This One Ingredient Will Make Your Lemonade Taste Better

If you didn't think lemonade could possibly get any better, think again. As the perfect combination of sweet and tart, lemonade is a crowd favorite, especially during those sweltering summer months. Creamy lemonade was a hit last year, but now there's a new trick to try. Instagram user Carolina Gelen showed us how to level up our lemonade game, claiming their recipe makes it even more delicious — and the rumors are true.

For this lemonade recipe, you'll need three tablespoons of lemon zest, 1 1/2 cups of freshly squeezed lemon juice (between six to eight large, juicy lemons), and 1/2 cup of sugar for a 16-ounce lemonade base.

The key that makes this method different from other lemonade recipes is the lemon zest. The abrasive texture of the sugar will help bring out all the natural oils in the zest, resulting in a much stronger flavor — but more on that later.

@carolinagelen/Instagram

Gelen begins by zesting three lemons in a bowl. The easiest way to get zest is to use a Microplane (the kitchen tool you never knew you needed), or some sort of small grater that will smoothly shave the skin of the lemon. You ultimately want to be left with three tablespoons of lemon zest.

Next, add the sugar to the bowl of zest and rub the two together with your fingers for a few minutes or until the mixture becomes fragrant.

Gelen then rolls somewhere between six and eight lemons on their countertop, pressing down firmly in order to make them easier to squeeze. Once you have about 1 1/2 cups of lemon juice, add the juice to the zest mixture and store in the refrigerator.

When you're ready to drink, stir one part of the lemonade base with around five parts water. For a little extra something, add a few fresh lemon slices to garnish.

If anything, we know whose lemonade stand we want to visit this summer.

Here are a few more pieces of inspiration for the most refreshing summer drinks: