Honey Lemon Pink Soda (Printable)
A vibrant blend of honey, lemon, and berries in sparkling water—perfect for summer.
# What You'll Need:
→ Syrup
01 - 1/3 cup honey
02 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
03 - 1/4 cup water
→ Pink Color & Flavor
04 - 1/4 cup fresh raspberries or strawberries (for color and subtle fruitiness)
05 - 1 tablespoon sugar (optional, enhances fruit extraction)
→ Soda
06 - 3 cups chilled sparkling water or club soda
07 - Ice cubes, as needed
→ Garnish
08 - Lemon slices
09 - Fresh mint leaves
# Steps:
01 - In a small saucepan, combine the honey, lemon juice, water, raspberries or strawberries, and sugar if using. Gently mash the berries with a muddler or fork. Heat over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring continuously, until the honey fully dissolves and the mixture takes on a vibrant pink color.
02 - Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or jug, pressing firmly on the fruit solids to extract maximum color and flavor. Discard the solids and set the strained syrup aside to cool slightly.
03 - Fill four serving glasses with ice cubes. Divide the pink honey-lemon syrup equally among the glasses, pouring approximately 3 tablespoons of syrup into each.
04 - Pour chilled sparkling water or club soda over the syrup in each glass, dividing the 3 cups evenly. Stir gently with a long spoon to combine without losing the carbonation.
05 - Top each glass with a lemon slice and a sprig of fresh mint. Serve immediately while cold and fizzy.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The color alone makes people think you spent an hour on something that barely takes ten minutes.
- It is endlessly adaptable, sweeter or tarter or boozier, depending on who is sitting at your table.
02 -
- Do not let the syrup boil or the honey will lose its delicate floral character and taste slightly bitter.
- Taste the syrup before adding soda because once the bubbles are in, adjusting sweetness is much harder.
03 -
- Roll your lemons firmly on the counter before juicing to get nearly twice as much liquid out of each one.
- Make the syrup a day ahead because cold syrup mixes into cold soda with less fizz disruption than warm syrup does.