Homemade lemon & peppermint cordial is delicious and actually tastes like lemons with notes of peppermint. Perfect for making when you have a glut of lemons.

If you know me well, you’ll know that lemons are on my list of favorite foods. I will happily eat lemon segments any day of the year! And one of my pet peeves is when lemon drinks don’t taste like real lemons. I find that most drinks advertised to be lemon flavored just taste synthetic. This recipe for lemon & peppermint cordial is refreshing and will be a firm favorite in your home.

Don’t Throw Away the Peels!
Please, whatever you do, do not throw away your lemon peels! You can use them to make Chemical-Free Cleaning Spray! If you aren’t quite ready to do this, pop the peels in a bag and freeze them until you have some time to make the lemon-infused vinegar.

Which Mint to Use
It is pretty important that you use peppermint when making this recipe. Spearmint tastes too much like toothpaste (to me, at least) and other varieties may not pair with lemons well. By all means, experiment with other flavors but I recommend using peppermint.
Ideas for Serving Homemade Lemon & Peppermint Cordial
I grew up with my parents serving this drink to guests when they popped around to visit on winter afternoons. We would sit out in the sunshine warming up (South Africa has sunny winters). However, if you are in the Northern Hemisphere, here are some idea:
- A big glass of this cordial mixed with water, ice, and slices of lemon will be a refreshing drink to serve around a swimming pool, barbecue, or at a picnic.
- Jason makes me a lovely drink where he mixes a few drops of this cordial with whiskey, ice, and a dash of water.
- Freeze the cordial in an ice tray and plop one in a glass of water if you want a subtle lemon flavour.
What you will need to make Lemon & Peppermint Cordial
- Large pot
- Wooden Spoon
- Measuring Cups
- Juicer
- Bottles with lids for storing the cordial

Ingredients:
- 2 Cups Sugar
- 6 Cups Water
- 2 Cups Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/2 cup peppermint leaves torn apart

How to make Homemade Lemon & Peppermint Cordial
Step 1 –
Juice your lemons and keep the peels to make chemical-free cleaning spray later.
Step 2 –
Combine the sugar and 2 cups of water. Bring this mixture to a boil and let the sugar dissolve. Once the sugar is dissolved, switch off the stove and let the mixture cool down for a little while.
Step 3 –
Once the mixture has cooled down a bit, add the lemon juice and the remaining 4 cups of water. Then, stir in the ripped apart mint leaves. Let the mint leaves steep for 3–6 hours.
Step 4 –
Strain the cordial so that all the mint leaves are extracted. Then, bottle your cordial! I always keep my cordial in the fridge because we have a very warm climate and I’d hate for it to ferment.


Homemade Lemon & Peppermint Cordial
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Sugar
- 6 Cups Water
- 2 Cups Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/2 cup peppermint leaves torn apart
Instructions
1. Juice your lemons and keep the peels to make chemical-free cleaning spray later.
2. Combine the sugar and 2 cups of water. Bring this mixture to a boil and
let the sugar dissolve. Once the sugar is dissolved, switch off the
stove and let the mixture cool down for a little while.
3. Once the mixture has cooled down a bit, add the lemon juice and the
remaining 4 cups of water. Then, stir in the ripped apart mint leaves.
Let the mint leaves steep for 3–6 hours.
4. Strain the cordial so that all the mint leaves are extracted. Then,
bottle your cordial! I always keep my cordial in the fridge because we
have a very warm climate and I'd hate for it to ferment.
Hey Kid, brought back lovely memories for me too. Love you huge, Mom xx
How long does it keep and does the sugar help it keep? I have just picked loads before it goes to seed (uk) but last night made both some mint tea and experimented with one lemon and a bunch of mint which I just poured boiling water on. Made a bottle full- maybe a pint and a half, and drunk it all! But how long would it keep in the fridge bearing in mind it’s mostly water? I only put one dessert spoon of sugar in it and baulked at the two cups but may consider this if it preserves it in some way- does this make it into a concentrate? And was going to freeze the rest of the mint- does it freeze ok? Thanks