Summer in a glass is possible with this Strawberry Mint Lemonade! Fresh pureed strawberries are muddled with mint, then mixed with freshly squeezed lemonade – you can even turn this into a refreshing poolside cocktail by adding your favorite liquor!
Is it still spring or is it summer now? I feel like my entire being is totally off-kilter after last weekend’s trip to Utah. It took days to get used to mountain time, and when I finally did I was back in Florida.
Then there was the crazy weather – the first day was in the 80s, and the rest of the weekend plunged into the 50s and 60s. It was nice to feel a little bit of cool weather again before our brutal Florida summer starts, but coming back to humid tropical weather was quite a reality check.
Luckily, there is no better place to enjoy a frosty glass of fresh strawberry lemonade than my home state!
This Strawberry Mint Lemonade is the most refreshing part of summer!
I was going to share this recipe last week, but travel and conference networking made it hard to sit still and concentrate! Then I had it on deck for Monday, but my flight home Sunday ended up getting cancelled, so again – everything shifted.
It’s taken me a hot minute to get back into the groove.
I DID share the recipe in my weekly newsletter on Sunday – just a perk of being a Crumby Kitchen subscriber! If you haven’t signed up yet – get on it! I’ve got an exclusive giveaway set for this weekend and I’d hate for you to miss it!
Since getting home, I’ve been focusing a lot on promotion for our new Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook for Two (which is a #1 New Release on Amazon thanks to you guys!), and have had to play catch up.
But hey, here we are and there’s Strawberry Mint Lemonade to be had!
I don’t know about you, but one of my absolute favorite parts of summer is fresh lemonade – bonus points for strawberry lemonade! Sitting around the pool with friends and family, savoring sweet-tart liquid sunshine…I can’t think of a better afternoon!
For added refreshment, I subbed regular sugar for a mint-infused simple syrup, taking this lemonade recipe to mojito status! Minus the liquor, of course, but if you’re looking for a cool summer cocktail, a splash of rum or tequila would be amazing in here!
If you’re more of a wine lover, replace the water with Prosecco or Moscato di Asti for a sparkling, fruity sangria.
This recipe makes enough lemonade for about 4 glasses – perfect for an afternoon with your sweetie! If you’ve got a baby shower, birthday party, or family BBQ on the horizon, you can easily double or triple it!
Tips for the perfect glass of Strawberry Mint Lemonade:
- • Easy-squeeze lemons. To help coax the juice from the lemons, pop them in the microwave for 15 seconds. You can also roughly roll them on a cutting board before cutting them in half to pre-release the juice.
- • Make-ahead pitchers. This strawberry lemonade can be made a day in advance! The extra chilling time gives the flavors even more time to meld, making it extra tasty.
- • Flavor substitutes. If you’re not a mint lover, use plain simple syrup. You can also make your simple syrup with fresh rosemary or thyme instead if you want to highlight your herb garden!
- • Limeade! If you’re fresh out of lemons, limes are just as delicious in this recipe! Simply swap out the lemon juice for lime juice – you may need to adjust the sugar used, as limes can be even more tart.
- • Lemonade loves fruit. No strawberries? Any berry will be just fine in this lemonade recipe – as will fresh peaches, cherries, or watermelon!
- • Serve it up. Lots of ice keeps this lemonade cool, and each glass looks so pretty garnished with fresh mint, sliced lemons and strawberries. Don’t forget the handled Mason jars
& cute paper straws!
Still thirsty? Try these other tasty summer drinks!
Strawberry Mint Lemonade
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3-4 cups water divided
- 1 cup mint leaves fresh
- 1 cup lemon juice divided (from about 5 lemons)
- 1 ½ cups strawberries fresh
- Lemon slices for garnish
- Mint leaves for garnish
- Fresh strawberries for garnish
Instructions
- Combine the sugar, 1 cup of water, and mint leaves in a medium saucepan. Bring to a low boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat and allow to steep for 30 minutes.
- Pour the cooled simple syrup through a strainer into a mason jar or bottle. Discard the mint (or save for garnishing.)
- In a blender, combine 1/4 cup of lemon juice with the fresh strawberries. Blend well, then pour the liquid into a pitcher though a strainer to remove the berry seeds (if desired - if you like texture, leave it all in!)
- Add the remaining lemon juice and 2-3 cups of water to the pitcher and stir well. Add the minted simple syrup to taste (I used the whole batch!), stir, then chill.
- Serve over ice, and garnish with lemon slices, sliced strawberries, and sprigs of mint.