Name: Strawberry Lemonade
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 28 min
Ingredients: 5 cups cold water (divided use); 1 cup granulated sugar; 2 cups strawberries (chopped, plus more for garnish); 1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice (5-6 lemons); Lemon slices (for garnish)

This post contains affiliate links and may earn commissions on recommended products. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

jump to recipe save

Refreshingly tart and sweet, strawberry lemonade is a must for any summer celebration! It’s easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser.

A mason jar of strawberry lemonade with ice, garnished with a lemon slice and whole strawberry, and a blue-striped straw; pitcher and fruit in the background.

It’s not a surprise that one of my kids’ favorite drinks in the summertime is lemonade. I love it too, because why not? It’s sweet, tart, and so refreshing.

Lemonade is easy to customize too, so I like to change up the flavor and make vanilla lemonade or this fruity strawberry lemonade.

This recipe is great for using up some of those less-than-perfect-looking strawberries. Just make sure to save a few of the pretty ones for garnishing the glasses!

Ingredients for strawberry lemonade

Full list of ingredients with quantities is located in the recipe card.

Four labeled bowls on a countertop containing strawberries, lemons, water, and sugar, arranged next to a checkered cloth.

You’ll need:

Cold water
Granulated sugar
Fresh strawberries
Lemons

I have not made this recipe with sugar substitutes; however, you should be able to swap them in according to the guidelines on the packaging. For many sugar substitutes that means 1:1, but make sure to double check!

Taste your strawberries to check for sweetness. You may find you’ll need more or less sugar syrup when mixing the lemonade.

I do recommend using fresh lemons for this recipe, but bottled juice will work in a pinch.

Two mason jars filled with iced strawberry lemonade, garnished with lemon slices and a strawberry, sit on a table with a pitcher and fresh strawberries in the background.

How to make this recipe

First, we’ll make a simple syrup. This is the best way to sweeten lemonade (and other drinks) because the sugar has already been dissolved and it will mix well into the lemonade. Pouring in granulated sugar directly does not give the best flavor and can make a gritty lemonade.

A saucepan filled with a cloudy liquid sits on a pink surface next to a white and black checkered cloth.

A stainless steel saucepan filled with water sits on a pink countertop next to a folded white and black checkered kitchen towel.

Combine 1 cup water and the sugar in a saucepan. Heat over medium and bring to a simmer. Stir to help dissolve the sugar. The mixture will turn from cloudy to transparent as it turns into a syrup. This will take 6-8 minutes, but don’t be tempted to turn the heat up to speed the process or you can boil over the syrup or burn the sugar on the bottom of the pot before it dissolves.

Chill the syrup until cool, popping it into the freezer briefly to chill faster, if you like.

A clear blender cup filled with chopped strawberries, placed on a pink surface next to a white cloth with a black grid pattern.

A top-down view of a blender cup filled with a smooth red liquid, likely a fruit smoothie, on a light countertop next to a white cloth with black stripes.

Place the strawberries into a blender or food processor and add 1 cup water. Purée until completely smooth.

Pour the purée through a fine mesh strainer to strain and remove the seeds. I like to use a silicone spatula to press the purée and make sure you get every bit of juice.

Pour the purée, chilled simple syrup, and lemon juice into a pitcher. Stir well to mix, then pour in the remaining 3 cups of water.

A glass measuring cup pours lemon juice into a clear pitcher. Nearby are a plate of strawberries, a cup of strawberry puree, a lemon, a wooden spoon, and a checkered towel.

A glass pitcher filled with red strawberry juice and foam, with a wooden spoon inside, sits on a table near a cloth napkin and a basket of strawberries.

Add more water to taste (keeping in mind the ice will water it down a bit).

Serve the strawberry lemonade over ice, and garnish glasses with strawberries or lemon slices.

A hand pours bright orange-red juice from a glass pitcher into a mason jar; strawberries and striped straws are nearby.

Recipe suggestions

You can make this recipe with other fruit, swapping the strawberries with your favorites like blueberries, cherries, or peaches. Adjust the simple syrup as needed to account for any difference in sweetness.

The base for this strawberry lemonade recipe is also great as a sparkling drink! Simply use plain sparkling water in place of the 3 cups water when mixing. Lemon flavored sparkling water is great too, but avoid using any sweetened flavors.

The flavor on this lemonade is vibrantly fruity and sweet-tart, so if you prefer, you can add more water to temper the taste. I recommend having extra chilled water on the side so guests can adjust to their liking.

A mason jar filled with a red drink, garnished with a lemon slice and a striped straw. A pitcher of the same drink, strawberries, and lemons are in the background.

This easy strawberry lemonade is the perfect summer drink. Make it for your next party, or as a sweet afternoon sipper.

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below!
It means so much when you enjoy my recipes, so let me know how it goes and leave a comment if you have any questions.