Your recipe calls for a cup of fresh lemon juice. So how many lemons do you buy? How much juice is in one lemon? Here’s all the info you need, including a printable chart, plus helpful tips on juicing and zesting lemons.
How much juice in a lemon? It depends! I am constantly reminded of this when making lemon granita, a big part of summertime refreshment around here. The recipe calls for one cup of lemon juice, and it often takes 4 lemons — but sometimes it takes 5 or more, and the other day it only took 3!
Lemon size is a good general guide, but that doesn’t stop bigger lemons from have little juice sometimes and small lemons from having a lot! Things like the kind of lemon, ripeness and how you extract the juice all make a difference.
How much juice in one lemon?
Typically an average medium sized lemon will produce about 3 to 4 tablespoons of juice, depending on size, variety, ripeness and method of juicing.
How much juice is in one lemon? One medium lemon yields about 3 to 4 tablespoons of juice.
How much juice is in half of a lemon? Half of a medium lemon yields about 1½ to 2 tablespoons of juice.
Here’s a complete breakdown of approximate lemon juice yield by size of lemon, with conversions by tablespoons, teaspoons, ounces and milliliters.
- half lemon ≈ 1½ to 2 Tbsp / 4½ to 6 tsp / ¾ to 1 oz / 20 to 30 mL
- one small lemon ≈ 2 to 3 Tbsp / 6 to 9 tsp / 1 to 1½ oz / 30 to 45 mL
- one medium lemon ≈ 3 to 4 Tbsp / 9 to 12 tsp / 1½ to 2 oz / 45 to 60 mL
- one large lemon ≈ 4 to 5 Tbsp / 12 to 15 tsp / 2 to 2½ oz / 60 to 75 mL
- onejumbo lemon ≈ 5 to 6 Tbsp / 15 to 18 tsp / 2½ to 3 oz / 75 to 90 mL
{ 2 ounces = ¼ cup | 3 ounces = ⅜ cup, a little less than ½ cup }
Here’s a handy table chart of the same information:
How much lemon juice in one lemon
 |  |  |  |  | |
| Half a lemon | Small lemon | Medium lemon | Large lemon | Jumbo lemon | |
| Table spoons | 1½ to 2 Tbsp | 2 to 3 Tbsp | 3 to 4 Tbsp | 4 to 5 Tbsp | 5 to 6 Tbsp |
| Tea spoons | 4½ to 6 tsp | 6 to 9 tsp | 9 to 12 tsp | 12 to 15 tsp | 15 to 18 tsp |
| Ounces | ¾ to 1 oz | 1 to 1½ oz | 1½ to 2 oz | 2 to 2½ oz | 2½ to 3 oz |
| Milliliters | 20 to 30 mL | 30 to 45 mL | 45 to 60 mL | 60 to 75 mL | 75 to 90 mL |
| Lemon ≈ Diameter | 2-2½” (5-6½cm) | 2½-3″ (6½-7½cm) | 3-3½” (7½-9cm) | 3½+ (9cm+) |
Check out the how many lemons needed chart below for how many lemons you’ll need for 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup and 1 cup of lemon juice, with ounce and milliliter conversions.
Remember that these amounts are approximate. The actual yield you get depends on the lemon and how much of the potential juice you get out of it.
To give an idea of variability from my last batch of lemon granita: I needed one cup of lemon juice. Out of the two small lemons I juiced: the smallest yielded 12 teaspoons (¼ cup) and the largest gave me only 10 teaspoons of juice (at 2½” round, it was ¼” bigger). Of the two medium lemons: the smallest one gave me 12 teaspoons (¼ cup), and the largest yielded 16 teaspoons (⅓ cup) of juice (at 3″ round, it was only ½” bigger)!
How many lemons do I need for a cup of lemon juice?
How many lemons for 1 cup juice, of course, depends on the lemons, but you would need approximately 4 lemons. I usually get an extra one or two, to be safe, since lemons keep well in the refrigerator for weeks.
