10 Lemon Balm Recipes (Food & Drinks)

Are you looking for a way to incorporate the delightful flavor of lemon balm into your food and drinks? Whether you want a soothing beverage, a vibrant spritzer, or a unique dessert, lemon balm can add a burst of citrusy freshness to your culinary creations.

In this article, we’ll explore a variety of lemon balm recipes, ensuring there’s something for everyone to savor. Check out how you can make the most of lemon balm in your kitchen and impress your friends and family with these delightful treats.

Lemon Balm Herbal Iced Tea

• Total: 40 mins
• Servings: 8

Ingredients

• lemon balm leaves
• 1 teaball green tea, or a couple tea bags
• 6 cups water

Instructions

1. Roughly chop up your leaves and give them a quick rinse to get all the bugs off.
2. Bring about 6 cups of water to a boil, then turn off the heat and add the lemon balm leaves and a tea ball (or a couple of tea bags) of green tea.
3. Let the green tea steep for 5-6 minutes, then remove.
4.  Continue to let the lemon balm steep for up to 30 minutes. 
5. Add a drizzle or two of honey if desired. 
6. Strain the tea into a ½ gallon glass jar and top off with ice.

Notes

• Store lemon balm herbal tea in the fridge until ready to serve.

Honey Lemon Balm Spritzer

This bright and crisp Honey Lemon Balm Spritzer recipe will add a happy touch to any meal or celebration. It’s easy to prepare ahead and keep refrigerated until ready to serve on that hot summer day.

• Total: 15 mins
• Servings: 48 ounces

Ingredients

•  1/2 cup honey (orange blossom or other citrus blossom honey is nice for this recipe)
•  2 cups warm water
•  1/2 cup lime or lemon juice (or combination of the two)
•  1 cup cold water
•  1 cup lemon balm, lightly packed (substitute mint leaves for a minty version)
•  lime or lemon slices
•  2 cups cold sparkling water
•  optional: 1 ounce/per serving of light liquor (rum, gin, or St. Germain to name a few)

Instructions

1. In a large pitcher, mix honey and warm water until honey combined.
2. Add lime/lemon juice, and 1 cup cold water. Mix well.
3. Crush lemon balm and add to mixture. Using a muddle or wooden spoon handle, smash lemon balm in bottom of pitcher. Add lime/lemon slices and refrigerate mixture until chilled (about an hour).
4. Once chilled, add 2 cups of cold sparkling water. Stir.
5. Pour through a strainer into individual glasses over crushed ice.
6. Garnish beverages with lemon balm leaves and citrus slices
7. For alcoholic version, stir in 1 oz. of light liquor to each glass.

Lavender + Lemon Balm Popsicles

These herbal popsicles are easy to make and especially delicious on a hot day!

• Total: 20 mins
• Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 5-6 whole fresh lavender blossoms
• 1 small handful fresh lemon balm
• 2-4 tbsp honey

Instructions

1. Bring the water to a boil, then pour over the lavender and lemon balm in a quart sized jar.
2. Steep the tea for 10-15 minutes, then strain out the herbs with a fine mesh sieve and stir in the honey to your desired sweetness.
3. Let the tea cool down a bit (you can add a few ice cubes if you’re impatient like me), then pour it into a popsicle mold. Freeze for several hours or overnight.

Notes

I used this stainless steel popsicle mold in this recipe.

Lemon Balm Tea

If you’re looking for a tea that calms your nerves and lifts your mood, have this lemon balm tea. It’s made with a blend of herbs including oatstraw, rose hips, lavender, orange peel, and lemon balm, a cheery plant with a long history of raising our spirits. Sipping this tea will surely brighten those dreary days.

• MAKES 1/4 cup tea blend

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons dried lemon balm
• 1 tablespoon dried oatstraw
• 2 tablespoons dried, seedless rosehips
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried orange peel
• 1/2 teaspoon dried lavender

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.
2. To make tea: For 1 cup of tea, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 rounded tablespoon of the tea blend. Cover and steep for 20 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey, if desired.
3. You could also infuse all 4 cups at once (a quart mason jar works well) and sip it throughout the day.

Lemon Balm Mead

Lemon balm mead is a delightful herbal honey wine that captures the essence of summer for year-round enjoyment. This simple herbal brew is easy to make at home and is the perfect way to use a bumper crop of lemon balm.

• Servings: 1 gallon

INGREDIENTS

• 1 gal water, divided
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1/8 cup raisins, chopped (or 1 tsp yeast nutrient)
• 1 cup strongly brewed black tea (or 1/4 tsp tannin powder)
• 6 cups fresh lemon balm leaves, gently packed
• 3 lbs honey (about 4 cups)
• 1/2 packet Lalvin D-47 yeast (or 1/2 packet champagne yeast)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat 3/4 gallon water in a stockpot to near boiling and remove from heat. Add sliced lemon, brewed black tea, and honey.
2. Stir to dissolve the honey.
3. lemon balm leaves.
4. Add the lemon balm leaves and allow to infuse for 15 minutes, then strain the herbs and lemon.
5. Pour the strained mixture into a 1 gallon carboy using a funnel.
6. Add cool water to top off the brew, filling to the neck of the fermenter.
7. When the mead is at room temperature, add the yeast.
8. Cap with a bung and airlock and allow the mixture to ferment for 1-2 months.
9. Siphon the mead into a clean carboy, leaving any sediment behind. Re-cap with a bung and airlock and allow the mixture to ferment for another 1-2 months.
10. Bottle using wine bottles and corks, and allow the herbal mead to bottle condition for at least 1 month (preferably longer) before drinking.

NOTES

The original recipe notes that this herbal mead is best made with fresh lemon balm, and that dried lemon balm makes the mead a bit too tannic and bitter.

Lemon Balm Cookies

Serve lemon balm cookies with some fresh lemon balm tea and you’ve got yourself a decadent little treat for a summertime afternoon.

• Servings: 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup + 1 Tbsp confectioner’s sugar
• 1 cup flour
• ⅛ tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
• 3 Tbsp chopped fresh lemonbalm (about 2 dozen leaves)
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest

Instructions

1. Rinse the lemon balm well and shake the excess water off, then allow to air dry completely. (A salad spinner speeds up the task). Fresh herbs should never be chopped when wet, so be sure the leaves are 100% dry after rinsing. Pick off the leaves and discard the stems, then pile the leaves on top of each other, a dozen at a time, and roll into a tight “cigar”. Using a sharp knife, slice very thinly. Pile the shredded herbs into a mound and chop them up a bit more, until quite fine. Use right away.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together the room temperature butter, chopped herb, fresh lemon zest, salt, and sugar until well mixed. Add the flour and mix well. You may need to use your hands for the final part of mixing. You can also use an electric mixer, just be sure not to overwork the dough after the flour has been added. Once the dough is smooth and coming together, roll it into a ball and flatten it. Wrap tightly in wax paper and chill for 20 minutes.
3. Roll the flattened disc out on a lightly floured countertop and cut into shapes using a cookie cutter. Quick tip: cookie dough can be a bit finicky to roll out (it can’t be too warm or too cool because of all that butter). So you can skip the whole rolling out step by shaping the ball of dough into a large cylinder shape, then cooling it in the fridge for 2 hours, and slicing about 1/4 inch thick. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, about 1 inch apart.
4. If you rolled the dough, refrigerate the unbaked cookies for 20 minutes before baking. This helps them hold their shape and bake more evenly.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 8 to 10 minutes on a rack placed in the top third of your oven. If your oven is on the hot side, check the cookies after 6 minutes to make sure they aren’t burning.

Lemon Balm Bundt Cake

Lemon Balm Bundt Cake is moist with a delicate herbal citrus flavor. Surprise your friends with this unique cake made with a fresh garden herb.

• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 40 minutes
• Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh lemon balm leaves
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk at room temperature
• Confectioners sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour one 6-cup or two 3-cup bundt pans.
2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Cream butter, lemon balm, and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs and vanilla, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add flour mixture in three additions, alternately with buttermilk in two additions, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not over-mix.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan(s).
7. If using one 6-cup pan, bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. If using two 3-cup pans, bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Cool cake in the pan; 10 minutes for 6-cup or 5 minutes for 3-cup pans. Remove cake from pan(s) and cool completely on a wire rack.
10. Dust top with confectioners sugar if desired. You can also garnish with fresh lemon balm leaves.

Lemon Balm Drop Biscuits

Make the most of the ever abundant herb garden by tossing them into an easy to whip up quick bread with these delicious and flaky lemon balm drop biscuits.

• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 15 minutes
• Servings: 6 large biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Unbleached, All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• ⅓ Cup Salted, Cold Butter
• 1 Cup Milk
• 1 Cup Lemon Balm, tightly packed (1.5 ounces by weight)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. In a blender, combine the milk and lemon balm. Puree. Set Aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and sugar.
4. Add the cold butter and using a pastry blender or fingers mix together until it resembles a coarse corn meal.
5. Pour in the milk and stir together until well combined.
6. Drop by large spoonfuls onto the baking sheet about 3 inches apart.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Lemon Balm Pesto

Flavorful lemon balm pesto – the best thing you can do when you have a huge bush of lemon balm growing in your garden.

• Total: 20 mins
• Servings: 10

Ingredients 

• 4.2 oz lemon balm leaves, Note 1
• ½ cup Parmesan, Note 2
• ⅓ cup raw whole almonds, (Note 3)
• 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed, to taste
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, Note 4
• 5 garlic cloves
• fine sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare lemon balm: Wash and dry the herbs thoroughly. Remove the leaves from the stalks and weigh the needed amount, only the leaves.
2. Process herbs: Chop them roughly, place them in a food processor, and process to a rough paste. Scrape the walls of the machine.
3. Add cubed cheese, whole almonds, roughly chopped garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and oil. Process to obtain a smooth paste. Scrape the walls of the food processor a few times in between.
4. Transfer to small jars, pressing well with a teaspoon to avoid air holes. Place the lids on the jars, but don’t screw them too tightly if you intend to freeze the pesto.

Notes

1. Weigh just the leaves, not the stalks.
2. Freshly grated cheese from a wedge. Pecorino Romano is great as well.
3. With their brown, soft peel still on, they don’t have to be blanched.
4. Use a mild olive oil, it should not be too bitter, you will taste it if it is. A fruity, mild sort would be great. As an alternative, use a milder oil, like avocado oil or a mix of olive oil and a neutral-tasting vegetable oil, like canola.
5. The recipe can be easily scaled. I always make the triple batch in the Thermomix, but that is a large food processor. If you scale the recipe, make sure that everything will fit in your food processor.
6. The lemon balm pesto keeps well in the fridge for at least two weeks. To keep it for longer, freeze it, it will keep for at least 1 year.
7. The nutrition was calculated considering that 350 g/ 12.2 oz pesto would be around 23 tablespoons of pesto and you would need 2 for one serving. That is, of course, not very accurate, but the best I can offer. The whole batch has 1507 kcal.

Lemon Balm Chicken

This lemon balm chicken is delightfully fragrant, with the fresh citrus flavour of herbs and a touch of garlic. It has just a few ingredients, cooks in your skillet in just 20 minutes and makes for a delicious weeknight meal!

• PREP: 10 mins
• COOK: 15 mins
• MARINATING: 1 hr
• Servings: 2

INGREDIENTs

• 2 chicken breasts, skinless, diced into fillets
• 3 tablespoon fresh lemon balm leaves, diced, more to preference
• 1 garlic clove, minced or finely diced
• 2 tablespoon apple juice
• 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• pinch salt
• pinch black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Dice the lemon balm leaves and finely dice or mince the garlic.
2. If using chicken breasts, I suggest slicing lengthways into 2-3 fillets depending upon their size.
3. Pour the apple juice and half the olive oil into a large bowl (or tupperware), then add the lemon balm, garlic, chicken fillets, salt and black pepper. Stir or use your hands to coat the chicken in the marinade. Set aside in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes or more.
4. Heat the remaining olive oil in your skillet then use tongs to transfer the chicken fillets. Cook for 3-4 minutes each side or until they have an internal temperature of 165F. The cook time will vary slightly depending upon the size of the chicken pieces.