Spiced Pear Lemonade with Cardamom and Cinnamon

Name: Spiced Pear Lemonade With Cinnamon and Cardamom
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 57 min
Yield: 6 servings, about 7 cups lemonade
Cuisine: International
Ingredients: 3 ripe pears, about 1 1/4 pounds total, cored and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 cup water; 2 cinnamon sticks, each about 3 inches long; 8 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed with the side of a knife; 1 strip lemon peel, about 3 inches long, removed with a vegetable peeler; 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, from about 5 to 7 medium lemons; 1 cup pear nectar or unsweetened pear juice, chilled; 3 cups cold water, plus 1/2 cup more if you prefer a lighter lemonade; 1 1/4 cups cooled spiced pear syrup, or to taste; 2 cups ice, for the pitcher; Ice, for glasses; 1 small pear, thinly sliced; 1 lemon, thinly sliced into wheels; 6 small cinnamon sticks, optional, for garnish; 6 lightly crushed cardamom pods, optional, for garnish

Imperial June 25, 2026June 25, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 6 servings, about 7 cups lemonade
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 57 minutes, including cooling and chilling

Quick Ingredients

3 ripe pears, cored and chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 cinnamon sticks
8 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 strip lemon peel, 3 inches long
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup pear nectar or unsweetened pear juice, chilled
3 cups cold water, plus more to taste
2 cups ice, plus more for serving
Pear slices, lemon wheels, and cinnamon sticks for garnish

Do This

1. Combine chopped pears, sugar, water, cinnamon sticks, crushed cardamom pods, lemon peel, and salt in a saucepan.
2. Simmer over medium heat until the pears are very soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Remove the cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and lemon peel, then blend the pear mixture until smooth.
4. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and cool the spiced pear syrup for 25 minutes.
5. Stir together 1 1/4 cups pear syrup, lemon juice, pear nectar, and 3 cups cold water in a pitcher.
6. Chill for 20 minutes, then serve over ice with pear slices, lemon wheels, and cinnamon sticks.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Bright but cozy: Fresh lemon keeps it lively, while cinnamon and cardamom add gentle warmth.
Real pear flavor: Simmered ripe pears create a syrup that tastes juicy, fragrant, and naturally fruity.
Great for gatherings: Make the syrup ahead, mix a pitcher when guests arrive, and garnish it beautifully.
Easy to adjust: Add more water for a lighter sip, more syrup for sweetness, or sparkling water for fizz.

Grocery List

Produce: 3 ripe pears, 5 to 7 lemons, extra pear slices for garnish, extra lemon wheels for garnish
Dairy: None needed
Pantry: Granulated sugar, cinnamon sticks, green cardamom pods, fine sea salt, pear nectar or unsweetened pear juice, ice

Full Ingredients

For the Spiced Pear Syrup

3 ripe pears, about 1 1/4 pounds total, cored and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 cinnamon sticks, each about 3 inches long
8 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed with the side of a knife
1 strip lemon peel, about 3 inches long, removed with a vegetable peeler
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the Lemonade

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, from about 5 to 7 medium lemons
1 cup pear nectar or unsweetened pear juice, chilled
3 cups cold water, plus 1/2 cup more if you prefer a lighter lemonade
1 1/4 cups cooled spiced pear syrup, or to taste
2 cups ice, for the pitcher

For Serving

Ice, for glasses
1 small pear, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced into wheels
6 small cinnamon sticks, optional, for garnish
6 lightly crushed cardamom pods, optional, for garnish

Spiced Pear Lemonade with Cardamom and Cinnamon – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the pears and spices

Core the pears and chop them into 1/2-inch pieces. You do not need to peel them because the syrup will be strained later, and the peels add extra pear aroma. Lightly crush the cardamom pods with the flat side of a knife so their fragrance can infuse into the syrup without making the drink gritty.

Step 2: Simmer the spiced pear syrup

In a medium saucepan, combine the chopped pears, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup water, 2 cinnamon sticks, 8 crushed cardamom pods, 1 strip lemon peel, and 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt. Set the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, about 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pears are very soft and the syrup smells fragrant.

Step 3: Remove the whole spices

Take the saucepan off the heat. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove and discard the cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and lemon peel. This keeps the spice flavor smooth and balanced rather than sharp or overpowering.

Step 4: Blend and strain the syrup

Carefully transfer the warm pear mixture to a blender and blend on medium speed for 30 to 45 seconds, until smooth. If your blender lid has a center cap, remove it and cover the opening with a folded kitchen towel to allow steam to escape safely. Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl or jar, pressing gently with a spoon to extract the syrup. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of syrup.

Step 5: Cool the syrup

Let the spiced pear syrup cool at room temperature for 25 minutes, or until it is no longer hot to the touch. For faster cooling, place the jar of syrup in an ice bath and stir every few minutes. The syrup should be cool before mixing so it does not melt the pitcher ice too quickly.

Step 6: Mix the lemonade

In a large pitcher, stir together 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 cup chilled pear nectar or unsweetened pear juice, 3 cups cold water, and 1 1/4 cups cooled spiced pear syrup. Taste and adjust as needed: add up to 1/2 cup additional cold water for a lighter lemonade, or add 1 to 2 tablespoons more syrup if you prefer it sweeter.

Step 7: Chill, garnish, and serve

Add 2 cups ice to the pitcher and stir well. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until the lemonade is thoroughly chilled to about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve in ice-filled glasses with thin pear slices, lemon wheels, and a cinnamon stick if you like. For the prettiest presentation, add the garnishes just before serving so the fruit looks fresh and crisp.

Pro Tips

Use ripe pears: Bartlett, Anjou, or Comice pears work especially well because they become sweet and fragrant when simmered.
Fresh lemon juice matters: Bottled lemon juice can taste flat or bitter here, so squeeze fresh lemons for the brightest flavor.
Do not overdo the cardamom: Cardamom is aromatic and strong. Lightly crushed pods give a softer flavor than ground cardamom.
Strain for a polished drink: Press the pear puree gently through the sieve. Pressing too hard can push thicker pulp through and make the lemonade cloudy, which is fine for flavor but less refined in texture.
Adjust after chilling: Cold drinks taste slightly less sweet than room-temperature drinks, so do your final sweetness check after the lemonade has chilled.

Variations

Sparkling Spiced Pear Lemonade: Replace 2 cups of the cold water with 2 cups chilled sparkling water. Stir in the sparkling water just before serving to keep the bubbles lively.
Ginger Pear Lemonade: Add 4 thin slices fresh ginger to the saucepan with the pears and spices. Remove the ginger before blending for a warm, lightly spicy finish.
Honeyed Pear Lemonade: Replace 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar with 1/3 cup honey. The syrup will taste more floral and slightly richer.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store leftover lemonade in a covered pitcher or jar in the refrigerator at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below for up to 3 days. For the freshest texture, remove any pear slices or lemon wheels before storing because they can soften and make the drink slightly bitter over time. The spiced pear syrup can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight jar. Stir the syrup before using, then mix the lemonade shortly before serving. You can also freeze the syrup in ice cube trays for up to 2 months; use the cubes to chill future glasses of lemonade without diluting the pear flavor.

Nutrition (per serving)