Blueberry Lemonade Recipe

Make blueberry simple syrup

Combine 1 cup fresh blueberries, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Once simmering, crush the berries with the back of a spoon or a potato masher and let simmer gently for 5 minutes to extract color and flavor. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes.

Strain syrup

Place a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl or pitcher and strain the blueberry syrup, pressing on the solids with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Taste the syrup and add a pinch of salt to enhance flavor; stir to combine. Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature (about 10–15 minutes) or refrigerate briefly if you prefer colder lemonade.

Prepare lemon juice

While the syrup cools, squeeze fresh lemons until you have 1 cup of lemon juice (usually 4–6 medium lemons). Strain the juice through a small sieve to remove pulp and seeds if desired.

Assemble lemonade

In a 2-quart pitcher, combine the cooled blueberry syrup, 1 cup fresh lemon juice, and 3 cups cold water. Stir well and taste. If the lemonade is too sweet, add up to 1/2 cup more lemon juice; if too tart, add up to 1/2 cup more cold water or a tablespoon of sugar dissolved. Adjust to your preference.

Chill and serve

Add 4 cups of ice cubes to the pitcher or fill individual glasses with ice. Pour the blueberry lemonade over ice. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice, a few fresh blueberries (about 1 tablespoon per glass), and 2 fresh mint leaves if using. Serve immediately.

Make-ahead and storage

Store leftover lemonade in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep ice separate until serving to avoid dilution. Blueberry syrup can be refrigerated in a sealed jar for up to 1 week for quick future batches.