Soy Free Garden Lemon Ginger Cooler
This bright, garden-fresh drink is the kind of thing you want in your hand the moment the weather turns warm. Fresh lemon juice, muddled cucumber, and fragrant mint come together with a homemade ginger syrup that's sweetened with maple syrup — no refined sugar, no mystery additives, and absolutely nothing to second-guess on the label. Soy hides in a surprising number of store-bought beverages and flavored syrups, so making your own from scratch is genuinely the easiest way to stay worry-free. The ginger syrup is the real star here — a quick simmer pulls out that warm, spicy depth, and a 15-minute steep makes it properly fragrant before it ever hits the pitcher. Sparkling water added right at serving keeps every glass lively and effervescent rather than flat. It's refreshing, a little sophisticated, and honestly looks stunning with a lemon slice and mint sprig tucked over the rim.
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!