This amazing homemade strawberry lemonade recipe is the perfect refresher on a summer day. All you need are lemons, strawberries, and sugar, to make this delicious drink and serve it all summer long!
A few years ago, my husband challenged me to find and perfect seasonal drinks to share with guests (and ourselves) all year. Although I think this was his way of getting more tasty sips around the house, it quickly turned into a treat we share with friends, family, and guests. This amazing strawberry lemonade recipe is one of the first I perfected, and it is a HIT! It is at the top of our summer season drinks for a reason.
If you can find a “u-pick” strawberry farm near you, I highly recommend it. The experience of picking fresh strawberries right from their bush alone is fun for everyone. And the strawberries you pick are like no other! We used to live just minutes from a strawberry farm, so we took our boys one beautiful day in May. We had such a fun time picking strawberries, and used those delicious strawberries in several recipes, including strawberry lemonade. If we still lived close, we would be at that farm every week in the summer!
The first few times you make this drink, you may think to yourself, “is it really worth the effort to hand-squeeze all these lemons?” The answer is, “yes!” Get yourself a good citrus squeezer, and put some work into it. I promise the final result is worth it!
There are two things that tell me my recipe is a hit:
- Guests vocally exclaim, “wow, this is amazing!”
- They ask me for the recipe.
If one or both of these happen, the recipe is written in permanent ink on a recipe card. This amazing strawberry lemonade recipe has hit both of those marks multiple times. Now that’s a good drink!
So let’s talk about making this delicious drink!
How to Make this Amazing Homemade Strawberry Lemonade:
You will need a few simple ingredients:
- Strawberries
- Lemons
- Sugar
- Water
(Yes, that’s it!)
Tools you may need:
- Large bowl/colander for washing strawberries
- Kitchen knifes
- Blender or food processor.
- Citrus squeezer (optional, but so helpful)
- Small saucepan
- 2-quart pitcher
Steps to make Strawberry Lemonade:
Use a blender or food processor to puree strawberries. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds, if desired. (I skip the straining step.)
In a small saucepan, over medium heat, stir together sugar and water.
Bring to a boil, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and let it cool to room temperature.
Strain lemon juice through a fine mesh sieve into pitcher. Add simple syrup, and pureed strawberries, then stir to combine.
Refrigerate until cold.
When ready to serve, add more water to the pitcher, stir, and taste. If it is too sweet, add more water.
Serve with ice.
A Few Helpful Tips:
What is the best way to wash strawberries?
I learned this trick a few years ago, and it makes such a difference! You can literally see the dirt and grime leftover when you’re finished washing. Simply soak your strawberries in about 2c water and 1/2c vinegar for 5-10 minutes. Rinse thoroughly!
Planning ahead?
One of the beauties of this recipe, is that it’s easy to prep ahead of time. Each step can stand alone too, so you could do one step a day if you want to. As long as the mixture is in an airtight container, it can sit in your fridge for several days and up to a week.
And, you can freeze it! Just lay it out the night before, or morning of, and it’ll be ready for your event. If you’re prepping ahead, wait to add the cold water until right before you serve it.
Looking for some fun lemonade-themed decor ideas?
There are always adorable lemonade decorations in store during the spring and summer season, but here are a few small things I do when serving lemonade to guests:
- Glass jars – Mason jars, or other glass jars are a cute way to serve lemonade, and it shows the beautiful pink color of your lemonade
- Strawberries and lemons – I slice any extra lemons or strawberries and use them as garnishes for our drinks.
- Colorful straws– Add some colorful, patterned straws!
- Ribbon or pendant – I will add yellow or pink ribbon around the glass to add an extra touch. I also found some cute strawberry buttons that I use as pendants on each glass.
More Ideas You Might Like:
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @homesweetharps
Amazing Strawberry Lemonade
This amazing strawberry lemonade is a perfect refresher! Sure to impress your guests, and simple to make, you will be making it all summer long.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound fresh strawberries, stems removed (plus extra strawberries for garnish)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 cups water, divided
- 1 1/2 cups fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Puree strawberries in blender or food processer. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, if desired. (I skip this step).
- In a small saucepan, over medium heat, stir together sugar with 2 cups of water.
- Bring to a boil, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
- Strain the lemon juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-quart pitcher. Add pureed strawberries, and simple syrup and stir to combine. Refrigerate until cold.
- Right before serving, add 2 1/2 cups of cold water, and stir. Taste, and add more water if too sweet.
- Serve with ice. Garnish with cut strawberries, and lemons.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size
1cAmount Per Serving Calories 76Total Fat 0.1gSaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 2mgCarbohydrates 20.5gFiber 0.2gSugar 20.8gProtein 0.1g
