Sparkling Blueberry Lemonade is a light, refreshing balance of sweet and tart. The perfect mocktail for everyone!
Confession time: I don’t like alcohol. I’ve tried, believe me. Cocktails, wines of every available color…I even sniffed a beer once. And that’s as far as that one went. But I feel like if there was a time to start drinking, now is it. I mean, we’re all quarantining, or self distancing, or whatever you like to call it. I’ve actually been living this life since the twins were born in January, which means I’m already two months in and am basically a pro. I’m actually pretty proud of myself for not starting the day drinking weeks ago.
But joking aside, it’s not been easy. Even from inside the bubble of family life and our safe little home, I can feel the weight of what’s happening in the world. And while I’m not typically prone to anxiety or worrying, there always are the “what ifs” in the back of my mind. It’s easy to feel like this hard, hard moment is going to last forever. That we’ll always be in this limbo, uncertain of tomorrow, next week, next month, or even next year. It’s hard to know what the other side will look like, when Covid-19 is a thing of the past and we’re all going about life as usual, whatever that may be.
And besides baby snuggles and Psalm 91 (seriously, go read it), when things start to feel like too much, I remind myself that this too shall pass. It’s a great reminder in both the hard moments when life feels so very heavy, and the beautiful ones to savor the joys as they come. It helps me remember that nothing is forever, that life is transient. We’re going to come out on the other side of the difficult thing and it will be a memory, both difficult and unforgettable, tragic and beautiful all at once. But it will have passed, and we’ll have learned so much about ourselves and our world when it’s all over.
How to Make Sparkling Blueberry Lemonade
- Start by making the blueberry simple syrup (recipe below). It’s so easy–just blueberries, water, and sugar, and a squeeze of lemon simmered down to a syrup consistency. Pour it through a fine strainer with a bowl underneath and chill the syrup thoroughly.
- Squeeze enough lemons to make up the amount you need and chill it also
- In the bottom of a large pitcher, stir together the blueberry simple syrup and lemon juice, then pour the sparkling or seltzer water over it.
- Stir and serve immediately over ice.
Recipe Notes
- For the best results, make sure all of the ingredients are thoroughly chilled before serving.
- Save the blueberries from the simple syrup. They make a lovely garnish for the lemonade, or can be spread over pancakes, waffles, or toast like a compote.
- You may wish to adjust the amounts of blueberry syrup and lemon juice to your tastes.
- While you can mix the lemonade in a pitcher, you can also place some of the combined blueberry syrup and lemon juice in the bottom of each glass, then pour the water over it.
- While the recipe calls for sparkling or seltzer water, you can absolutely replace it with the same amount of still filtered water.
Sparkling Blueberry Lemonade
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 1/2 quarts 1x
Description
Sparkling Blueberry Lemonade is a refreshing mocktail, perfect for hot summer days.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (24 oz.) sparkling water (see notes)
- 1 cup (8 oz.) lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups blueberry simple syrup (recipe below)
Instructions
Start with chilled ingredients.
In the bottom of a pitcher, mix the lemon juice and blueberry simple syrup until combined. Pour in the sparkling water, stir to mix thoroughly, and serve immediately over ice.
Notes
- For the best results, make sure all of the ingredients are thoroughly chilled before serving.
- Save the blueberries from the simple syrup. They make a lovely garnish for the lemonade, or can be spread over pancakes, waffles, or toast like a compote.
- You may wish to adjust the amounts of blueberry syrup and lemon juice to your tastes.
- While you can mix the lemonade in a pitcher, you can also place some of the combined blueberry syrup and lemon juice in the bottom of each glass, then pour the water over it.
- While the recipe calls for sparkling or seltzer water, you can absolutely replace it with the same amount of still filtered water.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Beverages and Mocktails
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Drinks
Blueberry Simple Syrup
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Approx. 2 cups
Ingredients
- 3/4 (150 g) cup sugar
- 1 1/2 (12 oz.) cups water
- 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
Instructions
Place the sugar and water in the bottom of a small sauce pan and bring it to a boil over high. Boil until the sugar has completely dissolved in the water, then add in the blueberries.
Reduce the heat to medium/low and continue to simmer the syrup for about 15 minutes, or until it has reduced and is about the consistency of maple syrup. You can test this by pouring some off a spoon and watching the consistency as it drips.
Pour the syrup through a fine mesh sieve with a bowl place underneath. Place in an airtight container or jar and refrigerate for up to two weeks. Reserve the cooked blueberries and use to garnish drinks, or spread like a compote over toast, pancakes, waffles, or scones.
Add the blueberries and lemon juice and reduce the heat to medium low heat. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries have burst and the sauce has thickened. It should run off the spoon in drips with about the thickness of olive oil.
Pour the blueberry syrup through a mesh sieve placed over a large bowl to catch the syrup. Chill the syrup before using in drinks, and reserve the cooked blueberries to use on toast, pancakes, waffles, etc.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
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