Description
This refreshing Lavender Lemonade combines the floral aroma of dried culinary lavender with the zesty brightness of freshly squeezed lemons, sweetened with a touch of honey and granulated sugar. Perfect for brunches or a summer treat, this lemonade can be served over ice and garnished with lemon slices and optional blue or purple food coloring for a charming presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
Lavender Syrup
- 2 cups water (454 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- ¼ cup honey (88 grams)
- 3 tablespoons dried culinary lavender (8 grams)
Lemonade
- 4 cups water (908 grams)
- 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (454 grams) from 10-12 lemons
Optional Garnishes
- Blue or purple food coloring (a few drops)
- Lemon slices
Instructions
- Make the Lavender Syrup: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 2 cups of water and ½ cup granulated sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- Add Honey and Lavender: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in ¼ cup honey and 3 tablespoons dried culinary lavender. Ensure the lavender is fully mixed into the hot syrup.
- Steep the Lavender: Let the lavender syrup steep for 2 hours to extract its floral flavor. For a lighter lavender taste, steep for a shorter duration.
- Strain the Syrup: Once steeped, strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve, pressing down on the lavender to extract all the flavorful liquid. Discard the solids.
- Combine Lemonade: In a large pitcher, mix the freshly squeezed lemon juice with the strained lavender syrup and the remaining 4 cups of water. Stir well to combine all the flavors.
- Add Color and Garnish: Optionally, add a few drops of blue or purple food coloring to enhance the color. Serve the lavender lemonade over ice and garnish with lemon slices and additional dried lavender for a beautiful presentation.
Notes
- Adjust the steeping time of lavender to control the floral intensity according to your preference.
- Use fresh lemons for the best flavor; bottled lemon juice does not provide the same brightness.
- Honey adds a subtle floral sweetness; substitute with pure maple syrup or agave nectar for a vegan version.
- For a sparkling twist, replace some or all of the water with sparkling water.
- Blue or purple food coloring is optional and meant purely for visual appeal.
- Store leftover lemonade in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
