No more lugging around boxes, no unhe althy, sometimes chemical additives in store-bought lemonade and still an ice-cold, refreshing drink always on hand: homemade herbal lemonade. All you need are fresh herbs, ideally home-grown, and other ingredients that are part of the basic equipment of every kitchen. Great recipes with detailed instructions for preparation can be found here.
Matching herbs
If you want to make herbal lemonade yourself, you can theoretically use all available herbs, such as those used to refine dishes, salads, sauces and desserts. Herbs, such as those often found in liqueurs, are also ideal. First and foremost it comes down to personal taste. Some herbs are less suitable, especially for children. Children like to drink herbal lemonades, which have a sweet, lovely aroma. Many adults like these just as well, but they also like to try out a spicy, tart and sour recipe. The following are the most popular types of herbs that can be used to conjure up the best herbal refreshments:
Children
- Woodruff
- Vanilla
- Lemongrass
- Melissa
- Mint
- Chamomile
Adults
- elderflower
- Ginger/Green Cardamom
- Lavender flowers
- Clary Sage
- Violet flowers
- Sage
- Gundermann
- Thyme and lemon thyme
- Marjoram
- Giersch
- and all herbs mentioned under “Children”
NOTE:
Some herbs have healing properties, such as chamomile, which has a diuretic effect, among other things. When choosing herbs, you should therefore inform yourself in advance, especially for use in children's lemonades, in order to avoid possible undesirable consequences or to only use controlled quantities.
Ingredients and Utensils
Sweetness
If you make your own herbal lemonade, you will need other ingredients in addition to the herbs you want, and above all, the sweetness should not be missing. It doesn't always have to be conventional sugar, as there are great alternatives. If you make lemonade syrup yourself, special syrup sugar is available commercially, which can also be replaced with alternatives, such as
- Honey
- Cane sugar syrup
- Agavan syrup
- Coconut blossom sugar
- Stevia
Liquid
In order for the herbs to become a drink, they must be mixed with a suitable liquid, which at the same time underlines/creates the refreshing and tingling aroma. Depending on the type of herb, different liquids from mineral water to juices are suitable. In most cases, mineral water and/or apple juice appear in the recipes.
NOTE:
Did you know that unsweetened lemon juice has an antibacterial effect on the stomach and intestines? This effect decreases with every gram of sugar, but makes the sour taste sweeter and usually more pleasant/tastier, especially for children.
Utensils
To make herbal lemonade from leaves, flowers or herbal roots, the following utensils are required:
- Mortar or alternatively rolling pin
- Pot (for some recipes)
- Collection container such as jugs and beverage bottles
- Ice cubes for cold refreshing lemonades
sieve
Preparation
Preparation is necessary for every recipe in order to get the most flavor out of the herbs or herb roots. This is done by squeezing because the plant sap is dissolved and can then spread more easily during preparation. When preparing, proceed as follows:
- Wash herbs/roots
- Cut roots into small pieces
- Crush in a mortar or roll firmly with a rolling pin (place cling film on the herbs)
Herbal lemonade recipes
Here you will find our delicious recipes for herbal lemonade to make yourself.
1. Quick basic recipe
With the basic recipe, you can quickly make any sweet herbal lemonade that suits your personal taste. This is how it works:
Ingredients and quantity
- Herbs of your choice (six to ten stems or 50 grams of roots per liter - depending on the desired flavor intensity)
- One liter of apple juice
- Mineral water
- Juice of a lemon or lemon zest
Preparation
- Pour prepared herbs and/or roots into a sufficiently large container
- Fill up with apple juice
- Squeeze the lemon or grate the peel and add it
- Cold
- Pour through sieve into drinking glasses
- If necessary, add mineral water and/or ice cubes
2. Refreshing and he althy recipe
Ingredients and quantity
- Ten stems of basil
- Ten stems of mint
- Ten stems of lemon balm
- Ten stalks of lemon thyme
- Two stems of sage
- Two stems of rosemary
- Juniper Berries
- One liter of apple juice
- One liter of mineral water
- Juice of a lemon
Preparation
- Crush juniper berries
- Pour into pot together with prepared herbs and apple juice
- Bring to the boil and simmer briefly
- Let it steep for 30 minutes without heat
- Add lemon juice
- Sifting out herbs and berry residues
- Filling lemonade into bottle containers
- Cold
- To drink, fill the glass half with herbal lemonade and mineral water
3. Giersch lemonade
Ingredients and quantity
- One liter of apple juice
- One liter of mineral water
- 15 Greed Stem
- Two lemon balm stems
- A Gundermann vine
- Lavender flowers if necessary
Preparation
- Tie all prepared herbs together in a bunch
- Pour apple juice into pot
- Put/hang herb bunch in apple juice
- Let it steep for at least twelve hours
- Removing the herb bunch
- Pour mineral water before serving
- Let lavender flowers steep for decoration or with the herbs (they then have to be sieved out)
4. Tangy lemon-mint
Ingredients and quantity for three liters of herbal lemonade
- Ten lemon balm stems
- Ten basil stems
- Ten mint stalks
- Five rosemary stems
- A lemon
- One liter of apple juice
- One liter of mineral water
- Ice cubes (from one liter of water)
Preparation
- Mortar or roll herbs
- Plucking herbs from the stem
- Pour into pot with apple juice and squeezed lemon
- Put on the pot lid and bring to the boil
- Let it steep for 30 minutes without heat
- Cooling in the air
- Sift out the herbs and squeeze them into the pot
- Fill glasses one third each with lemonade, mineral water and ice cubes
- Cold lemonade in the fridge
5. Ginger lemonade
Ingredients and quantity
