Strawberry Lemonade Recipe

Prepare strawberries

Rinse the strawberries under cold water, hull them (remove green tops), and roughly chop into halves or quarters so they blend easily.

Make simple syrup

In a small heatproof container, combine the granulated sugar and 1/4 cup warm water. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved to make a quick simple syrup. Let it cool slightly (2–3 minutes).

Blend strawberries

Place the chopped strawberries and the cooled simple syrup into a blender. Blend on high until smooth, about 30–45 seconds. If you prefer a very smooth lemonade, blend an additional 10–15 seconds.

Strain (optional)

If you want a seed-free, very smooth lemonade, pour the strawberry puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or large pitcher, using the back of a spoon to press out as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. If you like pulp, skip this step and pour puree directly into the pitcher.

Combine with lemon juice

Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice to the strawberry puree in the pitcher and stir to combine thoroughly.

Add cold water to the strawberry-lemon mixture and stir well. Taste and adjust sweetness or strength: if too tart, add up to 1–2 tablespoons more sugar or a little more simple syrup; if too strong, add additional cold water 1/4 cup at a time until desired balance is reached.

Refrigerate the lemonade for at least 30 minutes if you want it thoroughly chilled and flavors to meld, or serve immediately over ice.

Fill glasses with ice cubes. Pour the strawberry lemonade over ice, garnish each glass with a sprig of fresh mint and a slice of strawberry or lemon wheel if desired.

Serve with a spoon or straw to stir before drinking, since some settling may occur.