Basil lemonade is a refreshing summer drink that's easy to make at home. Once you try homemade lemonade you may never go back to the store bought variety!
This homemade basil lemonade is the ultimate summer drink.
Fresh basil leaves add a subtle herb flavor to perfectly tart yet sweet lemonade. It's made with simple ingredients and is perfect for backyard gatherings, cookouts, and hot summer afternoons.
Why you'll love this basil lemonade
This is a unique yet subtle twist on classic lemonade. It gets great reactions from just the first sip, leaving people wondering what makes this drink so special. This recipe is:
- Refreshing and cooling
- Made with fresh ingredients
- Naturally vegan (check your sugar), vegetarian, and gluten-free
- Perfect for summer entertaining
- Great on its own or as a mixer in cocktails and mocktails
Ingredients
- Cold water
- Granulated sugar
- Fresh squeezed lemon juice
- Fresh basil leaves
- Lemon zest
How to make basil lemonade
- Place 2 cups cold water and 1 ½ cups granulated sugar in a 2 quart pot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Boil for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice, basil, and zest. Using a wooden spoon or other utensil, gently mash the basil leaves against the bottom of the pot to release the flavor. Do this a few times, then cover the pot and allow the syrup to steep for 30 minutes.
- Strain the syrup through a fine mesh strainer into a large pitcher, pressing the zest against the strainer with a rubber scraper to get all the juice and flavor, then add the remaining 2 cups of cold water. Stir to combine.
- Cover the pitcher and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Top tips
Use fresh lemons
You could use bottled lemon juice in a pinch, but fresh squeezed lemon juice will give you the best flavor.
Zest before juicing
Make sure you remove enough zest from 1-2 lemons before cutting and juicing them. It is very difficult to zest a cut lemon. I love my Deiss zester (affiliate link) for this job.
How to juice lemons
There are many ways to squeeze the juice out of a lemon, but some are easier than others. Here are a few options:
Squeeze by hand
Cut the lemons in half, then use your hands to turn them cut side down and squeeze into a container. This can get pretty tiring when squeezing multiple lemons.
Use a fork
Similar to squeezing by hand, hold one cut half of a lemon in one hand and a fork in the other. Insert the fork into the cut side of the lemon, hold it over your container, and twist the fork around to release the juice.
Use a reamer
A reamer will work similarly to the fork by inserting it into the cut side of the lemon and twisting it around to release the juice. These can also be found as a tabletop utensil that you press the lemon down onto, with a section for collecting the juice.
Use a lemon squeezer
Lemon squeezers make it easy to juice lemons. Insert half a lemon into the squeezer, press the two handles together, and allow all the juice to come out.
How to store basil lemonade
Lemonade can be kept in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Stir before serving, since some separation can occur. These pitchers are really cute and inexpensive, but any type of pitcher will do. If your pitcher doesn't have a cover, place plastic wrap over the top while storing.
Tips for customizing basil lemonade
- Make it a refreshing summer cocktail by adding 2 ounces of vodka to 6 ounces of basil lemonade
- Adjust the amount of lemon juice to suit your taste
- Mix 4 ounces of lemonade with 4 ounces of sparkling water
- Garnish with fresh fruit such as raspberries or strawberries
- Use this lemonade base with my strawberry lemonade recipe to make strawberry basil lemonade
FAQ
Basil lemonade is similar to regular lemonade, but includes the addition of basil. We're infusing our simple syrup with basil and lemons to get the best flavor.
No, I only tested this recipe with fresh basil, and I don't think dried basil would be a good substitute.
More drink recipes
- Single Serving Strawberry Lemonade
- Single Serving Lemonade
- Strawberry Lemonade
- Homemade Lemonade
- Piña Colada Mocktail
- Rum Punch
- Pitcher Mojito
- Blackberry Gin Cocktail
- Lemon Drop Shots
- Pineapple Margarita
- Margarita Pitcher
- Mocktail Bar Ideas
- Cherry Mojito
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Basil Lemonade
Ingredients
- 4 cups cold water, divided
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups fresh basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Place 2 cups cold water and 1 ½ cups granulated sugar in a 2 quart pot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Boil for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice, basil, and zest. Using a wooden spoon or other utensil, gently mash the basil leaves against the bottom of the pot to release the flavor. Do this a few times, then cover the pot and allow the syrup to steep for 30 minutes.
- Strain the syrup through a fine mesh strainer into a large pitcher, pressing the zest against the strainer with a rubber scraper to get all the juice and flavor, then add the remaining 2 cups of cold water. Stir to combine.
- Cover the pitcher and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Notes
Tips for customizing basil lemonade
- Make it a refreshing summer cocktail by adding 2 ounces of vodka to 6 ounces of basil lemonade
- Adjust the amount of lemon juice to suit your taste
- Mix 4 ounces of lemonade with 4 ounces of sparkling water
- Garnish with fresh fruit such as raspberries or strawberries
- Use this lemonade base with my strawberry lemonade recipe to make strawberry basil lemonade
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