Strawberry Lemonade

Your summer sipping just became infinitely more tasty thanks to this strawberry lemonade recipe. The best part? You only need four ingredients.

If all you know of strawberry lemonade is powdered lemonade mixes, prepare yourself for a wildly different experience. The bright, invigorating flavors of fresh strawberries and lemon juice do not compare, in any way, to the fake, questionable flavors of those drink mixes. They're far superior.

Sure, in a hurry, powdered mixes or pink drinks in the gas station cooler will work to satisfy a quench. But when you have the time and craving for the real thing, this is the recipe to make.

Learn how to make strawberry lemonade so your summer evenings, picnics, potlucks, and parties will feature a refreshing drink all can enjoy.

Ingredients for Strawberry Lemonade

This recipe for strawberry lemonade calls for just four ingredients:

• Fresh strawberries: This lemonade is a wonderful way to use up a bounty of strawberries after you've gone picking at the nearby berry patch, or after you've let a pint or two get a bit squishy. Save the prettiest berries for a garnish.
• Fresh lemon juice: Promise us you won't reach for the bottled kind. We get that it's easier, but nothing compares to the flavor of freshly-squeezed lemon juice. You'll need 3/4 cup, which is about what you'll get from four large lemons. Get a few extras in case the lemons are drier than expected. You can always use lemon rounds as a garnish. (Or try our Lemonade Iced Tea.)
• Sugar: You'll use sugar to make a strawberry syrup.
• Water: Then you'll need water to thin out the strawberry lemonade concentrate so the drink is perfectly crisp and sippable.

How To Make Strawberry Lemonade

The full recipe for strawberry lemonade is below, but here's a quick recap:

• Step 1. Boil strawberries: In a saucepan, combine the hulled and quartered strawberries, some sugar, and a bit of water. You'll bring this to a boil, then let it simmer until the berries are very soft. (They may fall apart if you try to lift them out of the mixture.) Let this cool for a few minutes.
• Step 2. Make strawberry syrup: Once the strawberries have cooled a bit, empty them into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl or pitcher. Use the back of a spoon to press the strawberries against the strainer to squeeze out as much juice as you can. Discard any leftover bits.
• Step 3. Make lemonade: Add the fresh lemon juice to the strawberry syrup with water until you get the flavor you prefer.

How To Store Strawberry Lemonade

Keep the strawberry syrup in an airtight container up to 5 days. The mixed lemonade will also last up to 5 days in the fridge.

Variations for Strawberry Lemonade

Have a little fun with this drink if you'd like to mix things up. Here are a few ideas for you to consider:

• Add spirits: Vodka would be a great addition to strawberry lemonade for an adults-only version.
• Muddle herbs: Before you pour in the lemon juice, water, and strawberry syrup, muddle some basil or mint in the bottom of the glass to add serious herbal notes to the drink.
• Put on the rim: Dip the rim of the glass in water and then in sugar for a fun sugary surprise on the glass.
• Bubble up: For a sparkling twist, use carbonated water (the type is up to you) to make this a sparkling strawberry lemonade.

More Lemonade Drinks

If you have a craving for cool, refreshing lemonade, consider these other favorite drinks:

• Lemonade Iced Tea
• Frozen Blueberry Lemonade
• Frozen Raspberry Lemonade
• Frozen Strawberry Lemonade