Description
Make a refreshing, non-alcoholic sparkling lemonade infused with fresh cucumber and mint.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4-6 lemons)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water (for simple syrup)
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, packed
- 4 cups cold sparkling water or club soda
- Ice cubes
- Extra cucumber slices and mint sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- Make the simple syrup: Combine sugar and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Prepare the cucumber-mint base: Place the chopped cucumber and mint leaves in a sturdy bowl or the bottom of a large pitcher. Gently muddle the cucumber and mint until they release their juices and aroma. Do not over-muddle the mint, as this can release bitter flavors.
- Combine the base: Pour the cooled simple syrup and the fresh lemon juice into the pitcher with the muddled ingredients. Stir well to combine.
- Strain the mixture: Pour the lemon-syrup mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container, pressing lightly on the solids to extract all liquid. Discard the solids. This is your lemonade concentrate.
- Chill: Refrigerate the concentrate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to fully meld.
- Assemble the drink: When ready to serve, fill glasses with ice. Pour about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the concentrate into each glass, depending on your preferred sweetness.
- Top with sparkling water: Fill the rest of the glass with cold sparkling water or club soda. Stir gently.
- Garnish: Add a thin slice of cucumber and a fresh mint sprig to each glass before serving.
Notes
- For a less sweet drink, reduce the simple syrup to 3/4 cup or use a sugar substitute equivalent to 1 cup of sugar.
- If you prefer a stronger cucumber flavor, let the strained concentrate infuse in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours before mixing with sparkling water.
- To make this for a crowd, multiply the concentrate ingredients and mix them ahead of time. Keep the sparkling water separate and add it just before serving to maintain carbonation.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 5 min
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Mixing/Infusing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1 cup)
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 25
- Sodium: 5
- Fat: 0
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 0
- Cholesterol: 0