There’s nothing like an ice cold glass of Lavender Lemonade to make you feel cool and refreshed. Try this easy, 5 minute recipe for a delicious beverage that cuts the heat (with optional steps for making it a slushy)!
During my travels in France (who even remembers traveling at this point?), we wound up in the south among the lush lavender farmlands from Cavaillon to Canne. There just so happened to be one thing distracting us — the sweltering heat.
Yeah, it was hot. But when you’re in the lavender farmlands and life quite literally gives you lemons, you ignore the heat wave and do as the French do… make lavender lemonade!
On this particular day, we needed something — anything — to refresh and cool down. Lavender lemonade was the key. Ever since, I’ve enjoyed incorporating lavender into different recipes. It creates such a unique flavor and can really elevate a dish.
But back to the lemonade. It’s basically summer in a glass, and it’s made with only four ingredients: lemons, sugar, water, and lavender. So, if you ever find yourself in a heat wave (whether in the south of France or elsewhere), remember this drink and quench your thirst. Regular lemonade, who?
Ingredients in lavender lemonade
Not only is lavender lemonade simple, the ingredient list is 4 items long and straight to the point. And to make matters sweeter, it’s ready with only 5 minutes of hands-on time!
- Lavender Buds: First, you’ll need 1 tablespoon of dried lavender buds. Be sure to use culinary lavender, as decorative lavender may have been treated with non-edible chemicals (buy it online here).
- Sugar: To balance the tart flavor from the lemons and sweeten things up, include 1 cup of sugar. You can replace half of the sugar with an artificial sweetener if desired, like Stevia or Splenda (just be sure to check the packaging for proper substitution amounts).
- Boiling Water: Next, you’ll need 2 cups of boiling water to dissolve the sugar and steep the lavender buds
- Cold Water: Follow that up with 1 cup of cold water to cool your lemonade down quickly.
- Lemon Juice: And as for the lemons, you’ll need 1 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice! That will take about 6 to 8 lemons.
How to make homemade lemonade with lavender
As I mentioned above, this sweet recipe only requires 5 minutes of prep time. That’s a game changer, especially when you need something cold, and you need it now. If you want to turn this into an icy drink, check out step #3 for turning the lemonade into a slush!
Step 1: Steep the lavender
Combine the lavender buds and sugar in a large bow. Pour 2 cups of boiling water over the mixture, stir, and let sit for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Assemble the lemonade
Strain the lavender buds from the sugar water and then combine with 1 cup of cold water and lemon juice. Do a taste test and add more sugar or water as needed.
Step 3 (optional): Freeze for a slush
Optionally, you can turn this into a slushy by pouring the lemonade into a large baking dish and placing it in the freezer. Stir and scrape the mixture with a fork every hour until a slushy has formed (similar to granitas). It should take around 3 hours.
Lavender lemonade variations
- Cocktail: First up, this lemonade makes a fabulous base for cocktails! If you want to go the fancy beverage route with a lavender lemonade cocktail, add a bit of vodka or rum. It’s sweet, tangy, and delicious! Bonus points if you use edible flower ice cubes for extra fanciness.
- Blueberry: Interested in blueberry lavender lemonade? There are a couple of options! You can either add a dash of blueberry syrup, or you can blend some blueberries and water before adding it to the lemonade mixture (at step #2). The ‘ade will need a good stir, which you can do with a spoon or in the blender.
- Coconut: Coconut lavender lemonade is created by replacing the cup of cold water with 1 cup of coconut water.
- Low-sugar: For a low sugar drink, replace half of the sugar with your favorite alternative.
- Add a popsicle: Is there anything more summery than combining this lavender lemonade with a popsicle? I used our Hibiscus Popsicles as a fun drink stirrer (and okay, I may have thrown in some vodka as well). So delish!
Try these refreshing drinks next!
Need some more drink ideas to cool you down? Here are some easy, delicious recipes to create!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp dried lavender buds
- 1 cup sugar 200 g
- 2 cups boiling water 472 mL
- 1 cup cold water 236 mL
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice about 6 to 8 lemons, 236 mL
Instructions
- Steep: Combine lavender buds and sugar in a large bowl. Pour 2 cups boiling water over mixture, stir, and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Assemble: Strain lavender buds from sugar water then combine with 1 cup of cold water and lemon juice. Taste test, adding more sugar or water as needed. Chill as needed, then serve with ice.
- Freeze (Optional): To make a slushy, pour lemonade into a large baking dish and set in the freezer. Stir and scrape the mixture with a fork every hour, until a slushy has formed.
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