Use a vegetable peeler to peel the lemon zest into strips. Set lemons aside.
Lemon simple syrup: In a medium pan over medium-high heat, bring 1 cup water, blueberries, sugar, lemon zest strips to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer until sugar is dissolved and liquid is syrupy, about 5-8 minutes. Mash the berries gently before straining to release the juices. Strain and refrigerate syrup until needed.
Juice lemons and add 1 cup lemon juice to a large pitcher (reserve any extra so you can adjust the flavor to your tastes).
Add 1 cup ice cubes, remaining 3 cups water, and lemon simple syrup. Stir to combine and garnish with fresh lemon slices if desired. Refrigerate until chilled.
Notes
*I use 3 very large lemons and it is flavorful but mild. If you like extra zip, use 4 large or 5 small lemons, including all the zest and juice. You can also make it as is, and add extra fresh lemon slices to serve if you want a little more tang.Tips:
Use fresh lemon. The flavor of fresh lemon juice is just unmatched in lemonade.
Make it more or less lemony. I use three very large lemons to make a flavorful but more mild lemonade. If you prefer a little extra zip, use four or 5 smaller lemons, including all of the zest and juice. Another option is to add extra fresh lemon slices to serve for some extra tang.
Strain it. Don't forget to strain the simple syrup before you add it to the lemonade. No chunky lemonade here!
Wait to add the ice. If you're not serving your lemonade right away, wait to add the ice. We don't want it to melt and dilute all that delicious flavor.
Storage:Homemade Blueberry Lemonade will last for up to a week in the fridge. If you're storing this lemonade, I recommend doing so without any ice. We don't want it to melt and dilute the lemonade.You can also freeze this lemonade in ice cube trays, then add to your lemonade all summer long to keep it cold without watering it down.