Description
Refreshing homemade Basil Lemonade featuring a fragrant basil-infused simple syrup, fresh lemon juice, and optional bourbon, gin, or vodka for a delightful adult twist. Perfect for summer gatherings, this lemonade balances sweetness, tartness, and herbal notes in a cool, invigorating drink.
Ingredients
Syrup Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup fresh basil, loosely packed and rinsed
- 1 cup water
Lemonade Ingredients
- 6-8 lemons (approximately 1 cup fresh lemon juice), plus 1 lemon sliced and deseeded for garnish
- 4 cups cold water
- Optional: handful fresh basil leaves for garnish
Alcohol (Optional)
- 9-12 oz bourbon, gin, or vodka (approx. 1½ to 2 oz per 8 oz lemonade serving)
Instructions
- Make basil simple syrup: In a small saucepan, combine sugar, fresh basil leaves, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Once boiling, remove saucepan from heat and let the syrup cool, allowing the basil flavor to infuse fully into the syrup.
- Juice the lemons: While the syrup cools, juice 6-8 lemons until you have about 1 cup of fresh lemon juice. Pour this juice into a large pitcher and add 4 cups of cold water.
- Combine and adjust sweetness: Strain out the basil leaves from the cooled syrup. Add half of the syrup to the lemon water mixture, stir, and taste. Add additional syrup as desired to achieve preferred sweetness. Note: leftover syrup can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to one month.
- Serve: Serve the lemonade chilled in a pitcher or poured over ice in individual glasses. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and lemon slices. For an adult beverage, stir in bourbon, gin, or vodka either directly into the pitcher or into individual glasses as served.
Notes
- Adjust sweetness by adding syrup gradually according to taste.
- Optional alcohol can be modified based on preference or omitted for a non-alcoholic version.
- Store leftover basil simple syrup in the refrigerator for up to one month.
- For best flavor, use fresh basil and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Serve over plenty of ice to keep lemonade cool and refreshing.
