Limonade Provençale - Lavender Lemonade

How to Make a Lavender Lemonade

To make a refreshing and balanced lavender lemonade, start by combining the citrus and sugar. For the sugar, I prefer to use a simple syrup that I prepare ahead of time instead of granulated sugar. Using a premade syrup will make it easier for the sugar to incorporate into the lavender lemonade because the sugar crystals will already be dissolved.

A 1:1 ratio of fresh lemon juice to simple syrup is a good starting point for balancing the citrus and the sweetness. This ratio creates a well-rounded flavor profile, ensuring that neither the lemon nor the sugar overpowers the other.

Add either still or sparkling water to the lemon/simple syrup mixture, stirring as you pour. Taste the lemonade to make sure that has a flavor balance that you like. Add more sugar to make it sweeter or lemon to make it more citrusy.

Now that you've nailed the perfect balance of citrus to sweet, add the Lavender Fields Bitters into your lemonade to give it the floral bouquet of aroma and taste. Two dropperfuls of Lavender Fields Bitters per serving should be plenty to flavor your lavender lemonade but feel free to add more if you want an even stronger flavor.

Lastly, once you're ready to serve the Lavender Lemonade add ice, give it one last stir and enjoy!

Tip: Sugar is the classic sweetener for a lavender lemonade but you can use any sweetener you'd like such as honey or agave.

Lavender Syrup vs Lavender Bitters

There are two main ways to add lavender flavor to a lavender lemonade: syrup and bitters.

Syrup can be convenient because syrup both sweetens and flavors the drink at the same time. However, the disadvantage of syrup is that it ties the lavender flavor to the sweetener, making it impossible to control the sweet or aromatic flavors individually. When using syrup, less sweetness will mean less lavender flavor and more sweetness means more lavender flavor.

When using bitters; you have full control over your balance of sweet and sour, and then you can add the lavender flavor to the lavender lemonade.

There are all kinds of reasons to lower the amount of sugar in a drink including flavor preferences and diet. If you want a lavender lemonade with less calories, for example, you can easily hold back your unflavored simple syrup but still add plenty of Lavender Fields Bitters to give a strong lavender taste.

How to Make a Lavender Lemonade Cocktail

Lavender lemonade is delicious and refreshing but if you're looking for something with a little kick, it's easy to turn it from a mocktail to a cocktail. Here are some of our favorite spirits to add to a Limonade Provençale lavender lemonade:

Gin: Adding gin to lavender lemonade adds to the drink's botanical complexity and enhances it's floral notes. The juniper and herbal elements of gin blend seamlessly with the Lavender Fields Bitters, elevating the refreshing lemonade into a more aromatic and invigorating cocktail. The Botanist is one of our favorite gins for a Lavender Lemonade.

Vodka: If you don't like the taste of gin in your cocktail, vodka is a great option. The neutral profile of the vodka won't impart any new flavors so you will get the same floral, refreshing, lavender lemonade but with a little boozy kick. Grey Goose is our vodka of choice for this cocktail.

Tequila: Adding tequila to Lavender Lemonade introduces a bold, earthy depth that complements the citrusy brightness of the lemon and the floral notes of the Lavender Fields Bitters. The agave-forward flavor of the tequila adds a slightly vegetal and peppery edge, creating a more vibrant and dynamic cocktail. If you want to add tequila to your lavender lemonade, Gran Centenario is one of our favorite options.

One of the reasons lemonade is such a great summer drink is that with just a few tweaks the basic recipe allows for a plethora of variations. Those are our favorites but feel free to use whichever spirit inspires you the most!

Lavender Lemonade Ingredients

We suggest you use organic ingredients whenever possible. Here's what you'll need to make this Limonade Provençale recipe:

• Fresh Lemon- Fresh lemons are a requirement for a delicious lavender lemonade. Pre-bottled lemon juice lacks dimension and will leave the lavender lemonade tasting flat and artificial.

  
  

  Juice the lemons and strain out the pulp. A good rule of thumb is that one regular sized lemon has enough juice to make about one lemonade. If you're making a large batch of lemonade you can easily figure out how many lemons you'll need based on how many servings you want to prepare.

  
  

  Any extra lemon juice can live in the fridge for up to a week. A citrus press or fruit reamer are both great ways to extract fresh juice from lemons.

• Simple Syrup- Simple syrup is easy to make, and gives you the ability to create a more consistent and easier to edit lavender lemonade.

  
  

  Because simple syrup is already in liquid form you can add just a dash or two if you want to give the drink a little nudge of sweetness. It will incorporate into the lavender lemonade immediately, so you wont have to wait for any sugar crystals to dissolve.

  
  

  To make your own 1:1 simple syrup: Heat a high quality granulated sugar in a saucepan with an equal amount of water until it is fully dissolved, then let it cool down.

  
  

  Store in the fridge for one to two weeks.

• Water- Water makes up the bulk of the lemonade and is easy to change out for more creative options to upgrade the flavor.

  
  

  Use sparkling water for an effervescent lemonade, which some people prefer. Or use a light chilled herbal tea like mint tea to give a pleasant cooling flavor to pair with the lavender.

• Lavender Fields Bitters - The best way to achieve a balanced and consistent lavender flavor in your lemonade is by using Lavender Fields Bitters. These bitters are made with the highest grade organic french culinary lavender that provides the lemonade with a true and potent lavender flavor.

  
  

  With just two droppers, you get a potent lavender lavender flavor that harmonizes with the tartness of the lemon and the sweetness of the simple syrup.

Don't know how to measure bitters? Check out our blog on all things bitters here: What Are Bitters?