Homemade lavender lemonade combines steeped culinary lavender flowers with fresh lemon juice and simple syrup for a floral, refreshing drink ideal for warm-weather gatherings. The infused sugar syrup extracts lavender's delicate flavor without overpowering the bright citrus.
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First, make the lavender simple syrup. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar.
Add the dried lavender flowers to the saucepan.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and whisk continuously until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Bring the mixture to a simmer, then turn off the heat.
Cover the pot with a lid and let the syrup steep for 30 minutes to an hour. The longer it steeps, the deeper the color will be.
While the syrup is steeping, squeeze enough fresh lemons to yield 1 cup of juice.
Once the syrup has steeped and cooled, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a jar or bowl to remove the lavender flowers.
In a large pitcher, combine the 1 cup of fresh lemon juice and 5-6 cups of cold water.
Pour all of the strained lavender syrup into the pitcher.
Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
Add fresh lemon slices to the pitcher for garnish.
Serve over ice and enjoy.
Store in a glass pitcher in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; the syrup alone keeps for 2 weeks. Prepare the syrup ahead and add fresh lemon juice and cold water just before serving.
Yes, but use about three times more fresh lavender than dried, since fresh flowers have less concentrated flavor. Steep briefly (5–10 minutes) to avoid bitterness.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The syrup alone keeps for 2 weeks. Make the syrup ahead and add fresh lemon juice and water when serving for best flavor.
Yes—prepare the lavender simple syrup up to 2 days ahead. Mix with fresh lemon juice and cold water just before serving to preserve the bright citrus flavor.
Start with 1/4 cup dried culinary lavender and taste as you steep. Strain well and don't over-steep the flowers; 5–10 minutes is usually sufficient.
Yes—multiply all ingredients by the number of servings needed and prepare in batches. The syrup scales well; just adjust steeping time slightly for larger volumes.
