Stories abound about the origins of pink lemonade, but at its core, the fruit drink is just regular lemonade dyed pink with some kind of natural or artificial red coloring. We chose the all-natural route by making a raspberry-infused simple syrup and adding just the right amount to freshly squeezed lemonade to give it a rosy hue without overpowering the lemon flavor.
Game plan: You can make the raspberry syrup up to 1 week ahead and refrigerate it in a container with a tightfitting lid.
This recipe was featured as part of our summer ingredients photo gallery.
- Yield: About 8 cups (2 quarts)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Total: 35 mins, plus about 1 hr cooling time
- Active: 35 mins
Ingredients (8)
For the raspberry syrup:
- 3/4 cup raspberries (about 2 ounces)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup water
For the lemonade:
- 6 cups cold water
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 7 medium lemons)
- Ice
- 1 medium lemon, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
- Raspberries, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
For the raspberry syrup:
- Place the raspberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the raspberries are just starting to fall apart, about 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, place a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl; set aside.
- Pour the raspberry mixture through the strainer and gently push on the solids to release all of the liquid; discard the solids. Let the syrup cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, about 30 minutes more.
For the lemonade:
- Place the raspberry syrup in a pitcher. Add the cold water and lemon juice and stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- To serve, pour over ice and garnish with lemon slices or fresh raspberries, if desired.
