Every May, my 15-year-old Lapis and I dive into our spring tradition: whipping up a batch of lilac lemonade. It’s easy to make, and surprisingly tasty! When Lapis first suggested we make it in 2020 I had my doubts, but mixing the lilacs with zesty lemon felt like stepping into a scene straight out of “Pride and Prejudice.” This year we made it a little differently and now we won’t go back to our old ways. Plus we had a fun science-y surprise!
First, raid your garden (or your neighbors lilac bush) and snip as many lilacs as you can fit in a pitcher. In hindsight I probably cut a few too many, but you can always store the simple syrup in a mason jar in your fridge and serve it year round.
Ingredients:
- 4-6 fresh lemons (Or one cup of lemon juice)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups fresh lilac blossoms (rinsed and drained)
- 5 cups cold water
- Ice cubes
- Lemon slices for garnish
- Fresh lilac blossoms for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
Prepare the lemons (or just use lemon juice): Begin by rolling the lemons on a hard surface to soften them, making them easier to juice. Cut the lemons in half and juice them using a citrus juicer or a handheld juicer. You’ll need about 1 cup of fresh lemon juice. We used lemon juice already on hand. Do what works best. No judgement from us.
Rinse and drain the fresh lilac blossoms: You really don’t want any bugs in your lemonade! Remove leaves and stems, filling a bowl with the purple petals. This can be a bit messy and the blossoms will stick to your hands.
Make the lilac infused simple syrup: In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of granulated sugar with 1 cup of water and the rinsed lilac blossoms. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar completely dissolves to create a simple syrup infused with lilac flavor. Remove from heat and let it cool. We were VERY surprised to see that our lilac simple syrup was….green?
Mix lemon juice and lilac simple syrup: This is where things got interesting! In a large pitcher, combine the freshly squeezed lemon juice with the cooled lilac-infused simple syrup. When we mixed the green simple syrup with the lemon juice, it turned from green to pink! We were so surprised we actually screamed!
Add cold water: Pour 5 cups of cold water into the pitcher with the lemon juice and lilac simple syrup mixture. Stir until well combined. You can adjust the amount of water and sugar based on your preferred level of tartness and sweetness.
Chill: Place the pitcher of lilac lemonade in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld together.
Garnish and serve: When ready to serve, garnish the lilac lemonade with lemon slices and fresh lilac blossoms for a decorative touch. Pour the lemonade into glasses filled with ice and enjoy the refreshing taste of summer!
Lilac lemonade is a perfect way to celebrate spring and to use the blooms that surround our neighborhood. And I would be remiss to say it’s a great way to spend time with Lapis.
