Honey-Basil Lemonade Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated April 06, 2025
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Dave Katz

This simple lemonade combines fresh basil with a touch of honey.

Looking for more lemonade variations? Check out these 12 delicious summer sippers.

Recipe Details

Honey-Basil Lemonade Recipe

Prep 10 mins
Active 15 mins
Total 10 mins
Serves 4 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh juice from 10 to 12 whole lemons

  • 1/2 cup honey

  • 2 cups loosely packed basil leaves

  • Pinch salt

  • 3 cups cold water

  • 1 quart ice

  • Basil leaves for garnish

Directions

  1. Combine lemon juice, honey, basil leaves, and salt in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher. Discard solids. Add cold water and whisk to combine. Add ice. Serve in ice-filled glasses garnished with basil leaves.

Special Equipment

Blender

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
145 Calories
0g Fat
39g Carbs
1g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 145
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 54mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 39g 14%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 36g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 26mg 130%
Calcium 40mg 3%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 121mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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