How to Make the Best Flavored Water – Easy Recipes

So you've decided to do away with soda and energy drinks, but the thought of plain water leaves you cold. Luckily, adding Fruit, herbs, and spices to your water is an easy way to make it more exciting.

There are lots of ways to flavor your H20—from simple combinations like lemon-lime or strawberry mint to more complex combinations that can be used as cocktails (spiced apple cider), mocktails (raspberry champagne), or even desserts (caramelized banana).

Step 1: Assemble ingredients.

The ingredients you choose will depend on your personal preferences, but a good basic list to start with is:

Water (I prefer to use bottled water because tap water can contain minerals that give the drink an unpleasant flavor. But you could use regular water.)

Fresh Fruit (any kind of Fruit works well here—think berries and citrus fruits like lemons and limes.)

Herbs (you can use pretty much any herb you like; chamomile tea is often used in flavored waters, but fresh mint or basil also go nicely with Fruit.)

Spices (this category includes cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, black pepper, cardamom pods, or any other spice you enjoy.)

Step 2: Add Fruit and herbs to a pitcher.

Adding the Fruit and herbs is easy. You can either use a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon to press down on the ingredients in your pitcher. This releases their juices, which will infuse into your water as it sits in the fridge overnight (or longer).

If you don't have access to any muddler, don't worry—simply use the back of a spoon instead. Just remember that with citrus Fruit, the rind can start to add a bitter flavor after it has soaked a few hours. Also, you can use frozen fruits, but fresh fruits are better for this.

Step 3: Muddle the mixture.

Once you've added all the herbs and Fruit, muddle the mixture. Muddling is a technique that releases essential oils from plants, making them more aromatic and flavorful.

 Traditionally, a wooden pestle or muddler is used to mash fresh herbs with simple syrup or citrus fruit juice. However, some prefer using an electric juicer with a stainless steel mesh basket instead of using a pestle or juicing by hand.

If you're using an electric juicer, simply drop everything into its stainless steel mesh basket and give it a few pulses until everything has been thoroughly mixed together—you can also use your hands if you don't have one available.

For non-electric methods like rubbing your hands over whole herbs in a glass jar, just pack down everything into as much space as possible, so it fits well together; then give it a good shake before leaving at room temperature for 24 hours so that flavors develop properly over time."

Step 4: Fill the pitcher with water and ice.

Fill a large pitcher with filtered cold water. Add ice to keep the water cold, and then fill up the rest of the pitcher with ice. Add Fruit and/or herbs to your desired taste (see How Much Fruit Should I Use?), but use a ratio of 1 part fruit or herb to 1 part water. If you want your water more diluted, add more ice instead.

Step 5: Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Once you've strained the regular water, Fruit, and herbs from your infusion, it's time to chill it. The time depends on how long you want your flavored water to stay fresh and flavorful. If you're planning on drinking it within an hour or two, let your infusion sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. If you want to keep it up to a week in the fridge (or longer.), refrigerate immediately after straining out the solids.

Whether infusing ice cubes with herbs like black pepper or fresh mint or adding sliced Fruit into regular water before chilling in the fridge overnight, make sure that everything has time to steep before drinking.

Step 6: Strain into glasses, a carafe, or a reusable bottle to serve.

Now that your infused cold water is ready to be served, you can do a few more things to make it easier for guests.

Use a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to drain the liquid's excess pulp. This will help keep the fruit pulp out of the glass and let people see what they're drinking. You can also use this technique if you want to serve your fruit water over ice instead of plain—just strain once more through another piece of cloth or paper towel after adding ice.

Dip long spoons into pitchers with handles when serving flavored waters like basil lemonade. This prevents messy drips and spills when pouring from pitchers into glasses or cups—and it will save time too. Remember not to touch the spout with your fingers after dipping because bacteria can grow on them quickly in warm environments like kitchens where people prepare food often.

These recipes are easy to make and pack a lot of flavors.

These recipes are easy to make and pack a lot of flavors. They're also a great way to get your daily water intake while adding much-needed nutrients to your diet. If you've been drinking flavored waters for years and are looking for something new, try one (or all) of these recipes.

We're sure that once you've tried these recipes, you'll be hooked on making infused waters at home. Just think how much money you'll save by skipping over the soda machine.

What are some of the best fruits, herbs, and spices for flavor infusions?

When it comes to making flavored water, there are a few things you need to know.

First, you should always use fresh fruit, herbs, and spices. It is not recommended if you're using frozen fruit – the results just won't be as good. 

Second, you can make multiple batches of infused water with the same Fruit but with different herbs or spices. For example, if you want to make pineapple water with ginger and lavender, simply follow the instructions below and do the same with mint and basil for a second infusion.

Another thing to keep in mind is that some fruits work better than others for flavor infusions. Fruits with strong flavors – like lemon, pineapple, and orange – are great for multiple infusions.

However, berries and other delicate fruits don't fare well when infused multiple times; they break down quickly. Lastly, adding cold water once halfway through the process is a great way to help flavors mix and permeate the new water.

How do you make fruit-infused water?

There are many ways to make fruit-infused water, but the most popular is to add fresh fruit, spices, or herbs to a sealable bottle or quart mason jar. Fill it with cold or room temperature water and stir to mix well. You could use sparkling water as well. Let the water infuse at room temperature for 1-2 hours or refrigerate for 3-4 hours before drinking it. If you don't drink the water within 12 hours, I recommend removing the Fruit and storing it in the fridge.

How do you make herb-infused water?

You can make 4 cups of infused water with 1-liter carafes or one-quart wide-mouth mason jars. To create different flavors, you can put different herbs in the water. You can serve flavored water at summer cookouts.

