McDonald’s Strawberry Watermelon Refresher Easy Copycat Recipe

Every day cannot be summer, but a McDonald’s Strawberry Watermelon Refresher can make an ordinary weekday taste like it. Tart lemonade is balanced with sweet watermelon syrup and a little green coffee extract for a gentle caffeine lift. This copycat uses fresh, sliced strawberries instead of the original’s freeze-dried fruit, so every sip tastes like real berries. It comes together in a cocktail shaker with just a few ingredients, and it makes an easy afternoon pick-me-up for any day of the week.

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The McDonald’s Strawberry Watermelon Refresher is a lemonade-based cooler with a light watermelon sweetness. Green coffee extract adds a caffeine boost without a coffee flavor.

Mix this homemade version one drink at a time in a cocktail shaker, then pour over ice. A few fresh strawberry slices finish the glass.

What makes a Strawberry Watermelon Refresher so darn tasty?

Every day can’t be summer, but it can certainly taste like it when you’re drinking a McDonald’s Strawberry Watermelon Refresher. If you haven’t tried the new Strawberry Watermelon Refresher, you’re missing out. The tart lemonade is tamed with a dash of sweet watermelon syrup for a well-balanced cooler, and thanks to green coffee extract, this recipe even works great as your afternoon pick-me-up.  While the original uses freeze-dried fruit, this copycat recipe keeps things fresh with ripe, sliced strawberries that add real strawberry flavor to every sip.

Ingredients and their roles in this recipe

For a McDonald’s Strawberry Watermelon Refresher, you’ll need:

• Lemonade – is the base of the drink. Homemade lemonade is best, but you can use store-bought in a pinch. Sugar-free lemonade is also an option.
• Watermelon syrup – sweetens the drink and adds a distinctive watermelon flavor. Brands like Monin and Torani are standards, but you can use a calorie-free alternative like this one.
• Green coffee extract – provides the caffeine kick,
• Sliced strawberries – replace the freeze-dried strawberries the chain uses as garnish. Fresh strawberries are easier to get and have a sweet and tart flavor. You can definitely use freeze-dried sliced strawberries if you prefer.

How to make one

To mix a single McDonald’s Strawberry Watermelon Refresher:

Fill the serving glass about two-thirds with ice and set aside.

1. Add the lemonade, watermelon syrup, and green coffee extract into a cocktail shaker. Dry shake it for about 10 seconds.

2. Pour the shaker into the prepared glass.
3. Garnish the drink with a few fresh strawberry slices.

What to serve this with

With a Strawberry Watermelon Refresher in your hand, you’ll be craving more Mickey D’s. Check out three copycat recipes below to help bring the restaurant into your kitchen.

McDonald’s Fruit and Maple Oatmeal – Start your day off right with this creamy oatmeal sweetened naturally with maple syrup and brown sugar. Each bowl is topped with a mix of chopped apples, two kinds of raisins, and dried cranberries. This Fruit and Maple Oatmeal is quick, inexpensive, and filling enough to power you through your entire morning.

McDonald’s M&M McFlurry – Don’t let the whims of McDonald’s ice cream machines keep you from satisfying your M&M McFlurry craving. This copycat recipe delivers the same taste and texture as the chain without needing a soft-serve machine.

McDonald’s McRib Sandwich – Who can wait for limited-time menus to sink their teeth into a juicy pork butt patty smothered in sweet BBQ sauce and on a soft roll with onions and pickles? Now you can recreate one of the most beloved McDonald’s sandwiches anytime you want.

Make-ahead instructions

McDonald’s Strawberry Watermelon Refreshers are so good that you’ll always want them on hand. Instead of mixing each one from scratch, you can prepare a pitcher a couple of days in advance.

• Quadruple the amounts and mix in a large pitcher with a sealing lid to keep the drink fresh. Do not add ice.
• Sliced strawberries will last for a few hours in the fridge. To make them last a day or two longer, sprinkle sugar over the sliced strawberries and let them sit in an airtight container in the fridge overnight.
• Since the ingredients can settle, stir the drink before serving.

Try more copycat McDonald’s drink recipes.

• McDonald’s Frozen Strawberry Lemonade
• McDonald’s Strawberry Banana Smoothie
• Homemade McDonald’s Sweet Tea
• McDonald’s Iced Coffee
• McDonald’s Caramel Frappe

Check out more of my easy McDonald’s copycat recipes to make at home.