+ 7 Easy Tips to Make It Extra Yummy, Every Time!

~ This ultra-refreshing Lemon Lime Cucumber Water will inspire you to drink more water! And it’s so very pretty to share at parties or have on hand when guests pop by. But getting the flavor balance just right makes allllll the difference – I’m sharing the key tricks we discovered after extensive testing (and lots of sipping)! ~

This Recipe Is:   •  Ready in 30 Minutes or Less  •  Make Ahead  •  Vegan (and Vegetarian)  •  Gluten Free  •  Paleo  •

Seeing how very popular my “recipe” for Cucumber Water has been, I knew you’d love the bright, thirst-quenching flavors of this Lemon Lime Cucumber Water, too – especially as we head into the hotter summer months.

It’s incredibly refreshing!

And if you get the balance of flavors just right, you end up with a gorgeous, nuanced sipper that artfully layers invigorating citrus notes over soft, smooth, almost creamy cucumber flavor.

Geez, I feel like I’m describing a wine here!

And while I can’t guarantee you’ll choose it over a glass of wine … well, who knows?!? You might! 😉

When it’s properly balanced, this water’s got such a lovely flavor that you actually want to drink MORE water. Which is a great thing for all of us – like me! – who struggle to drink as much water as we should (mainly because plain ol’ water is just uninspiring and, frankly … BORING)!

So here’s the thing, though … the magic truly is in developing the flavors nicely. It’s not hard at all. (I promise!)

But I do have a few little tips and tricks to share with you, so you can get this Lemon Lime Cucumber Water recipe just right every single time, pitcher after pitcher after pitcher!

Like I said in my article on how to make the perfect “plain” Cucumber Water:

Making it really great wasn’t as obvious as I’d expected. We tested batch after batch …. after batch. And we were surprised at the simple nuances that made an important difference.

Here’s what we learned …

Tip #1: Use the Right Ratio

You don’t need to get obsessive about this, and you can absolutely vary the precise ratio to suit your personal tastes.

BUT …

After testing lots of variations, I found a solid starting point for you. It should give you a clean, crisp balance between the soft cucumber notes and the tart, bright citrus. The trick is not to use too much citrus, which drowns out the mellow, smoothing influence of the cucumber.

You might be surprised that you don’t actually need many lemon and lime slices at all!

Tip #2: Don’t Leave Your Lemons and Limes in Too Long

After sitting too long, the citrus becomes sharp, and adding more water doesn’t really fix that sharpness, but just dilutes the other flavors. So, it’s bet to remove the citrus when you’re happy with how flavorful your water is, probably around 4-6 hours.

Now … if you’re thinking logically here, you’re probably gonna jump to the conclusion that the way to solve the bitterness problem is to peel your limes and lemons. That way, you don’t have to worry about pulling them out before they get bitter, right? Just remove the peel and outer pith (with all their bitter citrus oils). Ahhhh … sounds perfectly logical.

That’s what I was thinking, too!

BUT …

Which brings us to …

Tip #3: Don’t Peel Your Cucumbers or Fruit

Yes … peeling your citrus does help to prevent some bitterness. But it also leads to an unpleasantly strong, aggressive citrus flavor that overwhelms the smooth nuances of the cucumber and throws everything out of balance.

After sitting for awhile, it ends up tasting “Like lemonade that’s just not sweet.” Meh. Not the best.

You still have to take the citrus out of the water before it gets overwhelming. And it’s a heck of a lot harder to fish the citrus out when it doesn’t have any peels and has broken into lots of little bits floating through the water.

And peeling your citrus causes other dilemmas, too. Especially if you’re signing your infused water up for a beauty pageant (or just want it to actually look enticing).

Peeling creates UGLY water.

Now, I realize that you might not normally think you need to worry about how attractive your water is. But, friends, I’m here to tell ya: when you open the refrigerator door and see a gorgeous, photo-worthy pitcher of ice cold infused water sitting there … looks really do matter.

You WANT to drink PRETTY water!

