Lavender lemonade is a delightful twist to the classic homemade lemonade recipe, infusing it with a hint of floral essence from an easy-to-make lavender syrup. You can make this recipe with either fresh or dried culinary lavender flowers that will give the lemonade a subtle yet unique flavor. Try adding some sparkling water to make a special lavender lemonade spritzer for an extra refreshing twist! Read on to find out why the color changes from purple to pink.
A Refreshing Lemon Beverage
This recipe is more than just your average lemonade. This drink takes your everyday lemonade to an entirely new level. A light floral infusion of lavender adds a wonderful flavor to the classic citrusy tartness of lemons. Refreshing and flavorful, this is the perfect beverage for summer gatherings or an afternoon pick-me-up.
Making lavender lemonade is as simple as making traditional lemonade! All it requires is water, lemons, sugar, and our special ingredient: culinary dried lavender.
If you have young kids, this is a great recipe to get them involved in the kitchen and see what happens with the chemical reaction between the lavender and lemons.
Why This Lavender Lemonade Recipe Works
- Easy to Make: This lavender lemonade recipe is incredibly straightforward and doesn’t require any complicated procedures. It’s a lovely way to elevate a traditional lemonade with just a single extra ingredient -dried culinary lavender buds.
- Versatile: Whether you’re hosting a summer barbeque, a baby shower, or just want something refreshing on a hot day, this lavender-infused lemonade fits the bill.
- A Fun Science Project for Kids: When the acid in the lemon juice is combined with the purple lavender syrup, the lemonade will turn a lovely pink hue. It’s fun to watch the color change and a great way to teach kids about the science of chemistry.
Ingredients for Lavender lemonade recipe with lavender syrup
Here is a list of the ingredients you will need for this recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.
For the Lavender Syrup Recipe:
- Water.
- Sugar. You can swap all or part of the sugar for honey or agave syrup.
- Culinary dried lavender buds. Fresh or dried lavender will work in this recipe.
For the Lavender Lemonade:
- Lemon juice. You really can’t beat the flavor of freshly squeezed lemons. However, this recipe works fine if you want to use bottled lemon juice.
- Water. You can use regular water or carbonated water for a fizzy drink.
- Lemon slices and lavender stems for garnish.
Highlights for Making Lavender-infused Lemonade
Here is a brief overview to get an idea of what to expect with the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.
This pretty pink drink is the perfect beverage to brighten up your day. It starts with freshly squeezed lemons and a lavender syrup recipe that you can use for more things than this lemonade.
You can drizzle the syrup on a sponge cake, lavender cupcakes, drizzle it over a fruit salad, or use it in cocktails.
Make the Syrup:
- Place the water, sugar, and lavender buds in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes, then remove it from the heat.
- Cover the pan and let the syrup steep for 10 minutes to develop the flavor.
- Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer, then discard the lavender buds.
To Make the Lavender Lemonade:
- Pour the cooled syrup into a 2-quart pitcher. Next, pour in the lemon juice. This is where the magic happens! There will be a chemical reaction, and the purple lavender syrup will turn pink when it hits the lemon juice.
- Add cold water and stir to combine.
Recipe Variations
- Lavender Mint Lemonade: Add a handful of fresh mint leaves to the saucepan when making the syrup. The mint beautifully complements the lavender, creating a delightful combination.
- Lavender Honey Lemonade: Replace the sugar with honey in the syrup for a more natural and floral sweetness. Remember, honey has a stronger flavor than sugar, so you might want to adjust the quantity to taste.
- Lavender Iced Tea Lemonade: Brew some black tea and let it cool. Use this instead of water when making the lemonade for a tea-infused lemonade.
- Berries and Lavender Lemonade: Add a handful of fresh or frozen berries (like blueberries or raspberries) to the saucepan while making the syrup for a fruity twist.
