Lavender Lemonade Cocktail

This Lavender Lemonade Cocktail recipe is refreshing, delicious, and has just 4 ingredients. It is a perfect nightcap after a long day or a sweet sip to serve at a party.

I was first introduced to lavender lemonade at a food conference 4 years ago. Since then, any time I can I add a sprig of fresh lavender to my lemonade. I often make myself packets of sugar-free lemonade (I like the ones sweetened with stevia) to try to increase my fluid intake. A packet of mix plus that fresh herb sprig makes it so easy to drink more water in the summertime.

Last summer I tried lemon vodka for the first time and grew to love that too. But what I really wanted was to take the summery flavor of fresh-squeezed lemonade, combine it with lavender, and make an adult beverage. I did and it is amazing.

This delicious lemonade cocktail has a floral taste that will appeal to those who love refined drinks. It's perfect for summer gatherings or celebrations.

Ingredients for Lavender Simple Syrup

Fresh Lavender - I always use fresh lavender but I expect that you could sub in culinary grade dried lavender if you don't have access to fresh.

White Sugar - Simple syrup is classically just water and white sugar. We made it the same way to let the flavor of the lavender stand out.

Water - Regular tap water or bottle water is fine.

Keto Version: Just sub in a sugar-free sweetener for the sugar to make a low carb syrup.

How to Make Lavender Simple Syrup

Step One: Simmer or gently boil the cold water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.

Step Two: Remove from the heat and add chopped fresh lavender. Let sit for at least 5 minutes, preferably 30 minutes so that it cools to room temperature.

Step Three: Strain with a fine-mesh strainer. Store the lavender syrup in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Ingredients for Lavender Lemonade Cocktail

Lavender Simple Syrup - You can purchase pre-made lavender syrup but it is so easy to make your own. The flavor is also fresher and more vibrant when made with fresh lavender.

Vodka - Any decent quality vodka is fine. Try to avoid the cheapest ones on the shelf or you may end up with a headache.

Lemon Juice - You really want to use freshly squeezed lemon juice for this since lemon is one of the dominant flavors.

How to Make a Lavender Lemonade Cocktail

Step One: Combine the lavender simple syrup, vodka, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker. Shake well.

Step Two: Pour over ice. Garnish each lavender cocktail with a sprig of fresh lavender and lemon slices.

Variations

Rosemary - You can use rosemary in place of the lavender in this cocktail as well. It is my top choice if lavender is hard to come by.

Mint - Another great choice is to make this into a mint lemonade cocktail. Just swap in fresh mint (I prefer peppermint) for the lavender.

Sugar-Free - As mentioned above you can easily make this a sugar-free cocktail by using a sugar-free sweetener in the simple syrup in place of the sugar.

Sparkling - Top off the glass with some dry champagne.

Non-Alcoholic - For a delicious bubbly drink without alcohol just sub in lemon seltzer for the vodka.

Common Questions

What liquor mixes well with lemonade?

Vodka is my top choice because it has a mild flavor. Another popular liquor to pair with lemon is gin. You can really try almost anything in this recipe such as rum, tequila, or whiskey. Just play around with what you have at home.

What flavor mixes well with lavender?

Obviously, lemon goes well with lavender. Other flavors that pair well with this flowering herb are vanilla and earl grey.

How can I use lavender simple syrup?

Besides being great in lemonade (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) you can use it in iced tea, other cocktails, drizzled on vanilla ice cream, in milkshakes, or even in our bourbon whiskey margarita.