This Strawberry Lemonade is the perfect refreshing summer drink. It’s made with fresh lemon juice and zest and sweetened with homemade strawberry lemon simple syrup.
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Is there anything as refreshing as an ice cold glass of lemonade during those hot summer days? I don’t think so.
One of the great things about lemonade is just how many ways you can make it: Pink Lemonade, Classic Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, you name it.
Well, this Strawberry Lemonade Recipe is one of my favorites. It’s perfectly sweet, perfectly lemon-y, and infused with strawberry flavor.
Just 5 ingredients and 20 minutes to whip up this refreshing summer beverage!
Love a refreshing beverage on a hot day? Check out this Easy Frappe, this Cold Brew Coffee or this Strawberry Milkshake!
Ingredients Needed:
- Water: you’ll need a little bit of water to make the simple syrup as well as to act as the base for the lemonade.
- Strawberries: you can use either fresh or frozen chopped strawberries.
- Sugar: granulated sugar dissolves perfectly into the simple syrup.
- Lemons: you’ll use both the lemon zest and the lemon juice.
- Ice Cubes: because ice cold lemonade is where it’s at!
How to Make Strawberry Lemonade
- Make simple syrup: First, use a vegetable peeler to zest lemon. In a saucepan, bring 1 cup water, strawberries, sugar, and lemon zest to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until syrupy, then mash the berries. Strain and refrigerate to chill.
- Juice the lemon: Juice the lemons, then add 1 cup of fresh lemon juice to a pitcher.
- Combine: To the pitcher, add ice, remaining 3 cups of water, and lemon simple syrup. Stir, garnish, and refrigerate until chilled.
FAQs
Strawberry lemonade is named based on the ingredients while pink lemonade is named based on the color. So, strawberry lemonade is a type of pink lemonade, but pink lemonade can also be made with any other type of red berry.
Strawberry lemonade is made with all of the basic lemonade ingredients (lemon, sugar, and water but with the addition of strawberries. In this case, we’re incorporating the strawberry flavor through a lemon and strawberry flavored simple syrup…and it’s so good!
Once the ice is added, the lemonade is best right away. If it sits too long, the ice will melt and dilute the flavor. If you leave the ice out, you can combine everything and store the lemonade in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 5 months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw in the fridge, add water if needed, and enjoy.
Tips and Notes
- Use fresh lemon! The flavor of freshly squeezed lemon juice is just unmatched.
- Lemon amount: I use 3 large lemons and the lemonade is flavorful but mild. If you like a little extra zip, use 4 large or 5 small lemons, including the zest and juice. You can also garnish with some fresh lemon slices for serving if you want a little extra tang.
- If you’re prepping ahead of time, wait to add the ice so it doesn’t melt and dilute the lemonade.
- Strain the syrup. Straining the syrup gets rid of any fruit pulp or strawberry seeds for a smooth drink.
- Chill the syrup. Let the simple syrup cool off a bit before you add it to the lemonade. I don’t know about you, but warm lemonade doesn’t sound as good as ice cold lemonade does!
Variations
- Use other fruit. While strawberry and lemon are a classic delicious combination, feel free to play around with other flavors. Swap the lemon for lime or swap the strawberries out for raspberries, blueberries, or even cherries.
- Make it sparkly. Swap the water base for carbonated water for a sparkling lemonade. If you use carbonated water, be sure to serve right away so it doesn’t go flat before you can enjoy it.
- Add herbs. Garnish your lemonade with fresh mint or basil leaves for a delicious herby flavor twist.
- Booze it up. Add a couple ounces of vodka, tequila, or rum to make an adult beverage!
More Refreshing Summer Drinks
Strawberry Lemonade
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 4 cups water divided
- 2 cups fresh or frozen chopped strawberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3-5 lemons*
- 1 cup ice cubes
Instructions
- Use a vegetable peeler to peel the lemon zest into strips. Set lemons aside.
- Lemon simple syrup: In a medium pan over medium-high heat, bring 1 cup water, strawberries, sugar and lemon zest strips to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer until sugar is dissolved and liquid is syrupy, about 5-8 minutes. Mash berries gently before straining to release the juices. Strain and refrigerate syrup until needed.
- Juice lemons and add 1 cup lemon juice to a large pitcher (reserve any extra so you can adjust the flavor to your tastes).
- Add 1 cup ice cubes, remaining 3 cups water, and lemon simple syrup. Stir to combine and garnish with fresh lemon slices if desired. Refrigerate until chilled.
Notes
- Use fresh lemon! The flavor of freshly squeezed lemon juice is just unmatched.
- Lemon amount: I use 3 large lemons and the lemonade is flavorful but mild. If you like a little extra zip, use 4 large or 5 small lemons, including the zest and juice. You can also garnish with some fresh lemon slices for serving if you want a little extra tang.
- If you’re prepping ahead of time, wait to add the ice so it doesn’t melt and dilute the lemonade.
- Strain the syrup. Straining the syrup gets rid of any fruit pulp or strawberry seeds for a smooth drink.
- Chill the syrup. Let the simple syrup cool off a bit before you add it to the lemonade. I don’t know about you, but warm lemonade doesn’t sound as good as ice cold lemonade does!
Nutrition Information
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