Refreshing and not overly sweet this Lavender Lemonade is the perfect spring and summer drink!
Homemade lavender syrup and freshly squeezed lemons come together in this recipe and create a divine floral and zesty lemonade.
Enjoy as is or add a shot of gin for a cocktail.
Homemade Lavender Syrup
I love lavender infused drinks and baked goods. A good homemade syrup makes all the difference in flavor.
This lavender flavor is not faint or overwhelming. You'll find a good balance of floral and lemon in the beverage.
To make the syrup, think of brewing tea. Below is a collage of the steps!
- Start with bringing the water to a boil. I have the sugar and lavender buds ready on the side.
- Once the water comes to a boil, take the pan off the heat. Add the lavender buds and let them infuse into the water for 5 minutes.
- Once those 5 minutes are up, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. You may need to put the pan on low heat to help the sugar dissolve fully. Strain through a colander and now you have your homemade lavender syrup! Note: it is thinner than I would recommend for a syrup if you want a simple syrup to use in coffee, etc. If looking for a true lavender simple syrup, you'll want to double the sugar so that the sugar to water ratio is 1:1. The recipe in my lavender latte follows this ratio.
The most fun part of this recipe is adding the lemon juice to the violet syrup. The color will change from violet to a beautiful pink.
Lemonade Ratio
What is the "right" ratio of lemon juice to water to sugar? Most websites will tell you 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar and varying amounts of water.
I personally, prefer a slightly sweet lemonade and some tartness still noticeable from the lemons. If you do too, then this recipe is right up your alley!
Otherwise, add up to another ½ cup of sugar for a sweeter lemonade.
Serving
Serve this lemonade with lemon wedges or slices. I love adding a few springs of dried lavender flower bundles to the glass.
If you make this a cocktail with a shot of gin, I absolutely recommend making a sugar, lemon zest and lavender bud rim.
To do this, swipe a lemon around the rim of the glass and dip it on plate of sugar and dried lavender buds and lemon zest.
More Lavender Inspired Recipes
Lavender Lemon Cookies: This cookie is full of floral and bright, zesty flavor. Lemon zest is blended into the sugar and creates the most amazing aroma! I can't image a cookie that would pair better than these with this lemonade!
Lavender Latte: This recipe includes how to make a simple syrup with lavender - with equal parts water to sugar. Create your own homemade gourmet coffee drink!
Recipe Tips and FAQs
I wouldn't recommend it. However, I've never tried it. My best guess is it wouldn't have the same floral aroma and taste. Plus, you'd miss the beautiful color!
5-6 lemons medium to large lemons.
Lavender Lemonade
Ingredients
- 5 cups water (separated)
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (~5-6 lemons)
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup lavender buds
Instructions
- Start by heating 1 cup of the water in a small saucepan or pot. Once the water is gently boiling, take the pan or pot off the heat and add the lavender buds.
- Allow the lavender buds to steep in the water for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes pass, add the sugar and stir until it dissolves. If needed, place the pot or pan back on low heat to help the sugar crystals dissolve - careful not to burn the syrup.
- Once all the sugar is dissolved, strain the lavender buds out of the mixture and pour the liquid into your serving container.
- Add the lemon juice and remaining 4 cups of water, stir together and serve over ice. Garnish with lemon and lavender if desired.
Notes
- This recipe is a lower sugar version of lemonade. If you enjoy very sweet lemonade, you may need to double the sugar.
- This recipe includes a thin simple syrup. If you want a true lavender infused simple syrup recipe check out the recipe in my lavender latte The ratios are portioned to give you the right consistency with equal parts water to sugar.
- To make this a cocktail add 1.5 ounces of gin. I highly recommend a sugar, lemon zest and lavender bud rim to go along with the drink!
Nutrition
(Nutrition values are calculated by third-party software and an estimate that can vary based on product brands and cooking methods.)
Noneyabeezwax says
Fantastic!
Carol Ferro says
I made this a few days ago and I loved drinking it! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
Monica Nedeff says
Yayy! So happy to hear it, Carol! Thank you for the lovely comment and rating!
Shirley James says
Why is my syrup a greenish brown?
Monica Nedeff says
Hi Shirley, two possiblities - one may be due to over cooking the lavender buds and other reason may be due to the lavender buds used the in the recipe. Some lavender buds don't have as blue/purple of a hue as others. However, my best guess is that it's most likely related to the buds overcooking or burning. I take the water off the heat once the lavender is added - hope that helps!
Marti Hertzer says
Love your lavender latte recipe and this is great for warmer weather. Although, now that I think about it, the latte could be iced for warmer months of the year. Will have to try that!
Monica Nedeff says
Oooo yes, great idea! Definitely let me know if you try that! Glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe!