How To Infuse Citrus Flavor In Drinks Without The Steep Time

If you've ever infused a fancy drink with a bright citrus flavor, it probably took you a little while to achieve, right? Infusing is a process that typically involves long soaks and hours of patience. Turns out, if you're in a rush or the afternoon cocktail idea was sprung on you last minute, you can achieve a beautiful, balanced citrus flavor without any steeping at all. Simply blend the flavor right into your drink.

Yes, blend. Yes, all of it. We're talking zest, peel, and juice — even whole segments can be thrown into a blender with the rest of your liquids. Sweeten it up with a little sugar or syrup, or even throw some herbs and spices straight in there. This is a party everyone is invited to! All you need to do after blending is give it a good strain with fine mesh or cheesecloth to get all the chunky bits out. You're left with a brilliantly flavored mix that tastes like it was steeped overnight. This is one of the simple formulas for crafting perfect mocktails every time because it's fast, fresh, and highly customizable. In addition to mocktails, this technique works for lemonade, cocktails, soda, and herbal tea. It can even jazz up some basic sparkling water on a hot day. It's a great way to skip the middleman, save yourself a load of time, and get a flavor hit immediately.

Now that you've nailed the secret to blending citrus right into your drink, you can get really fancy with it. We actually have a top secret tip to achieving better cocktails: Grill your lemons. Just a quick-and-fast char can caramelize the sugar and bring out some depth to lemons, or even limes, oranges, and grapefuit. For a really exciting and unique twist, try throwing the grilled citrus into the blender, just like you would with the raw citrus. This adds real complexity to your drink, almost like a smoky-and-savory edge that pairs well with deeper flavors, such as tequila, ginger, and bourbon.

The blending is the time-saving part, but once that's down it's your time to riff. Grab a handful of crushed ice, for example, and add a squeeze of charred lime, some bitters, some fresh herbs, and a pinch of salt. These little tricks, combined with blending the citrus in, are all ways to add enough layers and depth to rival anything on the 25 most popular cocktails of all time list.