Description
This Strawberry Vanilla Lemonade blends sweet ripe strawberries with warm rich vanilla and sharp fresh lemon into a creamy, indulgent lemonade that tastes like a dessert in a glass. The vanilla adds a soft, bakery-warm sweetness that rounds out the bright citrus and fruity strawberry in the most satisfying way. You need just ten minutes to make this irresistible, crowd-pleasing lemonade.
Ingredients
2 cups fresh strawberries (hulled and halved)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup honey or simple syrup (adjust to taste)
3 cups cold water
1 cup ice cubes
Fresh strawberry slices and lemon rounds for garnish
Instructions
1. Add fresh strawberries into a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth.
2. Strain the strawberry puree through a fine mesh sieve into a large pitcher.
3. Pour in fresh lemon juice and add lemon zest.
4. Add pure vanilla extract and honey or simple syrup.
5. Pour in cold water and stir everything together until well combined.
6. Taste and adjust sweetness or vanilla as needed.
7. Fill glasses with ice cubes, pour the lemonade over the ice, garnish and serve immediately.
Notes
Use pure vanilla extract only — imitation vanilla gives a harsh and artificial aftertaste.
For an even richer vanilla flavor scrape half a vanilla bean directly into the pitcher.
Strain the strawberry puree thoroughly for the smoothest and most refined lemonade texture.
Fresh lemon juice is essential here — bottled juice completely flattens the vanilla flavor.
Store in the fridge for up to 2 days — stir well before serving as it separates naturally.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 glass (12 oz)
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg