Strawberry Lemonade Recipe

Make simple syrup

Combine 1 cup water and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the liquid is clear (about 3–4 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. This yields a lightly sweetened syrup that blends easily with cold liquids.

Prepare strawberries

Hull and roughly chop 2 cups fresh strawberries. Place them in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth (about 20–30 seconds). If you prefer a seed-free lemonade, strain the purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Reserve about 1/2 cup of purée for more intense strawberry flavor if desired.

Juice lemons

Juice enough lemons to yield 3 cups of fresh lemon juice (this is roughly 12–15 medium lemons, depending on size). Strain the juice through a fine sieve to remove seeds and excess pulp for a smooth lemonade base.

Combine and chill

In a large pitcher, combine the cooled simple syrup, 3 cups fresh lemon juice, the strained strawberry purée (about 2 cups purée yields roughly 1 to 1 1/2 cups juice; use all puréed strawberries or the strained juice per your texture preference), and 4 cups cold water. Stir thoroughly to combine. Taste and adjust sweetness or dilution: add more water if too tart, or up to 1–2 tablespoons additional syrup if too tart.

Serve

Fill glasses with ice cubes. If rimming is desired, rub a lemon wedge around the glass lip and dip into 2 teaspoons sugar. Pour the strawberry lemonade over ice. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice and a couple of fresh mint leaves if using. Stir before drinking.

Storage

Refrigerate any leftover lemonade in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Stir well before serving; separation of fruit purée is normal.