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Traditional French citronnade lemon drink made with lemons, water and sugar

French Citronnade - Homemade Lemonade

Jill Colonna
Fresh French citronnade made with real lemons, cold still water and just enough sugar or honey. Serve it well chilled with mint, or add fresh ginger for extra bite.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course aperitif
Cuisine French
Servings 4 people
Calories 32 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lemons organic, unwaxed
  • 750 ml (1 ¼ pints) water cold & still
  • 15-30 g (1-2 tbsp) sugar or 2–3 teaspoon runny honey, to taste
  • 2 strips lemon zest yellow part only
  • 4 ice cubes optional
  • sprig fresh mint leaves garnish
  • 2-3 slices fresh ginger or 1–2 teaspoon finely grated ginger, optional

Instructions
 

  • Stir the sugar or honey into about 100ml of the water until dissolved. Squeeze the lemons and add the juice.
  • Pour in the remaining cold water, then add the lemon zest and ginger, if using. Stir and adjust the sweetness to taste.
  • Chill for 30 minutes if time allows. Strain before serving if you used grated ginger.

Notes

Serving: Serve very cold with ice and fresh mint. For a fizzy variation, replace up to half the still water with sparkling water and add it immediately before serving.
Lemons: The amount of juice varies, so taste before adding all the sugar or honey. Avoid the bitter white pith when removing the zest.
Ginger: Sliced ginger gives a mild infusion. Use grated ginger or fresh ginger juice for a stronger kick.
Make ahead: Prepare the citronnade up to one day ahead. Remove the zest after a few hours so it does not turn bitter.

Nutrition

Calories: 32kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 0.2gSaturated Fat: 0.02gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 12mgPotassium: 84mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 13IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 0.4mg
Keyword citronnade, homemade lemonade recipe, lemon drink, lemon water, lemonade with 2 lemons
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