Watermelon Mint Lemonade Refresher

Ingredients

• 1 cup water (for simple syrup)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (for simple syrup)
• 0.5 cup fresh mint leaves (lightly packed)
• 6 cup watermelon (seedless, cubed, to be blended)
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 6-8 lemons)
• 1 cup cold water (for lemonade base)
• 1.25 cup Sprite (cold; adjust to taste)
• ice cubes
• fresh mint, watermelon, and lemon slices (for garnish (optional))

Steps

1. 1

   In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar.

2. 2

   Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar completely dissolves.

3. 3

   Add the 1/2 cup of fresh mint leaves to the syrup and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the mint steep in the syrup for 15–20 minutes.

5. 5

   Strain out the mint leaves using a sieve and let the syrup cool completely.

6. 6

   In a blender, puree the 6 cups of cubed watermelon until smooth.

7. 7

   Strain the watermelon puree through a fine mesh sieve into a large pitcher to remove the pulp for a smoother drink (this step is optional).

8. 8

   To the pitcher, add ice, 1 cup fresh lemon juice, the prepared mint simple syrup, 1 cup cold water, and 1 1/4 cups cold Sprite.

9. 9

   Stir well to combine all ingredients.

10. 10

    Taste the lemonade and adjust the sweetness by adding more syrup if desired. Garnish with fresh mint, watermelon, and lemon slices if using.

Notes

You can adjust the amount of Sprite or simple syrup to reach your preferred level of carbonation and sweetness. Straining the watermelon is recommended for a cleaner, more 'juice-like' texture.

Nutrition per serving

• drink
• beverage
• lemonade
• watermelon
• summer
• refreshing
• vegetarian
• gluten-free