Tired of plain, boring water? These fruit-infused water recipes are delicious, beautiful and refreshing.
Whether it’s a New Year’s resolution to better your health, or you’re trying to cut back on sugary beverages, drinking more water is at the top of the list for a lot of people. But no matter how cute your new reusable water bottle is, drinking plain water can be, well, boring. So, to make meeting your hydration goals a bit easier, we’ve rounded up our best fruit-infused water recipes to help keep things interesting.
These infused water recipes use a mixture of fruit, herbs, spices and other aromatics to create flavor-packed beverages. You’ll find infused water ideas that range from sweet and fruity to crisp and herbaceous. Some recipes are perfect for year-round sipping, but there are a few seasonal-inspired concoctions to shake up your routine time to time.
No matter which infused water you make, start by washing your fresh ingredients and a beautiful drink pitcher to hold everything. If your herbs are spoiling quickly, make sure you are storing fresh herbs correctly so they last long enough to use up. We recommend either cutting or slightly crushing fruits, veggies and herbs before adding them to water, so they release as much flavor as possible and truly infuse the water instead of just lightly flavoring it.
If your infusion isn’t as strongly flavored as you would like, allow it to steep longer; most recipes need several hours to absorb all that fruity goodness. You can let these fruit waters infuse overnight, but be sure to strain out the solids after 12 hours to avoid spoilage.
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Cranberry, Orange and Cardamom
Ingredients: Cranberry, Navel Orange, Cardamom
As pretty as a sunset, this cran-orange drink will make you swoon. It’s a great way to use up leftover ingredients after making cranberry sauce.
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Apple Carrot
Ingredients: Apple, Lemon, Carrot
Invigorate the senses with a delicious twist of apple, lemon and carrot. In addition to adding a bit of sweetness, carrots have health and beauty benefits and lots of vitamins.
Black Mission figs are definitely the way to go here. They’re sweet, juicy and widely available when they are in season. If you have extra, you can eat figs as a snack or part of a meal, raw, grilled or in baked goods.
This infused water recipe is a little sweet, a little tart and a little spiced. If you’ve only used pre-seeded pomegranates in the past, this guide will show you how to remove pomegranate seeds the right way.
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Lemon, Mint and Cucumber
Ingredients: Lemon, Mint, Ginger, Cucumber
A hint of spicy ginger perks up the subtle, spa-inspired flavors of cucumber, lemon and mint, for a hydrating blend that’s both invigorating and refreshing.
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Blood Orange, Star Anise and Clove
Ingredients: Blood Orange, Cloves, Star Anise Pods
This one is perfect for fall and winter, the seasons that are synonymous with citrus and lovely, warming fall spices.
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Apple Ginger
Ingredients: Tart Apple, Gingerroot
This fruit-infused water recipe is on the tart side, which is perfect for when you want to take a break from sweet flavors. You only need a small knob of ginger, so if you have extra, make sure you know how to store ginger so it doesn’t dry out. I prefer peeling ginger by scraping the skin off with a metal spoon, but you could also trim it away with a small paring knife.
Ingredients: Granny Smith or Fuji Apple, Rose Petals, Dry Chamomile Flowers
This water doubles as a drink and a beautiful desktop decoration! Only use food-grade edible flowers from your local or specialty grocery store.
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Grapefruit Coriander
Ingredients: Grapefruit, Coriander Seeds
The key to keeping this infused water idea from becoming too bitter is to peel the grapefruit before adding it to the water. The fruit’s pith (the white membrane between the zest and fruit) is exceptionally bitter, so use a small, sharp knife to remove as much of it as possible.
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Cinnamon, Apple and Pear
Ingredients: Cinnamon Stick, Apple, Red Pear
Just like those little red cinnamon-flavored candies, this spicy-sweet combination delivers in every sip.
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Lemon Verbena Blueberry
Ingredients: Blueberries, Lemon Verbena
Lemon verbena is a lovely, summery herb. Try it in a new-to-you tea recipe, hot or iced, which showcases its light lemon flavor.
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Mint, Strawberry and Lemon
Ingredients: Strawberry, Lemon, Mint
When the weather starts to warm, try this minty, bright berry drink that tastes like a sugar-free twist on your favorite summertime lemonade recipe.
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Tangerine Thyme
Ingredients: Tangerines, Thyme Sprigs
Using tangerines instead of oranges gives this infused water an extra touch of sweetness. If you can’t find tangerines, try it with clementines instead.
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Ginger Lemon
Ingredients: Lemon, Ginger
This tantalizing mix of zesty lemon and vibrant ginger will keep you energized all day long.
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Blackberry Sage
Ingredients: Blackberry, Sage Sprigs
Sage is an herb typically used in savory dishes, but its earthy flavor pairs wonderfully with sweet-tart blackberries. For the most flavor, gently slap or muddle the sage leaves before adding them to the water.
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Apricot Raspberry
Ingredients: Apricot, Raspberry, Mint
Soak up the sun with a summery mix of fresh apricots, raspberries and mint.
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Grape Mint
Ingredients: Red Grapes, Mint
There are a ton of ways to enjoy grapes that go beyond just having them as a snack. Infusing water is one of my favorite ways to use up grapes that have started to soften.
