1. Prep Your Lemons for Zesty Goodness: First, gather your lemons. Give each one a good roll on your kitchen counter with the palm of your hand. This simple trick helps release all that precious juice inside, giving you more for your raspberry lemonade. Next, slice them in half and use a citrus juicer to extract about 1¾ cups of fresh lemon juice. Pour this juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to catch any pulp or seeds, ensuring a perfectly smooth base for our refreshing drink.

2. Blend Those Beautiful Berries: Grab your blender and toss in the ½ pound of fresh raspberries. Now, add ½ cup of the strained lemon juice we just prepared. Blend this mixture until it’s completely smooth and looks like a bright, vibrant purée. This creates the incredible fruity essence that makes our raspberry lemonade so special.

3. Strain for Silky Smoothness: Place a clean, fine-mesh sieve over a large mixing bowl. Carefully pour your raspberry purée into the sieve. Use the back of a ladle or a sturdy spoon to press the mixture firmly against the mesh, pushing all the liquid through. This step is key to removing those tiny raspberry seeds, leaving you with a silky-smooth, intensely flavored raspberry juice concentrate for your homemade lemonade.

4. Combine All the Liquids: To the large bowl containing your strained raspberry juice, add the remaining 1¼ cups of strained lemon juice. Then, pour in the 5 cups of cold water. Give everything a gentle stir to fully combine these vibrant liquids. You’re already seeing your beautiful raspberry lemonade recipe come to life!

5. Sweeten It Up to Perfection: Now it’s time for the sugar! Add the 1 cup of granulated sugar to your liquid mixture. Grab a whisk or a large spoon and stir it really well. Keep stirring until you can no longer see any sugar crystals at the bottom of the bowl. This ensures every sip of your raspberry lemonade is perfectly sweet and smooth.

6. Taste and Adjust Like a Pro: This is your moment to shine as a taste-tester! Take a small sip of your raspberry lemonade. Do you prefer it a little sweeter? Add another tablespoon of sugar, stir, and taste again. If it feels too sweet or you want more tang, a splash more lemon juice will balance it out. Remember, ice will slightly dilute the flavor, so keep that in mind.

7. Chill Out for Best Flavor: Once you’re happy with the taste, cover your bowl of homemade raspberry lemonade. Pop it into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or until it’s wonderfully cold. Chilling allows all those delightful flavors of the fresh lemon and raspberry to meld together perfectly, making for a truly refreshing drink.

8. Serve with a Stylish Flair: When you’re ready to serve, fill individual glasses generously with ice cubes. Pour your perfectly chilled raspberry lemonade over the ice. For that extra special touch, garnish each glass with a fresh lemon wedge, a few extra whole raspberries, and a sprig of fresh mint. It makes your delicious fruity beverage look as good as it tastes!

9. Enjoy Every Sip! And there you have it – your very own, homemade raspberry lemonade recipe! Take a moment to sip and savor this refreshing drink. It’s truly a taste of pure summer joy, and I promise you, it’s worth every single step. Cheers!