Soooooo …

Don’t peel your cucumbers, lemons and limes. They’re so much lovelier, so much more inviting with their vibrantly colored peels still on.

That’s even more important if you’re making a batch of this infused water to set out at a party or share with guests. (Repeat after me … looks matter. At least when it comes to infused water!)

Trust me, I tested the whole peeling concept. It’s not an attractive situation.

Not only do you lose those eye-catching stripes of peel, but your citrus tends to fall apart, with messy-looking bits floating all around.

But, since you’re leaving the peels on, you also need to …

Tip #4: Wash Your Produce Well

Give your cucumber and citrus fruit a good rinse and maybe a scrub before you slice them.

You’re going to be soaking them – skins and all – in your drinking water, so you definitely want to be sure you’ve rinsed off any dirt.

You might be thinking that choosing organic cucumbers and citrus is a good idea here, too. And it is!

But, as I explain in more detail in my article on making “basic” Cucumber Water, garden-harvested or farm market organic cukes likely won’t have been waxed the way those in the grocery store have been, which may lead to them tasting a bit stronger. So, adjust the amount of cucumber slices if you need to.

Tip #5: Use Regular Ol’ Cucumbers

I go into A LOT more detail about this in my article on “basic” Cucumber Water, so if you really want to geek out on this point, head over there to soak up all the details.

I absolutely expected that the seedless English cucumbers would be the best.

Nope!

In test after test, the standard, garden variety cucumbers were the clear, hands-down winners.

If you’re making a pitcher to drink immediately – say within half an hour – you actually do get a bit more cucumber flavor from the English and mini cukes, straight out of the gate.

But none of my testers liked the VERY cucumber-y, assertive flavor of water made with either the English or mini varieties, after the water pitcher had been hanging out in the fridge for longer than an hour.

I’d recommend simply always sticking with regular cucumbers for making great Lemon Lime Cucumber Water. No need to overthink it or get fancy!

Tip #6: It’s Better Cold

Temperature isn’t important in terms of how the flavors develop or how strong they become.

What matters here is the simple fact that my testers all agreed they preferred drinking infused water like this when it’s nice and cold. (Regardless of what temperature the water was when I initially made the batch.)

So, it doesn’t matter if you MAKE your Lemon Lime Cucumber Water recipe with chilled water or room temperature water. BUT … it’ll taste best if it’s chilled when you serve it.

So, Should You Add Ice?

It’s an ideal way to get your pitcher of water temptingly cold FAST. And to keep your refreshing drink pitcher pleasantly chilled for outdoor events or long parties.

And, it’s prettier, too!

But it’s totally optional.

Just remember that those ice cubes will eventually melt into additional water. So, you may need to toss in a few extra, fresh cucumber and citrus slices after a while, to ensure your infused water stays flavorful.

Tip #7: Yep, You Can Reuse Your Slices (Or Eat ‘Em!)

If you’re serving your Lemon Lime Cucumber Water at a party and it’s disappearing FAST (or if you’re a champion water guzzler yourself!), then it’s quick and easy to simply reuse your slices and top off the pitcher with additional water.

Eventually, your slices will start to lose their flavor. But you should be able to add fresh water two – or maybe even three – times before that’s a problem.

When you notice that your cukes and citrus are losing their flavor, you have a couple choices. You can either toss in a few new slices from time to time to pep things back up (like, if you’re hurrying to keep your party buffet table stocked and full). Or you can start over with a fresh batch of slices.

And if you want to nibble a cucumber slice now and then? No problem! If it’s been floating around for a while, it may not be very flavorful, but there’s nothing wrong with trying.

So, with all those tips in mind, let me bring it all together for you …

How to Make Great Lemon Lime Cucumber Water

Step 1:

Grab a (rinsed) cucumber, a lemon and a lime.

As I discussed in more detail in Tip #3 above, there’s no need to peel them. (And they look much prettier if you leave all the peels on. So much more enticing … beckoning you, beckoning you to drink MORE water!)

