Cobrina There’s something undeniably refreshing about a cold glass of lemonade on a warm afternoon. A Lemonade Spritz takes that classic summer favorite and makes it effervescent with sparkling water, fresh citrus and herbs, and optional spirits for a cocktail version. Whether you’re hosting a gathering or simply looking for an afternoon treat, this recipe can be customized to suit everyone at the table.
🍋 Lemonade Base
Classic lemonade may simply be lemon juice, sweetener, and water, but there are a few tips that will allow you to dial in your desired flavors more quickly. I like to use a 2:1 ratio simple syrup, meaning two parts sugar to one part water, so that I can get the most tang from the lemon juice. Then, you only have to fine tune your dilution with ice water.
Recipe to make about 4 cups of lemonade:
- Simple syrup made from 1 cup white sugar and ½ cup water
- 1 cup of lemon juice from about 5 medium lemons, or more as needed for flavor
- 2 cups ice-cold water, or more as needed
You can also sub in honey, agave, or maple syrup for the simple syrup for a lovely different flavor.
Strain the juice if some little pips made it through your juicer and mix all the ingredients together. Add the water incrementally and taste test as you go. Remember, the ice and club soda will dilute it too, so you want it on the strong side.
Mocktail Version
Now that you have the best lemonade ever, keep it alcohol-free but add a crisp, bubbly, quality that is perfect for all ages. The balance of lemonade to club soda is up to your tastebuds but I like 2/3 lemonade to 1/3 bubbles.
- Fill a glass with ice
- Pour in lemonade
- Top with club soda or unflavored sparkling water
- Add citrus slices and perhaps herbs such as basil, mint, rosemary, or edible flowers
- Stir gently and serve
Cocktail Version
Traditionally, a “spritz” is a low-alcohol wine cocktail that usually generally follows a 3-2-1 recipe. This means 3 parts dry sparkling wine, 2 parts spirits, and 1 part club soda.
Adapting that recipe for a lemonade spritz, I prefer 2 parts sparkling wine, 2 parts lemonade, and 1 part club soda, but if you’d like something a bit stronger follow a 2-2-1-1 ratio, adding your spirit of choice. This means 2 parts sparkling wine, 2 parts lemonade, 1 part spirit, and 1 part club soda.
Vodka will taste clean and citrus-forward, while gin is botanical and refreshing but you can also double down on your lemons by including limoncello for something truly celebratory. This is another great use for lemons! You can make your own limoncello by combining lemon peels, sugar and vodka or other neutral tasting alcohol.
Tart and sweet and fizzy
A Lemonade Spritz is one of those endlessly adaptable drinks that feels special with very little effort. Add muddled berries, or experiment with flavored simple syrups. Go wild with your garnishes or try it over crushed ice. Make some candied lemon peel from Day 24 of my Daily Practice as an extra sweet garnish.
If you’ve taken any of my classes, you may have heard me say I have a prolific lemon tree in my yard and this is a great use for my yearly crop. You can also keep lemon juice in the freezer and make sunshine in a glass for any season.
Happy Summer! Cheers!