Tips for Success to Make the Best Lavender Lemonade
Adjusting the color. This lavender lemonade will not have the distinctive lavender hue of the flowers. The acid in the lemon juice will turn the purple syrup into a pretty pink color. If you want a purple drink, add a few drops of lavender food coloring or smash some blueberries into the lemonade.
Sweetness Level: Make the lemonade sweeter by adding more sugar (or honey) to taste. If you want the drink more tart, squeeze in a bit more lemon juice.
Use the lavender syrup sparingly: If you have too much lavender flavor in this lemonade, it will taste like soap. A hint of lavender has a lovely balance with the sweet and tart flavors.
Use culinary lavender: Many varieties of culinary lavender are available in your local grocery store. Look for the organic, food-grade type, which is specifically grown for consumption and not treated with pesticides.
Storage
Homemade lemonade can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to a week. Make sure that you store it in an airtight container and give it a good stir before serving.
Don’t store it with ice because the ice will dilute the lemonade. Add ice when you serve beverages.
🍛 More Lavender Recipes
For those of us who’ve fallen head over heels for that unique, aromatic twist in our lemonade, we have more lavender recipes that will steel the show.
- Homemade lavender tea
- Lavender Madeleines
- Lemon lavender cake
- Lavender panna cotta
- Lavender infused sugar
- Vanilla lavender ice cream
- Lavender cheesecake
- Lavender cake with cream cheese frosting
- 16 Favorite Refreshing Beverage Recipes
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Lavender Lemonade
Ingredients
For the Lavender Syrup:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoon dried culinary lavender buds or 6 tablespoons fresh lavender buds
For the Lavender Lemonade:
- 1 cup lavender syrup cooled
- 1-½ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 4 cups cold water
- Lemon slices for garnish
- Fresh or dried lavender stems for garnish
Instructions
To Make the Lavender Syrup
- Place the water, sugar, and lavender buds in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to simmer. Stir once or twice to distribute the heat evenly; then stop stirring. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.
- Cover the pan and let the syrup steep for 10 to 15 minutes to develop the lavender flavor.
- Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer set over a dish or jar, then discard the lavender buds. Allow the syrup to come to room temperature before using it for the lemonade.
To Make the Lavender Lemonade:
- Pour the cooled syrup and the lemon juice into a 2-quart pitcher (there will be a chemical reaction, and the purple lavender syrup will turn pink when it hits the lemon juice).
- Add 4 cups of cold water and stir to combine.
To Serve:
- Add ice cubes to tall glasses and fill them with the lavender lemonade. Garnish each serving with sprigs of fresh or dried lavender stems and add a drinking straw to each glass.
Notes
- This lavender lemonade will not have the distinctive lavender hue of the flowers. A chemical reaction occurs when the lavender syrup and lemon juice are combined, resulting in a pink color.
- For a lavender-colored lemonade, add a couple of drops of blue or purple food color to the beverage.
- When purchasing dried lavender flowers, make sure that the label indicates it is a food-grade, culinary product.
- Do not use fresh or dried lavender from nurseries or flower shops, as they will have been treated with chemical pesticides.
- When making the lavender syrup, do not stir it as it simmers or sugar crystals will form.
- The longer the lavender buds steep in the syrup, the stronger the flavor. Be careful not to make the lavender syrup too strong. A little lavender flavor goes a long way.
- Make Sparkling Lavender Lemonade by using sparkling water instead of tap water.
- The lavender syrup can be made in a larger quantity and kept in the refrigerator, without ice, in a covered jar for up to 2 weeks.
- Pour lavender lemonade into ice cube trays and freeze. Add them to the glasses instead of plain ice cubes. The lemonade will not get diluted as the ice cubes melt.
- If you have a lavender plant growing in your backyard and have not treated it with pesticides, you are safe to use the blooms.
- To dry home-grown, untreated lavender, pick mature blooms with long stems. Bundle and tie the stems, then hang them upside down in a dark, warm area that has good ventilation. It will take about 2-4 weeks for the lavender to become dry and brittle.
