Strawberry Lemonade Recipe | Cool Summer Drinks You’ll Love

Strawberry Lemonade Recipe | Easy Homemade Summer Drink

This strawberry lemonade recipe comes from a long summer, wanting something just a little sweeter than plain lemonade. One afternoon, I had a bowl of ripe strawberries and lemons left over. I muddled them together, added sugar and water, and ended up with a drink that felt like sunshine in a glass. It’s sweet, tart, and fruity, with a depth you don’t get from just squeezing lemons.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4 4-6 glasses

Course: Cocktail, Drinks

Cuisine: American

Calories: 110

Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup fresh strawberries hulled and chopped (you can use frozen in the off-season)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup of water for syrup.
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice about 4–5 lemons
• 3 cups of cold water
• Ice cubes
• Lemon slices and extra strawberries for garnish

Method

 

1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and ½ cup water over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Don’t let it boil.
2. Add strawberries to the syrup and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until they soften. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. Strain the strawberry syrup through a mesh sieve into a pitcher, pressing on the solids to extract flavor, discarding the seeds.
4. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and 3 cups cold water, then taste and adjust: add more water if it’s too strong, or a bit more syrup if it’s too tart.
5. Add ice cubes, stir, and garnish with lemon slices or strawberry slices before serving.

Video

Notes

• If your strawberries are very sweet, reduce the sugar in the syrup by a tablespoon.
• You can skip straining if you like; the pulp adds texture.
• The syrup and lemonade base can be made ahead and chilled separately.

Seasonal Variations

• Sparkling strawberry lemonade (summer) – replace 1 cup of cold water with chilled soda water or sparkling mineral water to get a fizzy twist without overpowering the fruit flavor.
• Strawberry basil lemonade (warm weather) – add several fresh basil leaves to the strawberry syrup as it simmers, then strain them out for a subtle herby note.
• Frozen strawberry lemonade slush (hot season) – blend part of the lemonade with frozen strawberries and ice to make a slushie version.
• Winter-friendly strawberry lemonade – use thawed frozen strawberries and reduce water slightly to make a more concentrated pink lemonade that warms up nicely.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve in a tall glass with ice and a slice of lemon or strawberry on the rim.
• Pair with light snacks like cucumber sandwiches or grilled chicken for a summer gathering.
• Use it as a base for mocktails or cocktails. Just add mint, gin, or vodka.
• Offer it alongside savoury brunch dishes; the strawberry sweetness balances the salty flavours.

Tips & Tricks

• Use very ripe strawberries for the strongest fruit flavour; underripe ones make it weaker.
• Don’t overheat the syrup; just a gentle simmer is enough to pull out flavor without cooking off aroma.
• Always taste and adjust. Lemons vary, so you may need a little more or less water or syrup.
• Chill everything (pitcher, water) beforehand so the ice doesn’t dilute the flavors too fast.
• If the leftovers separate, just give them a good stir before serving again.

Nutrition (per glass, approximately)

• Calories: 110
• Carbohydrates: 28g
• Sugar: 24g
• Vitamin C: High

To pick the best strawberries for your lemonade, I follow advice from The Kitchn’s “Tip-Top” method that rule about checking red all the way up to the stem really helps.

I also like learning from academic sources about strawberry harvesting. See NC State Extension’s guide to postharvest strawberries for details on storage and handling.