Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade Mocktail

If I had to name one recipe that gets made on repeat in my house from June through August, this is it. Sparkling strawberry lemonade that tastes like actual summer, not like something that came out of a powder packet. The strawberry simple syrup takes about ten minutes and keeps in the fridge for days, which means you can make a batch ahead and have cold drinks ready whenever.

I have been making the mocktail version lately and honestly do not miss the alcohol. The sparkling water gives it enough fizz that it feels like a real drink, not a compromise.

Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade Mocktail

A bright, fizzy strawberry lemonade mocktail that takes ten minutes and tastes like summer. No alcohol, no complicated steps, just fresh strawberries, real lemon juice, and sparkling water.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4 glasses

Course: Drinks

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Strawberry Simple Syrup

• 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced about 8-10 berries
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water

For the Mocktail

• 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice about 4-5 lemons
• 2 cups sparkling water or club soda
• 1/2 cup cold water
• ice, for serving
• fresh strawberries and lemon slices, for garnish

Method

 

Make the Strawberry Syrup

1. Combine the sliced strawberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then let it simmer for 5 minutes until the strawberries have softened and the syrup is bright pink.
2. Remove from heat and let it cool for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on the strawberries to get all the syrup out. Discard the solids. You should have about 3/4 cup of syrup.

Mix the Mocktail

1. In a large pitcher, combine the strawberry syrup, fresh lemon juice, cold water, and sparkling water. Stir gently to combine, being careful not to knock out all the bubbles.
2. Fill glasses with ice, pour the mocktail over, and garnish with a fresh strawberry and a lemon slice. Serve immediately.

Notes

Make the strawberry simple syrup up to 3 days ahead and keep it in the fridge. Strain out the strawberries before storing. The flavor gets even better after a day.

For a slushie version, blend the syrup with frozen strawberries and a cup of ice before mixing with lemon juice and sparkling water.

A Few Notes

Fresh lemon juice is non-negotiable here. The bottled kind works in a pinch but fresh is a completely different drink. Roll your lemons on the counter before cutting them and you will get a lot more juice out of each one.

The strawberry syrup is also excellent drizzled over vanilla ice cream, stirred into iced tea, or added to sparkling water on its own. Make extra. You will use it.

Make It Your Own

Swap the sparkling water for ginger beer if you want a little kick. Add a handful of fresh mint to the pitcher. Use honey instead of sugar in the syrup for a slightly different flavor. This recipe is very forgiving and very worth making.

If you try it, drop a comment and let me know how it turned out. Summer drinks are a whole personality and I support everyone having one.

xo, Pam