"Summertime and the livin' is easy..." It sure is! If summer is your favorite season, it'll only be made better by having a tall glass of this Strawberry Lemon Limeade in your hand.
This 15-minute recipe is the tastiest, most refreshing fruity drink for all your summer activities from pool parties to picnics to cookouts. This is the perfect drink to serve at a cookout featuring BeeBop's bacon cheeseburgers, southern baked beans, and potato salad!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Not too sweet; not too tart
- Uses easily sourced ingredients
- Versatile - can be served as is or made into an "adult beverage"
- Very quick and easy to make
Ingredient Notes
- Lemons and Limes (fresh is always best)
- Sugar (you can always substitute an equivalent amount of sugar substitute if you prefer)
- Frozen Strawberries (using thawed, frozen strawberries saves time; you can use fresh but you'll need to wash and hull them and then crush them with a muddler or give them a quick blitz in a blender or food processor)
You'll find detailed measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Strawberry Lemon Limeade
I always like to show you the photos and step-by-step instructions for my recipes to help you picture how to make them in your own kitchen. If you just want to print out a copy, you can skip to the bottom of the post where you'll find the recipe card.
STEP 1. STEP 2.
STEP 1. You'll start by making a simple syrup of equal parts water and sugar. Bring it to a boil and stir until the sugar completely melts.
STEP 2. Cool the syrup in the refrigerator or add ice to cool it down right away.
NOTE: If you choose to use a sugar substitute in the recipe, you'll skip the cooking step and just dissolve your sugar substitute in water.
PRO TIP: Simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar) is a great thing to keep on hand in your refrigerator for mixing cocktails and summer drinks. It eliminates the problem of trying to dissolve sugar in a cold drink.
STEP 3. STEP 4.
STEP 3. While the syrup is cooling, remove the zest from one lime and one lemon. Set the zest aside.
PRO TIP: A microplane grater makes zesting citrus fruit so easy and gives you a very finely grated zest. Love that tool!
STEP 4. Juice all the lemons and limes (including the ones you previously zested) using a juicer or a hand reamer.
STEP 5. STEP 6.
STEP 5. Add the thawed strawberries with their syrup in a large pitcher.
STEP 6. Add the lemon and lime zest, the simple syrup, and the juices. Stir together to blend. Add enough water to make a total of eight cups.
STEP 7. Now, taste your mixture. If you like it less tart, add water a cup at a time until you get just the taste you want. Serve over ice and garnish with fresh strawberries and lemon or lime slices.
Variations, Substitutions, and Tips
- Of course, you can use all limes or all lemons in this recipe. Just make sure that you have at least 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups of juice.
- You can turn this recipe into a cocktail by adding tequila or vodka (about 4 ounces or either) and a splash of Gran Marnier. Or just add a little umbrella and call it a "mocktail."
- I recommend holding the garnish until serving the drink. Sometimes citrus oils can be bitter and overpowering if allowed to sit in the liquid too long.
- Substitute an equal amount of a sugar substitute if you like. If substituing, you can skip making the simple syrup in steps 1-2.
FAQs
You can easily substitute an equal amount of fresh strawberries for the frozen berries in this recipe. You'll need to hull and wash them, then either crush them with a muddler or give them a quick blitz in a blender or food processor.
Simple syrup is a mixture of equal parts sugar and water, cooked until the sugar is dissolved and then cooled. It makes sweetening cold drinks really easy - trying to dissolve sugar into something cold is really difficult (the sugar won't go into solution and sinks to the bottom) -- and simple syrup solves that problem. You can keep it in your refrigerator for about a month.
Actually, yes, you can easily freeze this recipe. Pour it into a freezer safe container, seal it, and keep it in the freezer for up to six months. Even better, freeze it in ice cube trays and add the individual cubes into other drinks such as Sprite or 7-Up.
You May Also Like ...
You May Also Like ...- Watermelon Cherry Limeade
- Ginger Praline Coffee Float
- Infused Water (Agua Fresca)
- Southern Sweet Tea
- Spiced Tea a.k.a Russian Tea
Have you tried this recipe? I'd love for you to give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card and/or in the comments section further down.
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Strawberry Lemon Limeade
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- Ice
- 3 limes
- 6 large lemons
- 10 ounces frozen strawberries in syrup thawed
- Water
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Remove pan from the heat and add 4 cups of ice cubes.
- While the sugar-water mixture cools, finely grate the zest from one lime and one lemon. Set aside.
- Juice the lemons and limes. There should be about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups juice.
- Put the thawed strawberries with their syrup in the bottom of a pitcher.
- Add the finely grated zest, lemon-lime juice and the cooled sugar-water mixture.
- Add enough additional water to make a total of 8 cups.
- Serve over ice. Garnish with fresh strawberries and/or lemon and lime slices.
Notes
- You can use all limes or all lemons in this recipe. Just make sure that you have the total amount of juice needed.
- You can easily substitute an equal amount of fresh strawberries for the frozen berries in this recipe. You'll need to hull and wash them, then either crush them with a muddler or give them a quick blitz in a blender or food processor.
- Turn this recipe into a cocktail by adding tequila or vodka (about 4 ounces of either) and a splash of Gran Marnier. Or just add a little umbrella and call it a "mocktail."
- Hold the garnish until serving the drink. Sometimes citrus oils can be bitter and overpowering if allowed to sit in the liquid too long.
- Substitute an equal amount of a sugar substitute if you like. If substituting, you can skip making the simple syrup in steps 1-2.
- To freeze, pour into a freezer safe container, seal it, and keep it in the freezer for up to six months. Even better, freeze it in ice cube trays and add the individual cubes into other drinks such as Sprite or 7-Up.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
-- This post was originally published on May 10, 2011, and has been updated with new photos and text.
kayleen says
MMMM this is soooo sooo good. I made it tonight for dinner. My husband is a diabetic so i used splenda instead of sugar and used strawberries with splenda. I could not find my zester so i did not zest the lemon or limes and it was still very very delish. This for sure will be a summer drink at my house. Thank you for sharing the recipe
Lana Stuart says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Kayleen! It's one of our favorites, too. I'm looking forward to glass when the weather is warmer.
Callie Frank says
Lana, This lemonade just blew my socks off! I'm so glad I stumbled upon this and your site in general. You've got some amazing recipes, and I can't wait to try more. I did repost this recipe on my blog and gave you credit for it. I hope you don't mind. The whole world needs to witness the wonder of this drink. Thank you for posting it!
Callie
NO REASON NEEDED says
Mmmmm, sounds delish. I have a fantastic little "sunshine drink" of summer I came across recently called Sunny Orange Lemonade"
Melanie C says
Delicious, absolutely delicious! Loved it, it was just what i needed on this hot summer!
Lana Stuart says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! And yes, it's definitely perfect for a hot summer day.
Katherine says
Lovely recipe! I wanted to let you know that I mention and link to your recipe on a post I did on simple syrups and summer cocktails :-) http://www.katherinemartinelli.com/blog/2011/four-simple-syrup-recipes-and-a-grenadine/
Gwyn Fincher says
where can you find those great straws?
Lana says
Gwyn - I ordered those from Bake it Pretty (www.bakeitpretty.com). They have lots of great stuff!
megan says
This sounds like a perfect drink for the Summer! Love it!
Alison @ ingredients, Inc. says
omg yum!!
Drick says
hitting 90 the last few days - miss that cool spell we had just a few weeks ago ... your drink would be so refreshing right now, gonna do some yard work so just might make up a batch
Lana says
When you're done, just pack up your rake and mower and wheelbarrow and head on over this way. I'll make you a pitcher of this lemonade :-)