Description
A refreshing, homemade sparkling lemonade made with a quick peach-basil syrup, fresh mint, and lemon juice. It’s a vibrant, complex drink that takes only minutes to prepare and is perfect for summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 large ripe peaches (about 1.5 lbs / 700g), pitted and chopped
- 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves (about 30g)
- 1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves (about 15g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 1 cup water (240ml)
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (120ml)
- 4 cups sparkling water or club soda (1 liter)
- Ice cubes
- Extra basil and mint sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- Wash peaches and remove pits. Chop peaches into rough chunks.
- In a saucepan, combine peach chunks, sugar, and water. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture bubbles.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes to soften peaches and release juice.
- Remove pot from heat. Immediately add basil and mint leaves. Cover and let steep for 15-20 minutes.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing gently on solids to extract liquid. Discard solids.
- Let syrup cool to room temperature (or refrigerate to speed up cooling).
- In a large pitcher, combine the cooled syrup with fresh lemon juice and stir well.
- Taste and adjust sweetness or tartness if needed.
- Just before serving, add ice to glasses or pitcher.
- Pour in sparkling water (about 1 cup per serving) and stir gently to combine.
- Garnish with basil, mint sprigs, and peach slices. Serve immediately.
Notes
Do not boil the herbs, as this will make the syrup bitter and green. Use ripe peaches for the best flavor. The syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week or frozen in ice cube trays for later use. Add sparkling water fresh to maintain carbonation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Beverages
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 85
- Sugar: 18
- Carbohydrates: 21
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 1
Keywords: sparkling lemonade, peach basil lemonade, summer drinks, homemade lemonade, refreshing beverages, gluten-free drinks, vegan drinks, easy cocktails