Cranberry Lime Lavender Water: Easy Recipe

Cranberry lime lavender water is a chilled fruit-and-flower infusion that takes 2 hours 10 minutes total and makes about 4 cups (960 mL).

What is cranberry lime lavender water?

Cranberry lime lavender water combines tart cranberries, sliced lime and a small amount of culinary lavender with cold water. As it rests in the refrigerator, the ingredients give the water a delicate fruit and floral flavor without needing a sweetener.

It is one of many berry infused water recipes you can make in a pitcher. The flavor is subtler than a juice: the fruit is steeped rather than blended into the drink.

What ingredients and ratio do you need?

For about 4 cups (960 mL), use:

960 mL (4 cups) cold drinking water
About 100 g (1 cup) fresh cranberries
About 100 g (1 lime, or roughly 1/2 cup sliced)
About 0.25 g (1/4 teaspoon) dried culinary lavender

Choose lavender sold for culinary use, not decorative flowers or essential oil. The small amount gives the drink a floral note without making it taste strongly perfumed. A fine-mesh infuser or food-safe tea bag makes the lavender easier to remove, but you can strain the finished water instead.

The lime peel contributes flavor, but its pith can become bitter with a long steep. If you prefer a gentler citrus taste, remove the peel before adding the lime slices.

How do you make cranberry lime lavender water?

Allow 10 minutes for preparation and at least 2 hours for chilling.

Rinse the cranberries and lime under cool running water. Discard any damaged fruit.
Slice the lime into thin rounds, removing the peel first if you prefer.
Place the cranberries and lime slices in a clean pitcher. Add the culinary lavender in a fine-mesh infuser or food-safe tea bag, or add it directly to the pitcher.
Pour in the cold water and stir gently. Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Taste the water. For a stronger infusion, refrigerate it for up to 2 more hours, then remove the fruit and lavender or strain the water before serving.

Try the ai infused water generator for another combination using ingredients you have on hand.

Serve the water cold, with ice if you like. Because whole fruit takes time to impart flavor, the drink may taste mild at first; the refrigerated steep is part of the preparation time.

Why do cranberry, lime and lavender pair well?

Cranberries add a tart, slightly fruity note, while lime supplies a brighter citrus aroma. Together, they make a sharper-tasting infusion than either fruit alone. If you want to explore the individual flavors, see cranberry infused water and lime water.

Lavender softens that tartness with a floral scent. A little goes a long way, so this recipe uses less than you might use for a stronger lavender water.

The main benefit of cranberry lime lavender water is that it provides water for hydration. Its flavor may make plain water more appealing, but the recipe is not a treatment for a health condition. The amount of nutrients that transfers from the fruit into the water is uncertain.

How should you store cranberry lime lavender water?

Keep cranberry lime lavender water covered and refrigerated. For best flavor, drink it within 24 hours. Remove the lime and other ingredients after no more than 4 hours of steeping to limit bitterness from the citrus pith.

Discard the water after 2–3 days, or sooner if it becomes cloudy, slimy or sour-smelling. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than a few hours. Use a clean pitcher and utensils whenever you make a fresh batch.

How can you vary cranberry lime lavender water?

Make the floral flavor lighter

Use a smaller pinch of culinary lavender, or remove the lavender infuser after the initial 2-hour steep. Keep the cranberry and lime amounts the same so the fruit remains noticeable.

Make the lime taste brighter

Leave the peel on during the initial steep, then remove the slices before serving. You can also squeeze a little lime into a glass, though that changes the drink from a solely steeped infusion and adds some of the juice’s calories.

Add bubbles when serving

Pour a smaller portion of the chilled infusion into a glass and top it with plain sparkling water. Add the sparkling water just before drinking to preserve its fizz.