Nothing says summertime like vodka strawberry lemonade cocktails! These refreshing drinks taste like summer in a glass and are perfect for dining al fresco! They are easy to make, and can be tailored to fit your taste preferences. So grab a pitcher of vodka strawberry lemonade and enjoy the warm weather!
Now that the weather is really nice, we have been enjoying our backyard now more than ever! Our garden is flourishing, thank goodness because I was so afraid of killing all my plants!
We've finally started dining out on the deck again (we just had a really cute little breakfast of steak and eggs, some southern fried potatoes, and strawberry shortcake muffins for dessert! So good!) so you know that means that spring and summer recipes are about to go down!
The first thing I'm going to do with our first crop of berries is make this delicious cocktail: a spiked strawberry lemonade. If you're a fan of sweet cocktails, you're going to love my blog, I'm just sayin'! The summer months are filled with tons of cocktails and mocktails.
This an easy pink lemonade recipe made with simple ingredients, homemade lemonade, and sliced strawberries, but adding just a bit of your favorite vodka makes it a fun and easy cocktail that will be perfect for any hot summer day.
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Equipment
- my favorite chef knife, nice and sharp!
- a strawberry huller to take out the stems with ease.
- my boos brothers cutting board
- a small saucepan for making the strawberry syrup
- Fine Mesh Sieve
- a citrus juicer for squeezing lemons
- a pitcher to hold it all in
Ingredients
Fresh Strawberries - you could use frozen strawberries as well if they're not in season. This recipe is a great way to use up those older strawberries that the kids won't eat.
Lemons - I use the zest and fresh lemon juice in this recipe. It really gives that intense lemon flavor you're looking for!
Granulated Sugar - this has a neutral flavor, so it just gives us sweet without changing the flavor from strawberry and lemon.
Vodka - use your favorite vodka. If you need some help in making that decision, I talk more about it down below.
Cold Water - a must for lemonade.
Best Vodka to Use
The general rule is 'the cheaper the vodka, the more harsh it'll burn'. Here are my top picks by price point of vodkas at the liquor stores that are smooth with great flavor.
Under $20: Svedka Vodka. It costs ten bucks for a 750 mL bottle and is smooth with a slight citrusy flavor. It's great for martinis and this strawberry vodka lemonade, especially if you're going to be serving it up for a party. Affordable and tasty.
Under $50: Grey Goose or Belvedere Vodkas. We always have a bottle of these on hand for cocktails at home. They are smooth and easy to drink and are fantastic in an array of vodka cocktails.
Over $50: Harlem Haberdashery Bespoke Vodka. Gotta love the fun name! This Black-owned vodka distillery makes small-batch vodka that is triple distilled. It tastes very smooth and clean and I love it in simple martinis or more complex drinks.
How to Make A Strawberry Lemonade Vodka Cocktail
This strawberry lemonade vodka drink is so easy, it's great for busy weeknights and to make ahead for big parties coming up (Memorial Day BBQ, anyone?).
Make the Strawberry Simple Syrup
Step 1 | Make the syrup by simmering chopped strawberries in water and sugar. Stir it so the sugar dissolves, then let simmer away until the syrup is a vibrant pink-red and the strawberries are slumped over.
Step 2 | pour the strawberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a heat-safe container.
Make the Homemade Strawberry Lemonade
Step 3 | Stir together the sugar and strawberry slices in your large pitcher. Let them mingle and get juicy for about 5 minutes.
Step 4 | Pour in the lemon juice and stir very well.
Step 5 | Pour in enough cups of water to fill the pitcher and mix well.
Step 6 | Add ice cubes, strawberries and lemon slices to the pitcher, Then pour in the strawberry syrup. Stir really well and serve cold in glasses or mason jars with fresh lemon slices!
How to Choose the Best Fresh Berries
Finding great fresh strawberries is really easy when you know what you're looking for at the grocery store. Here are my tips on finding a nice batch of fresh berries. You're going to look in those berry boxes, don't be afraid to pop it open and investigate (carefully!) if you're unsure about what you're looking at.
