Taste of Summer
PepperHarrow Lavender Lemonade
Culinary lavender is a staple here at PepperHarrow and with summer in full swing, what better way to slow down than with a glass of homemade lavender lemonade. This recipe is perfect for serving at your next gathering, bottling and saving for later, or treating yourself to after a long summer day!
30-40 minutes | Makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender buds (or two tablespoons fresh)
1 cup sugar
5 cups water, divided
1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice (about 4-6 lemons)
Ice cubes
Optional: lemon slices, lavender sprigs, sparkling water
Instructions
1. In a small saucepan, combine:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender
Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves. Once it reaches a light boil, remove from heat. Cover and let the lavender steep for about 15–20 minutes for a stronger flavor.
Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve to remove the lavender buds and set aside to cool.
2. While the syrup cools, juice your lemons until you have about 1 cup of lemon juice. Strain out seeds and pulp if you prefer a smoother drink.
3. In a pitcher, combine:
The cooled lavender syrup
The fresh lemon juice
4 cups cold water
Stir well and taste. Add more water or a splash of syrup to adjust the sweetness. Combine with ice, garnish, and enjoy!
Extra Tips
Try making a batch of lavender syrup ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for flavoring water, iced teas, or cocktails. Just remember that a little goes a long way!
Lavender simple syrup will turn a beautiful golden brown color on its own, but if you add a few blueberries to the recipe during this process, it’ll give your syrup a nice purple color.
One of our favorite things about culinary lavender is it’s many uses and ability to enhance both sweet and savory dishes. Take some time this summer to explore culinary lavender in your kitchen and let us know what you create!
Whether you grow your own or pick some up from us, we think culinary lavender captures the spirit of summer perfectly. We hope you’ll take some time to slow down and sip something beautiful this week.
XX Jenn and Adam
