Homemade Strawberry Lemonade
Nothing beats a tall glass of a cold strawberry lemonade, especially when it's homemade! This strawberry lemonade recipe uses freshly squeezed lemons and fresh strawberries, and it's sweetened to perfection.
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 165kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons
- 6 to 7 cups cold water plus more as needed
- 1 ½ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice plus more to taste, about 6 large lemons
- 3 cups fresh strawberries diced
- Ice cubes as needed
Garnish
- Sliced lemons
- Sliced strawberries
- Fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Make the simple sugar syrup: In a bowl, dissolve 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of hot just boiled water (I use an electric kettle to boil the water). Stir until fully dissolved. Set aside and let it cool down.
- In a bowl, toss the strawberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar, pressing them to release the juices. Then, transfer to a blender, along with ½ cup of water. Blend until you get a puree.
- Strain the strawberry puree through a mesh strainer to get rid of the seeds. Set aside.
- Into a large pitcher, add the remaining 5 to 6 cups of cold water as needed, followed by the freshly squeezed lemon juice (adjust tartness to taste), the strained strawberries, and the simple syrup to taste. Stir to combine.
- Adjust sweetness to taste. If not sweet enough, make more syrup and adjust to taste.
- Once the level of sweetness and tartness are good to go, add the ice cubes. Give it a good stir again, and garnish with sliced lemons, strawberries and fresh mint. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. Avoid bottled lemon juice.
- I’d recommend using fresh strawberries here, rather than frozen. It makes a big difference in flavor and color.
- Simple syrup: Make sure to fully dissolve the sugar. You need hot, just boiled water. After it’s dissolved, let it cool down a bit before using.
- Adjust sweetness or tartness to taste. Add more sugar syrup for sweet, or more lemon juice for tart.
- This recipe can be doubled or tripled easily for parties or gatherings.
- Make ahead: Prepare fully and refrigerate, or keep components separate and mix before serving.
- Freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.
Nutrition
Serving: 1glass | Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.5g | Saturated Fat: 0.03g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 12IU | Vitamin C: 66mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 0.4mg