The temperatures are rising, the seasons are turning. Gardens are growing, time is well spent outside most days. A glass of lemonade is the perfect refresher after all your hard work in the yard. Give this homemade lavender lemonade recipe a try this spring.
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Why add lavender to my lemonade?
When steeped as a tea, lavender boasts caffeine-free and calming properties which are lovely and relaxing when sipped as a warm beverage. But lavender can be enjoyed cool too and with the same beneficial properties.
Lavender may also:
- reduce muscle spasms (great for after yard work!)
- promote better digestion
- reduce inflammation
- balance your mood
- heal the skin
- soothe chronic pain
Additionally, lavender tea adds a floral element to your lemonade that is as welcome and refreshing as the citrus juice itself. Lemon and lavender compliment one another well, in aromatics as well as beverages.
Please see my DISCLOSURE statement on making health claims about an herb as stated above.
How to make lavender lemonade at home:
Ingredients:
6 whole lemons
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp culinary lavender
3 cups plus 1.5 quarts of water
Instructions:
Gather all your ingredients and give your lemons a good rinse under running water. Fill a small pot with 3 cups of water. Take two lemons and a grater to zest your two lemons. Add the lemon zest to your pot of water.
Now add 3 tablespoons of culinary lavender to the pot of water and bring it to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn the eye off and lid the pot. Allow the lavender to steep for 5 minutes.
In this waiting time, juice your lemons. Cut each lemon in half and use a juicer to get as much lemon juice from your six lemons as possible.
Next, use a strainer to get as much pulp and lemon seeds out of the juice as possible before pouring the lemon juice into a pitcher.
Into the pitcher, add the sugar and stir with a spoon. Once the tea has steeped, strain out the lavender buds and add the tea to the pitcher as well. Give it a good stir.
Now add 1.5 quarts of water to the pitcher and stir well.
This lavender lemonade is best served cold and over ice so chill the pitcher in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving for the most refreshing results.
Makes about 2 quarts.
What if I do not have lemons on hand?
If you do not have fresh lemons on hand but you do have bottled lemon juice, you can still make this lemonade! Granted, the results won’t be as great as freshly squeezed lemon juice but it’ll taste just fine.
Replace the freshly squeezed lemon juice with 1/2 cup of bottled lemon juice. Taste test the final product to decide if you need to add a little more lemon juice for extra tartness.
Can I use a different sweetener besides sugar in lemonade?
We do not use artificial sweeteners so I cannot offer a substitution there but I do know you can use honey instead of sugar.
Simply replace the sugar amount with 1/3 cup of local raw honey for even more added health benefits to your lavender lemonade. Again, taste test to determine if you need to add more sweetener to your lemonade based on preference.
If you prefer agave or stevia, do some research into a proper measurements conversion for those substitutions.
The perfect garden party drink
With springtime alive and well; gardens are growing, flowers are blooming, outdoor activities are happening. Garden parties being one of them.
If you’re hosting a garden party or just a backyard barbecue (cookout if you’re from the south), consider offering this refresher of a drink alongside your sweet tea pitchers with lemons slices. Then enjoy all the compliments from your guests on your deliciously floral beverage.
Ditch the container lemonades
Plastic jug-style containers of lemonade powder are mostly affordable but lack in real, fresh flavors and they also add a ton of unnecessary and unhealthy ingredients to your beverage.
Many of these powdered ingredients are that way to encourage an easier and faster dissolve into water. Convenience is the name of the game after all.
Making a huge pitcher of this flavored powder and adding fresh lemon slices is similar to adding lipstick to a pig.
With this simple to make lemonade recipe, you can be confident providing a refreshment to your family and guests without the fake stuff in it.
Can I make this recipe without the lavender?
Absolutely you can make this lemonade without the lavender.
Simply add extra water to your pitcher to replace the lavender tea it will be missing.
Can I replace the lavender with a different herb or tea?
Sure!
Here are some options to replace the lavender tea in this lemonade recipe:
- mint
- lemon balm
- calendula
- black tea (for an Arnold Palmer style drink)
- green tea
- rosemary
- hibiscus
- strawberries
- blueberries
- blood oranges
- limes
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If you like mocktails, try these recipes next:
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Lavender Lemonade
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Rinse lemons under running water. Fill a small pot with 3 cups of water. Take two lemons and a grater to zest your two lemons. Add the lemon zest to your pot of water.
- Now add 3 tablespoons of culinary lavender to the pot of water and bring it to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn the eye off and lid the pot. Allow the lavender to steep for 5 minutes.
- In this waiting time, juice your lemons. Cut each lemon in half and use a juicer to get as much lemon juice from your six lemons as possible.
- Next, use a strainer to get as much pulp and lemon seeds out of the juice before pouring the lemon juice into a pitcher.
- Add the sugar to the pitcher and stir with a spoon. Once the tea has steeped, strain out the lavender buds and add the tea to the pitcher as well. Give it a good stir.
- Now add 1.5 quarts of water to the pitcher and stir well.
Notes
