I made an easy frozen strawberry lemonade and present it as a Strawberry Refresher Drink, revealing one unexpected pantry staple that makes the whole recipe impossibly simple.

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I love how a few simple things can flip a day from boring to bright. Using frozen strawberries and freshly squeezed lemon juice, I made a drink that surprised even me.

It feels like summer turned into a glass, loud and a little bit daring, not that dull sweet stuff you get from a bottle. This is the kind of Strawberry Refresher Drink I sneak into weekend plans, and honestly it belongs on any Cool Lemonade Recipes list and in a Summer Frozen Drinks Nonalcoholic lineup.

Try it and see how something so simple can taste so unexpected.

Ingredients

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Ingredient Quantities

3 cups frozen strawberries about 12 oz (340 g), hulled

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice about 4 to 5 lemons

1/2 cup simple syrup or 2/3 cup granulated sugar

3/4 to 1 cup cold water

1 cup ice cubes

Pinch of salt (optional)

Lemon slices for garnish (optional)

Fresh mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

How to Make this

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1. Pour the 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 cup simple syrup (or if you’re using 2/3 cup granulated sugar dissolve it first in 1/4 cup warm water), and 3/4 cup cold water into your blender bowl.

2. Add a pinch of salt and the 3 cups frozen strawberries (about 12 oz), hulled, on top of the liquids so they blend easier.

3. Add 1 cup ice cubes to the blender.

4. Start the blender on low to break up the berries, then ramp up to high and blend until smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides once or twice so nothing gets left behind.

5. If the mixture is too thick, add up to another 1/4 cup to 1/4 cup increments of cold water and pulse until you reach the texture you like. If it’s too thin, add a few more frozen strawberries or a handful more ice.

6. Taste and adjust sweetness or tartness. Add more simple syrup or a little extra lemon juice and blend briefly to mix. If you used granulated sugar and it tastes slightly gritty heat a tiny bit of water with sugar next time to dissolve it first.

7. For a frothier drink, give it one last quick high speed burst. For a smoother, slushier texture pulse gently instead.

8. Divide the frozen strawberry lemonade among glasses, garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint sprigs if you want, and serve right away while it’s cold and slushy.

9. Leftovers can be kept in the freezer in an airtight container. Let sit at room temperature for a few minutes and give it a quick blend or stir before serving again.

Equipment Needed

1. Countertop blender (high speed recommended)
2. Measuring cups (1/4, 1/2, 1 cup)
3. Measuring spoons
4. Citrus juicer or handheld reamer
5. Large spoon or rubber spatula for scraping the blender
6. Knife and cutting board
7. Ice tray or container for ice cubes
8. Serving glasses and an airtight freezer container for leftovers

FAQ

3 cups frozen strawberries about 12 oz (340 g), hulled

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice about 4 to 5 lemons

1/2 cup simple syrup or 2/3 cup granulated sugar

3/4 to 1 cup cold water

1 cup ice cubes

Pinch of salt (optional)

Lemon slices for garnish (optional)

Fresh mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

Can I use fresh strawberries instead of frozen? Yes, you can, but youll need extra ice to get that slushy texture. Chill the fruit first or add about 2 cups of ice when blending.

Can I use bottled lemon juice? Yes, but fresh lemon juice tastes brighter. If you use bottled start with less and taste, you might need to add a little more for the same zing.

How do I make simple syrup? Combine equal parts sugar and water in a small pot, heat until sugar dissolves, cool. For this recipe 1/2 cup syrup is made from 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water.

How can I make it less sweet? Cut the syrup/sugar amount, or add a bit more lemon juice or water. Taste and adjust, its easy to fix.

Can I make it ahead of time? You can blend and chill for a few hours in the fridge, but it may separate. Reblend or stir before serving. If you need to store longer, freeze in an airtight container and let soften slightly before reblending.

Can I turn this into an adult drink? Yep. Add 1 to 2 ounces vodka, light rum or tequila per serving after blending and stir gently. Don’t add too much booze before freezing or the slush wont set well.

Easy Frozen Strawberry Lemonade Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Frozen strawberries: swap for 3 cups frozen raspberries or mixed berries, or use 3 cups fresh strawberries plus about 1 cup extra ice so it still turns out slushy, it’ll still be great.
Lemon juice: 3/4 cup bottled lemon juice works if you’re out of fresh ones, or use 3/4 cup lime juice for a tangy twist, or try 1/2 cup lemon plus 1/4 cup orange juice to cut the sourness.
Simple syrup or granulated sugar: replace the 1/2 cup simple syrup or 2/3 cup sugar with 1/2 cup honey or agave syrup, or 1/2 cup maple syrup for a deeper flavor, warm any thick sweetener a bit so it mixes easy.
Cold water or ice: swap the plain water for 3/4 to 1 cup coconut water for subtle tropical flavor, or use club soda for fizz by adding it at the end, or blend with chilled green tea for a berry iced tea lemonade.

Pro Tips

1) use simple syrup if you can, it mixes way better and wont leave that gritty sugar feeling. if you only have granulated, dissolve it in a tiny bit of warm water first and cool it down, trust me it makes a huge difference.

2) put the liquids in the blender before the berries and ice so the blades dont just get stuck, start slow then go faster and scrape the sides once or twice. add extra frozen berries to thicken or a splash of cold water in tiny amounts to thin it out till its just right.

3) a pinch of salt and a little lemon zest wake up the flavor, dont skip the zest if you want it brighter. taste as you go, sweeten or add more lemon in small hits till it sings.

4) leftover slush freezes great in ice cube trays or an airtight container, let it sit a few minutes at room temp then zap it quick in the blender to revive the texture. if you want it extra smooth strain out seeds or use a high speed blender.

Easy Frozen Strawberry Lemonade Recipe

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

I made an easy frozen strawberry lemonade and present it as a Strawberry Refresher Drink, revealing one unexpected pantry staple that makes the whole recipe impossibly simple.

Servings

servings

Calories

170

kcal

Equipment: 1. Countertop blender (high speed recommended)
2. Measuring cups (1/4, 1/2, 1 cup)
3. Measuring spoons
4. Citrus juicer or handheld reamer
5. Large spoon or rubber spatula for scraping the blender
6. Knife and cutting board
7. Ice tray or container for ice cubes
8. Serving glasses and an airtight freezer container for leftovers

Ingredients

3 cups frozen strawberries about 12 oz (340 g), hulled
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice about 4 to 5 lemons
1/2 cup simple syrup or 2/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 to 1 cup cold water
1 cup ice cubes
Pinch of salt (optional)
Lemon slices for garnish (optional)
Fresh mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

Directions

Pour the 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 cup simple syrup (or if you're using 2/3 cup granulated sugar dissolve it first in 1/4 cup warm water), and 3/4 cup cold water into your blender bowl.
Add a pinch of salt and the 3 cups frozen strawberries (about 12 oz), hulled, on top of the liquids so they blend easier.
Add 1 cup ice cubes to the blender.
Start the blender on low to break up the berries, then ramp up to high and blend until smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides once or twice so nothing gets left behind.
If the mixture is too thick, add up to another 1/4 cup to 1/4 cup increments of cold water and pulse until you reach the texture you like. If it's too thin, add a few more frozen strawberries or a handful more ice.
Taste and adjust sweetness or tartness. Add more simple syrup or a little extra lemon juice and blend briefly to mix. If you used granulated sugar and it tastes slightly gritty heat a tiny bit of water with sugar next time to dissolve it first.
For a frothier drink, give it one last quick high speed burst. For a smoother, slushier texture pulse gently instead.
Divide the frozen strawberry lemonade among glasses, garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint sprigs if you want, and serve right away while it's cold and slushy.
Leftovers can be kept in the freezer in an airtight container. Let sit at room temperature for a few minutes and give it a quick blend or stir before serving again.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.