Raspberry Mint Lemonade Recipe

Raspberry Mint Lemonade

1. 1

   Make mint simple syrup

   Combine 1 cup water and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Add half (about 1/2 cup) of the fresh mint leaves. Heat over medium, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle simmer for 1–2 minutes to extract flavor, then remove from heat. Let steep for 15 minutes, then strain out mint leaves and cool. Refrigerate if not using immediately.

2. 2

   Prepare raspberry-mint concentrate

   Place 2 cups fresh raspberries and the remaining mint leaves (about 1/2 cup) into a blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of the cooled mint simple syrup (or more to taste) and blend until smooth, about 20–30 seconds. If you prefer a seedless drink, pass the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much juice and pulp as possible; discard seeds. You should yield roughly 1 to 1 1/4 cups of raspberry-mint puree.

3. 3

   Juice the lemons

   If you haven't already, juice fresh lemons to obtain 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4–6 medium lemons). Strain out seeds and pulp if desired for a clearer lemonade.

4. 4

   Assemble the lemonade

   In a large pitcher, combine the strained raspberry-mint puree, 1 cup fresh lemon juice, and the remaining mint simple syrup. Add 3 cups cold water and stir well. Taste and adjust: if too strong, add more cold water; if not sweet enough, add up to 1–2 tablespoons more sugar or more simple syrup; if you'd like fizz, replace up to 1 cup of the cold water with sparkling water.

5. 5

   Chill and serve

   Add 2 cups ice to the pitcher or fill individual glasses with ice. Pour the lemonade over ice. Garnish each glass with lemon slices, a few whole raspberries, and a mint sprig. Serve immediately. Leftover lemonade keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; stir before serving.