10 Refreshing Lemonade Recipes to Sip All Summer Long

By Food & Wine
Updated August 20, 2019
Sweet, tart, and ice cold, lemonade is the quintessential summer drink—the best part? It can be dressed up any way you like. Beyond the usual lemon juice, sugar, and water recipe, we also like to add herbs, such as fresh mint or tarragon, and throw in seasonal fruits like blueberries too. You can easily whip out a batch for a crowd when you’re entertaining—better yet, make a pitcher for yourself and sip it leisurely on your porch. Read on for some of our favorites.
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Layered Blackberry-and-Turmeric Lemonade

Credit: Charles Masters
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This spritzy, summery drink from Julia Momose is a showstopper with its distinct pink and yellow layers. It’s also incredibly versatile: Swap in raspberries or strawberries for the blackberries, double the recipe for a crowd, or serve the homemade soda and the turmeric-spiked lemonade on their own.

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Tarragon Lemonade

Credit: Buff Strickland
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This infused lemonade has a gentle sweetness, like a tarragon-zapped lemon drop. Give it a try with other summer herbs, too, like fresh mint.

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Tomato Lemonade

Credit: Photo © Fredrika Stjärne
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Kat Kinsman is known for clever drinks like this lemonade. It's perfect on its own as a mocktail, but Kinsman recommends adding a shot or two of rye whisky to make the tomatoey drink "reminiscent of a wonderfully tipsy deli sandwich." Gin or vodka would be a great addition as well.

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Strawberry Lemonade

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This simple recipe is perfect for summer, adding a touch of sweetness from seasonal strawberries.

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Cajun Lemonade

Credit: WENDELL T. WEBBER
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A salute to the flavors of New Orleans, this cocktail spices up Napoleon House's Pimm's Cup (Pimm's No. 1, lemonade and 7-Up) with a splash of Tabasco and a generous dose of rum or vodka.

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Vodka-Thyme Lemonade

Credit: © Tina Rupp
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This subtle variation on a Vodka Collins—lemon juice, sugar, vodka and soda—pairs well with the clean, light flavors in star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Asian-inflected cooking.

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Minted Blueberry Lemonade

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Make this refreshing and summer-inspired lemonade when fresh blueberries are in season or plentiful at the farmers markets.

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Ginger-Mint Lemonade

Credit: © Tina Rupp
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Upgrade your usual lemonade recipe with a kick from finely grated fresh ginger and cooling mint leaves. Once it’s mixed, strain it into a highball glass and you’ve got yourself an elegant drink.

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Cucumber-Lemonade Mocktail

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A super-thin slice of cucumber pressed against the glass adds an artistic twist to this refreshing mocktail.

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Roasted Lemon and Bay Leaf Hard Lemonade

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Roasting citrus makes it more intense and fragrant. Justin Chapple adds bay leaves and lemons to his roasting pan to make this incredible cocktail.

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