Butterfly Pea Lemonade

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Wow your guests with this crowd-pleasing Butterfly Pea lemonade! Made with only a few natural ingredients, this recipe just requires a few simple steps, Butterfly pea flower lemonade is a delicious, refreshing drink that is gaining popularity around the world.

This unique beverage combines the sweet and tangy taste of lemons with the vibrant blue color of butterfly pea flowers. Not only does it look beautiful in a glass, but it also has many health benefits due to its high antioxidant content.

Butterfly pea flower lemonade can be enjoyed as an energizing pick-me-up for yourself or served at your next gathering. Try it today and experience this amazing elixir for yourself!

What Are Butterfly Pea Flowers?

Butterfly pea flowers, also known as Clitoria ternatea, have beautiful blue flowers and is a vining plant native to Southeast Asia. These vibrant vines and flowers can be found in warm climates, as they require sunny and frost-free environments.

Butterfly Pea flowers have been used for centuries in traditional medicine, known for their skin benefits, improving eyesight, and aiding digestion.

Known by more names than one including Asian Pigeon Wings, Butterfly Pea, Blue Pea, and Blue Bell Vine. They are also often used to naturally color dishes and drinks due to their intense blue color.

What Does Butterfly Pea Flower Taste Like?

Butterfly pea flowers have a very light earthy and vegetative taste to them. While not unpleasant it can be rather underwhelming. Using it to make tea, latte, lemonade, or a cocktail is a great way to use this amazing flower and enjoy its bright color! The Butterfly pea lemonade taste is amazing!

How Does it Change Colors?

When making Butterfly Pea Lemonade, you’ll be amazed to see the color of the drink change from blue to purple as it mixes with citrus. The reason for this “magic” is a simple one – the lemon juice changes the pH level of the tea, which in turn causes a change that shifts the bright blue color to a more purple-like shade.

They Call It Magic Lemonade

It is interesting to note that this reaction will occur with any citrus including limes. The purple hue looks great in a serving glass with a lemon slice or two.

Benefits of Butterfly Pea Flowers

Butterfly pea flowers are known for their incredible health benefits, which have been recognized for centuries. This unique plant has a plethora of vitamins and minerals, making it an incredibly powerful superfood!

• Studies have shown that Butterfly Pea Flowers may help improve vision health.
• They may also aid in digestion.
• Additionally, Butterfly Pea Flowers may reduce inflammation throughout the body and calm skin irritations.
• Butterfly Pea Flowers are rich in antioxidants.
• In addition to their medicinal properties, butterfly pea flowers can be used topically on the skin as well. They contain natural anti-ageing ingredients that can help reduce wrinkles and soften skin texture. Plus, they have anti-bacterial properties that can keep bacteria away from the skin!

Why this Recipe Works and Why You Will Love it!

• This flavorful lemonade is made with natural ingredients.
• It starts with a bright blue color, but changes to a deep purple color.
• A bold drink that tastes wonderful and is refreshing.
• Is a true crowd-pleaser!
• A great make-ahead recipe.

Ingredients For Butterfly Pea Tea Lemonade

Here are the ingredients you will need for this butterfly pea flower tea recipe:

• Butterfly Pea Flowers – I use whole dried butterfly pea flowers in the recipe and they work wonderfully. Butterfly pea flowers are fairly simple to source online if there are none available to you in-store or fresh. Be sure to look for whole flowers that are food-grade and organic to ensure the highest quality!
• Sugar – Regular granulated sugar is perfect in this recipe as it dissolves well and leaves a smooth drink without a grainy texture. It makes a great simple syrup.
• Water – Fresh filtered water is best in this recipe.
• Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice is preferable, but lemon juice from concentrate also works well for this recipe. (You can also substitute with limes to make a limeade.)
• Lavender (optional) – Use food-grade lavender buds to add more floral flavor to this lemonade. While using lavender is optional it does add another layer to this herbal lemonade.
• Blue Matcha (optional) – To get an extra deep rich purple color, add a teaspoon of blue matcha. Blue matcha is essentially finely ground butterfly pea flowers. This concentrated powder form helps bring a deeper color to your lemonade.

