While store bought lemonade can seem like a quick and easy option, fresh lemonade isn’t actually complicated to make and tastes much better. In fact, 3 simple ingredients is all that is required to make freshly squeeze lemonade at home. Lemon juice, water and sweetener! But, if you want to make it more fun then you can add an extra ingredient that will turn it into a colour changing lemonade. This ingredient is dried butterfly pea flower. When steeped as a tea it creates a deep blue colour but that will change if citrus is added. This Butterfly Pea Flower Lemonade is refreshing and tart with a kick of mint and rosemary in every sip as it is also infused with herbs. It’s considered magical because it changes to a bright purple!
What is Butterfly Pea Flower Tea?
Well, technically it is a tisane, not a “tea” as it doesn’t come from the tea plant (Camellia Sinensis). Instead, it comes from a plant that is native to Southeast Asia called Clitoria ternatea. It’s very common in Thailand and Malaysia!
The purplish-blue flowers from this plant are dried to make an herbal tea/tisane which means it’s naturally caffeine-free, too.
Sometimes you may see Butterfly Pea Flower Tea marketed as “Blue Tea”. This is actually not a new category of tea though.
Some refer to it as blue tea because when steeped the dried flowers create the most gorgeous deep blue liquid. This makes it a great natural, edible dye for food and drinks.
What Does Butterfly Pea Tea Taste Like?
Honestly, it doesn’t taste like much. Although it is visually appealing, I don’t find it anything special on its own when it comes to flavour as it’s pretty mild.
It’s best when you infuse it with other ingredients. That’s why I love this lemonade recipe because I infused the dried flowers with fresh mint and rosemary. This makes it quite herbaceous and earthy with notes of pine and sour lemon.
You can often find these blue flowers blended with other ingredients in a tea to give it more flavour. It’s even available as a blue powder. However, this recipe works best with just pure, whole butterfly pea flowers.
You can purchase butterfly pea flowers that were dried for tea here.
Why is Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Magical?
Butterfly pea is considered a mood ring tea or galaxy tea for a reason! The liquid changes colour depending on the pH level of what you mix into the butterfly pea flower tea.
For instance, with lemon it will change to pinkish-purple and a darker purple, depending on the amount of citrus added. If you mix it with hibiscus leaves it will go from deep blue to bright red!
How to Make an Ombré Lemonade
If you want to see light pink, purple and blue layered in your glass then be sure to pour the fresh lemonade slowly over the ice cubes. If you pour it too fast or all at once, then your colour changing lemonade will change to purple immediately.
Sugar also helps you achieve the layered drink look. Since this lemonade recipe is sweetened with a blue butterfly pea simple syrup you should get a layered look pretty easily. When you pour something with a much lower sugar content on top of something with a high sugar content, they will stay separated.
The ombre effect is neat to admire, but you’ll want to stir to combine the simple syrup and lemonade before drinking so the sweetness is evenly distributed. Then the drink will be completely purple!
Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Lemonade Recipe
This recipe makes 2 tall glasses of lemonade! If you have any of the simple syrup or lemonade leftover you can store them both in the fridge for another time. You can also make both ahead of time and keep in the fridge until needed!
Here is what you will need:
For the Herb-Infused Butterfly Pea Flower Simple Syrup:
1 cup boiling water
1 tbsp butterfly pea flowers (dried for tea)
Sprig of fresh mint & rosemary
1 cup sugar
For the Fresh Lemonade:
1 large lemon, juiced (approx. 1/4 cup)
1 cup cold water
lemon slices
ice
more herbs, for garnish (optional)
Directions
First, make the tea simple syrup!
You can follow my general recipe over here (great for large batches) or you can make a quick version with the steps below.
1. Steep the dried butterfly pea flowers, fresh mint and fresh rosemary in the boiling water (covered) for 5 minutes.
2. Remove the flowers and herbs then stir in the sugar until dissolved. I know it may seem like a lot of sugar but this is what makes it into a thick syrup consistency and will also help with the layered look when you assemble the drink. Let the tea simple syrup cool completely before using it for lemonade.
Next, make the fresh lemonade!
1. Mix together the freshly squeeze lemon juice and cold water. Add more water to taste after assembling the drink. The amount of water you need for one serving really depends on how sweet/strong the drinker likes their lemonade.
Now, it’s time to assemble this tea lemonade!
1. Fill a glass with ice. Pour the cooled herb infused butterfly pea flower simple syrup into glass. Fill just under the halfway mark.
2. Add lemon slices to the glass then slowly pour the fresh lemonade over top until full. This is where the magic will happen. When the fresh lemonade meets the blue butterfly pea simple syrup the colour will change to a light purple/pink.
3. Garnish with more mint, rosemary or lemon slice. Stir and enjoy!
Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Lemonade (herb infused!)
Ingredients
FOR SIMPLE SYRUP
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 tbsp butterfly pea flowers dried for tea
- 1 sprig fresh mint
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 cup sugar
FOR FRESH LEMONADE
- 1 large lemon juiced (approx. 1/4 cup)
- 1 cup cold water
- lemon slices
- ice
- more mint & rosemary for garnish (optional)
Instructions
TO MAKE SIMPLE SYRUP
- 1. Steep the dried butterfly pea flowers, fresh mint and fresh rosemary in the boiling water (covered) for 5 minutes.
- 2. Remove the flowers and herbs then stir in the sugar until dissolved. Let it cool completely before using it for lemonade.*
TO MAKE FRESH LEMONADE
- 1. Mix together the freshly squeeze lemon juice and cold water.
TO ASSEMBLE
- 1. Fill a glass with ice. Pour the cooled herb infused butterfly pea flower simple syrup into glass. Fill just under the halfway mark.
- 2. Add lemon slices to the glass then slowly pour the fresh lemonade over top until full. This is where the magic will happen. When the fresh lemonade meets the blue butterfly pea simple syrup the colour will change to a light purple/pink.**
- 3. Garnish with more mint, rosemary or lemon slice. Stir and enjoy!
Notes
Like this Herb Infused Butterfly Pea Tea Lemonade recipe? Pin it for later here —> https://bit.ly/3b4eSrl
Will you try this magic blue tea lemonade? Let me know in the comments!
2 thoughts on “Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Lemonade (herb infused!)”