Apricot Orange Basil Water: Recipe and Storage Tips

Apricot orange basil water is a fruit-and-herb-infused drink that takes 2 hours 10 minutes, including chilling, and yields about 1 liter, or 4 servings.

What is apricot orange basil water?

Apricot orange basil water is cold water steeped with fresh apricot, orange, and basil. The apricot gives it a soft fruit flavor, the orange adds brightness, and the basil brings a light herbal note.

Unlike juice, the fruit is sliced and steeped rather than blended or squeezed. It’s one of many stone fruit infused water recipes you can make with fresh seasonal fruit.

What ingredients and ratio do you need?

For about 1 liter of apricot orange basil water, use:

1 liter (about 4¼ cups) cold drinking water
150 g (about 1 cup) fresh apricots, pitted and sliced
100 g (about ¾ cup) orange slices, from approximately 1 orange
5 g (about ¼ cup loosely packed, or 8–12 leaves) fresh basil

This ratio makes a fruit-forward infusion without adding sweetener. Measure the apricots after removing their pits; the amount does not need to be exact. Choose ripe fruit for the best flavor, but avoid fruit that is bruised or spoiled.

A pitcher with a lid makes chilling and pouring easier. If you prefer a milder orange flavor, peel the orange before slicing it.

How do you make apricot orange basil water?

Allow about 10 minutes for preparation and at least 2 hours for the flavors to develop in the refrigerator.

Rinse the apricots, orange, and basil under running water. Wash your hands and use a clean knife, cutting board, and pitcher.
Pit the apricots and cut them into slices. Discard the pits; do not add them to the pitcher.
Slice the orange into thin rounds or half-moons. Remove the peel first if you want to limit bitterness.
Bruise the basil leaves gently between your fingers, then add them to the pitcher with the fruit.
Pour in the cold water, cover, and refrigerate for 2–4 hours.
Strain out the fruit and basil after steeping. If the orange peel is still on, strain by 4 hours to limit bitterness, then serve chilled.

For another combination built around the ingredients you have, try the ai infused water generator.

Why do apricot, orange, and basil work together?

Apricot has a mellow flavor that balances orange’s sharper citrus taste. Basil adds a fresh, savory edge, so the finished water tastes more layered than fruit-infused water alone.

The same ingredients bring different qualities to apricot infused water, orange infused water, and basil water. In this recipe, keeping the fruit in slices gives the water flavor without making it as thick as juice.

The main benefit of the drink is hydration. The liver and kidneys do most of the body’s detoxification, while the lungs and gut also help eliminate waste; apricot orange basil water does not replace those processes. Whole apricots and oranges contain nutrients and fiber, but the amounts transferred into steeped water are not established, so don’t count the whole fruit’s nutrients as those of the drink.

How should you store apricot orange basil water?

Keep the pitcher covered and refrigerated. For the best flavor, drink apricot orange basil water within 24 hours; discard it after 2–3 days, or sooner if it becomes cloudy, slimy, or sour-smelling.

Strain the ingredients after 2–4 hours, especially if the orange peel is in the pitcher. Refrigerate the strained water promptly rather than leaving it at room temperature for more than a few hours. Changes in smell or appearance are reasons to discard it, but their absence does not guarantee safety.

How can you vary apricot orange basil water?

Make the citrus milder

Use 50 g (about ⅜ cup) orange slices instead of 100 g (about ¾ cup), keeping the apricot, basil, and water amounts the same. Peel the orange for a softer citrus flavor.

Make the basil more noticeable

Start with 12 basil leaves rather than 8, and bruise them gently before steeping. Keep the 2–4-hour refrigerated steep so you can taste the fruit as well as the herbs.

Serve it over ice

Pour the strained infusion over ice just before drinking. The ice will dilute the flavor as it melts, so chill the water first if you want to keep the fruit taste more pronounced.