If you are thinking of having a party for this fourth of July but you aren’t much of drinker, no worries, this Homemade Strawberry Lemonade is perfectly refreshing and delicious sans the vodka. And you can totally get creative and experiment with different fruit. I’ve made this recipe using raspberries and imagine that it would be pretty awesome with blueberries as well! So have fun and stay cool!

Homemade Strawberry Lemonade

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup sugar
1 cup of water
1 pint fresh strawberries
1 cup fresh lemon juice (this equaled close to 8 of my lemons)
4-6 cups cold water (this will vary depending on your taste)

1 cup vodka, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. Make a simple syrup by combining the sugar with 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Place over medium heat and heat until the sugar in completely dissolved; swirl the pan occasionally. Let cool.

2. Once the simple syrup has cooled, puree strawberries in a blender with ½ cup water.

3. In a large pitcher, combine strawberry puree, simple syrup and lemon juice. If using the vodka, add it to the pitcher and stir to combine.

4. Add 4-6 cups of cold water. The amount of water you use will depend on your taste, so add as little or as much as you want to achieve your perfect sweet/tart balance.

5. Serve over ice. If desired, garnish with fresh strawberries and lemon slices.