Apricot Lemon Rosemary Water: Easy Recipe

Apricot lemon rosemary water is a fruit-and-herb infused drink that takes 2 hours 10 minutes to prepare, including steeping, and makes about 1 liter (4¼ cups).

What is apricot lemon rosemary water?

Apricot lemon rosemary water combines sliced fresh apricots, lemon and rosemary with cold water. The ingredients steep in the refrigerator, giving the water a gently fruity, citrusy and herbal flavor without blending the fruit.

It is one of many stone fruit infused water recipes you can make with fresh seasonal produce. The result is lightly flavored rather than sweet like juice; its taste will vary with the ripeness of the apricots and the length of the steep.

What ingredients and ratio do you need?

For about 1 liter (4¼ cups), use:

1 liter cold water (4¼ cups)
150 g sliced fresh apricots (about 1 cup), pits removed
100 g sliced lemon (about ⅔ cup, or 1 lemon)
5 g fresh rosemary (about 2 sprigs, or 2 tablespoons or ⅛ cup of leaves)

The ratio gives the apricot room to come through alongside the more assertive lemon and rosemary. Choose ripe apricots that smell fragrant but are still firm enough to slice. Keep the rosemary on its sprigs if you want it to be easy to remove.

How do you make apricot lemon rosemary water?

Allow 10 minutes for preparation and at least 2 hours for refrigerated steeping.

Wash the apricots, lemon and rosemary thoroughly under running water.
Slice the apricots and remove and discard the pits. Slice the lemon and remove any loose seeds.
Place the apricot slices, lemon slices and rosemary sprigs in a clean pitcher.
Pour in the cold water and stir gently so the ingredients are submerged.
Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for 2–4 hours. Taste after 2 hours; leave it longer if you prefer a stronger flavor.
Strain out the ingredients by 4 hours, especially the lemon, to limit bitterness from the peel and pith. Serve chilled.

For another combination or ratio, try the ai infused water generator.

If you prefer a subtler drink, remove the rosemary after tasting and let the fruit continue to steep in the refrigerator. Avoid crushing the apricots if you want a clearer infusion; pressing or blending them will add more fruit solids to the water.

Why do apricot, lemon and rosemary work together?

Apricot contributes a soft, mellow fruit flavor. As in apricot infused water, ripe fruit generally gives the infusion a more noticeable aroma than underripe fruit.

Lemon adds tartness and a fresh citrus note, while rosemary provides a savory, fragrant contrast. If either flavor dominates, use fewer lemon slices or less rosemary in your next batch. Explore the individual ingredients in lemon water and rosemary water.

The main practical benefit of apricot lemon rosemary water is that its flavor may make plain water more appealing to drink. Whole apricots contain nutrients and fiber, but the amount transferred into an infusion is uncertain; most of the fiber remains in the fruit. There is no direct evidence that this particular drink detoxifies the body. The liver and kidneys do most of that work, while the lungs and gut also help eliminate waste.

How should you store apricot lemon rosemary water?

Keep apricot lemon rosemary water covered and refrigerated, including while it steeps. For the best flavor, drink it within 24 hours; discard it after 2 days, or sooner if it becomes cloudy, slimy or sour-smelling. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than a few hours.

Strain the lemon by 4 hours to help prevent bitterness. A clean, covered pitcher makes storage simpler, and removing the fruit and herbs also makes it easier to pour the water later.

How can you vary apricot lemon rosemary water?

Make it more fruit-forward

Use fewer lemon slices and keep the apricot amount the same. This makes the apricot's gentle flavor easier to notice without adding sweetener.

Soften the herbal flavor

Start with 1 rosemary sprig rather than 2. Taste after 2 hours and remove the sprig when the herbal note is strong enough for you.

Adjust the citrus

Remove the lemon peel before steeping if you prefer less peel flavor, or simply strain out the slices by 4 hours. For a sharper citrus taste, add a little lemon juice when serving; squeezing the fruit adds calories that are not accounted for in a plain steeped infusion.