Gluten Free Garden Lemon Ginger Cooler
This drink is the definition of a garden-fresh refresher — bright lemon, cooling cucumber, fragrant mint, and a gentle kick of ginger all coming together in one gorgeous pitcher. The homemade ginger simple syrup is the secret weapon here, made by simmering fresh ginger slices with maple syrup until the whole thing smells incredible. Swapping refined sugar for maple syrup keeps things naturally sweetened and completely free of any gluten concerns, since every single ingredient in this cooler is clean and straightforward. Muddling the cucumber and mint releases just enough of their oils to perfume the whole batch without turning it cloudy or bitter. A splash of sparkling water right before serving gives it that effervescent lift that makes it feel a little fancy without any extra effort. It's the kind of drink you'll want to make for a summer gathering, a lazy afternoon on the porch, or honestly just a Tuesday when you need something that feels special.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the ginger simple syrup
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
For the cooler
- ¾ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 4–5 lemons)
- ½ medium english cucumber, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, lightly packed
- 2 cups cold water
- 2 cups sparkling water, chilled
For serving
- 2 cups ice cubes
- 4 lemon slices (optional)
- 4 fresh mint sprigs (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the 1/2 cup water, maple syrup, and sliced ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the maple syrup dissolves. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes, until the syrup is fragrant and the ginger has softened slightly.
- 2
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the ginger syrup steep for 15 minutes, until the ginger flavor is pronounced. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl or measuring cup, pressing the ginger slices to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the solids.
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