When summer serves up blue skies with long hot days, I crave lemonade. And not the kind that comes from a powdered mix packed with preservatives, colorants, and artificial sweeteners, but real, fresh-squeezed lemonade. The perfect balance of bright acidity, light tartness, and a hint of sweetness that I long for simply can’t be accomplished any other way. Plus, making freshly-squeezed lemonade only takes a few minutes, and it’s easy peasy lemon squeezy.

While a glistening, ice cold glass of lemonade is a delight unto itself, adding a splash of herbally-infused simple syrup takes this classic summer refreshment to a new level. Simple syrups are the key to any good lemonade, even if you aren’t using organic botanicals. Making a simple syrup ensures that your sweetener is distributed evenly throughout each sip instead of sinking to the bottom of the glass. Simple syrups are almost effortless to make and, if made in advance, they’ll keep for up to a month in the refrigerator. Keep a few syrups on hand to sweeten one glass at a time or a whole quart later. It’s also fun to mix-and-match to create unique lemonades!

Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade Recipe

Makes 1 quart.

Ingredients

Simple Syrup

• 1/4 cup organic cane sugar or local honey
• 3/4 cup water

Lemonade

• 1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice (roughly 4 – 6 organic lemons)
• 2 cups of water

Directions

Simple Syrup

1. Combine sweetener with water in a small sauce pan on low heat.
2. Slowly stir until sweetener has dissolved. If using honey, take care not to boil.
3. Remove pan from heat, and set syrup aside to cool.

Lemonade

1. Roll the lemons back and forth on the counter a few times — it magically makes them juicier!
2. Slice each lemon in half and juice.
3. Combine lemon juice, simple syrup, and water in 32 oz. glass jar.
4. Chill, or serve immediately over ice.

(I prefer my lemonade on the tart side. If you prefer it sweeter, increase the sweetener to 1/2 cup and decrease the water to 1/2 cup.)

Fresh-Squeezed Botanical Lemonade Recipes

Matcha Lemonade Recipe

Matcha, a delightful powdered green tea from Japan, gives this lemonade its vibrant green color while contributing a rich, earthy, and slightly bitter finish. 

Matcha Syrup Ingredients

• 2 tsp. organic matcha tea
• 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
• 3/4 cup water

Directions

1. Sift matcha into sugar, stir to combine. This will help prevent the matcha from forming clumps when added to the water.
2. Combine sugar and matcha mixture with water in small saucepan on medium heat.
3. Slowly stir until sugar and matcha have dissolved.
4. Remove pan from heat and set the syrup aside to cool.
5. Pour syrup into a glass jar and combine with base lemonade recipe, using the matcha syrup in place of the simple syrup.
6. Stir and chill, or serve immediately over ice.

Lavender Honey Lemonade Recipe

Lavender and honey are the perfect marriage of floral and sweet without being heavy or cloying.  

Lavender Honey Syrup Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. organic lavender flowers
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup local honey

Directions

1. Combine lavender flowers and water in small saucepan on medium heat.
2. Gently simmer for five minutes.
3. Remove pan from heat, allow to cool slightly, then mix in honey.
4. Let steep for 30 minutes.
5. Strain syrup into a glass jar and combine with base lemonade recipe, using the lavender syrup in place of the simple syrup.
6. Stir and chill, or serve immediately over ice.

Ginger Spirulina Lemonade Recipe

Ginger adds a spicy punch to this light, blue-green lemonade. If you prefer it less spicy, halve the amount of ginger root.

Ginger Spirulina Syrup Ingredients

• 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 Tbsp. organic ginger root
• 1/8 tsp. organic spirulina powder

Directions

1. Combine sugar, water, and ginger root in small saucepan on medium heat.
2. Gently simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Remove pan from the heat.
4. Let steep for 30 minutes.
5. Strain syrup into a glass jar and combine with spirulina and base lemonade recipe, using the ginger syrup in place of the simple syrup.
6. Stir and chill, or serve immediately over ice.

Mint Hibiscus Lemonade Recipe

This gorgeous ruby red lemonade packs a tart punch with a cool, minty aftertaste.

Mint Hibiscus Syrup Ingredients

• 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 Tbsp. organic hibiscus flowers
• 1 tsp. organic mint tea

Directions

1. Combine sugar, water, hibiscus flowers, and mint tea in small saucepan on medium heat.
2. Gently simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from heat.
4. Let steep for 30 minutes.
5. Strain syrup into a glass jar and combine with base lemonade recipe, using the mint hibiscus syrup in place of the simple syrup.
6. Stir and chill, or serve immediately over ice.

Interested in more colorful Warm-Weather drinks?

Try Our 5 Iced Teas for Summer 

You may also enjoy:

• Herb-Infused Summer Cocktails and Mocktails
• Ayuverdic Cooling Drink
• Iced Matcha Tea Latte