Summer Lemonade Fruit Bar (Printer View)

A bright, customizable lemonade bar with fresh fruit, syrups, and icy lemonade for summer celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Lemonade Base

01 - 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
02 - 1.25 cups granulated sugar
03 - 8 cups cold water
04 - 1 lemon, sliced for garnish

→ Fresh Fruit Mix-Ins

05 - 1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced
06 - 1 cup blueberries
07 - 1 cup raspberries
08 - 1 cup pineapple, diced
09 - 1 cup watermelon, cubed
10 - 1 kiwi, peeled and sliced
11 - 1 orange, sliced

→ Syrups and Enhancements

12 - 0.5 cup simple syrup, optional
13 - 0.5 cup honey or agave syrup
14 - 0.25 cup fresh mint leaves
15 - 0.25 cup fresh basil leaves, optional
16 - Crushed ice or ice cubes as needed

# Method Steps:

01 - In a large pitcher, combine freshly squeezed lemon juice and granulated sugar. Stir vigorously until sugar dissolves completely. Add cold water and lemon slices, mix thoroughly, and refrigerate until chilled.
02 - Place each fresh fruit variety in separate bowls or jars for convenient guest access. Arrange mint, basil, and syrups in small containers with serving spoons or pourers. Keep ice in an ice bucket or cooler.
03 - Arrange the chilled lemonade base, fruit bowls, herb containers, syrups, and ice on a prominent table or counter surface. Set out glasses, straws, and stirrers for guest use.
04 - Invite guests to fill their glasses with ice and lemonade, then personalize with their preferred fruits, herbs, and syrups. Stir and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Your guests become the bartenders, which means you actually get to enjoy the party instead of being stuck in the kitchen.
  • It works for literally every dietary preference because people choose their own adventure.
  • Kids and adults gravitate toward it naturally, turning a simple drink station into the most popular spot at your gathering.
02 -
  • Don't make the lemonade too sweet or you'll overpower the fruit flavors that guests are trying to highlight—you can always add honey syrup but you can't take sweetness out.
  • Keep your fruit at room temperature until thirty minutes before guests arrive, then chill it so the flavors are vibrant but the texture stays firm.
03 -
  • If you're expecting a crowd, double or triple your base lemonade recipe and keep it in the fridge overnight—the flavors actually meld and improve with a little time.
  • Set your fruit and herb containers slightly back from the edge of the table so people naturally move around the whole setup instead of just grabbing the closest things.
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