Enjoy hot summer days with our recipe for homemade lavender lemonade

Nothing says summer like fresh lavender flowers, sunshine, a good book and a cold glass of homemade lemonade. Combine all of these things together and it's just a perfect summer day.

We got the idea from a TikTok video in which a creator made homemade cherry syrup from fresh cherries to enhance summer cocktails. That gave us the idea - why not try a lavender syrup? With 7,000 lavender plants that should be possible. So we googled different uses for lavender syrup and found lots of suggestions from cakes and ice cream to cocktails, coffee and lemonade. Then we decided to just give it a try.

We cut off about 2 handfuls of lavender and let it dry for a few days. If you don't have lavender plants at home, you can purchase dried lavender from organic stores or garden centers. However, be sure to ask if it is suitable for consumption. However, it should be fairly easy to find in the summer months. If you don't want to go through the steps to make the lavender syrup yourself, there are products like Monin that you can purchase directly.

Here is a list of everything you need for the lavender lemonade. The entire process took about 30 minutes from start to finish.

- 200g dried lavender
- 250ml water
- 250g white sugar
- 3-4 lemons

1.) First put 250ml water and 250g sugar (if you like it less sweet, you can just use 200g) in a small pot and bring the water to a simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Then add the lavender to the water and let it steep for 15-20 minutes.

While you wait for the syrup, squeeze 3-4 lemons. Don't forget to wash the lemons first. If you like a stronger lemon flavor, we've also seen lemonades made with up to 6 lemons. In order not to overshadow the lavender taste too much, we decided to use less lemon juice this time.

3.) Pour the lemon juice into a carafe. If you want, add more syrup. We opted for some honey, but agave nectar, brown sugar, and maple syrup are also great alternatives to honey.

4.) Then strain the lavender. Congratulations - you just made the lavender syrup! If you store the syrup in a jar or container with a tight lid, the lavender will last 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Please note: Depending on the color of your lavender and the amount you use, the syrup may not have a strong purple tint. Our syrup was slightly gray in color, but the flavor was intense. Don't worry if your lemonade doesn't change color. Ours had just a slight hint of purple, but the flavor was wonderful.

5.) Add as much lavender syrup to your lemonade as you like. We started with a small amount in our first carafe of lemonade and then added a splash or two of additional lavender syrup each time we poured a glass. If you prefer a more subtle taste and scent, we recommend starting with a small amount.

6.) Finally, serve your lemonade over ice, stir and enjoy. Insider tip: The lemonade tastes even more refreshing with mineral water and a slice of lemon. If you want, you can also mix it with a Prosecco.

We didn't expect how much syrup we could make with just a small amount of lavender. Since making the lemonade, we've been experimenting with adding lavender syrup to our coffee or even cakes like a lemon cake. It's fun to find out what you can do with such a simple recipe.

We hope you enjoy the lavender lemonade as much as we do. So grab a book, grab your soda and relax - it's summertime!