How to Make Easy Homemade Strawberry Lemonade

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Homemade Strawberry Lemonade is a wonderfully refreshing drink made from just four simple ingredients! This easy lemonade recipe makes a pitcher and is the perfect way to cool down on a hot afternoon. Makes 6 servings.

Looking for more refreshing summertime drinks? Be sure to check out this Arnold Palmer, Sweet Sunrise Mocktail and Cherry Lemon Tea, too.

A glass of Strawberry Lemonade is shown with fresh strawberries and lemon slices

This Strawberry Lemonade recipe was originally shared on July 13, 2012. It was updated in May 2021.

This recipe takes me back to the hot, muggy summers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and when we were newly(ish)weds, paving our way in our college town after a few years hiatus.

Now, I didn’t purchase two FLATS of strawberries this spring like I did that fateful first spring in Baton Rouge, but we’ve been gobbling up all the strawberries we can find in all the forms we can make. (Hello, Strawberry Melon Salad, Strawberry Lemonade Muffins and Strawberry Romaine Salad in a Jar, among others.)

Nothing is as refreshing on a hot summer’s day like homemade lemonade. The real kind with freshly squeezed lemons, not the stuff from a jar. (As a mama, I totally get the jarred stuff. But as someone who loves fresh food, I love taking the time to make my own lemonade from scratch.)

Other lemonade recipes we adore during the summer: Fresh Squeezed Lemonade | Vodka Lemonade with Raspberry / Blueberry Lemonade / Mixed Berry Mint Lemonade / Homemade Mint Lemonade

Looking for another refreshing summer drink? Be sure to check out my Nonalcoholic Drinks Recipe Index.

A bowl of strawberries, a pitcher of water and lemons are shown on marble

What you need to make Homemade Strawberry Lemonade

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A Citrus juicer or a citrus reamer for juicing the lemons
This (or a similar) muddler to smash the strawberries
A pitcher, like my Kate Spade New York Raise a Glass Acrylic Pitcher
Drinking glasses of your choosing

In addition to these tools, you’re going to need four simple ingredients to make this homemade strawberry lemonade, too:

Freshly squeezed lemon juice—the shelf-stable variety you can find at the grocery store won’t do. Juice the lemons yourself or find the cold pressed fresh lemon juice at the store. It normally hangs out by the pre-cut fruits in the refrigerated section.
Water—to dilute the lemon juice
Fresh strawberries—because this is strawberry lemonade, after all. If your fresh strawberries aren’t super sweet, consider adding a bit more sugar to your mix. This is something you’ll have to taste and see, then add more if necessary.
Granulated sugar—for just a little bit of sweetness

Collage showing how to muddle strawberries and prep ingredients for lemonade

How to make Homemade Strawberry Lemonade

First off, juice the lemons and set that lemon juice aside. If you’re using a citrus reamer, make sure there are no lemon seeds in the juice. (I like to juice my lemons over a fine mesh strainer to catch excess pulp and seeds, but you do you.)

Next, muddle the strawberries in a jar or a glass and measure in the sugar. Let them hang out for a bit and release those awesome juices.

Once the fruits and sugar are happy, add water and chill the lemonade for about 30 minutes.

And then, pour over a few ice cubes, cut a wedge off another lemon and pop that lemon piece on the side of your glass and enjoy.

It’s the perfect summertime drink, if I do say so myself.

A collage of four images showing how to mix the lemonade

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

This recipe is an easy one to pull off because it requires very little time and skill, making it perfect for entertaining. In fact, the most time you’ll spend on this recipe is juicing the lemons.

Because of this, I think Strawberry Lemonade is the perfect summertime entertaining drink. (Think backyard barbecues and at-home tailgates.) It’s beloved by adults and children, and it’s so easy to sip.

Here are a few tips and tricks for making entertaining with homemade lemonade a little easier.