- The redder the better. When strawberries are picked, they don't ripen further afterwards like a banana does. Once picked, that's it! So find strawberries that are very red with minimal white or green on the berry for optimal ripeness and sweetness.
- No shrivelled skin. If you notice a berry that's darker red and dry looking, it's on its way out. Probably won't be any good by tomorrow and might start molding, don't risk it. Choose berries that are plump and shiny, instead.
- Check every berry. We all know the devastation that happens when you bring home a box of berries to find some rotting, molded berry that was hiding stealthily between the beautiful ones. So make sure you can see every berry in the box before buying it.
- Look at the freshness of the leaves. The older the strawberries, the more dull and wilted their green leaves will be. Look for fresh, lively looking leaves because that means that is a newer box of berries!
Variations on this Strawberry Lemonade Cocktail
I have some really great ideas for many variations!
You can use a flavored vodka of any kind, like citrus vodka or strawberry vodka. Those are great options to amplify that summertime flavor. You can also infuse vodka yourself, a fun and tasty project where you can make endless flavor combinations!
Or try this with an herbaceous gin or tequila!
Make it a frozen strawberry lemonade vodka cocktail slushy by using a blender to crush the frozen strawberries to a silky-smooth texture.
Make it into a tropical drink by adding ginger, pineapple, or guava nectar!
Use other fresh fruit for a seriously fruity lemonade on a hot day. My suggestions: blackberries, watermelon, or peaches!
Make it fizzy and bubbly by adding club soda into the pitcher for your large batch, or simply top it off with the sparkling water if you're making a cocktail for one or two.
Add ginger beer for a cocktail version of my favorite sparkling ginger strawberry lemonade!
Make Ahead and Storage
Make this strawberry cocktail ahead of time for any occasion!
It'll stay fresh in the fridge for up to 2 days in a pitcher with a lid. Just add the ice before serving.
FAQs
You can absolutely use frozen strawberries in both the syrup and the drink itself. They make fabulous ice cubes!
Just leave out the alcohol and you have a delicious strawberry lemonade. Give it a little zhush with tonic water, ginger beer, or other mix in.
Don't want to make a strawberry syrup? You can throw some strawberries in the blender for fresh strawberry puree instead! It's so, so delicious, especially if you use frozen strawberries!
More Fun Summer Drinks
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📖 Recipe
The BEST Vodka Strawberry Lemonade
Nothing says summertime like vodka strawberry lemonade cocktails! These refreshing drinks are perfect for dining al fresco, and are sure to please everyone at your next party. They are easy to make, and can be tailored to fit your taste preferences. So grab a pitcher of vodka strawberry lemonade and enjoy the warm weather!
Ingredients
- ½ pound strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced
- 1 cup lemon juice
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 cups cold water
- ½ cup strawberry simple syrup
- 1 cup vodka
- Ice, for serving
Instructions
- At the bottom of a pitcher or in a medium sized mixing bowl, smash the fresh strawberries with the sugar and ¼ cup lemon juice until the strawberries are releasing juice and are well muddled.
- Add the lemon juice and cold water to the pitcher (or add the mashed and macerated strawberries to the pitcher with the water if you used a bowl). Stir well.
- Add the strawberry simple syrup and vodka to the pitcher, stir well to combine. Add ice and serve cold!
Notes
Need instructions on making a super fast and easy strawberry syrup? Click this link!
Make Ahead and Storage
Make this strawberry cocktail ahead of time for any occasion!
It'll stay fresh in the fridge for up to 2 days in a pitcher with a lid. Just add the ice before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 203Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 12mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 34gProtein: 0g
All nutrition facts are estimations. Please see a physician for any health-related inquiries.
Eden Westbrook is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind Sweet Tea and Thyme. A classically trained chef, Eden has inspired home cooks into the kitchen with cultural comfort foods, easy family-friendly eats and sweets, and glorious spreads for date night and entertaining since 2015.
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