Summer fresh strawberry and regular lemonade recipe

My summer lemonade and strawberry lemonade recipes using simple syrup and fresh fruit.  

By Melissa

One trick I learned bar tending and key to all my mixed martini, margaritas and many other style cocktails as well as some of my non alcoholic drinks is simple syrup. You can make this with or without mint. I like mint for a little extra zest or zing but it's fabulous just sugar and water. You can also make a large amount and store it in your fridge to add to drinks whenever. I keep a little bottle of it always.  Let's get started. 

First thing to prepare is the simple syrup because this needs to chill after being boiled. 

Simple syrup recipe 

What you need:

1 cup sugar* (alternative below)

1 cup water

1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves (up to you can be made with or without I think it adds that extra something special.) 

Garnish: fresh mint leaves

1. Stir together first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and boil 1 minute or until sugar is dissolved. 

Remove from heat, and let stand 30 minutes. Pour liquid through a wire-mesh strainer into a airtight container, discarding mint leaves. Cover and chill 4 hours. Garnish, if desired. Syrup may be stored in refrigerator up to 1 month.

*3/4 cup sugar/no-calorie sweetener may be substituted. 

Next up after you have prepared your simple syrup you can make your lemonade or strawberry lemonade. They are both the same recipe with simple syrup only difference is I use fresh cut, into halves strawberries, that I squeeze into a bowl with sugar, all directions below. I keep everything but the green top I slice and remove. I like to let the strawberry chunks sit in the lemonade while stored in my fridge because it just keeps getting sweeter. 

Lemonade recipe 

What you need: 

Simple syrup from above recipe and mint sprigs for garnish if you like. 

Ice cubes

1 2/3 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (I use my new Lilly from Target Pineapple Juicer to squeeze my lemons.) 

1 lemon, sliced 1/4-inch thick, plus more for garnish

In a large pitcher half-filled with ice, add 2 cups water, lemon juice, simple syrup, mint, and lemon slices. Stir to combine. Serve over ice. Garnish with mint leaves and lemon slices when serving. 

Strawberry lemonade recipe 

Ingredients 

Simple syrup from above, mint leaves and 1-3 fresh strawberries sliced in the middle for garnish

Fresh Strawberries

1/2 cup of sugar along with some extra for garnishing rim of glass, I like to do this for guests. 

Then all the ingredients to make the regular lemonade above. 

Ice cubes

1 2/3 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (I use my new Lilly from Target Pineapple Juicer to squeeze my lemons.) 

2 cups of water 

Directions 

First you are going to have the simple syrup recipe above made and now you are going to make the strawberry sugar: 

Toss the strawberries and the 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl and let sit at room temperature until the sugar dissolves, about 45 minutes. I sometimes don't have the patience for this so I squeeze my half cut strawberries into a bowl keeping the strawberry after squeezing and placing into the bowl with the sugar and juice. Then I will add this to my lemonade. I add the entire mix of berries and sugar then use a pitcher that has the strainer side when you pour to keep large pieces from going into my glass. 

After you make the strawberry sugar mix follow the above directions to make your lemonade and simple syrup then mix it all together. 

I love to serve my lemonade in a mason jar with a little sugar on the rim garnished with a slice of lemon or stawberry on the rim and a little mint sprig floating on top. I also love paper straws, from my party and event planning days, I have lots of colors and designs. This adds just the right touch and screams southern hospitality. What better way to kick off the summer then with a kicking yummy lemonade recipe. This is my favorite summer non alcoholic beverage for sure. 

I am wearing: a tee shirt and jeans from JCrew, jewelry from Lacey Ryan, julep red polish, and my glass is a blue mason jar from Target bought in a large set then paper straws from a local baking stormi shop at but you can find these at target also.