This Lavender Lemonade has the perfect balance of delicate lavender and bright lemon flavors. Super refreshing on a hot day!
After 10+ years as a personal chef, I can tell you what really makes a great hostess. Handing someone a cold glass of something delicious and homemade when they enter your house always brings smiles.
This Lavender Lemonade is one of my favorites. The lavender flavor, built from an easy simple syrup recipe, is light and not soapy. And you can easily make up a batch to keep chilled in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
Don’t miss my tips on how to customize this recipe, and double or triple it as needed.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Lavender Lemonade Recipe
- Simple to make: only three ingredients (+ water)
- So refreshing, with a sweet lemony flavor
- Great for make-ahead
- Perfect as a mocktail or cocktail as well
Ingredients for Lavender Lemonade
- Dried Lavender: You can sometimes find this in the grocery store spice section. And you can purchase dried culinary lavender online from Amazon. (Look for something labeled culinary lavender, as not all lavender is edible.)
- Sugar: I used regular granulated sugar in this recipe, but you could use honey or another sugar substitute instead.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh squeezed will always give you the best-tasting lemonade. The juice from about 2 lemons is what you’ll need for two glasses.
How to Make Lavender Lemonade
Step 1: Make the lavender simple syrup by combining ½ cup water, ½ cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, and stir until sugar is melted. This will take about 2 minutes—the liquid should just start to simmer.
Step 2: Turn off the heat, and let the syrup sit for 1 hour. Strain into a liquid measuring cup or jar for storage.
Step 3: Chill syrup until cold.
Step 4: To make the lavender lemonade, pour ¼ cup lavender syrup and ¼ cup lemon juice into a small pitcher, then pour in 12 ounces cold water.
Stir well to combine. Fill two glasses with ice and a lemon slice (if desired), then pour in the lemonade.
How to Make Lavender Lemonade Ahead of Time
This lavender drink is easy to make in advance. You can either store the lemon juice and lavender syrup in separate containers in the refrigerator or make the full drink (minus the ice) and store it. The syrup will last for several weeks. Lemon juice or the combined lavender lemonade will be best within 3 days, but will last up to a week.
This is particularly helpful if you want to make a larger batch for a party or just to have on-hand. Double or triple the recipe as needed. This recipe makes more lavender syrup than you will need for 2 drinks anyway, so you will have plenty to make a larger batch.
Lavender Lemonade Variations
This drink can be customized exactly how you like it. Adjust the amount of lavender and lemon to get the flavor you want. And more or less water for a stronger or more subtle taste. You can also add more flavors, such as adding berries to your drink. Making blueberry lavender lemonade is particularly delicious!
Want to make this into a lavender lemonade cocktail or mocktail? Add a shot of gin or vodka to the syrup and lemon juice. Then, top it off with sparkling wine or champagne instead! For a mocktail, try a non-alcoholic spirit or just use sparkling water instead of regular water to make a sparkling lavender lemonade. If you're a mocktail fan, you then need to try this Apple Cider Mocktail when fall rolls around.
The lavender syrup we made in this recipe can also be used to flavor cocktails, icing, and more. Since you will have extra syrup after making this drink, you might want to see our Lavender Simple Syrup recipe post to get more ideas on how to use it.
Lavender Lemonade Recipe FAQs
Yes, once your lavender syrup has cooled to room temperature, you should refrigerate it. It will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator. It also will not melt your ice cubes when you add it to your lemonade.
Culinary lavender buds are not as brightly colored as lavender flowers. You can find ultra-blue lavender online—you will get a stronger color if you use those to make your lavender syrup. Otherwise, you can always use food coloring to tint your drink the color you want. It’s best to dye the full pitcher of lemonade rather than waiting until you’ve poured it into glasses. (A little food coloring goes a long way.)
Other Drinks You May Enjoy!
From non-alcoholic drinks to cocktails, I love a good drink recipe! For more refreshing summer drinks, try this Iced Chai Latte or this Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew next. Or check out one of these favorites, brimming with berries and herbs:
If you try this Lavender Lemonade recipe, I would love to hear from you! Please rate this recipe and leave a comment below—your feedback is invaluable to me.
And please follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or subscribe to my newsletter. I’d love to inspire you with more delicious, healthy, and seasonal recipes!
📖 Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Vanilla Bean Cuisine.
Lavender Lemonade Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Lavender Simple Syrup
- 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender
- ½ cup granulated sugar (110 grams)
- ½ cup water
For the Lemonade
- ¼ cup lavender syrup
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 12 ounces cold water
- Lemon slices optional, to garnish
Instructions
- Make the simple syrup by combining water, sugar, and dried lavender in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, and stir until sugar is melted. This will take about 2 minutes—the liquid should just start to simmer.
- Turn off the heat, and let the syrup sit for 1 hour. Strain into a liquid measuring cup or jar for storage.
- Chill until cold.
- To make the lavender lemonade, pour ¼ cup lavender syrup and ¼ cup lemon juice into a small pitcher, then pour in water. Stir well to combine.
- Fill two glasses with ice and a lemon slice (if desired), then pour in the lemonade.
Notes
This lavender drink is easy to make in advance. You can either store the lemon juice and lavender syrup in separate containers in the refrigerator or make the full drink (minus the ice) and store it. The syrup will last for several weeks. Lemon juice or the combined lavender lemonade will be best within 3 days, but will last up to a week. Expert Tips:
If you want to make a larger batch for a party, double or triple the recipe as needed. This recipe makes more lavender syrup than you will need for 2 drinks anyway, so you will have plenty to make a larger batch. If you make it ahead of time, see Storage Tips above.
Nutrition
Instagram Users: Now that you've made this Lavender Lemonade recipe, tag me @vanillabeancuisine or #vanillabeancuisine because we’d love to see your results!
More About Molly
Cooking healthy(ish) meals with seasonal ingredients is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef, I spent over 10 years as a personal chef. Here you'll find well-tested recipes that you and your family will love!
Leave a Reply