Cool off this summer with some refreshing Lavender Ginger Lemonade! It's easily made with ginger root, freshly squeezed lemon juice, pure maple syrup, lavender, and water.
There is nothing better than a cool beverage on a day when temperatures are reaching 90+ degrees F. We already had a recipe for Strawberry Limeade but I realized we did not have a classic lemonade, so that's what we're going over today! Ginger adds a special zing, while lavender (technically optional) lends a very subtile florality that pairs perfectly with tart lemon.
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Equipment Needed for Lavender Ginger Lemonade
To prepare this recipe, you'll need:
- A way to boil water (like a countertop kettle, or pot on the stove).
- A grater, microplane or paring knife to grate/slice the ginger into very small pieces.
- A sieve or fine mesh strainer to remove ginger pieces from the final product.
- A pitcher to add your final product into, for easy serving.
While not essential, it is helpful to have a citrus reamer to assist in getting the most juice possible from your lemons.
Ingredient Details
Fresh ginger root is what makes up a ton of the flavor in this recipe. Do not substitute with dried! You can find this in the produce section of most grocery stores. Since it is a root, I always make sure to purchase organic. Tip: To extend the life of your ginger, store it in the freezer and grate when needed.
Organic lemons are what we use to get the freshly squeezed juice. You can use store-bought lemon juice, but the flavor may be slightly more metallic. I give some tips below on how to easily get the most juice out of your lemons.
Lavender tea helps bring a subtle floral note to this beverage. Buddha Teas makes a great one. Feel free to leave this out if you don't care for this flavor too much (it can be polarizing).
Maple syrup is what we are using to sweeten this drink. I typically purchase organic grade A syrup. Costco sells an affordable option.
How to Make Healthy Ginger Lemonade with Maple Syrup
As you may have surmised, making ginger lemonade is very similar to making tea. First, you need to steep freshly grated ginger in some boiling water to extract that sharp, spicy flavor. We'll add in one or two lavender tea bags (or dried culinary lavender). Then, we include some maple syrup while the water is slightly warm.
Once the mixture is cooled close to room temperature, we mix in lemon juice and let the entire pitcher chill in the fridge until ready to serve! The flavors really come together as it chills. This process can be somewhat sped up by pouring the lemonade over ice, but I do not recommend that.
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Tips to Easily Juice Lemons
- A reamer is a simple tool that helps extract every last drop of juice from a piece of citrus. They come in a variety of sizes. A hand press is another great option that's ergonomically friendly.
- Microwaving your lemons for 10-15 seconds prior to slicing to juice helps them to more readily be squeezed.
- Lemons with a thin skin tend to be easier to juice as well. I always purchase organic, which (in my experience), tend to have a less thick rind.
- Finally, rolling your lemon back and forth on the counter prior to slicing can also help it easily let go of its juice.
Substitution and Variations
If you do not like lavender, you can omit it! Alternatively, get creative and try another tea flavor in its place. I think hibiscus, mint, or peach teas would both be lovely.
Feel free to mix up the citrus used - I believe Meyer lemons, grapefruit, or limes would be tasty.
As a more mild but still festive variation, I like to pour a glass halfway with this lavender ginger lemonade and halfway with sparkling water. This is very refreshing and also helps the lemonade base last longer (with less sugar per serving).
An alternative to this would be to add a splash of ginger beer. This of course has more sugar but also is more fun, let's be honest.
Storage Recommendations
As mentioned, this lemonade is best kept in a glass pitcher in the fridge. Because it is so acidic, it keeps pretty well when refrigerated for about 5-7 days. There may be some separation as it sits - this is normal, especially if you use fresh lemon juice! Just give it a quick stir before serving. This is absolutely the most refreshing when served over ice.
More Refreshing Nonalcoholic Summer Drinks
4-Ingredient Piña Colada (virgin option)
Cheers! Please leave a star rating + review if you give this lemonade a try. Let me know on Instagram what you think!
Lavender Ginger Lemonade
Ingredients
- 6 cups water
- 1 piece organic fresh ginger 2 inches long, about 2 oz
- 2 high-quality lavender tea bags or 3 TBS dried lavender petals (feel free to skip for ginger lemonade)
- .5 cups maple syrup
- 1.25 cups lemon juice freshly squeezed if possible
Instructions
- Begin by bringing water to a boil (I use a countertop tea kettle for this, but on the stove is fine).
- Next, rinse and grate the ginger on a microplane, or dice the root into very small pieces. This will help extract the most flavor.
- Once water is boiling, remove it from the heat. In a large pot or large heatproof pitcher, add grated ginger and tea bags (if using) to hot water and let steep, as you would with tea. For a more intense lavender flavor, leave tea bags in for 5+ minutes. For a more mild lavender flavor, remove tea bags after 1-2 minutes. Be warned: lavender can take on a soapy taste if too intense, so I like to air on the side of slightly shorter steep time.
- Regardless, let ginger water cool slightly, then add maple syrup, stirring to combine. Cool mixture completely, until it reaches room temperature.
- While ginger/lavender tea is cooling, squeeze the lemons for juice. To make this process go more quickly, I like to microwave the lemons for 15 seconds so they more readily release juice once sliced. If you have a juicer, this is definitely the easiest way to do it!
- Add lemon juice to the ginger/lavender mixture. Carefully pour this through a fine mesh sieve and into a pitcher, to ensure all ginger and lavender pieces are removed. Move to the refrigerator to chill.
- Drink lavender ginger lemonade within 5 days. It's excellent when served over ice, or mixed with sparkling water.
Sarah says
This will definitely be a regular summer drink for us! This is a perfect NA option
Emily says
I hope you like it!!