Slice your cucumber nice and thin – about 1/8″ thick. Using 5 ounces of cucumber, you end up with about 24-30 slices, or about 1 heaping cup.

Slice your lemon and lime a little thicker, though – you’re shooting for about 1/4″ inch thickness on those. Why cut them thicker? Simply because if you go thinner than 1/4″ inch, they tend to fall apart.

I like to remove the seeds from my citrus slices, so those don’t end up in my water.

You don’t need very many citrus slices to add nice flavor and properly balance out all those cucumbers. (See Tip #1 above, about using the right ratio.)

Surprisingly, through all our testing, we found that just 4 slices of lemon and 3 slices of lime was the ideal combination.

Step 2:

Pile your pretty slices of cucumber and citrus fruits in a large pitcher and add water.

As I mentioned in Tip #6 above, I like to start with cold water, so my water is perfectly chilled and drinkable quickly.

Give it all a gentle stir.

Step 3:

Resist the urge to start glugging that lovely refreshment straightaway. It takes just a few minutes for those colorful slices to begin to meld their refreshing flavors with the water they’re cheerily floating around in.

Give it 10 minutes, minimum, and you’ll be rewarded for your wait!

From there, the flavors will become stronger the longer the water sits. (Preferably in the fridge, so it stays refreshingly chilled.)

Your water should last in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.

But, if you’re going to have it around that long, you’ll find that the citrus flavor becomes too strong and bitter. So, for longer storage, remove your lemon and lime slices when you’re happy with the flavor balance. (I generally like to take them out after about 4-6 hours).

You don’t need to remove the cucumber slices (although you can if you want to). Their soft, mild flavor doesn’t overwhelm the citrus notes, even if you leave the cukes in for the full 2-3 days. As an added bonus, leaving the cucumber slices in looks prettier, too.

Step 4:

It’s a good idea to gently give it all a stir again before serving, to swirl the flavors evenly throughout.

And then …. ahhhhhhh … Enjoy!

Why Is Infused Water Like This So Good for You?

A lot of websites and “diet” advice get all amped up over infused water recipes being great as a detox drink or for helping to boost metabolism and weight loss. But, the true “detox” and health benefits of Lemon Lime Cucumber Water are really all about the water, and much less about the small amount of fresh fruits and veggies floating in it.

Humble, regular ol’ plain water is a healthy drink, all by itself … ideal for “detoxing” your body, for flushing out your systems, and for staying hydrated. With or without those pretty slices.

Sure, fruits and veggies have loads of good stuff going on (you might be thinking of those fresh lemons and limes and their vitamin C, for instance). But we’re not really looking at huge amounts of those nutrients from a few slices floating in your drink.

I go into additional detail in my article on “basic” Cucumber Water, but the key takeaway is that this Lemon Lime Cucumber Water is good for you … because water is good for you. From healthy skin to potentially helping to manage high blood pressure – the list of great health benefits goes on and on.

Add to that the fact that choosing infused water over sugary drinks saves calories and slashes sugar intake. Plus, it’s a great way to wean yourself off sugary drinks like soda and even sugar-loaded sports drinks.

So basically, the really big bonus here comes with the fact that people tend to find pretty-looking water like this much more enticing. And that means they’re more likely to drink enough water each day and hit their water intake goals, since if it feels special and tastes more interesting than plain tap water.

No doubt … when it comes to an easy health victory you can achieve on a daily basis, drinking more water is a very good thing!

Spa Water (That You’ll Actually Enjoy Drinking!)

There’s a reason that spas, high-end health clubs and swanky resort hotels so often have big, icy-cold glass jugs of infused water, all ready to welcome you as you enter.

Even though it’s ridiculously inexpensive to make, it feels pampering and special. And, of course, thirst-quenching!

So go on … pamper yourself a little!

Make up a gorgeous pitcher of delicious, refreshing Lemon Lime Cucumber Water. You just might be surprised how much you LOVE drinking water. (And how much you love opening your fridge to see a pretty pitcher waiting to greet you!)