Say Goodbye To Grainy Lemonade By Using This Simple Sweetener Swap

While there are ways to make store-bought lemonade more flavorful, many people would agree that no pre-made brand compares to freshly squeezed lemonade. Fortunately, fresh lemonade is easy to make. However, while there are minimal ingredients involved (water, granulated sugar, and lemon juice), simply combining the three and giving them a stir doesn't necessarily result in a beverage that's ready to drink. This is because granulated sugar can be stubborn and refuse to dissolve, especially when it's added to cold liquids. You can stir and stir and still be left with a grainy sensation. So, instead of stirring your lemonade for what may seem like hours, use simple syrup instead.

Simple syrup is a combination of sugar and water. Most recipes will call for an either 1:1 or 2:1 ratio of granulated sugar to water. The ingredients are heated until the sugar is dissolved, then cooled. The resulting liquid is considered a type of syrup that can be used any time the taste of granulated sugar is desired without the gritty texture. When making lemonade, it's best to cool the syrup before using it in your lemonade recipe. When the syrup, water, and lemon juice come together, the beverage is ready to pour over ice and enjoy.

One thing to note is that the conversion rate of sugar to simple syrup is not completely equal because you'll be changing a dry ingredient into a liquid one. For example, if a lemonade recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar, you'll need ¼ ounce of simple syrup.

Simple syrup is so easy to make that it's convenient to keep a large jar or container of it in the fridge for not just lemonade but also cocktails, iced coffee, and iced tea. Did you know adding cold brew to your lemonade produces an excellent summer drink? 

When it comes to lemonade, you can really have fun with flavors by infusing your simple syrup. One of my favorite summer drinks is the floral upgrade lavender lemonade. I just add some dried lavender flowers to my sugar and water, heat until the sugar dissolves, turn off the heat, and let the lavender infuse the syrup for about 30 minutes. After straining, I have lavender simple syrup that I mix into lemon juice and water. Other herb flavors that would be wonderful in lemonade are rosemary, basil, and mint.

For fruit-infused simple syrup, add fresh fruit to your sugar and water mixture, boil until the sugar is dissolved, and then simmer the ingredients further, about 15 minutes. Strain the solids out of the liquid before cooling it. Some tasty choices are strawberry, peach, blueberry, and raspberry, which all taste great when incorporated into lemonade. If you're feeling especially adventurous, consider spicing up your simple syrup. Fresh ginger tastes great with lemonade, and you can adjust the kick by how much ginger you use and how long you let it infuse into your syrup. The same can be said about fresh jalapeños, which will give you a flavor explosion of tart, sweet, and hot but still refreshing.