Lavender Lemonade Recipe

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 06/6/22
Homemade Lavender Lemonade

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Syrup: 60 mins
Total: 90 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Yield: 2 quarts

Sweet, tart, and floral, lavender lemonade is a lovely warm weather drink. It's perfect for spring and summer, whether you're entertaining or just want to keep it in the fridge for a cold, refreshing beverage. Making it at home is rather simple as well because it requires one simple change from fresh-squeezed lemonade.

For this recipe, you'll start by making a lavender-infused honey syrup. As easy as any other homemade syrup, fresh or dried lavender buds are steeped in water that's sweetened with sugar and honey (a blend that gives it a richer flavor). Once that's cool and the flavor to your liking, it's time to squeeze lemons, then blend both ingredients with water.

The syrup will yield about 1 1/2 cups, and you'll want about that same amount of lemon juice. Blending the three ingredients together is a matter of taste, so start with the recommendation and add more of any element as you like. With any lemonade, it's always good to start with a slightly intense taste. The flavor will soften when it's served over ice and allows you to spike it or blend it with tea or sparkling water.

Ingredients

For the Lavender Honey Syrup:

  • 1 cup water

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons culinary lavender buds, fresh or dried

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 cup honey

For the Lemonade:

  • 1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 5 to 6 lemons

  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups lavender honey syrup, to taste

  • 4 to 5 cups water, to taste

  • Lavender sprigs, for garnish

  • Lemon slices, for garnish

Steps to Make It

Make the Lavender Honey Syrup

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Lavender Lemonade
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  2. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of water and the lavender. Bring to a boil.

    Making Lavender Honey Syrup
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  3. Reduce the heat. Stir in the sugar until dissolved, then stir in the honey. Simmer for 10 minutes.

    Making Lavender Honey Syrup
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  4. Remove from the heat, cover, and let steep and cool for at least 1 hour, or until the flavor reaches your desired intensity.

    Making Lavender Honey Syrup
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  5. Strain out the lavender using a fine-mesh strainer layered with cheesecloth.

    Straining Lavender Buds from Lavender Honey Syrup
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  6. Bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.

    Lavender Honey Syrup
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

Make the Lemonade

  1. Juice 5 or 6 lemons; enough for about 1 1/2 cups of juice. Strain the juice through a fine-mesh strainer to remove seeds and pulp.

    Juicing Lemons for Lavender Lemonade
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  2. In a pitcher, combine 1 cup each of the lavender syrup and lemon juice along with 4 cups of cold water. Stir well, taste, and add more of any ingredient to your preference.

    Mixing Lavender Lemonade
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  3. Serve over ice and garnish with lavender sprigs and lemon slices. The lavender lemonade can be stored with a lid in the refrigerator for about one week.

    Lavender Lemonade
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  4. Enjoy.

Can Lavender Essential Oil Be Used to Make Lemonade?

Although you may see lavender suggested in recipes because it's one of the mildest, it's generally not safe to use essential oils in food or drinks. Essential oils are not regulated, and they're designed to capture the plant's fragrance not its taste. The majority are also labeled "not for consumption" and should be for external use only. According to the National Capital Poison Center (NCPC), there are too many potentially poisonous variables, including unknown ingredients and varying adverse reactions among individuals. A food-safe alternative to lavender buds is a culinary lavender extract. Made in a similar way to vanilla extract, it's available from reputable manufacturers, or you can make your own extract with an alcohol or glycerin base.

Tips

  • Use culinary lavender or buds harvested from lavender plants that you know have not been sprayed with pesticides or other harmful chemicals.
  • Fresh and dried lavender can be used, though the infusion time will vary. Tasting is essential with each batch of lavender syrup.

Recipe Variations

  • Any lavender syrup might not turn out purple. It depends on the type of lavender you use and the honey actually controls the color in this syrup. If you'd like a purple lavender lemonade, stir 1 drop each of blue and red food coloring into either the syrup or the lemonade.
  • Make lavender lemonade by the glass if you like. Simply store the syrup in the refrigerator, mixing 1 part each of syrup and lemon juice with 2 parts cold water. (This frees up your syrup for fun drinks like a lavender martini.)
  • Spike lavender lemonade in the glass by adding a shot of vodka, rum, or tequila.
  • Create a sparkling lavender lemonade with club soda or sparkling wine. If you're serving it right away, use the bubbly beverage instead of half the lemonade recipe's water. Otherwise, to ensure full carbonation, add the soda or wine to individual glasses.
  • Put a floral twist on the Arnold Palmer by pouring equal parts of lavender lemonade and iced tea.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
109 Calories
0g Fat
30g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 109
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 10mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 27g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 19mg 95%
Calcium 18mg 1%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 79mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Article Sources
The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. National Capital Poison Center: Poison Control. Essential Oils: Poisonous When Misused. Poison.org