By Becky Hardin
Updated May 27, 2025
Perfectly refreshing and so simple to make, this homemade strawberry lemonade is the ideal drink for summer. Enjoy with or without alcohol.
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Homemade Strawberry Lemonade (Cocktail or Mocktail)
Looking for a refreshing drink to cool down? I’ve got you covered with this delicious strawberry lemonade! Made with fresh strawberries and lemon juice, it’s the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. Make it with or without alcohol, your choice! For more mocktails, try my blood orange mock sangria .
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 2 cups of water
- ▢ 1 cup white sugar
- ▢ 10 strawberries with the ends cut off, fresh ripe are best but, frozen will work
- ▢ 1 cup of lemon juice about 6 lemons, freshly squeezed
- ▢ ¾ cup of vodka optional, gin or white rum also work
Instructions
- Add the water and sugar to a saucepan over medium heat and let it heat for 5 minutes then remove the pot from the heat and let it cool completely. 2 cups of water, 1 cup white sugar
- Add the strawberries, lemon juice, vodka (if using) and cooled syrup to a blender and blend until smooth. 10 strawberries, 1 cup of lemon juice, ¾ cup of vodka
- Place a fine mesh strainer over a pitcher and strain the lemonade into the pitcher.
- Serve over ice, sliced lemons, and strawberries and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Becky’s Tips
- Don’t add ice to the pitcher; instead, pour the strawberry lemonade over ice in glasses. If you add ice directly to the pitcher, it will melt and dilute the drink.
- Don’t be tempted to use bottled lemon juice for this recipe. It won’t have the same zing. Trust me, it’s worth juicing fresh!
- Nutritional values are based on one of six drinks without vodka.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Strawberry Lemonade Step by Step
Combine water and sugar : Add 2 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar to a saucepan over medium heat and let it heat for 5 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and let it cool completely.
Add the remaining ingredients: Add 10 strawberries, 1 cup of lemon juice, and 3/4 cup of vodka (if using) and cooled syrup to a blender and blend until smooth.
Strain: Place a fine mesh strainer over a pitcher and strain the lemonade into the pitcher.
Garnish, serve, and enjoy: Serve over ice, sliced lemons, and strawberries and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
How to Store
Once you have made your strawberry lemonade, if you aren’t serving it straight away, keep it covered in the fridge. It will keep for up to one week. Just give it a little stir before enjoying.
Serving Suggestions
When the weather heats up, this refreshing strawberry lemonade is a great way to cool down, but even better when paired with a decadent s’mores ice cream sandwich , a bowl of pumpkin ice cream , or a slice of this easy Snickers ice cream cake.
more lemonade recipes we love
Homemade Lemonade Recipe (Fresh Squeezed!)
Raspberry Lemonade
Peach Lemonade
Lemonade Cleanse (Master Cleanse Recipe)
Strawberry Lemonade Recipe (Mocktail or Cocktail)
Ingredients
- 2 cups of water
- 1 cup white sugar
- 10 strawberries with the ends cut off, fresh ripe are best but, frozen will work
- 1 cup of lemon juice about 6 lemons, freshly squeezed
- ¾ cup of vodka optional, gin or white rum also work
Instructions
- Add the water and sugar to a saucepan over medium heat and let it heat for 5 minutes then remove the pot from the heat and let it cool completely. 2 cups of water, 1 cup white sugar
- Add the strawberries, lemon juice, vodka (if using) and cooled syrup to a blender and blend until smooth. 10 strawberries, 1 cup of lemon juice, ¾ cup of vodka
- Place a fine mesh strainer over a pitcher and strain the lemonade into the pitcher.
- Serve over ice, sliced lemons, and strawberries and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Notes
- Don’t add ice to the pitcher; instead, pour the strawberry lemonade over ice in glasses. If you add ice directly to the pitcher, it will melt and dilute the drink.
- Don’t be tempted to use bottled lemon juice for this recipe. It won’t have the same zing. Trust me, it’s worth juicing fresh!
- Nutritional values are based on one of six drinks without vodka.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
