Easy Fruit Infused Water - CopyKat Recipes (2024)

Fruit infused water is perfect for a hot summer day. If you have never tried making water infused with fruits before, you are missing out on a flavorful way to enjoy water. Water that is both refreshing and delicious is a big hit at cookouts and barbecues.

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Refreshing Fruit Drink without Sugar

Are you looking for a refreshing drink that isn’t soda and is sugar-free? I like to prepare fruit-infused water when I have guests over. I live in the hot south, so something cool and refreshing is what I love to serve my family and friends.

Sure, I put out plenty of sweet tea, soda, and coffee. However, I rarely put out plain water. It takes minimal effort to make this fruit-infused water recipe, and often guests are completely blown away and think you spent a lot of time making special fruit-flavored water just for them.

Fruit Infused Water Recipe Ingredients

Here is what you need to transform plain old water with this recipe:

• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Fresh basil

That’s it! Just water, two berries, and a fresh herb!

Fruit for Infused Water

You can create fruit-infused water with just about any type of fruit. I often use citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, or even limes.

The key here is to make sure to use blemish-free fruits. You don’t want to use fresh produce with any bad spots.

You also need to wash your fruit really well.

Soft fruits can be sliced any way you want. Berries can be left free-floating.

Hard fruits, like apples, infuse faster when thinly sliced.

You can add in an herb or two if you like. Herbs like mint or basil add a nice touch. Be sure to use fresh herbs. They’ll give you a more robust flavor than the dried kind and are less likely to break up and create debris in the water.

Cucumber is also a pleasing addition.

How to Make Fruit Infused Water

This fruit-infused water recipe is easy to make and lovely to drink! Here are the steps:

1. Wash the strawberries, blueberries, and basil.

2. Hull the strawberries and quarter them.

3. Gently scrunch the basil leaves in your hands to release some of the oils from the leaves.

4. Place the fruit and basil in a 2 – quart glass pitcher.

5. Add enough water to fill the pitcher.

6. Allow the fruit to infuse for at least 2hours before serving.

7. After 4 to 6 hours, discard the fruit.

8. Before serving, add some freshly cut strawberries and a few blueberries.

Recipe Variations

Here are a few delicious ideas for DIY fruit infused water:

• Strawberry Lime – All the pizzazz of strawberry limeade without the sugar!
• Cucumber Mint – A staple in spas for good reason! The clean flavor of cucumber and the cool kick of mint make for an exceptionally refreshing drink.
• Watermelon Mint – A great combination.
• Orange Basil – Oranges steep easily, and the basil gives the bright sweetness of citrus orange a lovely, earthy undertone.
• Blackberry Ginger – Delicious blackberry and ginger water is a little sweet, a little tart, and completely tasty.
• Pineapple Ginger – Something a little sweeter.
• Green Apple, Raspberry, Rosemary – Apples take a while to infuse, so slice them thinly and be patient.

Recipe Tips

When making infused water, the one essential thing is not to let the fruit and herbs soak in the water forever.

If you plan to store your infused water in the refrigerator for a long time, you need to remove the flavoring agents after about 6 hours.

You can always add some freshly cut fruit when you are ready to serve the water.

Citrus fruits become bitter after infusing for too long. The fruit may start to rot. As the water continues to penetrate the pith, the bitter flavors come out.

Also, the oils in the citrus rinds will leach into the water and begin to make it bitter.

Fruit Infused Water Pitchers

I like to infuse my water in a pitcher with a lid. You can also use awater infuser pitcher that is specially designed to infuse fruits. You can also buy fruit-infused water bottles if you only want to make a small infusion to take along to the gym or a ball game.

It’s best to store your infusion in a fruit-infused water bottle or pitcher made from glass. Plastic can leach chemicals into your water and tends to retain flavors. Glass does not retain flavors and always tastes clean.

If you don’t have a fruit-infused water pitcher with a built-in infuser, use a piece of clean cheesecloth or a tea strainer to keep herbs like basil, lavender, and rosemary contained.

Fruit Infused Sparkling Water

If you happen to have a Soda Stream Machine, you may want to carbonate your infused water for a fun treat. The effervescence of sparkling fruit water is delightful.

Fruit Infused Water Benefits

Is Drinking Fruit Infused Water Good for You?

Yes, it is! Fruit-infused water has many health benefits, including:

• Promoting increased water consumption to stay hydrated.
• Reducing sugar consumption, thus helping to increase weight loss.
• Detoxing effect – antioxidants in the water, and the larger consumption of water, help flush out toxins.
• Increasing energy – some infused fruits and herbs help to increase energy and brain function.

Popular Summer Drink Recipes

• Chick Fil A Frosted Lemonade
• Red Robin Strawberry Lemonade
• Rio Bravo Restaurant Margarita
• Ruby Tuesday Killer Kool Aid
• Olive Garden Blue Hawaiian
• Olive Garden Watermelon Sangria
• Sonic Ocean Water Drink
• Starbucks Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher
• Starbucks Passion Fruit Lemonade
• Taco Bell Baja Blast Freeze

Best Berry Recipes

• Fruit of the Forest Pie
• Giant Strawberry Pop Tart
• Shoney’s Strawberry Pie

Be sure to check out my easy drink recipes and the best recipes for summer here on CopyKat!