Spiked Strawberry Lemonade (with Bourbon or Vodka!)
This spiked strawberry lemonade is one of my favorite cocktails for summer sipping! Made in a pitcher with homemade sparkling strawberry lemonade and bourbon (or vodka!), it's refreshing, boozy, tart, and sweet. It's perfect for BBQs, beach days, or summer dinner parties!
Ingredients
Pitcher Cocktail
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 pound fresh strawberries, hulled & roughly chopped
- 1 1/4 cups fresh lemon juice
- 4 cups sparkling water (cold)
- 12 ounces bourbon or vodka
- Fresh mint, lemon slices, and sliced strawberries, for garnish
Single Cocktail
- 2 strawberries, hulled & roughly chopped
- 1 1/4 ounces fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 ounces simple syrup
- 1/2 cup sparkling water
- 1 1/2 ounces bourbon or vodka
- Fresh mint, lemon slices, and sliced strawberries, for garnish
Equipment
- Large pitcher
- Blender or food processor (optional)
- Citrus press (optional)
Instructions
Pitcher Cocktail
- To make the simple syrup, combine the sugar with 1 cup of still water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves completely. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Then, remove the simple syrup from the heat and pour into a heat-proof bowl. Let it cool completely.
- Meanwhile, add the strawberries to a blender or food processor and purée until the strawberries are very smooth. Alternatively, mash the strawberries with a muddler or wooden spoon until smooth.
- To a large pitcher, add the strawberry purée, lemon juice, cooled simple syrup, sparkling water, and bourbon. Mix gently to combine.
- Serve the lemonade over ice and garnish with lemon slices, sliced strawberries, and fresh mint. Enjoy!
Single Cocktail
- Add the strawberries to a tall glass. Use a muddler or wooden spoon to mash the strawberries until they're smooth.
- Fill the glass with ice and add the lemon juice, simple syrup, sparkling water, and bourbon or vodka.
- Stir the cocktail gently to combine. Garnish with lemon slices, sliced strawberries, and fresh mint. Enjoy!
Notes
For a smoother drink, strain the strawberry purée through a fine mesh sieve. Gently push the purée through the sieve with a rubber spatula to get as much strawberry juice as possible.
If you prefer a less sweet cocktail, start by adding about 3/4 of the simple syrup. Sip and add more syrup to taste.
If you want a less tart cocktail, use 1 cup of fresh lemon juice. For a less boozy cocktail, start with 1 cup of bourbon or vodka and add more to taste.
Want a non-sparkling cocktail? Just use still water instead of sparkling.
Serving: 1cocktail, Calories: 174kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 0.6g, Fat: 0.4g, Saturated Fat: 0.2g, Sodium: 32mg, Potassium: 128mg, Fiber: 1.3g, Sugar: 17.4g, Calcium: 17mg
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