Strawberry Lemonade (2024)

By Sam 26 Comments

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Homemade Strawberry Lemonade isn’t just refreshing, it’s also incredibly simple to make! This easy recipe can be prepped and ready with just 4 ingredients in under 10 minutes.Recipe includes a how-to video!

Strawberry Lemonade (1)

The Best Summer Drink Recipe

Today’s strawberry lemonade is simple, refreshing, and full of fresh strawberry and lemon flavor. It takes just a few minutes to make and delivers a perfectly balanced (and perfect for summer!) drink. As with my lemonade recipe and sweet tea, we start with a simple syrup, which not only gives a smooth flavor, but it also ensures the sugar is fully incorporated (no more stirring to make sure it hasn’t settled to the bottom!). Then on to the strawberries.

I experimented with multiple methods to get the most strawberry flavor for this lemonade, from simply pureeing the berries, to roasting or cooking them into a syrup on the stove. Every one of my taste testers liked the lemonade with the pureed, uncooked berries best–no complex steps or concoctions needed. Don’t you love it when things are easy?

This strawberry lemonade goes great with grilled or spicy foods, or you can simply enjoy it after a long day in the sun. I personally love serving it alongside tortilla chips and homemade salsa or alongside a warm funnel cake!

What You Need

Strawberry Lemonade (2)

The great thing about making homemade strawberry lemonade is that you can control the sweetness level; if your berries are extra sweet or you simply prefer a less sweet drink, just use less simple syrup! Here’s what you need:

  • Strawberries. Fresh picked, sun-ripened summer berries will give you the BEST strawberry flavor, but you can certainly use grocery store berries if that’s all you can find.
  • Lemon juice. You probably already know I’m going to recommend fresh-squeezed lemon juice…but bottled can work in a pinch. I really recommend fresh though!
  • Sugar. Granulated sugar works just fine. I haven’t experimented with making this with any artificial or alternative sweeteners and can’t say for sure how much you’d need and how it would turn out. If you do, please let me know how it goes!

SAM’S TIP: I recommend adding additional berries and lemon slices to your strawberry lemonade pitcher for an extra burst of flavor and color.

Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

How to Make Strawberry Lemonade

Strawberry Lemonade (3)
  1. Heat 1 cup each of sugar and water over medium low heat until the sugar dissolves, then set this aside.
  2. Puree the strawberries, remaining sugar, and ½ cup water, then pour this through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher.
  3. Stir in the lemon juice, simple syrup, and remaining water.
  4. Add additional berries or lemon slices as desired, then pour over ice.

SAM’S TIP: I prefer my strawberry lemonade to be smooth, but if you like the pulp and seeds, simply skip the straining step and add the berry puree right into the pitcher!

Strawberry Lemonade (4)

Frequently Asked Questions

Are strawberry lemonade and pink lemonade the same thing?

No. Pink lemonade is simply classic lemonade that’s been tinted pink, typically with food coloring or sometimes a small amount of fruit juice.

Strawberry lemonade has a distinct fruity strawberry flavor, and the color will vary depending on the ripeness of the berries that you use. If you can get your hands on juicy, freshly picked, local strawberries, you’ll have a lemonade that’s much richer in color than if you use supermarket berries.

Can I use frozen strawberries?

You can, but their flavor will probably not be as good as ripe, in-season strawberries. You’ll need to thaw them first, and once you do, they will be pretty juicy (I talk about this in my macerated strawberries post), so you may not need to add as much water when pureeing them.
As with my strawberry frosting, strawberry cream cheese pie, and just about any other strawberry recipe out there, fresh, sun-ripened, hand-picked berries are always best!

Can I double this recipe?

Yes! This recipe can be doubled, tripled, quadrupled–you name it! It’s great for cookouts and summer picnics and can be made in advance.

Strawberry Lemonade (5)

If you’re interested in spiking your lemonade, vodka, gin, or white rum would all be great options!

Enjoy!

Let’s bake together!I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe andvideobelow! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me onInstagram, and you can also find me onYouTubeandFacebook

Strawberry Lemonade (6)

Strawberry Lemonade

An easy and refreshing Strawberry Lemonade recipe that can be prepped in under ten minutes!

This recipe makes ½ gallon but can be doubled.

Includes a how-to video!

5 from 14 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Drinks, summer recipes

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes minutes

Total Time: 8 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 8 oz glasses

Calories: 119kcal

Ingredients

  • 6 cups (1.4 L) water divided
  • 1 cup (200 g) + 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar divided
  • 1 cup (236 ml) lemon juice¹ seeds removed
  • 1 ½ cups (210 g) ripe strawberries quartered, plus additional for decoration if desired
  • Additional quartered strawberries and sliced lemons for garnish optional

Recommended Equipment

Instructions

  • Prepare simple syrup first by combining 1 cup (236ml) water and 1 cup (200g) sugar in a small saucepan. Place over medium/low heat and stir frequently until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

    6 cups (1.4 L) water, 1 cup (200 g) + 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

  • Combine strawberries, ½ cup (120ml) of water, and 1 Tablespoon of granulated sugar in blender and blend until strawberries are completely pureed.

