It’s the ultimate big batch cocktail, perfect for brunches, sunny days on the patio, or casual afternoons outdoors. Made with fresh lemon juice and ripe strawberries, it’s a vibrant, delicious, and easy-to-make strawberry lemonade cocktail that beats store-bought every single time.

Whats in strawberry lemonade cocktail

This Strawberry Lemonade Rosé Punch recipe blends fresh, flavorful strawberries and bright lemon into a silky homemade lemonade base, then finishes with sparkling water, rosé and a splash of gin. It’s the perfect punch for brunch, backyard parties, or lazy afternoons — and it’s easy to make ahead.

Why you’ll love this cocktail recipe

• Quick: Prep time is just 20 minutes for this strawberry lemonade cocktail.
• Versatile: Use an alcoholic OR non-alcoholic rosé or gin depending on what you like to enjoy.
• Serves a crowd: This is great as a welcome cocktail for 6-8 people at a Summer gathering.

Ingredients needed

Strawberry Lemonade Base

• Fresh strawberries
• Lemons
• Granulated sugar
• Gin (optional), or swap for vodka
• 1 bottle dry or fruity rosé (750 ml), non-alcoholic if desired
• Sparkling water
• Optional: strawberry ice cubes 
• Garnish: lemon slices, fresh strawberries, mint or rosemary

 Strawberry Ice Cubes (strawberry halves frozen in water)

• Strawberries 
• Water

Step-by-Step Preparation Instructions

Make the ice cubes

Optional (but highly recommended): Make the strawberry ice cubes. In an ice cube tray, fill the entire tray with strawberry halves and fill the rest of the tray with water. Freeze for at least 4 hours, until solid.

Make the strawberry-lemonade base

In a large bowl combine the strawberry halves, sliced lemons and sugar (or simple syrup).

Using a potato-masher (or sturdy wooden spoon), mash the strawberries and lemons for about 5 minutes until really broken down.

Stir in 2 cups of still water and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into another bowl, pressing on the strawberries and lemons to get out as much liquid as possible. 

Discard the strawberries and lemons from the sieve and transfer the liquid to a pitcher.

Finish the cocktail

Just before you’re ready to serve, mix in the gin and rosé and sparkling water, stir until blended.

Pour over strawberry ice cubes (if desired) for maximum wow factor – and enjoy!

Tips and tricks to impress

• Make ahead: Make the lemonade base up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Having this on hand is a sure way to impress last-minute summer guests.
• Garnishes: Use fresh mint or rosemary for a bright, unexpected pop, or frozen or fresh sliced strawberries (or blueberries!) and lemon slices for a perfect complement. 

 Make it your own: variations and substitutions

• Rosé choice: use a dry rosé for tartness or a fruity rosé for sweeter results. 
• Make it a mocktail: omit gin or use a non-alcoholic gin and use a non-alcoholic rosé.
• Swap gin: use your favorite vodka if you prefer a neutral spirit.
• For extra fizz and flavor: use lemon-flavored sparkling water.

Pairings for your summer gatherings

Serve this refreshing, homemade strawberry lemonade punch with some light summer bites: 

Crostini and puff pastry bites:

• Blueberry and Goat Cheese Crostini Appetizer
• 5-Ingredient Puff Pastry Cheese Twists with Gruyère
• Roasted Plum Crostini Appetizer with Goat Cheese
• Easy Blackberry Jam & Brie Puff Pastry Pinwheels

Quick dips:

• Summer Peach and Tomato Crostini with Goat Cheese
• Lemon and Fresh Basil Burrata Cheese Appetizer
• Whipped Herb & Garlic Goat Cheese Spread Recipe
• Quick and Easy Boursin Bruschetta Dip Appetizer

How to store and make-ahead

Make-ahead: Make the strawberry-lemonade mixture up to 3 days ahead and store in a pitcher in the fridge. Before serving, complete the recipe by adding gin, rosé and sparkling water.

Storage: Do not add the sparkling water to the pitcher until ready to serve. Pour into glasses and store in the fridge until ready to pour another round.

FAQs

More summer cocktails to enjoy

• The Best Peach Basil Wine Spritzer (White Wine)
• Summer Berry Rhubarb Kombucha Sangria (with rosé)
• Refreshing Watermelon Mojito Cocktail for Summer

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Strawberry Lemonade Rosé Punch: A Refreshing Summer Cocktail

Sip into summer with this vibrant Strawberry Lemonade Rosé Punch, a perfectly sweet and tangy cocktail that’s as refreshing as a sunny day.

