From the roundup: 12 Easy Non Alcoholic Drink Recipes: Mocktails, Smoothies, and Lemonades
This blueberry lavender lemonade comes together in about 20 minutes, and most of that is hands-off cooling time. You make a quick syrup on the stove, strain out the solids, and stir it into fresh lemon juice and cold water. That’s it. The deep purple color is entirely from real blueberries, which always gets a comment when I set the pitcher out.
The lavender part is easy to mess up, so I’ll be direct: three minutes in the simmering syrup is enough. I let it go five minutes once and the whole batch tasted like soap. Pull the pan off the heat at exactly three minutes and you get a gentle floral note that works with the lemon without taking over. One teaspoon of dried culinary lavender is the right amount for this recipe, and make sure the label says culinary grade.
I make the syrup the night before when I’m serving this for a gathering, then mix the full pitcher the morning of. It’s a good drink for a bridal shower or a hot Saturday afternoon when you want something that looks like you put in more effort than you did.
Why you will love this
- The purple color is completely natural, just blueberries, so no food dye and no explaining the ingredient list
- Fresh or frozen blueberries both work, which means you can make this in January just as easily as July
- The syrup keeps for three days in the fridge, so you can make it well ahead of when you need it
- You can adjust the sweetness or tartness right in the pitcher before you serve it, no starting over
- It serves six from one pitcher, which is enough for a small gathering without doubling anything
Tips for success
- Time the lavender carefully: set a timer for exactly 3 minutes once you add it to the syrup. Going longer makes the flavor sharp and soapy, and there is no fixing it after the fact.
- Press the blueberries against the side of the pan while they simmer so they actually break open and release their color. A light press with a spoon is enough, you do not need to mash them.
- Cool the syrup completely before mixing the lemonade. If you rush it and add warm syrup to cold water, the drink turns slightly murky and the flavor is flat.
- Stir the pitcher before pouring each glass. The syrup is heavier than the water and settles to the bottom, so the first glass will be pale and the last will be very sweet if you skip this step.
Common questions
- Can I use lavender essential oil? No. Only dried culinary lavender works here. Essential oils are not food safe at cooking concentrations.
- Can I make this sparkling? Yes. Replace the 4 cups of cold water with sparkling water and add it right before serving so it stays fizzy.
- What if the lemonade is too tart? Stir a tablespoon of sugar into a small splash of warm water until dissolved, then mix it into the pitcher.
- Can I double the recipe? Yes, double everything and use a very large pitcher or divide between two.
Substitutions
If you cannot find culinary lavender at your grocery store, skip it entirely. You still get a great blueberry lemonade with good color and flavor. Honey or maple syrup can replace the granulated sugar at a one-to-one swap in the syrup, though honey adds its own flavor so taste as you go. Bottled lemon juice works in a pinch but fresh lemon juice gives noticeably better flavor here since it is the main ingredient.
To reduce sugar, start with half a cup instead of three-quarters and taste the finished lemonade before adding more. The blueberries bring some natural sweetness, so you may find you need less than the recipe calls for depending on how ripe your fruit is.
Make-ahead and storage
Make the blueberry lavender syrup up to three days ahead and store it in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. Mix the full pitcher of lemonade the morning you plan to serve it and keep it covered in the fridge until you’re ready. Mixed lemonade keeps well for up to two days in the fridge, just stir it before pouring since the syrup settles.
The plain syrup freezes well in ice cube trays for up to two months. Pop a cube or two into a glass of water or sparkling water for a single serving without making a full batch. Do not freeze the mixed lemonade once it has been combined with water and lemon juice.
Blueberry Lavender Lemonade
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Combine the blueberries, sugar, and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir once or twice to help the sugar start to dissolve. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 5 minutes, pressing the blueberries gently against the side of the pan with a spoon so they break open and release their color.
- Add the dried culinary lavender to the pan. Stir it in and let everything simmer together for exactly 3 more minutes. Do not go longer than 3 minutes or the lavender flavor will turn sharp and soapy. Remove the pan from the heat immediately.
- Set a fine mesh strainer over a medium bowl or large measuring cup. Pour the hot blueberry mixture through the strainer, pressing the solids gently with the back of a spoon to get as much syrup out as possible. Discard the blueberry skins and lavender solids left in the strainer. Let the syrup cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes, before using.
- Juice your lemons until you have 3/4 cup of fresh lemon juice. Strain out any seeds.
- Pour the cooled blueberry lavender syrup into a large pitcher. Add the fresh lemon juice and stir well to combine. Pour in the 4 cups of cold water and stir again. Taste the lemonade. If you want it sweeter, stir in an extra tablespoon of sugar dissolved in a splash of warm water. If you want it more tart, add another squeeze of lemon.
- Fill glasses with ice and pour the lemonade over the top. Add a lemon slice and a sprig of fresh mint if you like. Stir before pouring each glass since the syrup can settle to the bottom of the pitcher.
Notes
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