Paraben Free Classic Strawberry Lemonade
Bright, fruity, and refreshingly tart, this strawberry lemonade is the kind of drink that makes any afternoon feel like a celebration. Every drop is made from scratch — fresh-squeezed lemons, real strawberries simmered into a gorgeous ruby syrup, and plain granulated sugar — so you know exactly what's going into your glass. That matters more than people realize, because many store-bought lemonades and flavored drinks rely on preservatives and synthetic additives that can be a concern for anyone avoiding parabens and similar compounds. Here, the ingredient list is completely transparent and wonderfully simple. The homemade strawberry syrup is the real star: cooking the berries down with sugar and water coaxes out their natural sweetness and deep color before straining everything into a silky, vibrant concentrate. Stir it into the lemon base, pour over ice, and you've got a pitcher-worthy drink that looks stunning with a few fresh strawberry slices on the rim. It's the kind of thing you'll want to make all summer long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the strawberry syrup
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
For the lemonade
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 6–8 lemons)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups cold water
For serving
- ice, for serving
- fresh strawberry slices or lemon rounds, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the strawberries, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the strawberries soften and release their juices, about 5–7 minutes.
- 2
Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup cool for 5 minutes, then pour it through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or measuring cup, pressing the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Let the syrup cool to room temperature, about 20–25 minutes.
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