Is there anything more refreshing on a hot summer day than a glass of ice cold lemonade? And is there anything more relaxing after a long week of work than a cocktail on Friday afternoon? What do you do if it’s a hot summer Friday afternoon after a long week of work? You combine the two, naturally! Okay, so it’s not actually Friday yet but assuming that it has already been a long week for you, and it is hot where you are, this Spiked Basil Lemonade is your ticket to cool relaxation. Just go home, squeeze some lemons, muddle some basil, add water, sweetener and a splash (or more) of vodka and you will thank me.
This recipe came about when a friend mentioned that she’d made some lemonade with Swerve, and suggested that I feature it on my blog. Being a somewhat savvy blogger, I knew that fresh lemonade, as wonderful as it is, wouldn’t quite garner the attention that I’d like when I post a recipe. So we kicked around some other ideas and Basil Lemonade came to mind. I knew I’d seen some recipes for it recently but wasn’t quite certain where. Then the idea of spiking it and making a cocktail came up and I was sold. But I was still fairly certain I’d seen it posted on someone else’s blog. I did a quick Google search and what should the top-ranked post be, but one from my lovely blogging friend, Karen of Tasty Trials. I KNEW I’d seen it somewhere! Her version looked lovely, so I merged the Swerve lemonade and hers and the result was phenomenal. Basil adds such a lovely, summery flavour to lemonade. Be careful, though. These are so refreshing, it’s easy to knock back several before you know what you’re doing. I don’t want to be the cause of drunken summer debauchery!
I am also excited to tell you that this recipe, along with my Chipotle Mango Margaritas, are being featured on the ABC News affiliate in New Orleans this morning. More specifically, they are being featured by Molly Kimball of Get The Skinny. Once the video link is up, I will link it here for all to see. Molly is an RD who has written extensively on nutrition and has teamed up with Swerve to serve up a healthier take on sugary cocktails. Her segments air Wednesday mornings at 6:20AM and 6:45AM on Good Morning New Orleans. I don’t live anywhere near New Orleans but I am thrilled to be a part of the segment. Or at least, that my cocktails will be a part of the segment!
Spiked Basil Lemonade (Sugar-Free)
Ingredients
- ⅓ to ⅔ cup Swerve Sweetener depending on how sweet you like it
- 1 cup hot water
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 cups cold water
- 1 cup premium vodka
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- Ice
Instructions
- Mix Swerve and hot water together in a glass measuring cup, stirring to dissolve.
- Combine lemon juice, cold water, vodka and Swerve mixture in a large pitcher. Stir well.
- Tear basil leaves roughly, and place in the bottom of 4 tumbler glasses. Use a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon to crush basil leaves until they release some of their juices.
- Add ice to glasses and divide lemonade mixture between them. Stir and enjoy.
Terry says
Should be made with Gin, not vodka. This is essentially a sugar-free Gin Basil Smash.
Elaine Markley says
Love this recipe! Although so far, I’ve only made it with mint leaves, because that’s what I have the most in my backyard right now! Scrumptious! I also got 5 servings out of it in the glasses I used.
Melissa M says
I made this for 4th of July but instead of basil I used mint and Smirnoff fluffed vodka because those are what I had on hand. I have to say it went over VERY well. Thanks for the inspiration!