Refreshing Cucumber Elderflower Sparkling Lemonade
A light, bubbly lemonade combining crisp cucumber, floral elderflower cordial, and bright lemon juice, perfect for garden parties and warm weather sipping.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 large fresh lemons (about ½ cup or 120 ml juice)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
- ½ cup (120 ml) elderflower cordial
- 3 cups (720 ml) sparkling water or club soda, chilled
- Fresh mint leaves, a handful (optional for garnish)
- Optional garnishes: lemon slices or twists, cucumber ribbons or small wedges, edible flowers
Instructions
- Make the lemon syrup: In a small saucepan, combine ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water. Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves completely (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.
- Juice the lemons: Zest one lemon for garnish (optional). Juice 4 large lemons to yield about ½ cup fresh lemon juice. Strain the juice through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds and pulp.
- Combine lemonade base: In a pitcher, mix the cooled simple syrup with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir well.
- Add cucumber slices: Peel and thinly slice 1 medium cucumber. Add slices directly into the pitcher. Let sit for 10-15 minutes to infuse flavor.
- Stir in elderflower cordial: Pour ½ cup elderflower cordial into the pitcher and stir gently.
- Add sparkling water: Just before serving, slowly add 3 cups chilled sparkling water or club soda. Stir gently to combine without losing fizz.
- Garnish and serve: Add fresh mint sprigs, lemon slices, and cucumber ribbons on top. Serve over ice in tall glasses.
Notes
Add sparkling water just before serving to preserve fizz. For stronger cucumber flavor, gently muddle a few slices before adding sparkling water but avoid overdoing it to prevent bitterness. Use thin cucumber ribbons for elegant garnish. Store lemonade base separately from sparkling water if making ahead to keep fizz longer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8 oz (240 ml)
- Calories: 80
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 10
- Carbohydrates: 21
- Fiber: 1
Keywords: cucumber lemonade, elderflower cordial, sparkling lemonade, garden party drink, refreshing summer drink, vegan lemonade, gluten-free beverage