This Fresh Strawberry Lemonade is sweet, tart and bright pink, made from four ingredients: strawberries, lemons, sugar and water. One pitcher serves eight.
Drinks are an easy place to overspend when you’re hosting. When you’re already buying for a crowd, a homemade pitcher is a simple way to trim the bill, and it looks more special on the table than anything from a bottle.
The strawberries are blended with the sugar, so there’s no syrup to cook. Strain out the seeds if you want it smooth, or leave them in and save a step.
Make it the morning of your gathering and keep it in the fridge until guests arrive.
Ingredients and Swaps
- Strawberries: Fresh and ripe, or frozen strawberries, thawed. Frozen often cost less out of season and work just as well.
- Lemons: About 6 for 1 cup of juice. Bottled juice works in a pinch, but fresh tastes brighter.
- Sugar: Granulated. Start with ¾ cup if your berries are very sweet. Honey works too.
- Water: Cold. Swap part of it for club soda for a sparkling version.
Tips for the Best Strawberry Lemonade
- Roll the lemons first. Pressing and rolling them on the counter gets more juice out of each one.
- Blend until completely smooth. The sugar dissolves in the blender, so there’s no syrup to cook.
- Strain for a smooth drink. A fine mesh strainer removes the seeds and pulp. Skip it if you don’t mind them.
- Taste and adjust. Add more sugar, lemon or water until the balance suits you.
- Ice in the glass, not the pitcher. That way the lemonade doesn’t get watered down.
Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.
Cost: Ingredients – $6.97 from Walmart, $6.59 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.82 to $0.87
Fresh Strawberry Lemonade
Ingredients
Method
- Add the strawberries, sugar and 1 cup of the water to a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
- For a smooth lemonade, pour the strawberry mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a large pitcher, pressing with a spoon. Skip this step if you don’t mind the seeds.
- Stir in the lemon juice and the remaining 5 cups of cold water.
- Taste and add a little more sugar or water if needed.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes. Serve over ice with lemon slices.
Notes
- Roll the lemons firmly on the counter before cutting to get more juice out of them.
- Bottled lemon juice works in a pinch. Fresh tastes brighter.
- Start with ¾ cup sugar if your strawberries are very sweet.
- This makes about 2 quarts.
Variations
- Sparkling: Replace 2 cups of the water with club soda just before serving.
- Frozen: Blend the finished lemonade with 3–4 cups of ice for a slush.
- Other berries: Raspberries or a mix of berries work the same way.
- Popsicles: Freeze leftovers in popsicle molds.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- Make the lemonade up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge.
- Stir before serving. The strawberry settles.
- The strawberry base can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw and add the lemon juice and water.
You might also like: Red, White and Blue Fruit Salad and Strawberry Spinach Salad.
Strawberry Lemonade Questions
Can I make it with less sugar?
Yes. Start with ½ cup and add more to taste. Very ripe berries need less.
How many lemons do I need for 1 cup of juice?
About 6 medium lemons, depending on how juicy they are.
