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Sparkling rosemary ginger lemonade is a refreshing drink for summer or any time of the year. Fresh squeezed ginger and lemons are mixed with a rosemary infused syrup for a drink with a spicy kick!
I started a new hobby during the pandemic. This hobby was called cocktails and mocktails. I was inspired by a drink I had on a patio at my favorite restaurant Lolo last summer and it escalated from there. I've never delved much into the world of drinks before. The extent of my drink intake was typically water, coffee and occasionally wine. But, one perfectly executed cocktail got my mind going... and a it hasn't stopped! Mixology appeals to the chef in me. There are endless kinds of ingredients available to create the perfect flavor explosion in a drink! How will I ever find enough time? I hope you're ready for a whole slew of drink recipes, because they are coming your way soon!
This sparkling rosemary ginger lemonade was heavily inspired by David Lebovitz's new book titled Drinking French. This book dives deep into coffee, aperitifs, liqueurs, cocktails and more. I highly recommend this book, especially for the cocktails, but even if you don't drink alcohol there is an array of delightful drinks for sipping any time of day!
Ingredients
With just a handful of fresh ingredients, you will have a whole food plant based lemonade ready to drink in no time!
- Rosemary - You will want to seek out fresh rosemary for this recipe. Rosemary is steeped in a mixture of agave and water to make a delicious herb infused simple syrup.
- Agave - This is used to make the rosemary infused simple syrup. I recommend agave here because of its neutral flavor profile, but any liquid sweetener will work. A simple syrup is traditionally made 1:1 with granulated sugar and water, but I've replaced the granulated sugar here with a sweetener that is a little healthier. If you want to use granulated sugar, that will work just fine too!
- Lemon juice - Use fresh squeezed lemon juice for the freshest taste.
- Ginger - Buy gingerroot that is fresh and doesn't appear noticeably dried out. You're going to be squeezing juice out of this, so the fresher the better!
- Sparkling water - Club soda or any unflavored sparkling water will work.
- Gin - This is optional. If you're in the mood for a cocktail, gin delightfully compliments the rosemary and ginger.
How to make Sparkling Rosemary Ginger Lemonade
You're going to need to think ahead a little bit when you first make this. The rosemary infused syrup needs to be boiled, steeped and cooled prior to mixing, so I recommend making this the day before you make the lemonade cocktail. The rosemary syrup will last up to a month in the refrigerator, so make a big batch in anticipation of lots of sparkling vegan lemonade in your future.
Make Rosemary Infused Simple Syrup
This rosemary infused syrup is going to be used to sweeten the lemonade, so it is an important component to this recipe. Combine agave and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, add the rosemary sprigs, and simmer for one minute. Turn off the heat and allow to steep for a minimum of 1 hour. The longer you let the rosemary steep, the stronger the flavor will be. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to one month.
Make the Ginger Lemonade
Squeezing the ginger is my favorite part of making this lemonade. You're going to be adding ginger juice to this lemonade to make it slightly spicy and so delicious! To begin, wash and dry the ginger, but there is no need to peel it. There is a lot of good flavor in the peel, which is edible. Using a microplane style grater or a grater with small holes, grate the ginger onto a cutting board. Depending on how fresh your ginger is, you'll need about ½ inch of fresh ginger to get one teaspoon of juice.
Scoop up the ginger and put it in a wire strainer over a bowl or small measuring cup. I love this measuring cup for making drinks since it measures small amounts out perfectly! Using your fingertips, squeeze the grated ginger through the mesh strainer and into the measuring cup. Press down on the ginger to get every last bit of juice out. Discard the ginger pulp.
In a glass, stir together the ginger juice, simple syrup, lemon juice, and gin, if using. Add ice and then top with sparkling water. Stir again, garnish with lemon wedges and rosemary if desired, and enjoy! This drink has just a touch of sweetness, so if you'd like it sweeter add more rosemary syrup as desired.
Having a summer happy hour? Serve this sparkling lemonade alongside Mango Salsa, Cranberry Salsa, or Chickpea & Mango Lettuce Wraps.
📖 Recipe
Sparkling Rosemary Ginger Lemonade
Ingredients
Rosemary Simple Syrup:*
- ½ cup agave syrup or any other sweetener
- ½ cup water
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Ginger Lemonade
- ½-inch (1.25 cm) fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon rosemary simple syrup, plus more to taste as needed
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 ½ ounces (3 tbsps) gin,** optional
- ice cubes
- ½ cup sparkling water
- rosemary for garnish, optional
- lemon slices for garnish, optional
Instructions
Rosemary Simple Syrup:
- Combine agave and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, add the rosemary sprigs, and simmer for one minute. Turn off the heat and allow to steep for a minimum of 1 hour. The longer you let the rosemary steep, the stronger the flavor will be. Allow to cool before adding to the lemonade.
Ginger Lemonade:
- Wash and dry the ginger, but there is no need to peel it. Using a microplane style grater or a grater with small holes, grate the ginger onto a cutting board. Depending on how fresh your ginger is, you’ll need about ½ inch (1.25 cm) of fresh ginger to get one teaspoon of juice.
- Scoop up the ginger and put it in a wire strainer over a bowl or small measuring cup. Using your fingertips, squeeze the grated ginger through the mesh strainer and into the measuring cup. Press down on the ginger to get every last bit of juice out. Discard the ginger pulp. (See pictures above in the body of the post for more detail.)
- In a glass, stir together 1 teaspoon ginger juice, the rosemary syrup, lemon juice, and gin, if using. Add ice and then top with sparkling water. Stir again, garnish with lemon wedges and rosemary if desired, and enjoy! This drink has just a touch of sweetness, so if you’d like it sweeter add more rosemary syrup as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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