To make herb-infused water, you simply fill a mason jar with water, add some ice cubes, and then add herbs. You can use any combination of herbs and drink the herb-infused water straight or mix it with Fruit. But, of course, the best way to enjoy the herb-infused water is to eat the fruit when you're done drinking it.

How long does fruit-infused water last?

Fruit-infused water lasts longer than you might think. If you want to ensure your homemade drink keeps its flavor and health benefits, try storing it in a glass bottle with a tight seal. You don't need to use plastic bottles; reusing old wine bottles works well.

You'll find that most fruits are good choices for infusing water because they're high in natural sugars and contain little acid. Some popular fruits include lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries, kiwis, apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, cherries, pineapple, melons, grapes, and even honeydew melon.

If you've got extra ingredients lying around, throw some into the mix too. For example, adding mint leaves or basil leaves will give the beverage a refreshing taste. Or add cinnamon sticks, cloves, ginger root, vanilla beans, cardamom pods, rose petals, chia seeds, cacao nibs, or nutmeg.

To store the infused water, simply pour it into a storage vessel such as a mason jar or a recycled wine bottle. Then, seal it tightly and place it in the refrigerator. Keep it there for no less than one day, preferably for up to two days. After that, the flavors will start to fade away.

Fruit-infused water benefits

This fruit-infused water is a simple way to keep yourself hydrated in the summertime. In addition to being delicious and refreshing, it's also packed with nutrients thanks to the ingredients used. You could also use sparkling water to make carbonated water. Here are some of the health benefits of drinking this type of water:

1. Aids digestion

2. Helps prevent constipation

3. Promotes weight loss

4. Lowers blood pressure

5. Boosts energy levels

6. Improves skin tone

7. Relieves headaches

8. Reduces stress

9. Increases mental clarity

10. Prevents muscle cramps

11. Promotes healthy hair growth

12. Gives you more stamina

13. Eases menstrual pain

14. Cleanses the body

15. Treats colds and flu

16. Fights depression

17. Soothes sore throats

18. Strengthens bones

19. Protects against cancer

20. Enhances immunity

Recipe tips and variations

If you're looking to infuse some deliciousness into your drinking water, there are many ways to do it. Infusing water with fruit, veggies, tea leaves, spices, and even salt is easy and fun. This recipe uses fresh ingredients like lemons, limes, mint, cilantro, basil, black pepper, parsley, and garlic cloves.

But don't worry — the process is simple and quick no matter what ingredient you use. You'll find instructions for making these infused waters throughout the article. Each of these infused water recipes makes four 10-ounce servings of water.

8 Infused Water Recipes:

For All Options:

5 cups of cold water

1 cup ice cubes optional

Watermelon Agua Fresca

Pretty, pink, and refreshing, Watermelon Agua Fresca makes drinking water feel just like a party. This recipe combines the best parts of agave nectar, lime juice, and watermelon into one delicious drink.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

2 cups watermelon chunks

Juice of 2 limes

3/4 cup agave nectar

Directions:

In a blender, combine sugar, watermelon, and lime juice. Blend well, adding more agave nectar if necessary to make it thick enough to pour. Pour mixture into glasses and serve immediately.

2. For Strawberry, Basil, and Lemon:

1/2 cup strawberries stemmed and sliced, fresh or frozen

5 large fresh basil leaves torn

1 lemon thinly sliced

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until combined. Serve over ice. Garnish with additional basil leaves.

For Honeydew, Cucumber, and Mint:

The best fruit salads are always simple and refreshing. This one combines three of my favorite fruits into one bowl. I like it best chilled, but you can serve it warm, too.

1/2 cup honeydews cubed

1 small cucumber sliced thin

10 mint leaves torn

Combine ingredients in a medium bowl; cover and chill for up to 3 hours. Serve cold or at room temperature. Makes about 2 cups.

Blackberries, Orange, and Ginger:

½ pint blackberries

1 orange thinly sliced

1 (2-inch) piece of fresh ginger peeled and thinly sliced

Combine berries, oranges, and ginger in a bowl; toss gently. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Stir again and serve as an appetizer or side dish. Serves 4.

5. Pineapple, Coconut, and Lime:

1 cup pineapple chunks, fresh or frozen

1 cup coconut chunks, fresh or frozen

1 lime thinly sliced

Combine ingredients in a bowl; toss lightly. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Stir again and serve chilled. Serves 6.

Cranberry, Rosemary, and Thyme:

1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen

2 sprigs rosemary

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Combine ingredients in a bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight. Strain and discard solids

Watch How to Make the Best Flavored Water

FAQs on Flavored Water

1. How long can flavored water be kept in the refrigerator?

Homemade infused waters are shelf stable for up to 4 weeks in the refrigerator. If you prefer to store it longer, let us know what flavor you'd like to make next.

2. Can I use my favorite Fruit or herb instead of the suggested ingredients?

Yes. Feel free to experiment with different combinations of fruits and herbs.

3. What happens if I don't use enough sugar?

The amount of sugar used depends on how sweet you want the drink to taste. We recommend starting with about 2 teaspoons per quart of water.

4. Do you serve flavored water chilled or at room temperature?

We suggest serving our flavored waters chilled because drinking them cold helps to cleanse the palate and freshen the breath. However, feel free to enjoy them either way.

5. I'm not sure which flavors I would like to try making. How do I choose?

Try experimenting with different combinations of fruits, herbs, spices, and other natural ingredients. You may also consider using your favorite recipes from this site.

Conclusion:

Flavored water is a great way to add variety to your diet while enjoying hydration benefits. It's easy to prepare and tastes delicious. Try some of these ideas today.