big batch honey tequila lemonade
A big boi for a big Fourth of July celebration.
One of my odd cravings during longer, hot runs in the days of marathon training was lemonade. Or apple juice, but usually lemonade. Maybe the sugar, maybe the tang and underline saltiness of a good bottled drink, but lemonade always sounded like the most amazing idea when I was sweating my balls off and 16 miles into a session. I guess maybe anything but plain water sounded rad at that point, unless I was swimming in it.
Summertime is quintessential lemonade season. A couple weeks ago I shared a Strawberry Lemonade Mojito that tasted like pure refreshment on these 90+ degree afternoons. I don’t get my hands on a good lemonade very often nowadays (probably because I’m not sweating my balls off and 16 miles into a session), but when I do I usually fall victim to The Guzzle because it tastes so damn amazing on almost any occasion.
And really, when’s a better time than a Fourth of July celebration to whip out an asston of lemons and squeeze that wondrous liquid gold into a hydrating, boozy elixir?
Big Bag Honey Tequila Lemonade is perfect if you’ve got a crowd on your hands and naught the patience to shake up individual drinks. A wonderful, simple recipe to have on hand, since lemonade is rarely a no-go amongst folks (and if it is, show them the door); the honey lends an earthy sweetness that lies beneath the citrus and tequila like a soothing final act.
When Life Throws You Lemons…
Throw them in a cocktail!
Well, juice them first, then throw them in a cocktail. A whole lemon in a drink might make your guests a little sour.
I really recommend fresh lemon juice, squeezed from your own batch of acquired lemons, rather than a bottle. Bottles usually have a plasticky, preserved flavor that just tastes wrong. If you know of a brand that’s a little more relaxed on the artificial taste, I’d recommend you use no more than half the amount of lemon juice called for in the recipe, and still leave the other half for fresh juice. So, 3/4 cup bottled, 3/4 cup fresh, to keep some integrity in place.
Otherwise, the only real step is making the honey syrup. Pure honey won’t dissolve in the drink so you’ll wind up with a big clump at the bottom of the pitcher. Not ideal. The recipe calls for a range of honey measurements since you may want your lemonade a little sweeter, or a little less so. I found 1 cup perfect for me.
Boil some water, then stir in the honey until fully incorporated. Let cool while you juice your lemons.
1 1/2 cups of lemon juice is quite a lot, so be prepared to buy out your grocer’s lemon supply. Not really. I needed 10 lemons (some of them were duds, to be fair, and didn’t give me much juice) to reach the desired result. A lemon juicer comes in real handily here; if you go barehanded, I hope you don’t have many hidden cuts on your fingers. Oof.
Then, grab your biggest pitcher and mix the lemon juice and honey syrup with tequila and water. Start with 5 cups of water and add more later if needed. Cover and chill at least an hour, you want it nice and frosty.
Friendly Suggestions From Your Neighborhood Me
For serving, I have a couple little things I like to do to make each individual drink a lil more fun.
First, rim your glasses with chili sugar. Or let you guests do it themselves by setting out a shallow plate of sugar tossed with chili powder, and some loose lemon wedges to run around the rims before dipping. A lick of spice tastes good with against the lemonade’s flavors.
Then, some mint sprigs. Keep them refrigerated somehow if you’re outside, in a cooler or otherwise, but provide a handful for your guests to plop on top of their drinks. Looks pretty, tastes pleasant, too.
The lemonade keeps really well for about a week in the fridge, then it might start to take on a rind-y flavor. If you’re throwing a party, you probably won’t need to worry much about leftovers, but if you do, there’s your guideline.
Safe 4th, everyone! Remember to get a DD or rideshare if you have one too many of these drinks. Enjoy your celebrations, but be smart, please.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Crowd-pleasing cocktails:
big batch honey tequila lemonade
Ingredients
- 1 – 1 1/4 cup honey (use to your taste)
- 1 cup tequila
- 1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 5-6 cups water
- chili sugar and fresh mint, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of honey until fully dissolved. If using the 1 1/4 cup measurement of honey (or any other amount) use an equal portion of water. Let cool.
- In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine the honey syrup, tequila, lemon juice, and water. Cover and chill for at least an hour.
- When ready to serve, rim glasses in chili sugar, if desired. Toss 2 tablespoons of sugar with 2 teaspoons of chili powder. Run a lemon wedge around the rim, then dip and swirl the glass to coat. Fill the glass with ice and pour in the lemonade. Garnish with a mint sprig.