- How many lemons for 1 cup juice? One cup of juice takes around 4 medium lemons.
- How many lemons for 1/2 cup juice? A half cup of juice takes around 2 medium lemons.
- How many lemons for 1/3 cup juice? One third cup of juice takes around 1 ⅓ medium lemons.
- How many lemons for 1/4 cup juice? One fourth cup of juice takes around 1 medium lemon.
How many lemons needed
| Juice Wanted | 1/4 cup | 1/3 cup | 1/2 cup | 1 cup |
| Ounces | 2 oz | 2.67 oz | 4 oz | 8 oz |
| Milliliters | 60 mL | 80 mL | 120 mL | 240 mL |
| Lemons Needed | 1 medium lemon | 1 + 1/3 medium lemons | 2 medium lemons | 4 medium lemons |
How to juice a lemon
Here’s all the juicy tips:
Remember to zest the lemon first, if needed
It’s a lot easier to zest the lemon before you cut into it. One lemon produces around 1 tablespoon of zest. Before zesting, it’s a good idea, even with organic lemons, to wet it and rub its skin well with baking soda to remove any residues, wax or dirt, then rinse well. You can also scrub it with vinegar, then rinse.
If a recipe calls for lemon juice, I often add some zest to it too — the oils in the zest add a huge aroma to the dish. My preferred tool to zest citrus is a fine zester grater.
- How much lemon zest in one lemon? around 1 tablespoon
How to get the most juice out of a lemon
There are a few tools and tricks to get more juice out of a lemon.
- Choosing the best lemons – Any kind of lemons you can get will do. For the most juice, though, choose the ripest lemons, nice and yellow, avoiding ones that were picked too green. Look for ones with a smooth skin. And choose the heaviest lemons for their size as you can.
- Temperature – Lemons at room temperature produce more juice than right out of the fridge. You can take them out 30 minutes to an hour before juicing or pop them in the microwave for about 10 seconds.
- Rolling – Before cutting it in half, roll the lemon on the cutting board a few times with a little pressure to help break down the structure, loosen the pulp and release the juices.
How to juice a lemon without a juicer
First, cut the lemon in half crosswise around its equator.
- With a wooden citrus reamer: (My preferred way with up to 5 lemons) Twist the reamer into the lemon halve, pressing against the inside walls of the lemon as you twist, to release all the juice.
- With a handheld citrus squeezer: (I prefer the bigger sized orange squeezers) Place the lemon halve into the cup of the citrus squeezer, cut-side towards the holes, to squeeze.
- With your hands and fork: (My preferred way for less than 2 tablespoons) Poke a fork into the lemon halve and twist and squeeze the lemon as hard as you can into the fork tines.
House favorite tools for juicing lemons
We have a hand press citrus squeezer, a glass bowl citrus reamer with spout, a wood lemon reamer, and a pomegranate press. Our favorite ways to juice five or less lemons, by far, judging by how much we use them, are: our olive wood lemon reamer, and a good ole fork! For quantity, we get out our amazing Turkish pomegranate/citrus fruit press (which I highly recommend for it’s simple ingenious rotating arm that makes it easier to press with the rare quality of not being top heavy.)
How long does lemon juice last?
Freshly squeezed lemon juice lasts in the fridge for a few days, about 2 to 4, if stored properly in an airtight container. Keep in mind that freshness, flavor and vitamin C degrade quickly. To enjoy all its benefits, the fresher the better.
Sure, stored properly, lemon juice can freeze well for up to 4 to 6 months. A convenient way to freeze lemon juice is as ice cubes. Strain the juice and remove any seeds, pour into ice cube trays and cover to keep airtight. Just remember to leave room for the juice to expand as it freezes, especially when using containers with tight lids.
Lemon recipes
Lemons have been used in the Mediterranean since the ancient Romans, and continue to be a popular ingredient of the Mediterranean diet today. They complete a dish by adding a touch of tangy and irresistible acidity. We use lemon juice a lot! Here are a few of our favorite lemon recipes.
