We have a fun weekend coming up! The Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo fall in the same weekend. I find that for a lot of people, these aren’t real “holidays” per se, but they are very fun to celebrate and come with a lot of fun treats. I’ve always thought it would be fun to have a Kentucky Derby party, but maybe next year since Kevin will be working this weekend. But that won’t stop me from enjoying this mint julep lemonade by myself!
I’m currently pregnant with baby #3, which means I won’t be having any margaritas or mint juleps this weekend. I don’t typically drink bourbon, but I do think mint juleps are delicious and margaritas have always been one of my favorite cocktails. If you are hosting a party, whether it’s this weekend or anytime this summer, I think it’s a good idea to have a delicious non-alcoholic drink on the bar as well. This mint julep lemonade absolutely fits the bill. The mint is super subtle; if you want more of a minty flavor you can muddle additional mint leaves into the drink.
When I was pregnant with Easton, I attended the wedding of some good friends of mine. The wedding and reception were at a winery and it was a bummer to be missing out on the delicious beverages, but then I saw that lavender lemonade (non-alcoholic) was an option for me at the bar! It was such a nice surprise to have such a delicious drink available to me when I was expecting a bar full of beer, wine, and cocktails. When you’re hosting a party, it’s important to keep in mind that not everyone drinks alcohol or will want to drink alcohol for the entire event. Having a delicious drink like this mint julep lemonade at the bar means that people can add alcohol if they want, or enjoy it by itself.
If you are going to mix alcohol into this drink, the options are endless. Bourbon, vodka, or tequila would all be great. If you’re mixing in vodka you could also add a splash of ginger beer for a twist on a Moscow mule! This lemonade deserves a spot on your bar for any event you’re hosting all summer long.
- 4 cups water, divided
- 1 cup sugar
- 1½ cups fresh mint leaves, divided
- 1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of water, the sugar, and 1 cup of the fresh mint leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.
- Combine the mint simple syrup made above with the remaining 3 cups of water and cup of lemon juice. Stir to combine.
- For additional mint flavor, muddle the remaining ½ cup of fresh mint leaves into the lemonade.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. The muddled mint leaves can be strained or left in the lemonade for serving depending on your preference.
- You can serve this alongside your alcohol of choice to mix in if desired. Bourbon, tequila, and vodka are all great options!
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