Course Drinks

Cuisine Canadian

Keyword summer cocktail

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6 -8 people

Author Jess

Ingredients

• 2 cups halved fresh strawberries
• 3 lemons, sliced
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup gin
• 1 bottle rosé
• 1 cup sparkling water (or lemon-flavored sparkling water for a more tart flavor)

Strawberry Ice Cubes

• 2 cups halved fresh strawberries
• water

Instructions

• Optional: Make the strawberry ice cubes. In an ice cube tray, fill the entire tray with strawberry halves and fill in the rest of the tray with water. Freeze for at least 4 hours.
• In a pot combine the strawberry halves, sliced lemons and sugar.
• Using a potato-masher (or wooden spoon), mash the strawberries and lemons for about 5 minutes, until well-broken down.
• Stir in 2 cups of water and let mixture sit for 15 minutes.
• Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into another bowl, pressing on the strawberries and lemons to get out as much liquid as possible.
• Discard the strawberries and lemons from the sieve and transfer the strawberry-lemonade liquid to a pitcher.
• Just before you’re ready to serve, mix in the gin, rosé and sparkling water.
• Pour over strawberry ice cubes and enjoy!

Notes

• Make ahead: Make the lemonade base up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Having this on hand is a sure way to impress last-minute summer guests.
• Garnishes: Use fresh mint or rosemary for a bright, unexpected pop, or frozen or fresh sliced strawberries and lemon slices for a perfect complement. 
• Rosé choice: use a dry rosé for tartness or a fruity rosé for sweeter results. 
• Make it a mocktail: use non-alcoholic gin and rosé.
• For extra fizz and flavor, use lemon-flavored sparkling water.

The post Strawberry Lemonade Rosé Punch: A Refreshing Summer Cocktail appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

During the summer months we take part in YYC Grower’s Harvest Boxes where we pick-up a box of fresh, local vegetables and fruits each week.  Lately, the cherries we’ve been receiving are just bursting with flavour!

I love to create cocktails in the summertime with fresh fruits and the combination of bourbon with cherries is a real winner.

Plus, the splash of citrus from the lemonade brings together the cocktail just perfectly with the gentle tones of maple, oak and nutmeg of the bourbon.

And, by smashing the cherries the natural juices come out to give the cocktail a beautiful cherry-coloured hue!

This is a bit of a special post since I recently joined a group of fellow Food Bloggers of Canada members to bring you the Summer Edition of Connecting over Cocktails! Each season a group of us will create a seasonal cocktail and not only will I share my recipe with you, I’ll bring you links to all of the wonderful cocktail posts – just scroll to the bottom to see what other inspired cocktails have been created!

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Cherry Bourbon Lemonade Smash

It's cherry season and what better way to enjoy their lovely flavour than in a summer cocktail with bourbon and lemonade in a Cherry Bourbon Lemonade Smash!

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword bourbon, bourbon cocktail, cherry cocktail, lemonade, summer cocktail

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cocktails

Author Jess

Ingredients

• 12 fresh cherries, pitted
• pinch of sugar
• 8 ice cubes, crushed
• 2/3 cup lemonade
• 2 oz bourbon
• extra cherries for garnish

Instructions

• Using a small knife, pit 12 cherries by slicing around the pit and twisting to remove.
• Add 6 cherries to each glass plus a pinch of sugar.
• Using a muddler or wooden spoon, smash the cherries in each cocktail glass until they start to release some of their juices.
• Add crushed ice into each glass. (You can crush the ice cubes in a blender or crush in a thick ziploc bag using a kitchen mallet to smash the ice.)
• In a cocktail shaker or mason jar, add the lemonade and bourbon and shake a couple times.
• Then, pour the lemonade-bourbon mixture into the glasses, splitting evenly and top with a cherry for garnish.

Now its time to enjoy!

This cocktail is perfect for an after-work drink or on the patio during the weekend – cheers!

Here’s your dose of Summer Cocktail inspiration from my fellow bloggers, Connecting Over Cocktails…

Justine at JustineCelina.com’s Watermelon Frosé Margarita’s

Sean at Diversivore’s The Clock Calm (Currant Gin & Tonic)

Samantha from My Kitchen Love’s Spiked Peach Iced Tea

Dana from Killing Thyme’s Blueberry Lemon Vodka Fizz

Bernice from Dish ‘n’ in the Kitchen’s The Friday Flame

Jen from Mud On Her Boots’ Honeyed Blackcurrant Cordial Smash

What is your favourite summer fruit to make cocktails with? Let me know in the comments below!

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post Cherry Bourbon Lemonade Smash appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

I’m out at the cabin with some friends to celebrate the New Year and we have all concluded this sangria is a must.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Equipment:  drink pitcher
Servings: 8-10

Ingredients:
1 bottle of Rosé
1 bottle (750ml) of lemonade (sparkling if you can find)
1 granny smith apple, chopped
1 lemon, halved & sliced
1 cup raspberries

Instructions:
Pour the rosé and lemonade into a drink pitcher.  Chop and slice the granny smith apple and lemon; add to the pitcher.  Add the raspberries to the pitcher, mix and put in the fridge for a half-hour.  Then its ready to serve!

Put ice into each of the glasses, pour sangria into each of the glasses and spoon out a bit of the fruit into each glass.

Enjoy & Cheers to 2016!

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post Winter Rosé Sangria appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.