The Chef-Approved Way to Make the Best-Ever Strawberry Lemonade

It doesn’t get more refreshing than an ice cold glass of strawberry lemonade on a hot summer day. When we think of our favorite flavors of the season, strawberry lemonade consistently finds itself at the top of our drink arsenal. It’s legendary for a reason, it's hard to beat such a combination of sweet and tart.

There exists many easy ways to strawberry lemonade. But we recently came across a recipe by private chef and TikTok content creator Meredith Hayden of @wishbonekitchen that immediately caught our attention due to it being “low sugar” and “low maintenance.” And if there's anything more attractive to us than a deliciously easy summertime beverage, it’s a virtuous one to boot.

Related: I Tried Reba McEntire's Porch Day Lemonade

The Trick For Making the Best Strawberry Lemonade

To guarantee the maximum amount of flavor from your favorite strawberry lemonade recipe, start with fresh strawberries and freeze them overnight. In the morning, let the strawberries defrost completely before blending with lemon juice and your sweetener of choice. We like sugar , honey or agave . Then combine it with your lemonade base.

Related: How to Store Strawberries, According to a Berry Expert

Why You Should Freeze Your Own Berries for the Best Strawberry Lemonade

A common misconception when making strawberry lemonade is that it won’t be as good as it could be without the use of the best farm fresh strawberries you can get. But buying regular store-bought strawberries and freezing them yourself is not only fine, it's actually Meredith's way to go.

There's real science to backup why the more frozen your strawberry, the better (and sweeter!) your lemonade will be. When a strawberry goes through the process of defrosting, its cell walls will begin to break down, releasing even more of their natural sugars and further enhancing their overall flavor. In the process of defrosting, the berries also extract a lot of liquid, which helps to naturally flavor the lemonade. All in all, freezing your own strawberries for lemonade results in what Meredith describes as a “flavorful” and “jammy" strawberry syrup without the need to simmer the berries on the stovetop. Talk about easy peasy lemon squeezy! She also notes that only ¼ of the normal amount of sugar from the average strawberry lemonade recipe was needed and did the trick.

So, can't you just use pre-frozen? Alas, strawberries from the freezer aisle aren't recommended because they are often less sweet than fresh strawberries, requiring additional sugar to achieve the desired sweetness.

Related: 80 Must-Try Recipes to Enjoy This Strawberry Season

To take Meredith's strawberry lemonade method to the next level, the obvious move would be to substitute part of the water for vodka and start making summer cocktails . Both your guests and your tastebuds will thank you.

Up next: The Chef-Approved Way to Make Tuna Salad Sandwiches 10x Better