Let’s call this what it is — the most refreshing summer drink on the planet! The only thing that can make lemonade more thirst-quenching is the addition of pureed watermelon — not to mention the prettiest reddish pink color. Bring out a pitcher of this homemade watermelon lemonade on a hot summer day and see how quickly this sweet and tangy drink disappears. (Oh, and yes, you can add vodka, tequila, or rum to this recipe if you want to turn it into a cocktail!)

If you aren’t in the mood to strain the watermelon juice, you don’t have to. Your drink will be thicker and pulpier and possibly have little bits of watermelon throughout, but it will be just as delicious.

How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon

Try one of these methods of checking to see if your watermelon is ripe! They are all tried and true, and yet, fruit has a way of surprising us sometimes. If you plan to make this, I suggest cutting into the melon the day before you make the drink to check that your watermelon is ripe, red, crunchy, and ready to roll! Once a watermelon is cut, it should be stored in the fridge.

The Thump Test: Knock the side of the watermelon. If it is ripe, it should make a deep, dull “thud” noise. If it sounds less deep, it might not be ripe, or it might be too ripe.

Check for the Field Spot: When a watermelon ripens, it is connected to the vine and laying on the ground. The spot where it touches the ground will stay pale. If the spot is yellowish in tone vs. a pale, whitish color, then it has probably had enough time to ripen on the vine.

The Smell Test: A ripe watermelon should have a delicate watermelon fragrance. No fragrance means it’s not yet ripe. Note that a very strong aroma might mean it’s overripe.

How to make homemade watermelon lemonade, the most refreshing summer drink on the planet, with only three ingredients (plus ice!).

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Ingredients

• Granulated sugar – Combined with water, this sugar turns into a simple syrup that sweetens the drink in a smooth and seamless way.
• Kosher salt  – A teeny tiny bit of salt amplifies the flavors in this drink (just like it brightens the flavors of savory food and even baked goods!).
• Watermelon – You’ll need about ½ medium watermelon to get to ten cups of cubed watermelon. You can buy it precut, but you can also cut it yourself, which is cheaper and will ensure the freshest watermelon.
• Lemon juice – Please, please use fresh! I know it’s a pain in the butt to juice all of those lemons (you’ll need about 6), but it’s really worth it for homemade watermelon lemonade.
• Ice to serve – Make sure to serve this over ice, as it’s best super chilled.

How to Make Watermelon Lemonade

1. Make the simple syrup: Place the water, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool the simple syrup to room temperature, then chill the syrup.
2. Puree the watermelon: In a food processor or blender, puree the watermelon in batches until completely smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard the solids. You should have about 5 cups of juice.
3. Make the lemonade: In a pitcher, combine half of the simple syrup, watermelon juice, and lemon juice. Chill for at least 2 hours, until very cold. Stir the watermelon lemonade and serve over lots of ice in glasses.

Variations

Watermelon Lemonade Cocktail – If you want to make this into a summer cocktail, add 1 to 1 ½ ounces of vodka to each glass. You can also try tequila or rum.

Frozen Watermelon Lemonade Slushie – If you want to make a frozen watermelon lemonade slushie, freeze the watermelon cubes before putting them into the food processor, and skip the ice. No need to strain out the solids; just puree with the lemon juice and simple syrup until slushy and well blended.