Cherry Lemon Basil Water: Easy Infused Water Recipe

Cherry lemon basil water is a chilled infusion of cherries, lemon and basil that takes 2 hours 10 minutes total and makes about 1 liter (4 1/4 US cups). Use the ai infused water generator to explore another combination after trying this one.

What is cherry lemon basil water?

Cherry lemon basil water is plain water steeped with cut fruit and fresh herbs. The cherries lend a mild fruity flavor, lemon adds a tart edge, and basil brings a fragrant herbal note.

Unlike juice, the fruit is not blended into the drink. For more fruit-and-water combinations, browse these berry infused water recipes.

What ingredients and ratio do you need?

This recipe uses about 1 cup of cherries, 1 sliced lemon and a small handful of basil for every 1 liter of water. It makes approximately four 1-cup servings; the amount poured may vary slightly after straining.

• Water: 1,000 ml (1 liter; about 4 1/4 US cups)
• Cherries: 150 g (about 1 cup), pitted and halved; sweet or sour cherries work
• Lemon: 100 g (about 1 medium lemon, or 1/2 cup sliced)
• Fresh basil: 5 g (about 1/4 cup loosely packed, or 8–12 leaves)

Use a pitcher or covered jar large enough to hold the water and ingredients. Fresh, ripe cherries give the water a pleasant flavor, but the finished infusion will be subtler than cherry juice.

How do you make cherry lemon basil water?

Allow 10 minutes to prepare the ingredients and at least 2 hours for the water to infuse in the refrigerator.

1. Wash your hands, then rinse the cherries, lemon and basil under cool running water.
2. Pit the cherries, halve them and discard the pits.
3. Slice the lemon into thin rounds and gently tear or press the basil leaves.
4. Add the cherries, lemon and basil to a pitcher, then pour in the water.
5. Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for 2–4 hours. Strain out the fruit and basil by 4 hours to limit bitterness from the lemon peel.
6. Serve the water chilled, with ice if you like, and refrigerate any remainder.

For a lighter flavor, taste the water after 2 hours. Leave it for up to 4 hours if you prefer a stronger infusion, then strain it before storing.

Why do cherries, lemon and basil pair well?

Cherries provide a soft fruit flavor, while lemon makes the drink taste brighter. Basil adds an aromatic finish that keeps the combination from tasting like fruit water alone. The same ideas appear in cherry infused water, lemon water and basil water.

The main benefit is hydration, especially if the flavor helps you enjoy drinking water. The ingredients contain nutrients, but the amount transferred into steeped water is uncertain; the drink should not be treated as nutritionally equivalent to eating the fruit. Unsweetened, unsqueezed infused water is very low in calories.

Your liver and kidneys do most of your body’s detoxification; the lungs and gut help eliminate waste, while sweat removes only trace amounts. Cherry lemon basil water supports hydration rather than cleansing the body.

How should you store cherry lemon basil water?

Keep the pitcher covered and refrigerated. Remove the ingredients by 4 hours, particularly if the lemon peel is still on, because the pith can make the water bitter.

For the best flavor, drink the water within 24 hours. Discard it after 2–3 days, or sooner if it becomes cloudy or slimy or develops a sour smell. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than a few hours.

How can you vary cherry lemon basil water?

Adjust the tartness. Use fewer lemon slices for a milder drink, or remove the peel before adding the slices if you prefer to reduce bitterness.

Change the cherry. Sweet cherries make a softer-tasting infusion; sour cherries give it a sharper fruit note. Either should be pitted before going into the pitcher.

Adjust the herbs. Use fewer basil leaves for a lighter aroma, or gently tear the full amount for a more noticeable herbal flavor. Keep the same refrigerated steeping and storage times for these variations.

Recipe schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Recipe",
  "name": "Cherry Lemon Basil Water",
  "description": "Chilled water infused with cherries, lemon and fresh basil.",
  "prepTime": "PT10M",
  "totalTime": "PT2H10M",
  "recipeYield": "About 1 liter (4 1/4 US cups)",
  "recipeIngredient": [
    "1,000 ml (1 liter; about 4 1/4 US cups) water",
    "150 g (about 1 cup) cherries, pitted and halved",
    "100 g (about 1 medium lemon or 1/2 cup sliced) lemon",
    "5 g (about 1/4 cup loosely packed or 8–12 leaves) fresh basil"
  ],
  "recipeInstructions": [
    {"@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Wash your hands, then rinse the cherries, lemon and basil under cool running water."},
    {"@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Pit the cherries, halve them and discard the pits."},
    {"@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Slice the lemon into thin rounds and gently tear or press the basil leaves."},
    {"@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Add the cherries, lemon and basil to a pitcher, then pour in the water."},
    {"@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Cover and refrigerate for 2–4 hours; strain out the ingredients by 4 hours."},
    {"@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Serve chilled, with ice if desired, and refrigerate any remainder."}
  ]
}