This Pamplemousse La Croix and Lavender Mocktail Is Your New Summer Drink

Apr 15, 2021

Everyone needs a tasty mocktail to have on hand for easy summer sipping. If you're addicted to La Croix (which rhymes with enjoy FYI) and hoarding cases like everyone else, this fun drink will have you happily release a few. Our recipe mixes Pamplemousse La Croix with a homemade lavender simple syrup and fresh grapefruit juice to hit the spot.

Lavender isn't just for sleepytime tea and lotions. Use the dried, food-quality buds (you can pick them up in the spice section) to infuse a simple syrup to mix with cocktails, to sweeten a cup of hot tea, or to use in a mocktail like this one. If the day calls for it, this refreshing drink can be spiked too. Simply add a shot of tequila, vodka, or gin, and you'll be in business… or should we say on vacay?

Pamplemousse La Croix and Lavender Mocktails

(Makes 2 10-ounce drinks)

Ingredients:

Lavender Simple Syrup:

2 cups water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons food-quality, dried lavender

Mocktails:

ice
6 ounces grapefruit juice
2 ounces of lavender simple syrup
4 ounces Pamplemousse La Croix soda
Grapefruit slices, to garnish

Instructions:

1. To Make the Simple Syrup: Add the water, sugar, and lavender to a small saucepan over high heat. Whisk to combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to steep for about 30 minutes, covered.

2. Strain the lavender buds from the liquid and discard. Allow the mixture to cool. You can store the simple syrup in a glass container in the refrigerator for about two weeks.

3. To Make the Mocktails: Add ice to a cocktail shaker and to 2 (10-ounce) glasses. Add the grapefruit juice and simple syrup to the shaker. Shake, then pour evenly into the glasses. Top each drink with the La Croix. Garnish with grapefruit and enjoy.

Ready for more mocktails? Follow us on Pinterest!

(Recipe and photos via Patricia Conte / Brit + Co)

This post has been updated.

10 Tips For Fake Drinking When You’re Secretly Pregnant

When you're often the life of the party and happen to be partnered up and in your 30s, you'll instantly turn heads when you say no to booze. I can personally attest to the difficulty of this. As someone who loves happy hour and has a particular affinity for lemon drop shotsin totally inappropriate settings, there was no way I could get away with *not* drinking without inviting questioning looks.

Before I give you the guide to fake drinking when you're secretly pregnant, let me take this moment to make a PSA. If you see that a female friend of yours isn't drinking and she usually does, try not to ask her if she's expecting in front of everyone. She might be secretly pregnant, taking fertility drugs that can't be combined with alcohol, just trying to lower her dosage of alcohol with the hope that it helps her get pregnant. There's also the chance she might just be…not drinking. Be as it may, no one wants to be bombarded with pregnancy questions.

Of course, not everyone is going to take my PSA seriously, so I've got some tips and tricks for all you pre-reveal preggos. These same tips apply to gals who are not drinking because they are trying to conceive. I was personally in this non-drinking camp for about five months before getting pregnant.

And how's this for proof? I organized and attended a bachelorette party for two of my very best friends with about eight of my other besties present — and no one had ANY idea I was pregnant. So, trust me — I'm a bona fide pro at fake drinking.

Rosee Canfield for Brit + Co