Summer is at its peak and the sun is out to drain us all. In this scorching heat, staying hydrated is the need of the hour, but water won’t always cut it. So, switch to flavourful lemonades to keep your summer refreshing. While a classic lemonade is always a go-to choice, you can switch it up to add some extra zing, and it’s quite easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. So, beat the heat with these homemade lemonade recipes.

1. Classic Lemonade

Ingredients:

6 lemons

4 cups water

Sugar to taste

Method:

Juice the lemons and add to a pitcher. Add sugar as per your taste and stir until it is completely dissolved.

Once the sugar has dissolved, add water and stir well.

Add ice cubes and serve immediately.

2. Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients:

6 lemons

5 cups water

2 cups strawberry

¾ cup honey

2 tbsp rosewater

Method:

Add a cup of water and ¾ cup honey in a saucepan and cook over medium heat. Continuously stir the mix to dissolve the honey and bring down the heat to a low simmer. Switch off the flame and bring the syrup to a cool.

Juice the lemons, hull the strawberries and add them to a blender. Blend well to ensure no strawberry pieces are left.

In a pitcher, add the blended strawberry and lemon mix, honey syrup, rosewater and four cups of water and stir.

Add some ice cubes and serve immediately.

3. Orange Lemonade

Ingredients:

4 lemons

3 oranges

2 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp orange zest

1 cup sugar

5 cups water

Method:

In a saucepan add one cup sugar and one cup of water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and stir continuously. Turn off the flame and let it cool.

Juice the lemons and oranges and add them to a pitcher. Grate one teaspoon each of orange and lemon zest, add the sugar syrup and refrigerate for an hour or two,

Take out of the refrigerator, add water to the mix, stir well and serve chilled.

4. Cranberry Lemonade

Ingredients:

6 lemons

9 cups water

Sugar to taste

1 cup cranberry juice

Method:

Juice the lemons into a pitcher. Add sugar as per your taste, and cranberry juice and stir until fully mixed.

Add water and ice to the pitcher and stir well.

Serve immediately.

5. Cucumber Basil Lemonade

Ingredients:

4 lemons

8 cups water

1 cup sugar

½ cucumber, thinly sliced

10 basil leaves

Method:

In a saucepan add a cup of water and sugar and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat, simmer for a few minutes and stir well till the sugar dissolves. Turn off the flame and let it cool.

In a pitcher, add the lemon juice, cucumber, basil leaves and sugar syrup, mix well and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Take the mix out of the fridge, add water, stir well and serve chilled.

6. Watermelon Lemonade

Ingredients:

4 lemons

6 cups of watermelon, deseeded

4 cups water

Sugar to taste

2-3 mint leaves

Method:

In a pitcher, add lemon juice, water and sugar and mix till the sugar dissolves.

Blend the watermelon to a smooth puree. Pour through a strainer and into the pitcher of lemon juice, water and sugar. Mix well.

Add mint leaves to the pitcher and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Serve chilled. Alternatively, you can also add ice cubes to the lemonade and serve immediately.

Related: From Sweet To Savoury: 7 Watermelon Recipes For A Refreshing Summer

7. Mango Lemonade

Ingredients:

2 cups mango, cubed

4 lemons

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

Method:

Combine a cup of water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir well till the sugar dissolves. Turn off the flame and let it cool.

Blend the mango and water until smooth. Strain the mix into a pitcher.

Add the lemon juice and sugar syrup to the mango puree and mix well.

Add ice and serve immediately. Alternatively, you can refrigerate it and serve it chilled.

Related: 6 Quick And Easy Mango Drink Recipes You’ll Want Every Day On Repeat

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