; keep in mind that the flavor of the limeade won't quite be the same.
• If your lime or lemon juicer doesn't have a strainer built into it, pour the lime juice through a fine, mesh sieve into your glass or pitcher. This will catch the pulp.
• Roll the limes on the counter while pushing down on them before you juice them. This will make them softer and easier to juice.
• You can use any type of lemon juicer. You can use the cone-shaped type, where you twist the citrus by hand, or you can use the press type, where you squeeze the citrus between to cups/bowls.
• Don't have a citrus juicer? You can squeeze the limes by hand. Keep in mind that you will probably need to use more limes.
• Mixing all of the ingredients together is simple, but you'll likely get undissolved grains of sugar at the bottom of your limeade. If you don't want those grains of sugar, you will have to make simple syrup first.
• Avoid putting ice cubes directly into a pitcher of limeade. When they melt, they will make the limeade taste more watery. Instead, put the ice cubes directly into the glasses you will be serving the limeade in.
• Freeze some limeade in an ice cube try, then use the ice cubes in your limeade. This way, the limeade won't become watery when the ice cubes melt.
• Use sparkling water to make sparkling limeade. If you are making simple syrup, be sure to use regular water for that part.
• The amounts for sugar, water, and lime juice are only guidelines. Feel free to use more/less sugar, water, and lime juice to suit your preferences.

Things You'll Need

Making Simple Limeade

• Lemon juicer
• Large pitcher
• Long-handled spoon

Making Deluxe Limeade

• Saucepan
• Whisk
• Fine, mesh sieve
• Lemon juicer
• Large pitcher
• Long-handled spoon

Making Single-Serve Limeade

• Lemon juicer
• Spoon
• 16-ounce (475 milliliters) cup

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Sources and Citations

See also

• Make Limeade Icee
• Make an Apple and Orange Juice Drink
• Make Lemon Juice
• Make Sherbet Punch
• Make Orange Juice
• Make a Hot Soothing Lemon Drink
• Make Orange Julius
• Make Lemonade from Lemon Juice Concentrate

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