How to Make Butterfly Pea Lemonade

Here is a step-by-step guide for making this pea flower lemonade recipe:

Step One: Add Water To The Saucepan

Add 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar to a small saucepan on the stovetop over low heat.

Step Two: Dissolve Sugar

Stir over low heat until the white sugar has fully dissolved.

Step Three: Add Butterfly Pea Flower

Turn off the heat and add butterfly pea flowers and lavender buds, and whisk in blue matcha.

Step Four: Cover And Steep Butterfly Lemonade Tea

Cover and steep for up to 10 minutes. Once the tea has finished steeping, strain out flowers with a fine strainer or cheesecloth. Allow the syrup mixture to cool completely and transfer to a mason jar.

Step Five: Combine Lemon With Water

Meanwhile, combine lemon juice and water.

Step Six: Add Syrup To Pitcher

Next, slowly pour the syrup into the bottom of a pitcher.

Step Seven: Combine All Ingredients

Finally, pour overtop the lemon juice and water. Stir together until combined.

Step Eight: Serve Butterfly Pea Flower Tea

Serve over ice cubes and garnish with fresh lemon slices.

Butterfly Pea Lemonade Recipe Tips

• Only a small about of blue matcha is needed to make a bold color. Be sure to use a cheesecloth or an extra fine strainer to strain any powder.
• Try using lime juice for a fun variation.
• The addition of lavender adds a deeper floral flavor that is lovely and compliments the lemons and butterfly flowers.
• Use leftover lemonade to make ice cubes!
• If you do not want to make a large batch of lemonade, keep the syrup and lemon mixture separate and use smaller amounts to make single servings.
• Add a bit of fizz by substituting filtered water with unflavored carbonated water.
• Garnish your lemonade with extra lemon or lime slices and add mint or rosemary sprigs.

Can I Make Butterfly Pea Lemonade In The Instant Pot?

Yes! You sure can. To make this delicious butterfly pea flower lemonade in the pressure cooker, you’ll need to use the saute function (low heat) button on the Instant Pot instead of using a saucepan.

Be sure to switch off the Instant Pot before covering it with the Instant Pot lid and steep the butterfly pea lemonade in the Instant Pot for 10 minutes before placing into the mason jar.

Can I Use Brown Sugar For Butterfly Pea Tea?

Yes, you can use brown sugar, however, it is better to use granulated sugar as it dissolves quicker. If you do choose to use brown sugar, mix in 1/4 cup at a time and whisk until fully dissolved before adding the next portion of sugar.

Best Water For Butterfly Pea Lemonade

When it comes to the water for this butterfly pea flower lemonade you have a few options. You can use cold water or hot water at the start or even sparkling water. Either will work with this recipe.

Whatever water you use, this lemonade is 10 x better than store-bought lemonade and so much healthier too.

How To Store Cold Blue Tea

To store your butterfly pea lemonade, pour it into a tall refrigerator-safe container and keep it in the refrigerator.

This lemonade should keep well for up to 5 days if stored properly. Of course, if an off-color develops or foul odor, discard it immediately.

Butterfly Pea Lemonade Recipe Ingredients

1/2 Cup Butterfly Pea Flowers (lightly packed dried flowers)

6 Cups Water, divided

1 Cup Lemon Juice

1 Cup Sugar

1 Tablespoon Dried Food Grade Lavender Buds (optional)

1 Teaspoon Blue Matcha (optional)

This colour-changing lemonade recipe takes only about 15 minutes to prepare and needs at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator to cool down. Enjoy this Butterfly tea recipe today!

More Instant Pot Recipes

If you love this recipe then why not try more Instant Pot recipes? You may enjoy the following:

• Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
• Instant Pot Hot Chocolate
• Instant Pot Potpourri