- Two liters of mineral water
- Two limes
- A ginger bulb
- A bunch of fresh mint
- A teaspoon of sugar
- Three grams of black tea
Preparation
- Squeezing limes
- Grate lime peel
- Grate ginger into small pieces
- Chop mint
- Put everything in a pot together with mineral water
- Let it boil briefly
- Add black tea (tea bags) if necessary
- Remove from heat and allow to cool
- Add sugar to taste and serve with ice cubes
6. Lavender lemonade
Ingredients and quantity
- 100 grams of sugar
- Two teaspoons of dried lavender flowers
- 500 milliliters of water
- Two lemons
- One liter of mineral water
Preparation
- Put water, sugar and lavender flowers in pot
- Bring to the boil while stirring
- Remove from heat and let stand covered for one hour
- Squeezing lemons into a container
- Run the broth through a sieve and add it to the lemon juice
- Add mineral water and mix well
- To store, place in sealable containers and place in refrigerator
7. Woodruff herbal lemonade
Ingredients and quantity
- A bunch of woodruff (maximum three grams per liter of liquid - should be harvested before flowering)
- A lemon
- Two tablespoons of agave syrup
- One liter of apple juice
- Mineral water
Preparation
- Dry the woodruff herb for a few hours and let it wilt (promotes a more intense aroma formation)
- Cut lemon into six pieces
- Place the prepared herbs, agave syrup and lemon pieces in a suitable container
- Mash the lemons with a wooden spoon so that the juice comes out and mixes together
- Add apple juice and stir
- Let it steep for 12 to 24 hours
- Sifting out herbs and lemon residue
- Mix with mineral water if necessary
- Serve iced and store in the fridge
8. Christmas herbal lemonade
Ingredients and quantity for 600 milliliters
- Three oranges
- 300 milliliters of water
- Juice of a lemon
- Around 50 grams of ginger
- Two star anise
- A cinnamon stick
- Two clove petals
- A cardamom
- A tablespoon of honey
- A tea bag of white tea
Preparation
- Wash the oranges and cut off two slices
- Squeeze remaining orange and lemon - add juice to pot
- Add water
- Cut ginger into pieces and put in pot
- Add all other ingredients as well (except the honey)
- Insert tea bags
- Just warm the mixture, do not let it boil
- Turn off the heat and let it steep
- Add honey
- Put orange slices in carafe or jug
- Sift the remaining herbs from the lemonade and pour over the orange slices
- Tastes just as good chilled as it is served hot
Recipes herbal syrup
Making herbal syrup yourself is an ideal way to easily have a delicious drink ready for a longer period of time, because syrup lasts significantly longer than herbal lemonade that is freshly made at home. The difference lies in the use of sugar water, which creates a kind of preservation and ensures a firmer consistency after a longer “drying phase”.
9. Melissa woodruff
Ingredients and quantity
- One liter of water
- 500 grams of sugar
- One tablespoon of elderflowers
- Ten Woodruff Stems
- Six mint stalks
- Six lemon balm stems
- A lemon (the juice from it)
Preparation
- Pour water and sugar into a pot - bring to the boil and skim off
- Let the brew cool down
- Add herbs from the mortar
- Let it steep in the pot in a cool place for two days
- Stir occasionally
- After the steeping time, sieve out any remaining herbs
- Bring the broth to the boil again and simmer for five minutes
- Transfer into bottles/liquid container
- When cooled, syrup ready to use
- Pour two tablespoons into a normal-sized drinking glass and top with mineral water
10. Lemon Syrup
Ingredients and quantity
- 750 grams of sugar per liter of water
- Three to four stalks of lemon balm per liter
- 20 grams of citric acid
- Alternative: a cup of wine vinegar
- Lemon slices
Preparation
- Pour water and sugar into pot
- Boiling
- Put herbs in a sealable container with a wide opening (lemon slices should fit in)
- Pour hot sugar water over the herbs
- Put lemon slices on top
- Close the container and store in a cool place for two days
- Stir or shake occasionally
- Sifting out herbs and peels
- Add citric acid or wine vinegar
- Boil again
- Fit hot into beverage bottles and close well
Tip:
Although syrup can be stored in a cool place for several months, it should be kept in the refrigerator after first opening and used quickly.
11. Basil syrup
Ingredients and quantity
- Approximately 25 to 30 basil leaves
- 250 grams of sugar
- 500 milliliters of water
- Lemon peels
- Basil leaves for decoration
Preparation
- Put all ingredients in pot and mix well
- Bring to the boil and let it cook until the sugar dissolves
- Remove from heat and let cool and steep, covered, for at least 30 minutes
- Sifting out leftover herbs
- Refrigerate
Lemonade Mixing Ratio
- Two parts syrup
- One part freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Three parts (mineral) water
Herbal lemonades can also be spiced up with herbal liqueurs, gin or sparkling wine and therefore offer a tasty, unusual drink for adults for every garden party, Christmas party (served warm) or other special occasions.
12. Wild herb syrup lemonade
Ingredients and quantities
-
A good handful each:
Giersch
Meadow sage
Gundelvine
Deadnettle
Daisies
- Two kilograms of syrup sugar or alternatively two kilograms of granulated sugar
- Two lemons
- 2.5 liters of water
Preparation
- Wash and dry herbs
- Put (syrup) sugar in a pot with the water
- Let it boil while stirring until a clear liquid forms
- Cut the lemons into slices and put them in another pot together with the herbs
- Slowly pour hot sugar water over the herbs and lemon slices
- Let it rest for about 24 hours
- Sift herbal syrup to collect pure liquid
- Boil these again
- Immediately pour into suitable bottles
- Close the bottle(s) and store in a cool place in the refrigerator or cellar
- Continuous closure durability up to one year
- To drink, pour two thirds of water/mineral water onto one third of the syrup, stir, done!
