Strawberry Lemonade Cocktail with Vodka

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This refreshing strawberry lemonade cocktail is all grown up! You can easily keep it all ages by leaving out the vodka.

Makes 1 Strawberry Lemonade cocktail

2 oz vodka
2 oz strawberry syrup (recipe below)
0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
3-4 oz club soda
Mint sprig

Fill a tall glass with ice.

Add vodka, strawberry syrup, and lemon juice.

Give the mint a clap between your hands, then add it to the glass.

Top with club soda.

Stir and enjoy!

Make it a Mocktail

Leave out the vodka, increase the strawberry syrup to 3 oz and the lemon juice to 1 oz.

How to Make Strawberry Simple Syrup

1 ½ cups strawberries
½ cup sugar
½ cup water

Clean the strawberries. Remove the tops and slice the berries in half.

Combine berries, water, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.

Strawberries in a pot with sweetener and water

Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool for 10 minutes.

Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl.

Carefully pour strawberry mixture into the strainer. (It splatters!)

Crushed strawberries being poured through a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl.

Using a spatula, gently press the berry mixture into the strainer until all berries are crushed and all liquid has been pressed through to the bowl below.

Discard the berry remnants left in the strainer.

Refrigerate syrup until ready to use.

Tips on Strawberry Lemonade

Can I use bottled lemon juice?

Fresh juice is SUPER important here. Take the time to juice fresh lemons. Roll the lemon on your kitchen counter while applying a little pressure to get as much juice out of it as possible. You will need about ½ of a lemon for each drink you make.

Can I use frozen strawberries?

Absolutely! You can substitute thawed, frozen strawberries for the fresh berries in the syrup.

Chill your syrup!

Be sure to make your strawberry syrup ahead of time so it's completely chilled when you make your cocktail.

What kind of vodka should I use?

Choose your favorite, regular vodka for this recipe. I like Smirnoff because it's easy for me to find at my local market and comes in at a budget-friendly price point. If you REALLY want to use a flavored vodka in this, I recommend Stoli Strawberry or Absolut Citron. Both have excellent, fresh fruit flavors.

Snack Pairing

A simple cocktail deserves a simple snack. Pair strawberry lemonade with some homemade potato chips!

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