Sonic Strawberry Lemonade Copycat Recipe

You can beat the heat with this refreshing Sonic Strawberry Lemonade that tastes even better than the original! What sets this recipe apart is the authentic strawberry flavor derived from real fruit, rather than artificial syrups or preservatives. Perfect for summer gatherings, backyard barbecues, or whenever you need a cool fruity refresher.

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What makes strawberry lemonade the perfect thirst quencher

On a hot day, nothing is more satisfying than savoring a cool and refreshing strawberry-infused lemonade. It’s the kind of beverage that makes your taste buds dance with every sip.

This homemade version of Sonic’s strawberry lemonade uses fresh ingredients, resulting in a vibrant and invigorating taste. My sweet syrup recipe, made with fresh fruit, guarantees an authentic taste.

The combination of sweet strawberries and tart lemonade is truly unforgettable. It’s the perfect drink to take with you on the go, whether you’re headed to a BBQ, the beach, or just enjoying it in your own backyard.

Why you’ll love this recipe

You’ll certainly appreciate that this strawberry lemonade contains syrup with no artificial flavors or preservatives! All you need are fresh strawberries, sugar, and water to make it. 

This strawberry lemonade recipe yields 10 servings, making it perfect for a small gathering, but it’s easy to adjust the amounts if you’re hosting more people. To make it even more appealing, you can serve it in a pitcher with ice, floating strawberries, and lemon wedges.

What’s great about this recipe is how simple it is to make the syrup. There’s no need for fancy appliances; you don’t have to go through the hassle of pureeing the strawberries with a food processor and straining out the seeds. It is super easy!

Recipe ingredients

For the Strawberry Syrup:

• Fresh strawberries – Provide natural sweetness and a beautiful pink color
• Sugar – Sweetens the syrup and helps preserve the strawberry flavor
• Water – Creates the liquid base for extracting strawberry essence

For the Lemonade:

• Ice – Keeps the drink refreshingly cold and dilutes to the perfect strength
• Prepared lemonade – Forms the tart base that balances the sweet syrup

How to make Sonic strawberry lemonade at home

My strawberry lemonade tastes just like the one from Sonic. Here’s how I make it. And, of course, you can print out the recipe from the printable card at the bottom of this post.

Homemade Strawberry Syrup with Fresh Strawberries

My fresh strawberry syrup is made very simply. Here are the recipe steps:

1. Strawberries are washed, hulled, quartered, and then simmered in hot water.
2. The solids are removed from the beautifully flavored water.
3. The strawberry-infused water is then sweetened with sugar.

Homemade strawberry soda syrup can be used to make a Sonic Strawberry Limeade, spruce up a Mimosa, or simply add it to Champagne.

Add Strawberry Syrup to Lemonade

After you have your syrup, here are the steps to make strawberry lemonade:

1. Put some strawberry syrup in a glass.
2. Add ice.
3. Add lemonade.
4. Stir and then enjoy this refreshing drink.

If you want to turn this into a slush simply blend everything in a blender.

Yum! This is a perfect summer drink and the combination can’t be beaten!

As you can see, it’s really easy to make a wonderfully flavored strawberry syrup with natural ingredients, and the possibilities are unlimited.

What kind of strawberries does Sonic use?

You know when you drink the strawberry lemonade or limeade and the strawberries are so mushy you can almost drink them through the straw?

This is probably because they create their own syrup and keep some smashed strawberries in the syrup with it. I discarded the strawberries after making my syrup. But you can keep them in there if you want.

What to serve with this Sonic copycat strawberry lemonade

This is the perfect light and fruity beverage to enjoy alongside your favorite meal! Whether you want to eat it with a copycat Sonic ultimate meat cheese burrito or a Sonic Frito chili cheese wrap, it will surely hit the spot.

But it pairs with all sorts of foods, ranging from salads to burgers to sandwiches, so there’s really no limit to what you can pair it with!

Storage instructions

• Strawberry Syrup Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days
• Mixed Drink Storage: Keep prepared lemonade in refrigerator for up to 3 days. Remove ice before storing to prevent dilution
• Best Practice: Store syrup separately and mix individual servings for optimal freshness and flavor control

I hope you give this drink a try! This is a family favorite at my house, and I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

More Sonic Copycat Recipes

• Sonic Cherry Limeade
• Sonic Chili Cheese Tots
• Sonic Frito Burrito
• Sonic Ocean Water
• Sonic Onion Rings

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