Say hello to the drink that will keep you cool, hydrated, and refreshed all summer long.
It’s lemonade made with raw honey, fresh ginger, and looooots of lemon!
And it’s seriously my all-time favorite lemonade.
First thing’s first, we’re going to need some raw honey. I buy mine from Warm Colors Apiary in 5-lb jars because I am seriously obsessed with the stuff (and it’s always cheaper for me to buy local, in bulk), though if you don’t have access to local raw honey, I’m also a fan of this one on Amazon(<< affiliate link).
Using raw honey is important here, because we want the maximum health benefits of honey in this drink (namely its antibacterial, antimicrobial, and immune-boosting powers). Any old grocery store honeybear won’t give you all the goodness of raw honey; be sure to look for RAW, UNFILTERED, UNPASTEURIZED honey. Trust me, it’s worth every penny.
Okay, now that we have our honey squared away, the only other ingredients needed for this slightly spicy, ultra refreshing lemonade are lemons (duh), and fresh ginger.
The ginger gets finely diced and steeped in hot water to infuse all of its flavor without being too bold or spicy, then the ginger-infused water gets poured into a pitcher with the lemon juice and raw honey. After the honey is dissolved by the warm liquid, ice and cold water join the party and you’re ready to drink.
It never ceases to amaze me that such simple, humble ingredients like lemon, honey, and ginger can be so nutritious and yet yield such an incredibly satisfying drink. The balance of tart, sweet, and slightly spicy flavors are just absolutely perfect. I’m not sure if I can ever go back to lemonade made without ginger.
Really. It’s just THAT good.
Whether you’re into this drink for its health benefits or that dreamy flavor combination of lemon + ginger + raw honey, I think you are going to be OBSESSED with this lemonade.
I know I am.
It would make the perfect addition to your Memorial Day spread, or just a great drink to keep in the fridge for all those hot sticky days ahead.
Oh, and if you happen to be in the mood for a little extra something something in your lemonade, I have it on good authority that a splash of bourbon makes for the perfect addition on a lazy afternoon.
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment below telling me how it turned out! And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram if you share a picture of it there!
- 4 cups of water, divided
- 4-6 large lemons (to yield 1 cup of lemon juice)
- 1 4-inch piece fresh ginger
- 1/4 cup raw honey
- 2 cups ice cubes
- 1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small pot on the stove. While water boils, cut lemons in half and squeeze juice into a measuring cup, stopping when you've reached 1 cup of juice. Fish out any pits that may have fallen into the juice (or just juice it over a small mesh strainer, to make your life easier). Save the lemon halves once you've juiced them.
- 2. Finely dice the ginger (no need to peel), and when water has boiled, turn off the heat and add the chopped ginger and the juiced lemons (NOT the juice- just the empty halves of lemon you've already squeezed) to the hot water. The lemons might not be fully submerged, and that's okay. The flavor from the zest will still steep into the water.
- 3. While the ginger + lemon peels steep, add the honey and lemon juice to a pitcher. After the 10 minutes is up, pour the warm lemon-ginger water into the pitcher, using a spoon or a fine mesh strainer to keep out any ginger chunks and lemon peels. Stir well to help dissolve the honey into the still-warm lemonade.
- 4. Finally, add remaining 2 cups of water and ice, and stir well to combine. Pour into glasses and serve immediately, OR leave out the ice and store in the fridge for up to a week, and serve in glasses over ice.