Apricot Lemon Thyme Water: Recipe and How to Make It

Apricot lemon thyme water is a chilled fruit-and-herb infusion that takes 2 hours 10 minutes, including steeping, and yields about 1 liter (4¼ cups).

For another combination, try the ai infused water generator.

What is apricot lemon thyme water?

Apricot lemon thyme water is drinking water infused with sliced apricots, lemon and fresh thyme. The apricot gives it a soft fruit flavor, while lemon adds brightness and thyme contributes a gentle herbal aroma.

It’s one of many stone fruit infused water recipes you can make without a blender. The fruit is steeped rather than pureed, so the finished drink is lightly flavored and generally very low in calories.

What ingredients and ratio do you need?

Use roughly 1 cup of sliced apricots, 1 lemon and 2 thyme sprigs per liter of water. This makes a balanced infusion; you can adjust the fruit and herbs after tasting it.

Water: 1,000 mL (about 4¼ cups), cold
Fresh apricots: 150 g (about 1 cup sliced), pitted
Lemon: 1 lemon, about 100 g (about ½ cup sliced)
Fresh thyme: 2 sprigs, about 5 g (roughly ⅛ cup or 2 tablespoons loosely packed)

Choose ripe but firm apricots: they should have some aroma without being mushy. Use fresh, unblemished thyme, and discard the apricot pits rather than adding them to the pitcher.

How do you make apricot lemon thyme water?

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

Rinse the apricots, lemon and thyme under cool running water. Wash your hands and use a clean pitcher and knife.
Slice the apricots and discard the pits. Slice the lemon; remove its peel first if you prefer to limit bitterness.
Press the thyme sprigs gently to release their aroma, then add them to the pitcher with the apricot and lemon slices.
Pour in the cold water, stir, cover and refrigerate for 2–4 hours.
Strain out the lemon by 4 hours if it still has its peel and pith, then serve the water chilled. Leave the apricot and thyme in for serving or strain them out as well.

Taste the infusion after 2 hours. If it is milder than you like, let it steep longer in the refrigerator, up to 4 hours. Serve it over clean ice if you like; melting ice will gradually make the flavor lighter.

Why do apricot, lemon and thyme work together?

Apricot supplies a mellow fruit note, lemon brings tartness, and thyme adds a savory aroma that keeps the combination from tasting too sweet. The result is more subtle than fruit juice: the ingredients flavor the water without being blended into it.

The apricot is the shared base with apricot infused water, while the citrus brightness is similar to lemon water. Fresh herbs give the drink an aromatic quality found in thyme water.

The main practical benefit is hydration, especially if the flavor encourages you to drink water. Whole apricots contain nutrients and fiber, but the amount transferred into steeped water is unknown; most of the fiber remains in the fruit. The liver and kidneys do most of the body’s detoxification, and this drink supports hydration rather than cleansing the body.

How should you store it?

Keep apricot lemon thyme water covered and refrigerated, and drink it within 24 hours for the best flavor. Remove peel-on lemon slices by 4 hours to reduce bitterness. You can strain out the other ingredients at the same time if you prefer a clearer drink.

Discard the infusion after 2–3 days, or sooner if it becomes cloudy, slimy or develops an unusual sour smell. Don’t leave it at room temperature for more than a few hours.

How can you vary the recipe?

Make the apricot flavor milder

Use less apricot and keep the water, lemon and thyme amounts the same. Taste after 2 hours; you can steep it longer in the refrigerator if the flavor is too faint.

Make the lemon softer

Use half the lemon, or remove the peel before slicing. The drink will still have a citrus note, but it will be less sharp and less likely to become bitter during steeping.

Use less thyme

Start with 1 thyme sprig instead of 2 for a lighter herbal aroma. Gently pressing the sprig is enough to release flavor; there’s no need to chop the leaves into the water.