This refreshing homemade strawberry lemonade may be the perfect summer drink – cool, sweet, indulgent – just right for hot summer days! When you make it with fresh lemons and our simple strawberry sauce, it is hands-down the very best!

This is really so simple. The biggest commitment is squeezing those lemons and, even when doing it by hand, it doesn’t take long at all. Invest in a lemon juicer (or squeezer as it’s sometimes called) to make this task a breeze.

The Perfect Mix

I confess that I often make lemonade from a powdered mix and we all like it just fine. It was perfect for the kids’ lemonade stands when they were younger because they could mix it up themselves. But fresh lemon juice makes a much better lemonade in the end. If you prefer the powdered mix or simply need the convenience of it, feel free to use the powdered mix and just add the strawberry sauce to it once it’s mixed!

You might also be thinking – why do I need a recipe for lemonade? The truth is, you can always just wing it with things like this. I can never seem to remember the right ratio of juice to water, so I love having a recipe as reference. So, for those of you who are like me, here is your reference point and the ratio for the perfect lemonade every single time!

refreshing homemade strawberry lemonade in glass close-up

Let’s Make Strawberry Lemonade!

Start by making our Simple Strawberry Sauce so that it has time to cool. You can find that recipe here.

At the same time, make your simple syrup by stirring together 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup water in a small pot. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then allow it to cool.

This syrup is the sweetener for your lemonade. You could just add sugar, but if you do that, the grains don’t dissolve as well and you will end up with sugar sludge at the bottom of your lemonade and a drink that is more sour than you really want. Dissolving the sugar in some of the water ahead of time keeps this from happening!

While the sauce and syrup are cooling, get those lemons squeezed. You need a full cup of lemon juice and, to get it, you will need to squeeze the juice from 5-6 lemons.

Stir 1 cup of the strawberry sauce, the simple syrup, and lemon juice together with 4 cups of cold water in a large pitcher. Serve it up in a fancy glass over ice to make any normal summer day feel special!