Homemade Strawberry Lemonade
on Jul 21, 2019, Updated Apr 18, 2024
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Homemade strawberry lemonade is a sweet and fruity refreshment for hot summer days and long afternoons in the sun!
Homemade Strawberry Lemonade
It doesn’t get much more refreshing on a sweaty and hot day than a full glass of iced down strawberry lemonade. Kids love it, adults love it, heck, I’m sure the dog would love it (but I don’t recommend or advise anyone gives their dog lemonade!). It’s such a fun treat and an easy beverage to make and enjoy for a week or two.
You could even make a big batch and pour some of it into popsicle molds to make a sweet and cold treat for the kids and you alike. I love making the strawberry simple syrup because it adds a beautiful pink hue to the drink and some incredible sweet berry flavor. Next time you’re going to a pool party or plan to spend a lot of time outside, add this to your morning to-do list… Everyone will be thanking you as they sip it down!
Is strawberry lemonade and pink lemonade the same?
Pink lemonade that you might get at a store or restaurant is often colored with raspberry juice, cranberry juice, or crushed strawberries. Sometimes, it’s just red food dye. So unless it says “strawberry lemonade,” I wouldn’t assume it will have a strawberry flavor!
Are lemons sweeter than strawberries?
Fun fact: Lemons actually have more sugar than strawberries! A lemon has about 70 percent sugar, while strawberries contain only 40 percent. But lemons taste more sour than sweet because they have a much higher level of citric acid (between 3 to 6 percent) that makes them more tart flavored.
How long does homemade lemonade last?
Homemade strawberry lemonade will last in the fridge for up to 5 to 7 days!
Homemade Strawberry Lemonade
Ingredients
For the fruit simple syrup:
- 1 to 1.5 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, if fresh, remove stems
- 2 cups water
- 1.5 cups sugar
For the lemonade:
- Fruit simple syrup
- 1 cup lemon juice
- 3 to 4 cups water
- Ice, at least 2 cups
- Sliced lemon or additional strawberries for serving, optional
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat the 2 cups of water, 1 cup of fresh or frozen strawberries, and 1 cup of sugar for the simple syrup over medium-high heat, until the sugar is dissolved. Stir it often.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to let it simmer for 3 to 6 minutes, until the fruit is soft.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Use a potato masher to crush the fruit. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes, while the fruit steeps in the hot water.
- Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium-sized bowl (a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup works well for this), and pour the hot fruit simple syrup through the strainer. Use the back of a spoon to press the fruit against the strainer to remove all of the extra juice. Discard the pulp or seeds (or feed it to your chickens!).
- Place the fruit simple syrup in a heat-resistant container (a mason jar with a lid works well for this), and then let it chill in the fridge.
- In a large pitcher, add the simple syrup, lemon juice, and 3 to 4 cups of water. Stir to combine well. Serve over ice, and garnish with sliced lemon and/or additional fruit.
Video
Notes
- To speed up the process, you can replace the water called for in the lemonade part of the recipe with ice to cool your simple syrup faster. Just be sure you don’t dilute it too much and get watery lemonade.
- I don’t recommend bottled lemon juice for this recipe, unless you can find that fancy volcanic lemon juice from Italy (sold at Costco). Here’s what it looks like on Amazon, but it’s silly expensive there. Other options would be high-quality lemon juices that aren’t from concentrate.
Nutrition
Some other yummy lemonade recipes you may enjoy:
- Easy Homemade Lemonade Recipe
- 8 Different Homemade Lemonade Recipes
- Made to Order Lemonade aka Fresh Lemon Shake-ups
- Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade; summer sipping just got tastier
- Lemon Chiffon Cake
- Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
- Shirley Temple Drink – OK, so it’s not a lemonade, but it is a party favorite!
Homemade strawberry lemonade is the perfect ice-cold refreshment that’s equally sweet, fruity, and tart for those warm days when you need to beat the heat!
