Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Lemonade
Quench your thirst with Butterfly Pea Flower Lemonade –a delicious, refreshing, and visually stunning beverage made with freshly squeezed lemons, natural sweetener, and the striking blue hue of dried butterfly pea flower blossoms. You’ll be sipping on this Insta-worthy drink in no time!
I recently stumbled upon butterfly pea flower tea and immediately fell in love with its stunning blue hue. Intrigued, I decided to explore the culinary possibilities of dried butterfly pea flower blossoms, with this butterfly pea flower tea lemonade being the first of my creations!
My daughter and I had an absolute blast creating this butterfly pea flower lemonade. It was like a magic show in our kitchen, and the best part? We got to drink the magic!
Join me as we dive into the secrets behind this deep blue tea and learn how to magically transform it into a purple butterfly pea flower lemonade!
What are butterfly pea flowers?
Butterfly pea flowers belong to the Clitoria ternatea plant and are the colorful foundation for our refreshing lemonade recipe. Originating from Southeast Asia, they have been integral in Thai and Malaysian cultures and Ayurvedic and Chinese medicinal practices for centuries.
The striking blue pigment of butterfly pea flower tea (a non-caffeinated tisane) is achieved by infusing the flower blossoms in hot water. However, the tea isn’t just for drinking. You can also use it as an all-natural food dye in baking, cooking, cosmetics, health products, and even decorating!
Why you’ll love this recipe
One of the joys of making butterfly pea flower tea is its forgiving nature. Unlike traditional teas, it doesn’t turn bitter if over-brewed, making it perfect for busy moments when distractions are plenty –hello, busy mom brain! 😉
Not only is this butterfly pea flower drink a refreshing treat, but it also doubles as a fascinating science experiment for the little ones. Watch their eyes light up as they witness the remarkable color-changing properties of butterfly pea flowers!
To summarize, when you add lemon juice to butterfly pea flower tea, the pH from the citric acid transforms the tea from blue to a gorgeous shade of purple. We also added a natural sweetener, and this beautiful, sugar-free butterfly pea flower tea-lemonade infusion was born! It’s a win for the kids and a win for the taste buds!
Ingredients you’ll need
To make butterfly pea flower tea:
- Boiling water. To steep the dried butterfly pea flowers, extracting their blue color and delicate flavor.
- Dried butterfly pea flowers. These magical flowers are responsible for the blue color. You can typically find them in specialty tea shops, Asian grocery stores, health food stores, farmers’ markets, or on Amazon and Etsy.
- Stevia. To sweeten the lemonade naturally without adding excess calories. Keep reading for more natural sweetener options.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice. The acidity enhances the flavor and triggers the transformation from blue to purple. Opt for freshly squeezed juice for the best flavor.
- Ice. For chilling the lemonade before serving. Fun ice molds are optional.
How to make butterfly pea flower lemonade
Step 1: Brew butterfly pea flower tea. Boil the water and pour it into a mug. Submerge the dried flower blossoms in the hot water and let steep for 4-8 minutes.
Step 2: Allow tea to cool completely. Allow the tea to cool to room temperature, then remove the dried flower blossoms and pour the tea into a glass with ice. I love brewing the tea in advance and freezing it into ice molds for serving. These large rose ice cube molds make a beautiful presentation for non-alcoholic drinks and cocktails. I also used butterfly ice molds for the larger glass.
Step 3: Add sweetener and lemon juice. Add the stevia (or your preferred sweetener) and stir until fully dissolved. Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice, and prepare to be amazed!
Step 4: Garnish and serve. Garnish with lemon slices, if desired, and enjoy!
Tips and FAQs
- Water temperature for brewing – Water that is too hot may scorch the dried blossoms, resulting in a bitter taste, while water that is too cool may not fully extract the blue color and flavor. To achieve the best results, use water just below boiling, around 200°F (about 93°C).
- Using a tea infuser – For convenience and easy clean-up, consider using a tea infuser, such as a tea ball or tea steeper basket. Simply place the dried flowers in the infuser and immerse them in the water.
- Direct steeping – Alternatively, place the dried flowers directly in your mug, add hot water, and steep until the liquid is bright blue. Once it’s cooled to room temperature, strain it using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth before using it in this lemonade recipe.
Customize it
Craving a customized tea-lemonade creation? Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Alternate sweetener. Try honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup as substitutes for stevia. Adjust the amount to taste.
- Garnishes. Embellish your glass with lemon wheels, lime wedges, fresh berries, or edible flowers.
- Add other fruit juices. Jazz it up with a splash of orange, pineapple, blueberry, or cranberry. Just know that the color may not be as purple-y.
- Infuse other flowers. Try steeping the butterfly pea flower alongside other food-grade flowers, such as lavender, hibiscus, or rose petals, for elevated botanical flavor.
- Infuse fresh flavor. Steep lemongrass, ginger, or mint with the flowers for refreshing flavor.
The steeped tea has a mild, earthy flavor with subtle floral undertones often described as slightly vegetal. Adding sweetener and freshly squeezed lemon juice adds a refreshing, sweet, tangy finish.
Butterfly pea flower tea is rich in antioxidants, and while I’m NOT making any crazy health claims, some studies show it may also offer health benefits, such as promoting skin health, supporting cognitive function, and aiding digestion.
Yes! Butterfly pea flower tea is naturally caffeine-free!
This tea is also quite popular with mixologists who use it to create eye-catching cocktails, like purple gin and tonics and purple margaritas. You can also make blue-hued cakes, cupcakes, cookies, puddings, frosting, and even ice cream!
Storing
Storing: This lemonade is best enjoyed immediately. If you have extra, keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Freezing: Pour it into freezer-safe containers or ice cube trays, leaving space for expansion, and freeze for 2-3 months.
More delicious drink recipes
- Sugar-Free Lemonade
- Sugar-Free Strawberry Lemonade
- Frozen Sugar-Free Strawberry Lemonade
- Cucumber Mint Water
- Blue Lagoon Mocktail
- Ginger Beer Mocktail
- Pink Lady Mocktail
If you love this butterfly pea flower tea lemonade infusion, I would be so grateful if you could leave a 5-star 🌟 rating in the recipe card below. I love reading your comments and feedback!
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Butterfly Pea Flower Lemonade
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- 1 tbsp dried butterfly pea flowers use a heaping tablespoon here
- ice to fill the glass
- 1 packet stevia you can also use honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup, to taste.
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice more or less to taste
Instructions
- Boil water and pour 1 1/2 cups into a mug.
- Add pea flower blossoms in a basket filter or tea sac and steep for 4-8 minutes.
- Allow the tea to cool completely.
- Add ice to fill the glass halfway and pour the tea over the ice.
- Add stevia, or sweetener of choice, and lemon juice.
- Watch the tea turn a bright purple color! Enjoy!
Nutrition
*Note: This post was originally published in March 2014. It was updated throughout. The tasty recipe remains the same. 🙂
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What a gorgeous drink!! This would be so lovely to serve at a Spring garden party!! Thanks for the inside scoop on blue chai 🙂
Thanks for this recipe, if I can get dried butterfly pea flowers where I live I’ll try it!
You’re welcome, Lois! They should have them on Amazon if you can’t find them locally.