    1 ½ cups (210 g) ripe strawberries

  • Pour strawberry puree through a fine mesh sieve² into pitcher and use a spatula to press/work as much strawberry juice through as possible. Discard remaining pulp/seeds.

  • Add lemon juice and simple syrup to pitcher.

    1 cup (236 ml) lemon juice¹

  • Add remaining 4 ½ cups (1065ml) water and stir well. If desired add additional quartered strawberries and sliced lemons to pitcher for added flavor and decoration.

    Additional quartered strawberries and sliced lemons for garnish

  • Pour lemonade over ice and serve or chill and then stir again before serving.

Notes

¹Fresh squeeze preferred, but bottled lemon juice will also work

²I like my strawberry lemonade to be nice and smooth and I don’t like pulpy, seed-y bits of strawberry in my lemonade, which is why I use the strainer. If you don’t mind the texture, feel free to skip the straining and leave this in your lemonade!

Tools I used for this recipe:

Nutrition

Serving: 18 oz serving | Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 76mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin C: 29.7mg | Calcium: 100mg

Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Brenda

    Strawberry Lemonade (11)
    This recipe is unbelievably delicious. The perfect summer drink. I made it exactly as written and wouldn’t change a thing. I will make it again and again. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

      It really is perfect for summer! Thanks for trying our recipe and coming back to leave a review. We really appreciate it! ❤️

      Reply

  2. Frmgrl2

    Strawberry Lemonade (12)
    So perfect! Proportions are exactly right. After blending my partially thawed strawberries, I skipped the straining and poured it into my pitcher along with the rest. We enjoyed this before Easter dinner and will be making this again and again.
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Sam

      I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much! 🙂

      Reply

      • Marie Rife

        i can’t wait to try this! I love all your recipes that I have made so far! I will be making this for a bridal shower, so trying to prep as much as possible. So, how far in advance can this be made?

      • Sam

        Hi Marie! I think it would be fine to make it 3 days in advance. 🙂

      • Misty R Batten

        so exactly how much does this recipe make?

      • Sam

        Hi Misty! I typically try to put this information in the box right above the recipe. This makes about 1/2 gallon. ☺️

  3. Rikookie

    Strawberry Lemonade (13)
    This was so good and refreshing! The perfect poolside snack 😀

    Reply

  4. Julia

    Strawberry Lemonade (14)
    Wonderful recipe! We just picked 12 quarts of raspberries so I made raspberry lemonade! I plan on trying a few of your other raspberry recipes too!

    Reply

    • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

      Yum–that sounds delicious Julia! Enjoy ❤

      Reply

  5. Miriam

    Strawberry Lemonade (15)
    So delicious!

    Reply

    • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

      We’re so happy you love it, Miriam!

      Reply

  6. Hannah

    Strawberry Lemonade (16)
    Hello! I was wondering if I could use Stevia instead of regular sugar? Do you think it will taste weird?

    Reply

    • Sam

      Hi Hannah! As long as you like the taste of stevia it should work just fine. 🙂

      Reply

  7. Lexi

    Strawberry Lemonade (17)
    Great

    Reply

  8. Rachel D Williams

    Strawberry Lemonade (18)
    Loved it made it but I added tequila and made strawberry long island ice tea

    Reply

    • Sam

      Sounds delicious! I am glad you enjoyed it. 🙂

      Reply

  9. Brooke

    Strawberry Lemonade (19)
    I was expecting the worst but was pleasantly surprised!! This is the best strawberry lemonade I’ve ever had and my family loved it too! Not sure I’ll ever be able to go back to the store bought stuff, thanks!

    Reply

    • Sam

      I am so glad you enjoyed the lemonade, Brooke! 🙂

      Reply

      • Deb

        Can you use frozen strawberries?

      • Sugar Spun Run

        Yes, that will be fine, Deb! Enjoy! 🙂

  10. Selah Howard

    Strawberry Lemonade (20)
    Hi there!

    Tried this recipe the other day… turned out great! It was my first time trying a from-scratch juice, was definitely pleasantly surprised to taste the sweet and tartness of the combination. Really was simple to make and worth every second of the time. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply

    • Sam

      I am so glad you enjoyed the lemonade, Selah! I am a huge fan of the tart and sweet combination. 🙂

      Reply

      • Laura

        Hi Sam, I have made this and it’s delicious. I wanted to make ahead for a wedding while strawberries are available. Can the strawberry syrup be made and froze then add the rest when ready to use?

      • Sam

        Hi Laura! I haven’t tried it but I think it could work. ☺️

5 from 14 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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Strawberry Lemonade (2024)

FAQs

What is strawberry lemonade made of? ›

How to Make Strawberry Lemonade. This recipe is incredibly easy! Simply blend up fresh strawberries with water, agave, and a generous amount of lemon juice and it's ready to serve! With this dump and blend method, it will be a little frothy at the top (which we enjoyed).

