Rosemary Vodka Lemonade Recipe

Combine and steep

Place 4 fresh rosemary sprigs into a clean 1-pint jar. Pour 2 cups vodka over the sprigs, seal the jar, and store in a cool, dark place for 24–48 hours. Taste after 24 hours; if the rosemary aroma is mild, steep up to 48 hours. Strain out the rosemary and return the infused vodka to its bottle. Discard sprigs.

Make syrup

Combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Add 3 rosemary sprigs. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes to infuse. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (30–45 minutes) with the rosemary steeping. Strain out rosemary and refrigerate syrup. Yields about 1 cup syrup.

Juice lemons

Roll the lemons firmly on the counter to loosen juices. Cut lemons in half and juice until you have about 1 1/4 cups (approximately the juice of 6 lemons). Strain seeds/pulp if desired.

Muddle rosemary and lemon

In a large pitcher, add 6 fresh rosemary sprigs and the fresh lemon juice. Using a sturdy muddler or wooden spoon, gently muddle the rosemary with the lemon juice 8–10 times — press to release oils but avoid pulverizing the stems, which can become bitter.

Combine lemonade base

To the muddled lemon and rosemary, add 1 1/4 cups rosemary-infused vodka, 1 cup chilled rosemary simple syrup, and 3 cups cold water. Stir thoroughly to combine. Taste and adjust: add more water if too strong, more syrup if too tart, or additional vodka for stronger cocktail.

Chill and serve

Fill serving glasses with ice (about 1 cup ice per glass). Pour the lemonade mixture over ice leaving 1–2 inches space. Optionally top each glass with a splash of club soda (about 2 Tbsp / 1–2 oz) for effervescence. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a small rosemary sprig. If desired, rim glasses lightly with salt before pouring.

Alternate single-serve method

For an individual cocktail: in a shaker, lightly muddle 1 small rosemary sprig with 1 oz lemon juice, add 2 oz rosemary-infused vodka, 1 oz rosemary simple syrup, shake with ice, strain into an ice-filled glass, top with 1–2 oz club soda, and garnish.