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Orange Lime
Ingredients: Orange, Lime
Enjoy a juicy blend of two superstar vitamin C-packed foods in this water: orange and lime.
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Triple Berry
Ingredients: Strawberry, Raspberry, Blackberry
Save yourself a few minutes of prep time by skipping hulling the strawberries. Strawberry leaves are edible, won’t change the overall flavor and will add a bit of color to the drink.
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Strawberry Pineapple
Ingredients: Strawberry, Pineapple
Say aloha to a blend of sweet strawberries and juicy pineapple. The mint garnish is optional, but it looks so pretty!
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Mint, Peach and Plum
Ingredients: Peach, Plum, Mint
Tickle your taste buds with a refreshing mix of fruits and herbs. If you can’t find ripe plums at your grocery store, you can use other stone fruits, such as apricots or nectarines, instead.
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Strawberry Lavender
Ingredients: Strawberries, Fresh Lavender
Lavender desserts are the most familiar way to use lavender for many people, but it adds a lovely floral touch to this water, too. Since the flavor can be overpowering at times, start with just one or two sprigs, increasing the amount and steeping times to your taste.
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Orange Kiwi
Ingredients: Kiwi, Orange
This blend of kiwi and orange is as refreshing as a cool breeze on a sweltering day. It’s up to you if you want to peel the kiwi or slice it whole, edible skin and all.
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Lemon, Ginger and Turmeric
Ingredients: Turmeric Powder, Fresh Ginger, Lemon
This is a fantastic pick-me-up when you’re feeling a little under the weather or find yourself in need of a health boost. Turmeric is commonly used in Indian recipes, and studies indicate it’s chock-full of antioxidants.
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Watermelon Strawberry
Ingredients: Watermelon, Strawberries
Beat the heat with a fresh mix of juicy watermelon and sweet strawberries. Be sure to take your time to pick a ripe watermelon with a telltale yellow spot for the best flavor.
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Pineapple Mint
Ingredients: Fresh Pineapple, Mint
Knowing how to cut a pineapple is integral for this fruit-infused water. Save the canned stuff for these sweet and savory canned pineapple recipes.
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Spiced Apple and Orange
Ingredients: Apple, Orange, Cinnamon Stick, Clove, Star Anise
This spiced blend will make all your apple cider dreams come true, minus any added sugar. These ingredients would also make an excellent simmer pot to perfume your home.
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Orange, Blueberry and Mint
Ingredients: Orange, Blueberry, Mint
Catch a wave with a blend of blueberries, orange and mint. Blood oranges would add a dramatic color twist, if available, without changing the flavor.
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Grapefruit Rosemary
Ingredients: Grapefruit, Rosemary
Enjoy this bright blend of sweet-tart grapefruit and woodsy rosemary for an unexpected, yet delicious drink.
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Nectarine, Basil and Clementine
Ingredients: Nectarine, Clementine, Basil
Nectarine desserts are a personal favorite of mine when summer rolls around, and this infused water idea makes the most of them.
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Strawberry Lime
Ingredients: Strawberry, Lime
This fruity water is a lovely way to use overripe strawberries. They’ll make the water quite sweet, so you might want to add a touch more lime than you’d expect to cut through it.
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Cantaloupe, Mint and Lemon
Ingredients: Cantaloupe, Mint, Lemon
Cantaloupes aren’t just for fruit salads! For the best flavor, use a peeled and deseeded ripe cantaloupe.
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Mint, Raspberry and Lemon
Ingredients: Lemon, Raspberry, Mint
Take taste buds on a joy ride with a mix of lemon, berries and a touch of mint. If you crush the raspberries lightly, your drink will take on a pale pink tint.
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Cucumber Lemon
Ingredients: Cucumber, Lemon
Quench your thirst with the refreshing combination of cucumber and lemon. Use homegrown cucumbers or English cucumbers if you don’t plan on peeling the cucumber first. Standard store-bought cucumbers are typically coated in a thin layer of edible wax to prevent them from drying out, and should be peeled before using.
Fruit-Infused Water Recipes FAQ
What are the best fruit combinations for infused water?
The best fruit combinations for infused water depend on what fruits you like! When in doubt, combine fruits that are in season at the same time, such as apples and pears, berries, citrus or stone fruits. Once you’ve identified your go-to fruits, start experimenting with unique combos. Some of my favorite pairings include orange and blueberry, cantaloupe with lemon and pomegranate pear. Don’t be afraid to experiment with fresh herbs and spices for even more flavor and complexity.
How long should you infuse water?
Most ingredients only need two to three hours in the fridge to infuse water. If you find that your infused water isn’t as flavorful as you thought it would be, let it steep longer. Less juicy ingredients, like apples and pears, need several hours to release all that goodness. You can infuse these fruit waters overnight, but be sure to strain out the solids after 12 hours to avoid overly sharp flavors or spoiled ingredients.
How long does infused water last?
Infused water lasts up to three days when stored in the fridge. To prevent the beverage from absorbing other refrigerator flavors, store it in an airtight food-storage container or a pitcher with a lid.
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