Squeeze the lemons in advance… or purchase a jar of freshly squeezed lemon juice in the refrigerated fruit section of your grocery. This’ll make it easier to put the lemonade together before guests arrive.
Make the lemonade 30 minutes to 2 hours before guests arrive so that it has time to chill out in the fridge. That way, it’ll be ice cold!
Make two pitchers if you’re hosting more than 6 people or keep extra ingredients in the fridge at the ready in case you run out.

Strawberry Lemonade pours from a pitcher into a cup

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to squeeze lemons for lemonade?

Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks about juicing lemons. They truly come in handy when you’re making a pitcher of homemade lemonade.

Don’t juice a cold lemon. A cold lemon won’t give as much juice as a room temperature one. If you keep your lemons in the fridge, let it come to room temperature, or pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds to get it to warm up.

Roll the lemon on the countertop because this will bring the juices to the surface.

Slice the lemon down the equator, not from the stem to the tip.

Don’t just squeeze it with your hands… use a citrus reamer or a juicer to get that good juice out of it. Personally, I like a lemon reamer better.

Can I use frozen strawberries?

Sure! If you use frozen strawberries, just make sure that you’ve let them defrost in the fridge so that you can muddle them with the sugar!

As an added bonus, you can garnish this pitcher of homemade lemonade with frozen strawberries to keep it cool, too!

Could I use the shelf-stable lemon juice that’s on the shelf at the grocery store?

If it’s from the refrigerated produce shelves, yes, that should work. If it’s shelf stable, probably not.

Freshly squeezed lemon juice really makes a difference in homemade lemonade, so you want to make sure your lemon juice is as fresh as possible.

A glass of Strawberry Lemonade with its ingredients on a marble counter

What are some dishes I can pair with this homemade strawberry lemonade?

10 servings

Strawberry Lemonade

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Chilling Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Instead of making regular lemonade this summer, let's whip up some sweet Strawberry Lemonade! Lemons are squeezed for their juice and mixed with water in a pitcher. Fresh strawberries are mulled, then mixed with granulated sugar, and poured into the lemonade mixture. Stir until the sugar dissolves into the liquid, then refrigerate before pouring a glass! This refreshing lemonade is the perfect way to cool down on a hot summer afternoon.

Ingredients

1 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
5 cups water
1 cup strawberries, roughly chopped
½ cup granulated sugar

Instructions

In a drinking glass, measure out the strawberries and mull them, smashing them with a muddler. Sprinkle in the sugar, and let them macerate.
Juice several lemons into a liquid measuring cup until you have a cup of fresh juice. (It'll take around 4, depending on their size and the amount of juice in each one.)
In a pitcher, mix the strawberries and their juices with the sugar and lemon juice. Stir until combined.
Pour the water into the pitcher, stirring until the ingredients have mixed.
Cool for 30 minutes, then enjoy!

Notes

Tips and Tricks for Juicing Lemons for Homemade Lemonade

Don’t juice a cold lemon. A cold lemon won’t give as much juice as a room temperature one. If you keep your lemons in the fridge, let it come to room temperature, or pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds to get it to warm up.
Roll the lemon on the countertop because this will bring the juices to the surface.
Slice the lemon down the equator, not from the stem to the tip.
Don’t just squeeze it with your hands… use a citrus reamer or a juicer to get that good juice out of it. Personally, I like a lemon reamer better.

Can I Use Frozen Strawberries?

Sure! If you use frozen strawberries, just make sure that you’ve let them defrost in the fridge so that you can muddle them with the sugar!

You can garnish this pitcher of homemade lemonade with frozen strawberries to keep it cool, too!

Could I Use The Pre-Packaged Lemon Juice That’s On The Shelf At The Grocery Store?

If it’s from the refrigerated produce shelves, yes, that should work. If it’s shelf stable, probably not.

Freshly squeezed lemon juice really makes a difference in homemade lemonade, so you want to make sure your lemon juice is as fresh as possible.