This Basil Lemonade is made with 4 easy ingredients for a truly refreshing drink! It's such a fun way to enjoy fresh basil all Summer long.
This basil lemonade is part of my new Summer Sips series where we are making a whole bunch of delicious Summer drinks!
We've made everything from smoothies, like my Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie, to cold brew iced teas, like my Peach Cold Brew Iced Tea. This lemonade with basil is equally refreshing and delicious!
Ingredients:
Ingredient & substitution notes:
- Basil: I used Genovese basil (Italian sweet basil), however, you can also swap 1:1 with Thai basil for a twist!
- You can even swap 1:1 with mint for a Mint Lemonade!
- Lemons: Must be fresh!
- We're using BOTH the juice and zest in this recipe, so make sure to wash them well!
- Sugar: I used cane sugar for this recipe.
- Swap 1:1 with coconut sugar or maple sugar for a refined sugar-free option (just know that the color of the drink will change as these sugars are darker)
How to make basil lemonade:
Make the basil lemon sugar:
Add the sugar, fresh basil, and lemon zest to a food processor or small blender. Pulse together until the basil and zest are finely incorporated into the sugar.
Mix everything:
Add the basil sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice to a large pitcher. Stir together until the sugar dissolves.
The acidity of the lemon will dissolve the sugar when mixing without any heat needed- how cool is that?!
Once the sugar has dissolved, pour in the water and stir to combine.
Serve & enjoy!
Pour the basil lemonade over a glass of ice and top with garnishes like a slice of lemon or a sprig of basil.
You can even add in a shot of vodka or gin to turn this into a fun summer cocktail. Then, enjoy this basil-infused lemonade while it's cold!
How do I store basil lemonade?
Lemonade should be stored without ice, as the ice will dilute it. You can store it in a sealed container in the fridge for about 24-48 hours.
I find that if you store it longer than this, the basil can develop a bitter flavor or oxidize and turn brown.
I can't wait for you to try this fresh Basil Lemonade! With just 4 ingredients, it's so easy to make and the perfect Summer drink. Enjoy!
-TSG
More refreshing drink recipes you will love:
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Basil Lemonade
Ingredients
Basil Sugar:
- â…” cups cane sugar
- ½ cup fresh basil
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest zest of 2 lemons
Lemonade:
- â…” cups fresh lemon juice about 3-4 large lemons, juiced
- 4 cups water
- ice to serve
Instructions
- First, make the basil sugar. Add the sugar, fresh basil, and lemon zest to a food processor and pulse together until combined.
- Next, juice the lemons, strain out any seeds, and add the juice to a large pitcher.
- Then, add the basil sugar to the pitcher with lemon juice. Stir together until the sugar completely dissolves, about 3-5 minutes. The acidity of the lemon will break the sugar down with no heat needed!
- Finally, add the water to the pitcher and mix with the basil lemonade concentrate.
- Pour the basil lemonade into glasses filled with ice to serve. Enjoy while cold!
Notes
- Lemonade should be stored without ice, as it will dilute it. You can store it in a sealed container in the fridge for about 24-48 hours.
- I find that if you store it longer than this, the basil can develop a bitter flavor or oxidize and turn brown.
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