Lovely Lavender Syrup for Your Lavender Lemonade

I once found a deal on dried lavender buds that was too good to pass up. On a whim I bought the last bag — a big ol’ pound of it, and it’s been sitting in our kitchen ever since. In case you didn’t know, a pound is a lot of lavender buds. They weigh about as much as a feather! And I can only make so many lavender sachets for my closet, my husband’s closet, our linen closet, our dog beds… (Did you know lavender is a natural flea repellent?)

But recently I discovered lavender syrup. Sweet, soothing lavender syrup. (I’m sure it’s good news to my husband, who’s probably sick of staring at that pound of lavender on the shelf; it never seems to go down, even though I swear I keep using it.) This has now become a fixture in my fridge and the first thing I reach for when I want a drink. I like it with soda (lavender soda… swoon!) and in the mornings I’ll even take it with a latte (lavender latte… double swoon!). I’m already envisioning all sorts of summer drinks to make with it and may have to buy another pound soon just to keep up with demand!

But my go-to favorite is homemade lemonade, freshly squeezed and pleasantly tart, the perfect mixer for lavender syrup’s light and earthy floral notes. The syrup is subtle (you won’t feel like you’re drinking flowers) and adds just a touch of sweetness to the tongue, like honey in a wildflower field. I’ve already made it three times this week! (And a fourth might be on the way…)

Lavender Syrup

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons dried lavender buds

Method

In a small saucepan, bring the water, sugar, and lavender to a boil. Remove the pan from heat, then cover with a lid and let the lavender steep for at least half an hour.

Strain the syrup into a jar or bottle. It will keep for a week or two in the fridge, during which you can add it to iced tea, hot tea, seltzer, gin, champagne, limoncello, or… this lovely lavender lemonade!

Lavender Lemonade

Adapted from my Rosemary Lemonade recipe

Makes 2 liters

2 cups lavender syrup
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
5 cups water
Lemon slices (for garnish)

In a large pitcher, combine the lavender syrup, lemon juice, and water. Pour into glasses over ice, and garnish with some pretty lemon slices!