Skip to main content
Epicurious
Bon Appétit

Spicy Lemon-Ginger Tonic, Two Ways

By Kendra Vaculin

5.0

(1)

Spicy LemonGinger Tonic served two ways hot in a mug and cold in a cup with ice.
Photograph by Doaa Elkady, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker

Lemon, ginger, and honey are a time-tested trifecta. Here they make up the base of a flavor-packed concentrate that you’ll find yourself making all year round. Top a few tablespoons with hot water to make a steamy, cold-busting elixir during winter months, and pour it over ice with sparkling water for a sweet-spicy refresher in spring and summer.

What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4–5 servings

Ingredients

10 oz. ginger, peeled, coarsely chopped
5 wide strips lemon zest
1 cup fresh lemon juice (from 5–6 lemons)
¼ cup honey
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of kosher salt
Seltzer (optional; for serving)
Lemon wheels or twists (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring 10 oz. ginger, peeled, coarsely chopped, 5 wide strips lemon zest, 1 cup fresh lemon juice (from 5–6 lemons), ¼ cup honey, pinch of cayenne pepper, pinch of kosher salt, and ½ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture is darkened in color and reduced by about one third, 30–40 minutes.

    Step 2

    Strain tonic through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl or measuring glass, pressing on solids to release as much liquid as possible; discard solids (you should have ½–⅔ cup tonic).

    Step 3

    To serve hot, pour 2 Tbsp. tonic into each mug. Top with hot water as desired and garnish with lemon wheels or twists.

    Step 4

    To serve cold, pour 2 Tbsp. tonic into each ice-filled glass. Top with seltzer as desired and garnish with lemon wheels or twists.

    Do ahead: Tonic can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

TagsBeveragesNonalcoholicLemonCitrusFruitGingerHerbs & SpicesHot DrinkCold DrinkSimmerBon Appétit

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Beergarita
The beergarita perfectly encapsulates laid-back summer sipping in a single pitcher, combining the familiarity of a margarita with the effervescence of beer.
Baan Mae’s Thom Khem Thaohu
Slowly caramelized sugar, sweet lychees, warming spices, and fiery ginger create the perfect base for tofu to simmer in.
Super Seedy Power Cookies
As energizing as an energy bar, with a much simpler ingredient list.
Turkish-Style Eggs and Tomatoes
This riff on çılbır marries garlicky yogurt, fried eggs, and spiced butter with summer tomatoes.
Green Beans With Tahini Sbagliato
An accidental recipe (sbagliatio means mistaken in Italian) yields a delicious herby tahini dressing that is excellent poured over lightly blanched green beans.
Summer Berry Stovetop Crisp
This no-oven-needed crisp can be made with almost any fresh berry (we’d avoid raspberries) and comes together within 45 minutes.
Gingery Pork Stuffed Tomatoes
We reimagined pork dumplings as a filling for juicy stuffed tomatoes.
Green Chutney Chicken
Cilantro and a handful of basic spices brings vibrant green color and rich flavor to broiled chicken thighs. Served with rice or naan, this is a weeknight win.