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5.0 from 6 votes

Blackberry Vanilla Bourbon Lemonade

A drink as scandalous as the Whiskey Ring but sweet as a Southern sunset. Easy refreshing cocktail recipe.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 265 kcal
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 2 cups blackberries
  • 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3 cups water
  • 8 black peppercorns
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 to 1 1/2 cups bourbon

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Rinse the blackberries clean and place them in a medium saucepan with the peppercorns and a vanilla bean that has been split in half lengthwise with a knife. Cover with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a medium simmer and let the berries cook for about 20 minutes. Skim any foam that rises to the top. After about 20 minutes, remove from heat. Strain the berry liquid through a fine mesh strainer into another clean pot, separating the solids from the liquid. Do not press down on the solids to extract more juice; it's tempting, but doing this will make your syrup cloudy.
  2. Once the blackberry liquid has been strained, discard the solid berries and vanilla bean. Add 1 cup of sugar to the liquid. Bring back to a boil, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar into the syrup. Let the syrup simmer for 5 minutes till the sugar is completely dissolved, skimming any additional foam that rises to the top. Remove from heat, pour into a cool bowl, and allow to cool completely (you can stick it in the fridge to speed up the process if you like.
  3. Pour the cooled simple syrup into a pitcher. Stir in 2 cups fresh lemon juice, 2 cups of water and 1 cup bourbon. Add ice to the pitcher. Taste; you may stir in up to 1/2 cup more bourbon for a stronger kick, if you'd like. Alternatively, you can omit the alcohol and add water or sparkling water to taste. Serve each glass cold garnished with fresh lemon slice and fresh blackberry. I like to skewer them with a wooden skewer for pretty presentation. Sip and enjoy responsibly!

Notes

  • You will also need: saucepan, mesh strainer, pitcher

Nutrition Information

Calories 265kcal (13%) Carbohydrates 32g (11%) Sodium 6mg (0%) Potassium 121mg (3%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 28g (56%) Vitamin A 75IU (2%) Vitamin C 31.2mg (35%) Calcium 17mg (2%) Iron 0.3mg (2%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 265

% Daily Value*

Calories 265kcal 13%
Carbohydrates 32g 11%
Sodium 6mg 0%
Potassium 121mg 3%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 28g 56%
Vitamin A 75IU 2%
Vitamin C 31.2mg 35%
Calcium 17mg 2%
Iron 0.3mg 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.