Description
A refreshing and floral lavender lemonade recipe combining freshly squeezed lemon juice with a homemade lavender simple syrup, perfect for summer gatherings or brunches.
Ingredients
Scale
Lavender Syrup
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- ¼ cup honey (88 grams)
- 3 tablespoons dried culinary lavender (8 grams)
Lemonade
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (454 grams, from 10-12 lemons)
- Blue or purple food coloring (optional, to enhance color)
- Lemon slices (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Make the lavender syrup: Over medium heat, combine 2 cups of water and the granulated sugar in a saucepan, bringing to a boil while stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat, then stir in the honey and dried culinary lavender.
- Steep the lavender: Allow the syrup mixture to steep for 2 hours, or less if you prefer a lighter lavender flavor. This extraction infuses the syrup with aromatic floral notes.
- Strain the syrup: After steeping, strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve, pressing down on the lavender to extract all the flavorful juices into the syrup. Discard the lavender solids.
- Prepare the lemonade: In a large pitcher, combine the freshly squeezed lemon juice, the lavender syrup, and the remaining 4 cups of water. Stir well to mix all ingredients thoroughly.
- Add optional color and garnish: If desired, add a few drops of blue or purple food coloring to enhance the lavender hue. Serve the lemonade over ice and garnish with lemon slices for a beautiful presentation.
Notes
- Adjust the steeping time based on your preferred lavender intensity; less steeping results in a milder flavor.
- Use fresh lemons for the best citrus flavor in the lemonade.
- Honey adds natural sweetness and subtle complexity; you can substitute with more sugar if preferred.
- Blue or purple food coloring is optional but adds a whimsical touch for special occasions.
- Keep the lavender syrup refrigerated if not using immediately and use within a week for best freshness.
- Serve chilled over plenty of ice for a refreshing drink on hot days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: ninety kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
