Lilacs have a very short season, and I love using them in recipes while they last. Lilac lemonade has a delicate floral flavour without being overwhelming.
This lemonade requires the syrup to be made in advance, and it’s a cold infusion, so plan for at least 24 hours ahead. You could do a hot infusion but I find lilacs in particular suffer from being steeped in a hot syrup.
It’s refreshing, just lightly sweet, and a beautiful naturally pink lemonade. Lilacs have a lightly citrus-like flavour, nothing like similarly coloured lavender, and are the perfect addition to a batch of lemonade.
Make use of more edible flowers this year with elderflower lemonade, honey elderflower cordial, or a sweet almond, rose, and cardamom granola. As much as I adore elderflowers in springtime, I’ve been using lilacs for much longer and they seem to be less popular – this common garden plant is truly a treat to use in recipes.
Ingredients
- Lilac Syrup: half the recipe is finished if you’ve already made the syrup. This sweetens and flavours the lemonade, and will keep for some time in the refrigerator, so it’s worth making a batch or two.
- Water: cold tap (or filtered if necessary), or use sparkling water for an easy homemade soda pop.
Recipe Notes
Mix in some muddles berries, like raspberries or strawberries, for a fruity lemonade. Think something like this strawberry slush but with the lemonade in place of water and honey.
I served with lilac ice cubes – just blossoms frozen in water – but note that once the ice thaws, the flowers start to turn brown. They look very pretty for about half an hour but if you haven’t finished your drink by then the blossoms start to look less appealing.
How to Store
Keep the lemonade in the refrigerator for a couple of days, but serve fresh if possible. Keep covered if storing for any length of time to prevent any flavours being absorbed from the refrigerator.
More Spring Drinks
Honey Rhubarb Lemonade
Elderflower Lemonade
Strawberry Milk
If you make this Lilac Lemonade or any other dairy-free 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.
Lilac Lemonade
Ingredients
- 250 ml honey lilac syrup
- Juice of 4 lemons about 120 ml (1/2 cup) – to taste
- 1 litre water still or sparkling
- Ice to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Add the lilac syrup and lemon juice to a pitcher and use a spoon or whisk to stir until combined. This is important if using sparkling water.250 ml honey lilac syrup, Juice of 4 lemons
- Top with the water and gently stir to mix. Chill before serving, or serve with ice.1 litre water, Ice
- The lemonade will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator but is best fresh.
* For American cup measurements, please click the pink link text above the ingredient list that says ‘American’.
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Occasionally Eggs
If you’re looking for approachable, seasonal vegetarian recipes, you’re in the right place! Occasionally Eggs is all about healthier plant based recipes that follow the seasons.
Find vegetarian staples, refined sugar free desserts, and hundreds of vegan recipes. All OE recipes are vegetarian, dairy free, and refined sugar free.
Leave a Reply