Strawberry Lemonade with Lavender Recipe
Strawberry lemonade with lavender combines sweet fresh berries, tart lemon juice, and delicately floral lavender syrup in a refreshing homemade drink. Serve it chilled over plenty of ice for a colorful summer beverage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 40–50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon culinary-grade dried lavender
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 cups cold water
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup lavender syrup, or to taste
- Ice, for serving
- Fresh strawberry slices, for serving
- Lemon slices, for serving
- Fresh lavender sprigs, optional
- Fresh mint, optional
Instructions
- Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the culinary-grade dried lavender, and steep for 5–10 minutes. Avoid steeping too long to prevent an overly floral or bitter flavor.
- Strain the lavender syrup through a fine-mesh strainer. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled.
- Place the hulled strawberries in a blender and blend until smooth. For a smoother lemonade, strain the puree through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the seeds.
- Add the strawberry puree, fresh lemon juice, 3 cups cold water, and 1/2 cup lavender syrup to a large pitcher. Stir thoroughly.
- Taste and add additional lavender syrup as desired. Add more cold water if the lemonade is too concentrated or additional lemon juice for a tarter flavor.
- Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled or serve immediately over ice. Garnish with strawberry slices, lemon slices, fresh mint, or a small lavender sprig if desired.
Notes
- Use only culinary-grade lavender intended for cooking and beverages.
- Keep the lavender infusion subtle by steeping it for only 5–10 minutes.
- Frozen strawberries can be substituted for fresh strawberries; thaw them enough to blend easily.
- For sparkling lemonade, replace some or all of the cold water with chilled sparkling water and add it immediately before serving.
- Store leftover lemonade covered in the refrigerator for 2–3 days and stir well before serving.
- Lavender syrup can be prepared ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container for about 2–3 weeks.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 125 kcal
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 8 mg
- Fat: 0.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
