Soy Free Strawberry Basil Sparkling Cooler
Fresh strawberries and fragrant basil come together in a homemade syrup that makes this sparkling cooler feel genuinely special — the kind of drink you'd pay too much for at a fancy brunch spot. Cooking the berries down with maple syrup and water coaxes out a deep, jammy sweetness, and steeping the basil leaves in the warm liquid adds an herbal note that's subtle but unmistakably sophisticated. A squeeze of lemon juice brightens everything up before the syrup hits the chilled sparkling water, giving you that perfect balance of sweet, tart, and effervescent. Because everything here is made from scratch with whole, simple ingredients, you never have to squint at a label wondering what's hiding in a flavored syrup or pre-made mixer. It's naturally free of the sneaky additives that show up in so many bottled beverages and cocktail syrups. Serve it over ice with a halved strawberry and a sprig of basil on the rim and it looks like something out of a magazine — but the process is genuinely easy and totally worth it.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the strawberry basil syrup
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup water
- 10 fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
For the cooler
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 4 cups sparkling water, chilled
- 2 cups ice cubes
For serving
- 4 fresh strawberries, halved (optional)
- 4 fresh basil sprigs (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the strawberries, maple syrup, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries have softened and released their juices and the liquid is lightly syrupy, about 5 minutes.
- 2
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the basil leaves and press them gently into the warm syrup with a muddler or the back of a spoon. Let the mixture steep for 10 minutes, until the syrup is fragrant with basil.
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