Cranberry Cucumber Lavender Water Recipe

Cranberry cucumber lavender water is a chilled fruit-and-flower infusion that takes 2 hours 10 minutes, including steeping, and makes about 4 cups (4 servings).

What is cranberry cucumber lavender water?

Cranberry cucumber lavender water combines tart cranberries, mild cucumber and a small amount of culinary lavender in cold water. It’s one of many berry infused water recipes you can make without blending or sweetening the fruit.

The ingredients steep in the refrigerator, then can be strained out before serving. The result is lightly flavored water rather than a juice, tea or smoothie.

What ingredients and ratio do you need?

For about 4 servings, use:

Water: 1,000 ml (about 4¼ US cups)
Fresh or frozen cranberries: 150 g (about 1 cup)
Cucumber, thinly sliced: 150 g (about 1½ cups)
Culinary-grade dried lavender buds: about 0.5 g (½ teaspoon)

The water-to-produce ratio gives the fruit and cucumber room to infuse without making the drink too strong. Lavender can be prominent, so measure it rather than adding it by the handful.

Choose unsweetened cranberries and lavender sold for culinary use. Do not use lavender essential oil or decorative flowers that may have been treated with chemicals.

How do you make cranberry cucumber lavender water?

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

Wash the cranberries and cucumber under running water, then thinly slice the cucumber.
Cut or lightly crush the cranberries to expose their centers and help release their tart flavor.
Add the cranberries, cucumber and lavender to a clean pitcher, then pour in the water.
Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for 2 hours. Taste; for a stronger infusion, steep for up to 4 hours.
Strain out the ingredients if you like, then pour the water into glasses. The yield is about 4 cups, depending on how much liquid remains with the fruit.

For another combination, try the AI infused water generator.

Why do cranberry, cucumber and lavender pair well?

Cranberries give the infusion a tart edge and a subtle pink tint, although the color will vary. If you enjoy that sharper flavor, cranberry infused water puts the berry at the center.

Cucumber softens the tartness with a clean, mild taste; thin slices expose more surface area to the water. You can explore that flavor on its own with cucumber water.

Lavender adds a floral aroma, so a small amount is enough to complement rather than cover the other ingredients. See lavender water for a simpler floral infusion.

The main benefit of this drink is that it supplies water for hydration. Whole cranberries and cucumber contain nutrients and fiber, but the amount transferred into the strained water is uncertain; most of the fiber remains in the solids. Steeped water is very low in calories, while eating or squeezing the ingredients adds more of their calories.

How should you store it?

Keep cranberry cucumber lavender water covered and refrigerated, and drink it within 24 hours for the best flavor. You can strain it after steeping and store the flavored water in a clean, covered pitcher.

Discard it after 2–3 days, or sooner if it becomes cloudy, slimy or sour-smelling. Don’t leave it at room temperature for more than a few hours.

What variations can you try?

Use frozen cranberries

Unsweetened frozen cranberries work in place of fresh ones. Keep the same amount and let them thaw in the refrigerator before cutting or lightly crushing them.

Make the lavender lighter

Use half the lavender for a subtler aroma, or leave it out if you prefer the fruit and cucumber flavors. Taste after the first 2 hours before deciding whether the infusion needs more time.

Change the cucumber texture

Slice the cucumber thinly for a more noticeable cucumber flavor, or use thicker slices for a gentler taste. Keep the same approximate weight so the balance of fruit and water stays similar.