Mint Apple Lemonade Recipe

Wash and tear mint

Rinse the mint leaves under cold water and gently pat dry. Remove about 16 leaves from stems and reserve a few whole sprigs for garnish.

Muddle mint with syrup

Place the 16 mint leaves in a large pitcher or mixing bowl. Add the 3 tablespoons simple syrup. Using a wooden muddler or the back of a spoon, gently press and twist the mint about 10–15 times to release the oils — avoid shredding the leaves to prevent bitterness.

Prepare apple slices

Core and thinly slice 1 cup of apple (leave the peel on for color). Reserve a few extra thin slices for garnish. For more apple aroma, briefly muddle 4–6 of the slices with the mint and syrup (2–3 gentle presses) to release some juice without creating pulp.

Combine juices and water

Pour 1 cup fresh lemon juice and 2 cups apple juice into the pitcher with the muddled mint and syrup. Add 2 cups cold water and stir thoroughly to combine.

Adjust sweetness

Taste the mixture. If it needs more sweetness, add honey or agave (start with 1 tablespoon) or additional simple syrup, stirring until dissolved. If using granulated sugar, dissolve it in a small amount of warm water before adding.

Chill and marry flavors

Add 3 cups of ice to the pitcher (or refrigerate the mixture for at least 20 minutes to chill and let flavors meld). If you refrigerated, add ice to individual glasses just before serving.

Pour the chilled mint apple lemonade into glasses filled with ice. Add a few thin apple slices and a lemon slice to each glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint. For a fizzy variation, substitute up to 1 cup of the cold water with chilled sparkling water and stir gently just before serving.