Beef Free Garden Strawberry Lime Cooler

Total time30 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time5 min

4.8

(24)

This vibrant, fruit-forward cooler is the kind of drink that makes a hot afternoon feel like a celebration. Fresh strawberries are simmered down with maple syrup, water, and lime zest into a gorgeous deep-pink syrup that forms the backbone of the whole thing — bright, a little floral, and naturally sweet. A generous pour of fresh lime juice sharpens everything up beautifully before the chilled sparkling water brings the fizz. The result is refreshing in the best possible way: layered, lively, and nothing like the artificially flavored stuff you'd find in a bottle. Since every single ingredient here comes straight from the produce aisle or pantry, there's zero guesswork about what's actually in your glass. A sprig of fresh mint and a lime wheel on the rim make it look like something from a rooftop bar, even if you're just standing in your own kitchen. Make a double batch of the syrup ahead of time and keep it in the fridge — you'll want this one on repeat all season.

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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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