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This cucumber lemon water is bright, cooling, and comes together in 5 minutes. Slice, muddle, and chill: no sugar needed and it’s great for parties or weekday hydration.

We all know we’re supposed to drink a lot of water. But do you ever get kind of bored? (I do.) Here’s my solution: cucumber lemon water! Making an infused water brings big flavor to boring old water: and it takes only 5 minutes.

It’s also a perfect drink for entertaining, because it looks so beautiful and seems “fancy”. Alex and I have been making lots of infused waters and this is a solid favorite. Here’s how to make this cucumber lemon water!

5 Star Reader Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I added fresh lemon balm from my garden…DELICIOUS & REFRESHING! Thank you for this recipe!” -Dee

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Cucumber lemon water is seriously simple to make: the hardest part is thinking ahead! All you’ve got to do is cut up the vegetables and make it in advance by about 1 hour, more if you have time.

For a party, it’s easy to make up a big batch in the morning to be ready by the afternoon. Since it takes only 5 minutes of hands on time, it’s just a matter of fixing it up quickly and popping it in the fridge to infuse!

How to Make Cucumber Lemon Water

Here’s how to make cucumber lemon water (or jump to the recipe below for quantities):

Thinly slice 1 lemon and 1 cucumber. Then place them in the bottom of a pitcher.
Using a wooden spoon, lightly mash the cucumber and lemon to release their juices.
Add 8 cups cold water and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

In a hurry? The flavor is actually pretty good right away too, so if you’re in a pinch, you could just make it right away with very cold water.

Does Cucumber Lemon Water Get Better Over Time?

Yes, the flavor of cucumber lemon water gets better over time. It’s great after refrigerating for 1 hour, and even better after refrigerating for 2 to 3 hours. You’ll find the flavor is still great after refrigerating for 1 day.

How Long Does It Last?

As I noted above, it is possible to make cucumber lemon water without letting it refrigerate for 1 hour: it will still have a great flavor! Just make sure to use extra cold water when you’re making it (you don’t want to dilute it with ice to get it cold).

After more than 1 day in the refrigerator, however, the flavor can become a little bitter. We’d recommend drinking this water within 1 day of making it. This is easy if you’re serving it at a party: and if not, a good way to motivate yourself to drink more water!

Flavor Variations to Try

Here are a few of my go-to riffs:

Add fresh herbs. A handful of mint or basil adds herby notes. (One reader added lemon balm from her garden!)
Go all-cucumber or all-lemon. For something simpler, try straight-up Cucumber Water or Lemon Water Recipe.
Mix in mint and lime. My Lime Water Recipe and Easy Mint Water are two more no-fuss favorites.
Build a big batch. For a crowd, my Fruit Infused Water Recipe is fun!

Benefits of Drinking Cucumber Lemon Water

There are lots of health benefits of drinking lemon water (see these 12 Benefits of Lemon Water). I’m not a health care professional, but I do know that drinking water is always a good thing! Cucumber lemon water turns ordinary water into something more special than tap water, and it’s a great substitute for soda or other sugary drinks.

You may have heard complaints about lemon water about the acidity of lemon juice eroding on the enamel of your teeth. This isn’t a problem if you’re drinking this cucumber lemon water occasionally. But if you drink it often and worry about lemon juice eroding your tooth enamel over time, try drinking it through a straw to avoid contact with your teeth.

Dietary Notes

This cucumber lemon water recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, gluten-free, naturally sweet, and refined sugar free.