Fructose Free Chilled Cucumber Mint Lemonade
Swapping refined sugar or high-fructose corn syrup for maple syrup is the key move here, making this a refreshing cold drink that works beautifully for anyone managing fructose sensitivity. Fresh cucumber gets blended and strained into pure juice, adding a cool, almost spa-like depth that takes this well beyond ordinary lemonade. The mint simple syrup is made from scratch in just a few minutes, so you know exactly what's going in the glass — no mystery sweeteners or store-bought shortcuts. Bright lemon juice ties everything together with just enough tartness to balance the gentle sweetness of the maple. The whole pitcher gets chilled before serving, which means the flavors meld and the drink tastes polished and intentional rather than thrown together. Poured over ice with a sprig of fresh mint, it looks stunning on a table and tastes even better than it looks.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the mint simple syrup
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
For the lemonade
- 1 medium english cucumber (about 10 oz), peeled and roughly chopped
- ¾ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 4–5 lemons)
- 2 cups cold water
For serving
- 2 cups ice cubes
- 4 thin lemon slices (optional)
- 4 fresh mint sprigs (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the 1/2 cup water and maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the maple syrup fully dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add the mint leaves, and let steep for 10 minutes, until the syrup is fragrant and pale green. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl or measuring cup, pressing the leaves to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the solids. Let the syrup cool to room temperature.
- 2
Place the chopped cucumber in a blender with 1/2 cup of the cold water and blend on high until completely smooth, about 30 seconds. Strain the cucumber purée through the fine-mesh strainer into a large pitcher, pressing firmly with a spoon to extract all the juice; discard the pulp.
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