Cucumber mint lemonade blends three naturally hydrating ingredients—cucumber, mint, and lemon—into a bright, cooling drink perfect for summer.
Skip plain lemonade and try this fresh twist: slightly sweet, gently tart, and incredibly refreshing. Serve over ice and garnish with mint sprigs and cucumber slices for a pretty, aromatic presentation.
This lemonade is simple to prepare and uses fresh ingredients for the best flavor. It’s cooling, light, and easy to scale up for a crowd.
Ingredients
Only a few fresh ingredients are required. Use ripe lemons, fresh mint leaves, and crisp cucumbers for a bright, clean flavor.
- Lemons: Fresh-squeezed lemon juice delivers a bright, natural tartness—far better than bottled juice.
- Mint: Any fresh mint works; spearmint or peppermint are common and flavorful choices.
- Cucumbers: Persian, English, or hothouse cucumbers are best because they have smaller seeds and mild skins. You can peel or leave the skin on depending on your preference.
In addition to these three, you’ll need water and a sweetener. Granulated sugar is traditional, but honey or agave also work well.
Recipe Variations
This cucumber mint lemonade is excellent on its own and also makes a versatile cocktail base. For an alcoholic version, add gin or vodka to create a refreshing hard lemonade.
Lemonade Cocktail: Mix 4 oz (½ cup) cucumber mint lemonade with 1.5 oz vodka or gin.
Lemonade Margarita: For a margarita-style drink, combine 4 oz (½ cup) lemonade with 2 oz tequila and ½ oz orange liqueur. You can also experiment by swapping other flavored syrups or citrus to create unique variations.
Lemonade Simple Syrup
Simple syrup is an easy liquid sweetener made by dissolving equal parts sugar and water. It blends seamlessly into cold drinks and takes just a few minutes to make.
To prepare, combine equal parts granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then remove from heat and allow to cool. You can substitute honey or agave if you prefer.
Making simple syrup is worth the extra time because it produces a smooth, well-integrated sweetness in the finished lemonade.
How To Make Lemonade
This recipe is very easy but does require a blender or a juicer. Combine cucumber, lemon juice, mint, and cooled simple syrup in a blender and puree until smooth.
Strain the blended mixture through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove pulp, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Alternatively, use a juicer to extract juice from whole lemons, cucumbers, and mint.
Finish by combining the strained cucumber-mint-lemon mixture with water (or chilled sparkling water for a fizzy version). Taste and adjust sweetness or dilution as needed, then serve over ice.
More Lemonade Recipes
- Spring Thyme Lemonade
- Filipino Lemonade (Calamansi Juice)
- Mint Hibiscus Lemonade
- Sparkling Blueberry Lemonade
Cucumber Mint Lemonade
Yield: makes about 1 quart
Comment
Equipment
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high speed blender
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strainer or cheesecloth
Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar, (100 g)
- 2 ½ cups water, (600 ml), divided
- 1 cup Persian cucumbers, (peeled and sliced)
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
- 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, (240 ml)
Instructions
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In a small saucepan, combine sugar and ½ cup water. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
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In a blender, combine cucumbers, mint leaves, lemon juice, and the slightly cooled simple syrup. Puree until smooth.
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Strain the mixture through a fine strainer or cheesecloth, discarding the pulp.
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Pour the strained juice into a pitcher and add the remaining 2 cups of water. Stir to combine and chill until ready to serve. For a sparkling version, substitute 2 cups chilled sparkling water and serve immediately over ice.
Notes
- Substitute honey or agave syrup for granulated sugar if desired.
- Use chilled sparkling water for a fizzy lemonade; serve immediately over ice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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