Barley Free Garden Strawberry Lime Cooler
Fresh strawberries and real lime juice come together in a homemade syrup that gives this sparkling cooler a vibrant, garden-bright flavor you simply can't get from a bottle. The syrup is made by gently simmering the berries with maple syrup, water, and lime zest until everything turns a gorgeous deep pink — then it's strained smooth and stirred together with fresh lime juice for a tart, fruity base. Topped with chilled sparkling water over ice, every sip is crisp, refreshing, and just sweet enough. Grain-free drinks can be surprisingly tricky to find when you're scanning labels at the store, but this one is built entirely from fruit, citrus, and a touch of natural sweetener, so there's nothing to second-guess. It comes together quickly and looks stunning in the glass, especially with a sprig of mint and a lime wheel tucked in for good measure. This is the kind of drink that disappears fast at a summer gathering — make a double batch just in case.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the strawberry-lime syrup
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup water
- 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- 1 tbsp lime zest (from about 2 limes)
For the cooler
- ½ cup fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)
- 3 cups sparkling water, chilled
- 2 cups ice cubes
For serving
- 4 fresh mint sprigs (optional)
- 4 lime wheels or wedges (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the maple syrup, water, strawberries, and lime zest in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries soften and begin to break down and the syrup turns a deep pink, about 4–5 minutes.
- 2
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the mixture cool for 15 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher, pressing the solids firmly with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.
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