A very summer appropriate drink, this honey blackberry lemonade makes excellent use of a hedgerow staple. At this time of year we pick wild blackberries along pathways and this recipe needs only a handful – you can make it even if the harvest isn’t very good. It’s about equal to a small box of blackberries if you’re buying them.

Since it’s made with honey, there’s no need to cook the lemonade down to dissolve sugar and it can be served immediately after mixing. I’m always frustrated by recipes that require making a simple syrup to make lemonade and I imagine you are too! The blackberry lemonade base can be refrigerated for a few days so you can make it ahead and have a glass of lemonade whenever the urge hits.

Recipe Rundown: Blackberry Lemonade

• Texture: yes, this is a drink, but there is some texture worth noting – I don’t sieve the blackberry mixture, so seeds are present. If that bothers you, you can strain it (see recipe notes).
• Flavour: not too sweet, with a strong blackberry taste and a hint of honey in the background. That honey flavour will depend on the type of honey you use and can be quite complex.
• Difficulty: easy, with no cooking of any syrups needed. Simply blend the blackberry lemon mixture and top with still or sparkling water. You’ll see the same method used in my strawberry mint lemonade. This works well with honey as there’s no need to dissolve sugar crystals.

Ingredients

• Blackberries: choose ripe, in-season blackberries for the best taste. Thawed from frozen berries are also fine.
• Honey: the type you choose will have an impact on the flavour of the lemonade. I usually use a blossom honey that isn’t too strong, but if you want a deeper flavour, you could use a dark honey. Substitute maple syrup for a fully vegan option but note that you’ll probably need to add a little more.
• Lemons: sometimes lemons are green when ripe (as pictured), and that’s fine. That being said, this would probably be good with lime juice too.

For more drinks made with summer berries, try my high-protein chocolate cherry smoothie, everyday strawberry smoothie, and blueberry peanut butter smoothie.

Step by Step Photos

Step 1: add the ingredients to a blender or blending container.

Step 2: blend until very smooth and serve with additional water.

How to Store

Storage: keep the base in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to five days, or top with still water and refrigerate. If using sparkling water add it immediately before serving.

Freezing: the blackberry lemonade base can be frozen for up to a month in an airtight container, or in single servings in an ice cube tray (remove and transfer to a container once fully frozen). Thaw in the refrigerator before serving with additional water.

Expert Tips

• Sieve if you’d like: if you’re not a fan of seeds, simply strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve before topping with the additional water. If your sieve isn’t fine enough you can use cheesecloth or a nut milk bag.
• Sweeten to taste: I don’t like drinks to be overly sweet and this is fairly tart. You might want to add more honey to your preference, or reduce it if your berries are very sweet.
• Top with cold water: there’s no need to chill the blackberry lemonade if you serve topped with cold water. Ice cubes can be added with no worry about watering it down since you’re using a concentrated base.

More Summer Drinks

Cantaloupe Smoothie
Fresh Mint Lemonade (with honey)
Nectarine Smoothie
Honey Hibiscus Iced Tea

If you make this Blackberry Lemonade or any other drink recipes on Occasionally Eggs, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email.