This Lemon Mocktail is really easy to make and so refreshing! It's made with homemade lemon syrup that has only 3 ingredients and the mocktail comes together in just a couple of minutes. Enjoy it during the citrus season or in the summer at BBQ parties! It's light, bright, refreshing, and it can be made in a pitcher!
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Why You'll Love This Mocktail
Mocktails are often either too boring or way too sweet so I tried to make this one just right with the amount amount of flavor and not too much sweetness. It has added rose water which is totally optional but it's so good in combination with the lemon and fresh mint, you've got to try it!
Refreshing and light - This mocktail is made with Homemade Lemon Syrup and freshly squeezed lemon juice which makes it both incredibly refreshing and lightly sweetened. It's perfect for citrus season, hot summer afternoons, or anytime you want a little non-alcoholic drink! The bright lemon flavor goes really well with fresh mint. It's so simple but so good!
Easy and simple - I know making your own syrup might sound daunting but you only need two ingredients - cane sugar and lemons! I have a separate post for the lemon syrup and I recommend making it ahead so that this mocktail takes only a minute or two!
Ingredients
- Lemon simple syrup - You can use store-bought syrup but I highly recommend using homemade lemon simple syrup. You need just lemon juice, lemon zest, and cane sugar.
- Lemon slices - You'll need fresh lemon slices to muddle in your drink
- Fresh mint - Fresh mint gives the mocktails a touch of flavor and freshness. I highly recommend adding it and dried mint won't work.
- Sparkling water - Sparkling water makes this mocktail much more interesting than still water and helps to make it resemble a cocktail. You can also use lemon soda if you prefer.
- Rose water - This is optional but rose water ads a light floral flavor that goes really well with lemons. You can find it in Middle Eastern grocery stores or online.
Variations and Substitutions
- Lemon soda - You can use lemon soda instead of sparkling water if you prefer. I like using sugar-free soda like LaCroix in mocktails like this one so it doesn't overpower the rest of the flavors too much.
- Bottled lemon juice - While I always recommend using fresh lemon, if you don't have fresh lemon slices to muddle in your drink, you can use bottled lemon juice instead.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add the quartered lemon slice, mint leaves, lemon syrup, and rose water to a double old-fashioned glass.
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- Use a muddler to muddle the lemon and mint.
- Fill the glass with ice ¾ way up and stir the drink using a cocktail spoon.
- Top up the drink with sparkling water or unsweetened lemon soda and briefly stir to mix.
- Garnish with a lemon slice and fresh mint if desired and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
- Make your own syrup and use fresh lemon juice - If you want the best flavor, I highly recommend using homemade lemon syrup. It's made with just cane sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest and it's so easy! Using freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of bottled lemon juice makes a huge difference and lemon zest truly makes the syrup, you don't want to skip it!
Serving and Making Ahead Options
This mocktail is best served right away but there are a few components you can prepare ahead of time, especially when you're serving it to a large group of people.
- Lemon syrup - I highly recommend making the Lemon Simple Syrup ahead of time! It takes about 15 minutes and it lasts in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or longer in the freezer. Simple syrup actually never fully freezes due to the high sugar content so you can spoon it into your drinks straight from the freezer!
- Lemon juice - The mocktail calls for lemon slices and a muddler to muddle the lemon slices and fresh mint in the glass together. If you're serving the mocktail in a pitcher instead, you can use freshly squeezed lemon juice instead. You can prepare this up to 2 days ahead and store it in an airtight jar in the fridge.
Pitcher version - To make a pitcher version of this drink, mix freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon syrup, fresh mint leaves, and rose water (optional) in a pitcher. Add at least 2 cups of ice and top up with sparkling water. The exact measurements are in the recipe card below.
FAQs
You can either use a store-bought sugar-free lemon syrup or you can make your own with a sugar substitute. Keep in mind this will probably change the flavor of the drink.
Yes, definitely! If you want to make this drink into both mocktails and regular cocktails, you can add a shot of vodka, silver tequila, white rum, or gin based on your preference.
More Mocktails
If you're looking for more easy mocktails to try with homemade syrups to try, check out any of the five recipes below! If you want to see all the latest ones along with other non-alcoholic iced drinks like various lemonades and agua fresca, head over to Non-Alcoholic Drinks.
📖 Recipe
Lemon Mocktail
This Lemon Mocktail is really easy to make and so refreshing! Enjoy it during citrus season or in the summer at bbq parties! It's light, bright, refreshing, and it can be made in a pitcher!
- Total Time25 minutes
- Yield1 1x
- DietVegan
Ingredients
- 1 lemon slice, cut into quarters
- 10 fresh mint leaves
- ½-1 oz homemade lemon syrup
- ½-1 teaspoon rose water (optional)
- Handful ice
- 4 oz sparkling water
- Garnish: lemon slice and a string of fresh mint (optional)
Instructions
- Add the quartered lemon slice, mint leaves, lemon syrup, and rose water to a double old-fashioned glass.
- Use a muddler to muddle the lemon and mint.
- Fill the glass with ice ¾ way up and stir the drink using a cocktail spoon.
- Top up the drink with sparkling water or unsweetened lemon soda and briefly stir to mix.
- Garnish with a lemon slice and fresh mint if desired and enjoy!
Notes
Storing: Store the syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze the syrup in a freezer-safe container for up to 3-4 months. I like to store it in small 2-4 serving containers (1-2 tablespoon per serving) so I don’t have to defrost too much at once.
The lemon syrup recipe makes 1 ½ cup of syrup which is enough for 12 servings when you use 2 tablespoon per serving. Half the recipe for a smaller batch.
Pitcher version: Mix 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, ¼ cup lemon simple syrup, 1 tablespoon rose water (or more to taste), and ½ cup packed mint leaves in a large pitcher. Add ice and stir. Top up with sparkling water and serve in short glasses over ice.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Mocktail
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
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Veronika Sykorova says
This is one of my new favorite mocktails and I'm excited to share it with you! I highly recommend making your own lemon syrup, it's the best part! Let me know how you liked it here in the comments! :)