Why is strawberry lemonade good for you? ›

The strawberries alone provide 444% of your DV of vitamin C, 9 grams of fiber and nearly 700 mg of potassium. The lemon provides 44 grams of Vitamin C and an additional 376 mg of potassium.

Is pink lemonade and strawberry lemonade the same thing? ›

It has been decreed that pink lemonade is technically the name given to all the kinds of lemonade that happens to be pink. Whether it contains strawberry flavoring or not! So yes, strawberry lemonade is a type of pink lemonade.

Did Chick Fil A have strawberry lemonade? ›

A tropical combination of our classic Chick-fil-A Lemonade and freshly-brewed Unsweetened Iced Tea, blended with strawberry passionfruit syrup made with juices and natural flavors. Also available with combinations of Chick-fil-A Diet Lemonade.

Is strawberry lemonade healthier than soda? ›

Fruit-flavoured fizzy drinks like lemonade and fizzy orange are slightly better choices than cola, but not ideal as your regular drink. The combination of sugar and acid can damage your teeth, and over time, excess calories from a high-sugar diet can lead to weight gain.

What is Starbucks strawberry lemonade made of? ›

Frequently Asked Questions. What's in Starbucks strawberry lemonade? Strawberries purée, lemonade, and simple syrup are the dominant ingredients. We're starting from scratch with freshly squeezed lemons, cold water, and simple syrup, and mixing it right in with our strawberry puree.

Is lemonade healthy yes or no? ›

Since lemonade is essentially lemon juice combined with water and some sugar, it is an easy way to get a healthy dose of lemon. Vitamin C, B6, and A are just a few of the many vitamins, minerals, and healthy compounds found in a single lemon.

What can lemonade do to your body? ›

Heart healthy: lemons are packed with vitamin C, phytochemicals such as hesperidin and diosmin, and also fiber, all of which aid in keeping the heart and circulatory system healthy. Kidney health: in some studies, citric acid is believed to reduce the risk of kidney stones, and may help to prevent their formation.

Do strawberries detox your body? ›

Strawberries – More than Just Tasty

Vitamin C is particularly great for your skin and for boosting collagen production. In addition, strawberries are full of antioxidants, which are naturally detoxifying and a great way to support your digestive system.

Why does Minute Maid pink lemonade taste different? ›

Many big brand companies make pink lemonades using concentrated grape juice; for instance, when looking at the ingredient lists for Minute Maid's regular and pink lemonades, the only differences are that the pink lemonade includes 1% more juice, which can almost certainly be attributed to the added ingredient of grape ...

Why is it called strawberry lemonade? ›

One day in 1857, while Conklin was making regular lemonade, he ran out of water. In desperation, he used the pink water from a tub that one of the bareback riders had used to wash her red tights. Unfazed, Conklin added some lemon slices and sold the concoction as “strawberry lemonade,” promptly doubling his sales.

What does strawberry lemonade taste like? ›

It is a well-balanced drink because the sweetness of the fresh strawberries and the tartness of the lemon juice are tempered by the bitterness of the lemon's pith. Like Elle, this drink is smart: It uses less sugar because it knows the sweet berries naturally balance out the sour citrus.

Does Mcdonald's have strawberry lemonade? ›

Frozen Strawberry Lemonade - McCafe Iced - Cold Drinks.

Does KFC sell strawberry lemonade? ›

A Louisville-based chain spokeswoman said it is experiencing a “menu simplification,” which entails removing certain items from its eateries. Kentucky Fried Chicken Wings, Popcorn Chicken Combo, Nashville Hot Sauce, Strawberry Lemonade, and Chocolate Chip Cookies will be withdrawn, according to Yahoo Finance.

Why does Chick-fil-A charge extra for lemonade? ›

Since it requires more labor to produce, he said ordering lemonade results in an upcharge on any meal, regardless of payment type. Christopher Henry, UTA Dining Services resident district manager, said Chick-fil-A makes its lemonade fresh every day.

What is lemonade mostly made of? ›

There are varieties of lemonade found throughout the world. In North America and South Asia, cloudy lemonade is a common variety. It is traditionally a homemade drink using lemon juice, water, and a sweetener such as cane sugar, simple syrup, maple syrup or honey.

What is strawberry drink made of? ›

This classic summertime drink is made with just four ingredients: strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, and water. It's refreshing and addictive on a warm day, and everyone can indulge since it's made without alcohol.

What's in strawberry lemonade Refresher? ›

Ingredients. Ice, Strawberry Acai Base [Water, Sugar, White Grape Juice Concentrate, Citric Acid, Natural Flavors, Natural Green Coffee Flavor, Fruit And Vegetable Juice, Rebaudioside-a], Lemonade [Water, Lemon Juice, Sugar, Lemon Oil], Freeze-dried Strawberries.

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