This refreshing Orangeade will take you back to your childhood! A nice change from lemonade and limeade, orangeade is a refreshing alternative to standard summertime beverages. Make it once, and you’ll want to serve it all summer long!
What is Orangeade?
Orangeade is a refreshing citrus drink made with freshly squeezed orange juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, and water. It is similar to lemonade or limeade, but made with orange juice instead.
It is an old-fashioned recipe that was served in restaurants in the past, we never see it on the menu nowadays but luckily it is very easy to make at home! Made with minimal ingredients and effort, you can make it in just 5 minutes and then relax with a refreshing glass of orangeade to sip on.
Orangeade Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make it!
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Orange Juice: Store-bought orange juice is fine, but if you have oranges then freshly squeezed orange juice makes a big difference!
- Lemon Juice: Also freshly squeezed. You only need half a cup, which is about 3 medium lemons.
- Simple Syrup: Used to sweeten the drink. To make a simple syrup, combine an equal amount of granulated sugar with water in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil so that the sugar is dissolved in the water. Allow to cool down completely before using.
- Water: You can either use filtered water or soda water here.
How To Make Orangeade
Making orangeade is so easy – all you need to do is combine all of the ingredients in a pitcher, give it a good stir, and then serve over ice!
You can also garnish each glass with a slice of orange or a sprig of mint.
Tip!
Simple syrup can be made in advance and used to sweeten drinks, or to make cocktails. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
Recipe Tips
- If you don’t have or don’t want to make simple syrup, you can use honey or agave nectar as a sweetener.
- To make Orangeade without lemon juice, simply omit it and add a little more orange juice to taste.
- To make a spiked orangeade, add 1-2 ounces of vodka, rum, or gin per person.
- Orangeade can also be made with blood orange juice, tangerine juice, or grapefruit juice for a different flavor.
Garnishes
If you’re serving this at a party, or have guests over for dinner, adding garnishes is a great idea! I suggest adding fresh mint leaves, and a slice of orange. And if you want to be a little fancy you can decorate with a maraschino cherry.
Making your own ice cubes? Why not try orange juice ice cubes! These look nice and your guests will love them too! Plus, they won’t dilute your drink as they melt.
For something extraordinary, make floral ice cubes by adding edible flowers to an ice cube tray, cover with water and freeze! You can also do this with pieces of fresh fruit.
Storing Tips
This orangeade recipe can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Simply combine all of the ingredients in a pitcher, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, give it a good stir and serve over ice.
FAQs
No, orange juice is made with only one ingredient, freshly squeezed oranges. Orangeade is made with fresh orange juice, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and water.
I recommend using fresh orange juice in this recipe, but if you have to use orange concentrate, just make sure that you dilute it with water before adding it.
Orangeade is such a refreshing and easy drink to make, perfect for summer! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Don’t forget to pin this recipe for later!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Orangeade
Equipment
- Pitcher
Ingredients
- 1½ cups fresh orange juice
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 1 cup simple syrup See notes 1 & 2
- 1 cup water filtered or soda
Instructions
- Add ice cubes to a pitcher, then add orange juice, lemon juice, simple syrup and water.
- Give everything a stir, and serve immediately. Or omit the ice cubes, and chill in the fridge until you're ready to serve.
Notes:
- To make simple syrup, in a small saucepan combine half a cup of granulated sugar and half a cup of water. Bring to a bowl so the sugar dissolves in water, remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
- If you don’t have or don’t want to make simple syrup, you can use honey or agave nectar as a sweetener.
- To make Orangeade without lemon juice, simply omit it and add a little more orange juice to taste.
- To make a spiked orangeade, add 1-2 ounces of vodka, rum, or gin per person.
- Orangeade can also be made with blood orange juice, tangerine juice, or grapefruit juice for a different flavor.
- Storing: Orangeade can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Simply combine all of the ingredients in a pitcher, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, give it a good stir and serve over ice.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Peggy says
THIS IS IT!!!! TASTES EXACTLY LIKE THE REAL THING!!! LOOK NO FURTHER! I’m so happy I found this recipe because the fair got rained out and the one thing I was looking forward to more than anything was the orange aid Now I have it anytime I want! Thank you so much for this recipe!!!
Diana says
I’m so happy to hear you loved it! Glad I could bring a bit of that fair fun to your home. Thanks for trying it out!