Strawberry lemonade
This is my easy and quick homemade strawberry lemonade recipe, it is made in the blender using lemons (skin and all), strawberries and honey. You can easily replace lemons with limes for strawberry limeade. One of things that my kids love about summer is lemonade. As soon as the weather starts to get warm enough to wear t-shirts and shorts, I start getting requests for lemonade, especially in the afternoons after school or summer camp. I have quick and efficient way to making lemonade or limeade: instead of squeezing a bunch of lemons or limes, I just blend a couple of them with water and sugar, strain and done, freshly made lemonade or limeade in minutes. Late spring and summer also mean strawberries, which my boys are also crazy about, so we made some homemade strawberry lemonade using my blender method.
Strawberry lemonade
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ lb strawberries washed & cut in halves, about 4 cups
- 2 lemons washed and quartered (use limes to make strawberry limeade)
- ~ ½- ¾ cup honey or sugar to taste adjust based on your preference and sweetness of strawberries
- 6 cups of water
- Ice
Garnishes:
- Strawberry slices lemon slices and/or fresh herbs (mint, lemon verbena, lemon balm, basil)
Instructions
- Blend the strawberries, lemons and honey with 2 cups of water
- Strain the strawberry lemon mix, add the additional 4 cups of water through the strainer
- Taste and add additional honey/sugar if needed
- Serve cold over ice and garnished with strawberry slices, lemon slices and herbs
Method 2 (this one helps make the straining easier and keeps all strawberry goodness):
- First blend only the strawberries with the honey and 1 cup of water. You don’t need to strain this, it’s better to keep all the strawberries goodness. Then place the blended strawberries mix in a pitcher.
- Then in the same blender, you don’t need to wash or rinse it, blend the quartered lemons with the 1-2 cups of water.
- Strain the lemon mix into the pitcher, mix well and add the rest of the water. Taste and adjust sweetness level if needed.
- Serve as indicated above.
Video
Notes
As I mentioned in the original recipe for limonada, this is the quickest way – and most efficient since you only use a couple of lemons – to make lemonade, however since you are blending entire lemons or limes, it does have a stronger taste than lemonade or limeade made by squeezing the citrus. Most people like the taste, but some find it too bitter. Lemonade made this way also needs to be consumed the same day as the bitterness increases with time – this part never seems to be a problem around here as it is usually gone within minutes of making it.
I used honey for this strawberry lemonade, I love the soft taste that the honey has and it goes really well with strawberries and lemons. You can use honey, sugar or your choice of sweetener. My husband actually likes it even without adding any sugar to it; the strawberries have a natural sweetness. When I make it sugarless it’s like a tasty strawberry lemon water. You can also replace the lemons with limes to make strawberry limeade.
This strawberry lemonade can also easily be turned into a refreshing summer cocktail, just add your choice of alcohol. I’ve turned this drink into a cocktail using vodka, tequila, rum and even cachaça – for a quick strawberry caipirihna. You can also mix the strained mixed with white wine or sparkling wine, instead of the additional 4 cups of water, for delicious strawberry sangria.
Step by step preparation photos for this strawberry lemonade blender recipe:
Super tasty! I made this very successfully with lime instead of lemon today. (My partner loves dem limes.) It was a very big success, and even though it was slightly irritating to strain with the small strainer I have it was definitely worth it.
Super delicious! I altered the recipe a tad bit and added sparkling lemon flavored water and sparkling strawberry flavored water instead a just water.
Hi… I loved the idea.
I am Brazilian so I can tell you a little about those lemons and limes… When I make caipirinha with my brother we remove the fine green and yellow peel living the white and also remove the tough white rind in the middle. All the bitterness is gone. So, if someone done like the bitterness take a extra step and remove at least the middle tough white rind. Thanks for the great idea.
Your photos are beautiful!
I just made it was easy and taste delicious
I used agave syrup instead of honey… I liked the results a lot! But agave is a preference in general for me. :) Thanks for the recipe! I’ll be drinking this (and some tequila!) all week!
Curious, why agave?
I just made this today and it was delicious! If I make it again, I might try it with 1 lemon instead of 2 only to make it more strawberry tasting (I love strawberries!). I was a little surprised when I saw that you keep the lemon peels on , but you can’t even tell they’re in there. This would be a really great drink for kids to replace all the other bad stuff they drink with something natural.
Do you take the lemon out of the skin before blending?
No, blend it with the skin on.
what a refreshing combination ,i always make limeade with a splash of mint my kids adore this in the hot summer but i have a tip for u to overcome the bitterness of the drink if it stays u need to cut the 2 ends of the lime before blending try it u will not regret it i make a big jar of limeade that lasts for at least 3 days without getting bitter but be generous when cutting those ends because i learned from my mom that these ends are the cause of the bitterness hope its a good tip ,thanks for sharing your recipe
Are you using just a regular blender, or does it need to be super powerful like a Vitamix?
I have a regular blender.
I customized this recipe for one person. I used one cup strawberries one small lemon and about 11/2 tbsp. honey. Straining took while,but it was well worth it. I seriously thought I just ordered it from a restaurant, well almost and this recipe is way healthier!
It looks like I said 11/2, but I meant 1 and 1 half! lol