How Many Lemons Does It Take To Make Lemonade?

We've all heard that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, but no one ever tells you exactly how many lemons you're going to need in order to do that. There aren't many drinks that quench your thirst quite like an icy glass of lemonade, and achieving the perfect balance between tart lemons and sweet sugar makes the experience that much greater. But what amount of lemon juice yields the ideal lemonade, and how many lemons do you need to get it?

This question becomes tricky when you consider that lemons can range in sizes, and it's worth remembering that some lemons, like Meyer lemons, are distinct from others. But on the whole, assuming you have average-sized lemons, you will yield about three tablespoons of juice per lemon, or about 1.5 ounces. Assuming your lemonade recipe calls for about a cup to 1.5 cups (8-12 ounces) of freshly-squeezed lemon juice, you'll want to have around eight average lemons to get you to that mark.

So, you have a good ballpark for how many lemons you need to make a pitcher of lemonade, but before you reach for any extra ingredients to jazz up your lemonade, you'll first need to know how to optimize your lemons to get every last drop of juice out of them. You might think that this might all boil down to simply picking out larger lemons at the grocery store, and while that's certainly a decent guideline to get more juice, that's not the only way to ensure your lemons are as juicy as can be.

If you're looking for the best lemons for juicing at the grocery store, features such as a thinner skin, a rounder shape, and a bright scent are strong indicators that your lemons are prime candidates for juicing. And when it comes to actually juicing the citrus fruits themselves, you can employ several tips and tricks to get all of that precious lemon juice, including rolling them on the counter and even microwaving them. With a keen eye and knowledge of some juicing hacks, you should have no trouble satisfying your lemon juice quota, and you'll be on your way to making some top-notch lemonade!