Description
A refreshing homemade strawberry lemonade made with fresh strawberries, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and a simple sugar syrup. Perfect for a cooling drink on warm days.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit:
- 1/2 pound fresh strawberries, stems removed
- 1 1/2 cups fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Syrup:
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
Additional:
- 3 cups cold water (divided as 2 1/2 cups and additional if needed)
- Ice, as needed for serving
Instructions
- Puree Strawberries: Use a blender or food processor to puree the fresh strawberries until smooth. For a smoother texture without seeds, strain the puree through a fine mesh sieve.
- Make Simple Syrup: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the granulated sugar and 2 cups of water. Stir occasionally as the mixture heats.
- Dissolve Sugar: Bring the mixture to a boil and continue stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove the saucepan from heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature.
- Combine Ingredients: Strain the freshly squeezed lemon juice through a fine mesh sieve into a 2-quart pitcher to remove pulp and seeds. Add the cooled simple syrup and pureed strawberries to the pitcher, stirring to combine thoroughly.
- Chill Mixture: Place the pitcher in the refrigerator and let the mixture chill until cold, approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Add Water and Adjust Sweetness: When ready to serve, add 2 1/2 cups of cold water to the chilled mixture and stir well. Taste the lemonade and add additional water if it is too sweet.
- Serve: Pour the strawberry lemonade over ice and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- For seed-free lemonade, strain the strawberry puree carefully through a fine mesh sieve.
- Adjust the amount of water added at the end to control sweetness and tartness.
- Use fresh lemons for the best flavor; bottled lemon juice can alter the taste.
- To make it sparkling, substitute cold water with sparkling water before serving.
- Simple syrup can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to a week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 0.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
