Lemon juice, strawberries, and simple syrup make up this delicious Starbucks Strawberry Lemonade in just 15 minutes. Cool, sweet, and refreshing, this blended beverage is like summertime in a glass.
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Summertime is the perfect time for refreshing drinks. I love a good Strawberry Mocktail or Cherry Cooler while reading in the sun. Ahh, summer...
Okay, back to reality! No need to interrupt your day with a trip to Starbucks. Now you can make your own delicious Strawberry lemonade and save yourself a few bucks!
My version of this drink uses simple syrup, fresh strawberries and lemons. You can make it even healthier by using honey rather than sugar for your simple syrup. I've done it both ways and it's delicious!
Something I love about this recipe is that it’s very versatile, and you can truly customize it to your tastes.
Why This Recipe Works
- Better for your budget- This blended Starbucks strawberry lemonade tastes just like the real thing and costs way less to make.
- Simple Syrup- making a liquid sweetener blends easier than trying to get sugar to dissolve in cold water.
- Sweet and refreshing- This is the perfect summertime drink!
Key Ingredients
- Lemon Juice from fresh lemons - Fresh is best! Use a citrus press for easy juicing.
- Strawberries - Freshly picked (or from a farm market) is extra good. You can also use frozen strawberries.
- Sugar- You can substitute honey if you prefer.
This copycat Starbucks strawberry lemonade is tangy, sweet, smooth, and so refreshing! Strawberries and lemons can be found year-round, and compliment each other so well.
Even if you make this drink in the dead of winter, it’ll feel like summertime as soon as you take that first sip.
How to Make Strawberry Lemonade
This is an overview of the instructions, be sure to see the recipe card for all the details.
- Make simple syrup by heating water and sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Continue stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Move the syrup into the fridge to cool completely before mixing it into the drink.
- Use a citrus press to juice your fresh lemons until you have 1 ½ cups of juice.
- Hull (take the stems off) the strawberries and place them in a blender or food processor..
- Blend until puree'd. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain and remove the seeds from the puréed strawberries.
5. Add the lemon juice to a pitcher.
6. Add strawberry puree', syrup, and cold water. Stir well.
Allow to chill for a bit in the fridge, and serve in tall glasses with ice.
Expert Tips
- Simple syrup can be made with more or less sugar depending on how sweet you like the syrup. The standard is equal parts, but I did a little less here because I like a good balance of tart from the lemons.
- For a less processed version, use honey instead of sugar in the simple syrup, same amount.
- You can also make the simple syrup as is, but use less if you like a less sweet lemonade. The extra can be used in Mocktails or Cocktails.
- Straining the seeds of the strawberries is optional. If it doesn’t bother you, skip this step.
- Sugar-Free option: You can use a stevia based sweetener such as Truvia, or Swerve to make the simple syrup. Check a conversion chart as not all sweeteners measure the same as sugar. I recommend an all natural sweetener, not a chemical one.
- Prep the purée. Puréed strawberries last for a couple months in the freezer. Have some ready to go any time by creating strawberry purée ice cubes that you can thaw and mix in any drink at any time.
- For a fun frozen treat, pour the lemonade mixture into popsicle molds and freeze.
Frequently Asked Questions
Strawberries purée, lemonade, and simple syrup are the dominant ingredients. We’re starting from scratch with freshly squeezed lemons, cold water, and simple syrup, and mixing it right in with our strawberry puree.
You could mash your berries as much as possible with a masher or muddler, but you won't have as fine or smooth of a mixture as you would get with a blender or processor.
The texture would certainly be different, but the flavor is still just as good!
The blended lemonade is more like a slushy texture, and has a higher ratio of puree'd strawberries.
Storing and Freezing
The Strawberry Lemonade will keep for a week in the refrigerator, however, we've always devoured it before then.
As far as freezing goes, you can freeze it in an airtight container, but most people don't freeze their lemonade unless they're making popsicles, which I mentioned under the "Expert Tips" section.
Related Recipes
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📋 Recipe
Strawberry Lemonade
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
- Pitcher
- Citrus press or Lemon Juicer (optional, but handy)
Ingredients
For the simple syrup:
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 cup water
For the lemonade
- 1 ½ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice about 8-10 lemons
- 1 cup strawberries
- 1 cup simple syrup
- 6 cups cold water
Instructions
For the simple syrup
- In a small saucepan over medium low heat, add water and sugar. Stir occasionally until sugar is dissolved.
- Cool completely. Can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge.
For the lemonade
- Juice the lemons and add the juice to a pitcher. (link to citrus press)
- Place the strawberries in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Strain out the seeds by putting the puree in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Gently push the mixture through with a wooden spoon.
- Add the pureed strawberries and simple syrup to the pitcher.
- Add the cold water and stir until well combined.
- Chill and serve over ice.
Notes
- Simple syrup can be made with more or less sugar depending on how sweet you like the syrup. The standard is equal parts, but I did a little less here because I like a good balance of tart from the lemons.
- For a less processed version, use honey instead of sugar in the simple syrup, same amount.
- You can also make the simple syrup as is, but use less if you like a less sweet lemonade. The extra can be used in Mocktails or Cocktails.
- Straining the seeds of the strawberries is optional. If it doesn’t bother you, skip this step.
Nutrition
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Kathleen Rasmussen
Love your strawberry lemonade! I just made it and it taste so good!!
PS: I substituted the sugar for a natural sugar that is not the regular processed sugar, but very healthy! It’s called Sucress, a Natural Non-Caloric Sweetener w/zero Carbs or Calories.