Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients for Strawberry Lemonade

You read that right, my friends. This recipe only has three ingredients. As always, make sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the full measurements, instructions, and printable recipe.

• Strawberries: You can use either fresh or frozen in this recipe.
• Lemon Juice: You can’t have lemonade without lemon juice!
• Granulated Sugar: Read more about why we add sugar, and why we add so much below.

With a little bit of water this is an easy recipe that even the kids can help you with.

Getting the Most Juice out of your Lemons

I always use fresh lemons when I make this recipe. There are two tricks to getting more juice out of them. Doing these can make a big difference when juicing.

Trick 1: Roll the lemons between the palm of your hand and the counter top.

Trick 2: Pop the lemons (one at a time) in the microwave for 30 seconds. This is the method I always use.

After doing one (or both) of those tricks, I use this type of tool to juice my lemons. It seems to allow me to get the most juice out of them. Then I strain the juice to make sure no seeds get in before moving on to the next step.

Let’s Talk About Sugar

Yes! There is a whole cup of sugar in this recipe. It is part of what makes this drink a summery treat. In our house we do treats in moderation, but we truly enjoy what we make.

I would not suggest that you cut back on the sugar. Lemons are incredibly acidic and tart. As you know from my spaghetti sauce, we want to balance acid with a little sugar so it isn’t overwhelming. In this recipe, the drink is meant to be sweet, so we are balancing with a lot of sugar. If you were to cut back, I don’t think you will be satisfied with the results.

Though we haven’t tested this with a sugar replacement, there are some great ones on the market. Monkfruit would be the first one that I would reach for to make this recipe, being very careful that I check the bag for how much I should use to replace the sugar. The ratios aren’t always one for one.

How to Make Strawberry Lemonade

1. Blend the strawberries with lemon juice. In a food processor or blender combine the strawberries and the lemon juice. (Include the juice if you used frozen strawberries.)
2. Heat the juice with water and sugar. Pour the mixture from the food processor into a medium sauce pan. Add 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar, and bring to a simmer. It is like we are making a lemon strawberry simple syrup.
3. Simmer the mixture. Continue stirring the mixture while bringing it to a simmer. Simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved.
4. Strain out the leftover strawberry. Strain the liquid into a large pitcher and allow it to cool completely. There will be some strawberry flesh left that you will want strained out of your drink.
5. Add more water. What you have made is basically a concentrate. Once cool, add in 3 cups of cold water. Stir to combine and serve!