How to Make Flavored Water

Fruit-infused water is delicious and healthy. Keep a pitcher or two in your refrigerator and staying hydrated will be much easier.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Basic Fruit Recipes

Download Article

1
Make citrus water. Wash 1–3 citrus fruits per quart (liter). Slice into thin rounds and leave in cold water for at least three hours. If you plan to leave it in longer for more intense flavor, cut off the rinds first to avoid bitter flavors.^{[1]XResearch source}
- See below for a step-by-step guide covering all fruit and herb recipes.
- Try adding ¼ cup (60mL) mint or basil leaves.
2
Flavor with strawberries or raspberries. Use about 1 cup (240mL) fruit per quart (liter) water. Fresh berries won't infuse well until they're crushed with a wooden spoon. Frozen berries are already broken, but you may crush further to speed things up. Infuse for three hours or more, then strain.
- This combines well with the juice of half a lemon.
Advertisement
3
Create a cucumber concoction. Slice a cucumber into thin rounds and add to a pitcher of water. Let steep overnight, then drink within a day or two.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Optionally, cut the whole cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out the pulp before slicing.
- Enhance this mild flavor with three or four slices of lemon or cubes of pineapple.
This sophisticated combination is subtle but delicious. Try 1 cup (240mL) blackberries per quart (liter), plus a handful of sage leaves.^{[3]XResearch source}
Apple and other hard fruits don't seep flavor as quickly as others. Slice very thinly and infuse for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. An hour before serving, transfer to room temperature for added flavor.^{[4]XResearch source}

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Flavoring Water with Fruit

Download Article

1
Select your fruit. Follow one of the recipes above, or just choose your favorite fruit. You can play around with the amounts, but start with several small fruits per quart (liter), or 1–2 cups (240–480mL) berries or cubed fruit.
- Fresh fruit in season has the best flavor. Frozen fruit won't look as attractive, but may have more flavor than out-of-season fresh fruit.^{[5]XResearch source}
2
Wash fruit thoroughly. Rub all fresh fruit thoroughly under cool, running water. Since the peel will be sitting in the water, scrubbing contaminants off the surface is extra important.
- If the fruit is not organic, consider peeling it to remove pesticides on the surface.
- This is not necessary for frozen fruit.
3
Slice into wedges or rounds. Rounds will infuse more quickly on their own if they are weighed down underneath ice cubes. Wedges may not add much flavor unless you muddle the fruit as described below.
- Slice rounds in half for a narrow pitcher.
- No slicing is necessary for berries or cubed fruit.
4
Add to cold water. Drop your fruit into a pitcher of chilled or room temperature water. If you dislike the taste of your tap water, put it through a filtration device before adding fruit.
- Hot water will infuse with flavor more quickly, but turns the fruit into mush and may destroy some nutrients.^{[6]XResearch source}
5
Muddle gently (optional). Crushing the fruit will speed up the infusion significantly, but you may end up with a murky, pulpy mixture. For a more attractive pitcher, squeeze some of the juice out using a wooden spoon handle, pressing and twisting but not pulverizing the fruit completely.^{[7]XResearch source} Leave the fruit untouched if you can wait a few hours.
- Alternatively, leave whole slices in for decoration, but squeeze in the juice of one fruit to add more flavor.
- To flavor a single glass of water for immediate drinking, pulverize the fruit with a muddling stick.
6
Add a handful of herbs (optional). Mint and basil are the most common options, but you can use rosemary, sage, or just about any other herb. Rinse the leaves, then rub them between clean hands to bruise them slightly before adding to the water.
- You can add dried herbs, but place them in a tea strainer so they don't leave fragments in the drink.
Besides chilling the water, ice weighs down fruit that floats to the top and filters out some of the fruit pieces while pouring.
8
Wait for infusion. Chill the water in the refrigerator for 3–4 hours, or up to 12 hours for extra-potent flavor. To avoid bacteria and unpleasant flavors, strain out ingredients after 12 hours and drink within three days.^{[8]XResearch source} Stir before serving.
- The water will infuse faster at room temperature, but also decompose faster. Steep for 1–2 hours, and drink within 4–5 hours of mixing.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Kicking It up a Notch

Download Article

1
Combine with tea. Let your fruit sit in the same pitcher as a tea bag or tea strainer. Keep this at room temperature, so the tea infuses without overpowering the other flavors. Steep for 1–3 hours, remove tea, and drink immediately. Try these recipes, adding each one to a quart (liter) of water:
- Black tea bag, three mandarin oranges, four basil leaves, black tea bag^{[9]XResearch source}
- Two green tea bags, ½ mango (sliced), ¼ cup (60mL) strawberries
2
Infuse with spices. Add a stick of cinnamon, a tablespoon (15mL) fresh grated ginger, and/or ¼ tsp (1 mL) vanilla extract. These work particularly well in tangy recipes. Try the following:
- ½ cup (120mL) cubed pineapple, ½ sliced orange, 1 tbsp (15mL) grated ginger^{[10]XResearch source}
- 1 cup (240mL) blueberries, ¼ tsp (1 mL) vanilla extract
Make your own soda replacement with low sugar and no artificial sweeteners.
4
Mix in coconut water. Replace ¼ of your water with coconut water. Try infusing with peaches or honeydew melon.
- You may use coconut milk instead, but the thicker, richer drink may be more difficult to balance with fruit.

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question
How long do I let the water infuse?
Community Answer
For maximum flavor, refrigerate it overnight.
Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn
Yes No
Not Helpful 2 Helpful 7
Question
Can I use apples and cinnamon?
SAJF85
Community Answer
If you can juice the apple, apples would be fine. The cinnamon, however, might be hard to mix in.
Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn
Yes No
Not Helpful 3 Helpful 5
Question
What can I do if I don't really like the taste of green tea?
Bridget Ward
Community Answer
If you don't like the taste of green tea, perhaps you should try adding honey or lemon juice.
Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn
Yes No
Not Helpful 3 Helpful 6

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

Large canning jars are cheaper than pitchers. Buy a box of them if you'd like to make a variety of water drinks.
Thanks
Helpful0 Not Helpful0
The leftover fruit has lent most of its flavor to the water, but it remains edible.
Thanks
Helpful0 Not Helpful0

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

Fruit or herbs left in the water may rot without any visible signs. Do not leave at room temperature for more than 5 hours, or in the refrigerator for more than three days.
Thanks
Helpful10 Not Helpful0