Honey Free Raspberry Lemon Cooler
Tart raspberries, bright lemon juice, and a fizzy lift from sparkling water make this cooler one of the most refreshing drinks you can pour on a warm day. The homemade raspberry syrup is the real star — simmered down with maple syrup until it's deeply fruity and just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Maple syrup does all the sweetening here, so there's zero need for honey, and you're not sacrificing any richness or complexity in the process. Straining the cooked berries gives you a silky, jewel-toned syrup that blends beautifully with fresh-squeezed lemon juice for that perfect sweet-tart balance. Once everything hits the chilled sparkling water, the bubbles carry all that flavor straight to the top of the glass. A few mint sprigs and a lemon slice turn it into something that looks almost too pretty to drink — almost.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the raspberry syrup
- 1 ½ cups fresh raspberries
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup water
For the cooler
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 3–4 lemons)
- 3 cups sparkling water, chilled
- 2 cups ice cubes
For serving
- fresh mint sprigs (optional)
- lemon slices, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the raspberries, maple syrup, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally and pressing the raspberries against the side of the pan with a spoon, until the berries have completely broken down and the syrup is slightly thickened, about 6–8 minutes.
- 2
Pour the raspberry mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl or measuring cup, pressing firmly on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Let the syrup cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, at least 30 minutes.
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