Why You’ll Love This Raspberry Lemon Sparkling Water

• It’s incredibly refreshing and hydrating. The crisp bubbles from the sparkling water combined with the juicy fruit make this the most delightful way to drink more water throughout the day. It’s a serious upgrade from plain water that feels like a treat.
• You have complete control over the sweetness. Unlike store-bought flavored waters, you decide exactly how much sweetener to add, if any. You can tailor it to your taste, making it as subtle or as pronounced as you like.
• It’s visually stunning. The deep pink hue from the raspberries and the sunny yellow lemon slices make this drink look absolutely beautiful in a glass pitcher or a tall tumbler. It’s basically edible (or drinkable!) decoration.
• The recipe is endlessly adaptable. Once you master this base, you can start playing with other fruits—think mint, cucumber, or even a few sprigs of basil. It’s a fantastic template for your own creative concoctions.

Ingredients & Tools

• 1 cup fresh raspberries (frozen work too, see notes!)
• 1 large lemon, thinly sliced
• 1-2 tbsp honey, maple syrup, or simple syrup (adjust to taste)
• ¼ cup hot water (for dissolving sweetener)
• 4 cups chilled plain sparkling water (club soda or seltzer)
• Optional: A few fresh mint leaves for garnish
• Optional: Ice cubes, for serving

Tools: A large pitcher (at least 2-quart capacity), a muddler or wooden spoon, a small bowl or liquid measuring cup.

The quality of your ingredients really shines here, so try to get the freshest, ripest raspberries you can find. As for the sparkling water, I prefer a neutral, unflavored seltzer because it lets the fruit be the star, but a good-quality club soda works perfectly too.

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 10 minutes

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

• Fresh vs. Frozen Raspberries? Honestly, both work wonderfully! Fresh berries give you that perfect, plump texture, but frozen raspberries are a fantastic, cost-effective option year-round. They’ll thaw quickly and release their juice even faster when muddled, creating a beautiful, intense color.
• What’s the best sweetener to use? This is all about personal preference. Honey and maple syrup add their own subtle flavor notes, while a simple syrup (just equal parts sugar and water, dissolved) is neutral and blends in seamlessly. The trick is to dissolve your chosen sweetener in a little hot water first—this prevents it from just sinking to the bottom of the pitcher.
• Don’t skip the muddling! This step is crucial for releasing the maximum amount of flavor from the raspberries. You’re not trying to pulverize them into a paste; just a gentle pressing and twisting action to burst the berries and get those gorgeous juices flowing.
• Chill everything beforehand. For the most refreshing, instantly enjoyable drink, make sure your sparkling water is very cold and your pitcher is chilled if possible. This means you won’t need to dilute it with too much ice right away.

How to Make Raspberry Lemon Sparkling Water

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

• A light summer salad — Think a quinoa salad with chickpeas and feta or a simple arugula salad with a lemon vinaigrette. The crisp, clean taste of the water cuts through the richness of the cheese and complements the peppery greens perfectly.
• Grilled shrimp or chicken skewers — The bright acidity of the lemon in the drink is a fantastic palate cleanser alongside smoky, charred proteins from the grill. It keeps everything feeling light and fresh.
• A creamy pasta salad — The fizziness and fruitiness provide a wonderful contrast to a rich, creamy pasta salad, balancing out each bite and preventing the meal from feeling too heavy.

Drinks

• As a standalone refresher — It truly needs no accompaniment! It’s perfect for sipping on its own during a hot day, by the pool, or as a sophisticated “mocktail” at a party.
• Paired with iced green tea — For a double dose of hydration, serve this alongside a subtly grassy iced green tea. The two non-sugary drinks complement each other surprisingly well.

Something Sweet

• Lemon bars or shortbread cookies — The tartness of a classic lemon bar is a dream pairing with the raspberry-lemon flavors in the water. A simple, buttery shortbread cookie also works wonderfully for dipping.
• Angel food cake with fresh berries — This is a match made in heaven. The light, airy texture of the cake and the fresh berries echo the flavors in the glass, creating a cohesive and delightful dessert experience.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

• Mistake: Muddling the fruit too aggressively. You want to release the juices, not create a pulpy puree. Over-muddling can make the drink cloudy and a bit bitter from crushed seeds. A gentle press is all you need.
• Mistake: Adding the sweetener directly to the pitcher. It will likely just sink to the bottom, leaving the first few glasses bland and the last one overly sweet. Taking the extra 30 seconds to dissolve it in hot water first is a game-changer for even flavor distribution.
• Mistake: Pouring the sparkling water too fast. This is the quickest way to lose all those lovely bubbles before the drink even hits the glass. A slow, gentle pour down the side of the pitcher preserves the carbonation.
• Mistake: Stirring vigorously after adding the bubbles. I’ve messed this up before too—you get excited and want to mix it all together. But aggressive stirring knocks the carbonation right out. A slow, gentle stir is all that’s required.

Expert Tips

• Tip: Make a big batch of the fruit base ahead of time. You can muddle the raspberries, lemons, and sweetener syrup together and keep this concentrate in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to serve, just pour in the sparkling water. It’s a fantastic party trick!
• Tip: Freeze some of the mixture into ice cubes. Pour a little of the finished drink (or even just the muddled fruit juice) into an ice cube tray and freeze. Use these flavored ice cubes in your glass to keep the drink cold without diluting it as they melt.
• Tip: Turn it into a cocktail. For a grown-up version, add a splash of vodka, gin, or even a light white wine like Prosecco to each glass. The fruit flavors pair beautifully with most clear spirits.
• Tip: Strain it for a clearer drink. If you prefer your sparkling water without any pulp or seeds, simply strain the muddled fruit mixture through a fine-mesh sieve after step 3, pressing on the solids to extract all the juice. Then proceed with adding the sparkling water to the strained liquid.

FAQs

Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh lemons?
I really, really recommend using fresh lemons. The flavor is so much brighter and more complex, and the essential oils in the peel that you release when muddling the slices add a wonderful aroma that bottled juice just can’t replicate. However, in a pinch, you could use about 3 tablespoons of bottled juice added with the sweetener syrup. You’ll miss the visual appeal of the slices, but the lemon flavor will be there.

How long does this Raspberry Lemon Sparkling Water last?
This is a drink best enjoyed immediately. The sparkling water will start to go flat after about an hour or two in the pitcher. If you have leftovers, you can keep them in the fridge, but they’ll be more like a still fruit-infused water (which is still delicious!). The fruit itself can be stored in the liquid for up to 24 hours before it starts to break down too much.

My drink isn’t very pink. What happened?
This usually comes down to the raspberries. If they weren’t very ripe, they might not have released as much pigment. Also, if you’re using frozen raspberries that were a lighter color to begin with, your drink will be a more subtle pink. You can always add a few more berries next time! The taste will still be fantastic.

Is there a sugar-free version?
Absolutely! You can simply omit the sweetener altogether—the natural sweetness from the raspberries and the tartness from the lemon create a wonderfully balanced drink on their own. Alternatively, you can use a liquid stevia or monk fruit sweetener. Just add a few drops at a time directly to the pitcher after adding the sparkling water and taste as you go, since these sweeteners can be very potent.

Can I use a different type of sparkling water, like tonic water?
You can, but be aware that tonic water contains quinine and its own distinct sweet-bitter flavor, which will significantly alter the taste of the final drink. It would be more like a raspberry-lemon tonic, which could be interesting, but it won’t be the clean, refreshing flavor profile we’re going for here. Stick with plain club soda or seltzer for the best results.