Cucumber-Mint Spiked Lemonade

Look no further for the perfect summertime libation. This cocktail is so refreshing and is well suited for a daytime or evening gathering.

We first enjoyed it at our Lisa and Lou R’s home earlier this summer. They have a wonderful garden and their cucumbers were plentiful, so it was the perfect drink for them to make. We happily accepted some cucumbers to take home. My mint was going strong so I had that ingredient covered. 

In addition to being so refreshing, this drink is easy to make. While I’ve been known to make my own lemonade for cocktails, here I opted for store bought lemonade. If you can, please select an organic variety or freshly made one. My local Wegmans often carries this in the produce section.

How you’d like to ‘spike’ it is up to you. Lisa and Lou added vodka which is a great go-to if you don’t really want to taste the liquor as it will let the cucumber, mint and lemon shine. We opted for blanco tequila at home which was equally good and a bit like a margarita. A neutral gin would work as would bourbon. Consider it a blank liquor slate.

We were making this for two, so I muddled the cucumber and mint in a cocktail shaker and then added the rest of the ingredients. If you are making this for a crowd, you can muddle the cucumber and mint in a pitcher and add the rest of the ingredients and stir. I recommend adding the ice to the glasses, rather than the pitcher so as not to dilute the drink. You can also leave the alcohol out and place some liquor options off to the side so your guests may select their spirit of choice. It also makes a great non-alcoholic option. 

If you have cucumbers and mint growing in your garden or perhaps as part of a CSA pick up, I hope you’ll try this drink.