Easy Strawberry Vodka Cocktail

This fresh strawberry vodka cocktail is cold, fruity, and perfect for summer parties, brunch, or happy hour. Made with real strawberries, vodka, lemon juice, and sparkling soda, it comes together in just 5 minutes.

Make it by the glass or as a pitcher for a crowd. Use fresh or frozen strawberries depending on the season.

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Sip in summer with this refreshing strawberry vodka cocktail! Fresh, juicy strawberries are blended with smooth vodka for a sweet-and-tangy drink, perfect for cooling down on a warm day. Add a splash of lemonade, soda, and a twist of lime for an extra burst of flavor, making this cocktail a fruity favorite for any occasion.

Why you’ll love this cocktail?

• Made with real strawberries, not artificial syrup
• Easy single-serve or pitcher cocktail
• Ready in just 5 minutes
• Perfect for summer parties and brunch
• Easily customizable with soda, lemonade, or sparkling water

Ingredients and substitutes

• Strawberries – you can use fresh, frozen, or canned strawberries to make this drink. I like to pass the puree through a sieve to remove all the seeds, as this gives a lovely color, and you don’t have all those black specks in the drink.
• Vodka – Strawberries and vodka are a classic combination, but you can also use white rum or gin with this strawberry puree.
• Lemon juice – Strawberries are naturally sweet, so lemon or lime juice helps balance the sweetness with sourness.
• Liquid – I like adding fizzy liquid, such as lemonade, 7 Up or Sprite, to top my drink. This adds a nice, lemony sweetness. You can also use sparkling water or club soda. Sometimes, I like to switch it to tonic water or ginger ale, but you can also simply use lemonade.
• Ice cubes – Ice cubes make any drink better, but I prefer cold rather than icy drinks, so I usually make sure all my ingredients are cold. Of course, go ahead and use as much ice as you like.
• Optional ingredients
  • Simple syrup or sugar – Strawberries are naturally sweet, so there is no need for added sugar, but if you have very tart strawberries, you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of simple syrup or 1 teaspoon of sugar to the drink. You can also make strawberry syrup by adding sugar to the strawberry puree.
  • Herbs – strawberries combine well with mint and basil. Today, I have not used any, but you can add four mint leaves and a basil leaf for garnish.

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Step-by-step: Strawberry vodka cocktail

Pitcher (6 drinks)

• To a blender, add the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and a few mint leaves. Blend until smooth. Pour into a large pitcher and add the vodka. Stir well to combine. Keep chilled until ready to use.
  Pro tip – You can prepare this base a few hours ahead of time and leave it in the refrigerator to chill.
• When ready to serve, top the pitcher with 7 Up, Sprite, sparkling water, or club soda. Pour into cocktail glasses with ice cubes. Garnish with a lemon slice, more mint leaves, and fresh strawberries.
  Pro tip – You can strain the mashed fruit out for those who do not want it.

Single drink with puree (1 drink)

• Add strawberry puree, lemon juice, simple syrup, and vodka to a cocktail glass.
• Top with 7 Up, Sprite, Club soda, or sparkling water. Garnish with a lemon slice, strawberry, mint, or fresh basil leaf.

Single drink with fresh fruit (1 drink)

• Add the strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar to a cocktail shaker and muddle them with a wooden muddler.
  Pro tip – Smashing with the muddle will remove all the strawberry juice, and the sugar will dissolve in the lemon juice. If you don’t have a muddle, you can use the end of a wooden spoon.
• Add the vodka and stir well. Then, strain into a tall glass filled with ice cubes and top with 7 Up, Sprite, club soda, or sparkling water. Garnish with a strawberry, a lemon slice, and a mint leaf.
  Pro tip – Straining will leave the mashed strawberry fruit behind, but you can also just pour it all into the glass and enjoy the whole fruit!
• Cheers!

Can I make this into a large pitcher cocktail ahead of time?

Yes. This recipe works very well for parties and summer gatherings. Prepare the strawberry and vodka base ahead of time, then add the fizzy mixer just before serving.

What garnish works best for this cocktail?

Fresh strawberries, lemon slices, mint leaves, or basil all work beautifully and add extra freshness to the drink.

Tips for Success

• Chill all ingredients before mixing for the best flavor.
• Use ripe strawberries for a naturally sweeter cocktail.
• Frozen strawberries work well and help keep the drink cold.
• Add sparkling water just before serving to keep the fizz fresh.
• For a smoother drink, strain the puree to remove seeds.

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