County Fair Lemon Shake-Up

A classic at so many fairs and festivals, the County Fair Lemon Shake-Up. Such a simple delicious drink that tastes like summer.

One of my all-time favorite things to get at our county fair is the Lemon Shake-Ups, well, the county fair, the state fair, and really any small-town festival. They are fresh, tart, and sugary. They always make me smile.

County Fair Lemon Shake-Up

It is so amazing how 4 simple ingredients put in a classic ball jar can evoke so much happiness. These are a must-have when I see them at fairs and festivals, and they are so easy to make at home!

Gather Your Equipment and Ingredients

Equipment

• 1-quart size jar per recipe with a lid or equal size glass with a tight sealing lid-we are going to shake shake shake, so you want something that won’t leak!
• Muddler or wooden spoon- I love my wooden muddler; it was fairly inexpensive and has lasted for years.

Ingredients

• 1 whole lemon
• 1/4 cup sugar
• ice
• water

How To Make A County Fair Lemon Shake-Up

• Place 1/4 cup of sugar in your jar or glass that can be fitted with a tight-fitting lid.
• Wash your lemon (we are using the rind and all for this recipe) and then cut the lemon into quarters and drop them in your jar.
• Using a muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon you want to mash and stir the lemons in the sugar. This will release the oils in the rind and juice the lemon pulp.
• Now fill the jar with ice, cubes, or crushed, either works great.
• Now fill your jar with water, leaving an inch or so at the top for toom to shake. Place the lid on tight and shake!
• Keep shaking.
• Shake some more.
• Shake well to combine and distribute the lemon sugary goodness until the sugar is mostly dissolved; this usually takes 30 seconds to a minute.
• Remove the lid, garnish with an extra lemon slice if you like, add a straw, and enjoy your County Fair Lemon Shake-Up.
• Bonus: If you are of age, you can always add a shot of your favorite liquor. A flavored vodka is my personal favorite.

Tips, Tricks, Questions, and Comments

I am somewhat of a jar hoarder, so I always have plenty on hand. But you are not my personal favorite for this recipe are the wide-mouth jars. They are readily available at places like Walmart, Target, or Meijer and are easy to order through Amazon. But honestly, any jar with a tight-fitting lid will work as long as you measure or adjust ingredient amounts to match your jar size.

These would be a fun addition to any party or get-together. You could pre-measure the jars with sugar and set out a bowl of quartered lemons. Have an ice bucket full of ice and a big pitcher of water, and you have an instant Lemon Shake-Up Bar.

Add a fun array of straws and some lemon slices for garnish! What a fun idea for any occasion.

If you are so inclined, you could use a simple syrup instead of straight sugar. My only advice might be that while the sugar will obviously be less, for lack of a better description, raw and gritty, I will say that using just sugar works to help muddle the lemons. An abrasive surface, if you will to help extract the oils from the rind and juice from the pulp.

More County Fair Recipes

Remember that year we had to spend in our homes social distancing? Because I wasn’t about to miss out on all my favorite parts of The Johnson County Fair, I worked hard to re-create them at home! Will I still attend every single fair? Absolutely, but now I can eat like I’m at the fair anytime of the year!

County Fair Pork Kabobs

Funnel Cakes

County Fair Chocolate Milkshakes

County Fair Beaver Tail