Nightshade Free Garden Lemon Ginger Cooler
This bright, garden-fresh drink is exactly what a warm afternoon calls for — zingy lemon, cooling cucumber, fragrant mint, and a gentle heat from fresh ginger all coming together in one beautifully balanced glass. Nightshade-free eating can sometimes feel limiting when it comes to flavored drinks and store-bought mixers, which often sneak in unexpected ingredients, but this cooler is built entirely from whole, clean components you can trust. The ginger simple syrup is made from scratch with maple syrup and fresh ginger, so you control every drop of sweetness that goes in. Muddling the cucumber and mint releases their natural oils without overworking them, giving the drink a subtle garden aroma that feels genuinely refreshing. A split of still and sparkling water keeps the finish light and effervescent without relying on any commercial sodas or flavored syrups. It's the kind of drink that looks impressive enough to serve at a gathering but is honestly simple to pull together at home.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
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.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!