Spice Free Garden Strawberry Lime Cooler
This vibrant drink is everything a warm-weather refresher should be — bright, fruity, and just tart enough to keep you coming back for another sip. Fresh strawberries are simmered down with maple syrup and lime zest into a gorgeous deep-pink syrup that does all the heavy lifting, then brightened further with a generous pour of fresh lime juice. Topped off with chilled sparkling water, it's fizzy and light without a single artificial flavor or hidden ingredient to worry about. For anyone navigating a spice-free lifestyle, drinks can sometimes be trickier than expected — flavored syrups and commercial mixers often sneak in unexpected additions — but every component here is clean and straightforward. The homemade syrup comes together in under ten minutes on the stovetop, and once it's strained and cooled, assembly is just a matter of pouring over ice. A sprig of fresh mint and a lime wheel make it look like something you'd pay good money for at a café, but it's honestly effortless to pull off at home.
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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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