Summer is the season of plump, juicy strawberries and refreshing lemonade. With this easy 10-minute strawberry lemonade you’ll only need 4 ingredients – sugar, water, strawberries, and lemons.
Why this recipe works
Homemade lemonade can’t be beat, and when you throw strawberries into the mix it only gets better and better. Sweet strawberries and tart lemon juice are blended together to make this easy strawberry lemonade with a bit of water and sugar to sweeten the deal even further.
Turn it into a frosty frozen lemonade by adding it to a blender with ice, even better on a hot summer day!
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
STRAWBERRIES – Freshly picked strawberries from a nearby strawberry farm is my preference, as well as the local farmer stands, however, store-bought strawberries will do the trick as well. Look for bright red strawberries that have a slight sheen to them with a healthy green cap in stores.
LEMONS – To pick the best lemons, look for ones that are deep yellow in color and are lightly firm. Pale lemons mean they are not quite ripe, and squishy skin means they are overripe. Give the lemons a gentle squeeze, if it has some give to it then it should have a decent amount of juice. Pick up an extra lemon or two to be on the safe side in case one of your lemons is a bit dry.
SWEETENER – If you prefer, you can substitute the granulated white sugar with agave nectar, honey, or simple syrup. Be sure to taste for sweetness as some of these ingredients will be sweeter than others and aren’t always interchangeable in the measurement department.
How to Make Easy Strawberry Lemonade
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Add the sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice into a heat-proof jug and add the boiling water.
- Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
- Once it’s cooled down a bit, pour it into a blender along with at least eight to ten large strawberries. Blend until the strawberries are pureed.
- Pour it into a 2 quart pitcher and add four cups of cold water to dilute it, stirring well. Add more to water if needed according to taste.
- Taste it and see if it has enough strawberry flavor for you, if not, pour a large portion of the lemonade back into the blender, add more strawberries, and blend again. It will vary depending on how flavorful your strawberries are.
- If you prefer not to have any pulp or seeds, you can pour the lemonade through a fine sieve to strain.
- Serve cold.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Absolutely! The amount of alcohol you add will depend on your individual taste. You’ll likely have success with about 1 – 1 1/2 cups of alcohol such as vodka, but start with less and add more as needed.
Store homemade lemonade in the refrigerator for 6-7 days.
Personally, I do not add ice to my pitcher. The lemonade will become watery if it sits with ice, simply add ice to the serving glasses instead. Chill the strawberry lemonade in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.
Yes, to freeze, pour the fully cooled lemonade into a large freezer-safe ziptop bag and freeze for 4-5 months.
Serving Suggestions
I like to add extra strawberries and lemon slices to the pitcher, but that’s purely for aesthetics and isn’t imperative to the recipe. It just looks so pretty when served in glasses with extra floating garnish!
Serve chilled over ice with a straw if desired. You can transform this strawberry lemonade into a slushie by transferring it to a blender with ice. A splash of alcohol for the adults is always a welcome addition as well.
More Drink Recipes
- Peach Iced Tea
- Strawberry Sweet Tea
- Pina Colada Smoothie
- Cherry Peach Slushie
- Honeydew Lemon Slush
- Homemade Slushie Floats
- Strawberry Banana Fizzy Float
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Strawberry Lemonade
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 ½ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice about 7 lemons, or 375mls
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar 300g
- 2 cups boiling water
- 4 – 5 cups cold water 1 litre or more
- 10 large strawberries hulled and cut into pieces
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- If you’d like strawberries and lemon slices in your pitcher or serving glasses, be sure to grab extra at the store.
- The taste and strength of your lemonade will depend on two things, how many strawberries you use and how flavorful they are. I’ve given a guide for how many fresh strawberries I typically use, if you find that the taste is not strong enough for you then you can always add more to the blender until you get the taste you prefer.
- If you prefer, you can substitute the granulated white sugar with agave nectar, honey, or simple syrup. Be sure to taste for sweetness as some of these ingredients will be sweeter than others and aren’t always interchangeable in the measurement department.
- Store homemade lemonade in the refrigerator for 6-7 days.
Instructions
- Add the sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice into a heat-proof jug or measuring cup and add the boiling water.
- Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
- Once it's cooled down a bit, pour it into a blender along with at least eight to ten large strawberries. Blend until the strawberries are pureed.
- Pour it into a 2 quart pitcher and add four cups of cold water to dilute it, stirring well. Add more to water if needed according to taste.
- Taste it and see if it has enough strawberry flavor for you, if not, pour a large portion of the lemonade back into the blender, add more strawberries, and blend again. It will vary depending on how flavorful your strawberries are.
- If you prefer not to have any pulp or seeds, you can pour the lemonade through a fine sieve to strain.
Nutrition
This post originally appeared here on July 14, 2016 and has since been updated with new photos and expert tips.
Amanda Davis
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