Refreshing Lemon and Strawberry Mocktail Recipe
With spring just around the corner, I thought it would be the perfect time to start working on a few seasonal recipes. The first one in this series is this delicious strawberry mocktail with fresh lemon juice and basil. Now is the time of year when sweet strawberries are ready to be picked and turned into refreshing spring and summer drinks!
The lemon juice adds the perfect balance of tartness and the strawberries along with the strawberry infused syrup add the right amount of sweetness. This is the kind of non-alcoholic drink you want to enjoy on your front porch with a loved one and daydream about your plans for a warm summer day.
Mocktail Ingredients
Below, you will find the list of fresh ingredients plus a few others that you’ll want to gather ahead of time. I chose them for this strawberry mocktail because I’ve made a compote in the past using strawberries, lemon and basil and the flavors just married so well together. I knew they’d be perfect for this drink!
- Fresh strawberries
- Lemon
- Fresh basil leaves
- Tonic water
- Strawberry infused syrup
- Granulated sugar
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Below, you will find some process shots along with step-by-step instructions for the full recipe:
1. Add a bit of your strawberry infused syrup to a small, shallow plate. Add granulated sugar to another small, shallow plate. Dip the rim of the glass into the syrup then dip into plate of granulated sugar. Repeat process for the second glass.
2. In a tall mixing glass, add in sliced strawberries, juice from one lemon, a few basil leaves, and 2 oz of strawberry syrup. Muddle strawberries and the other ingredients together with a muddler or end of a wooden spoon.
3. Pour muddled strawberries mixture into a cocktail shaker with ice.
4. Shake and pour over glass with ice cubes. Top off each glass with tonic water for a perfect, bubbly drink. Garnish with basil and strawberry slices. Serve your delicious beverage in a short glass, a large wine glass or a highball glass with a straw. Enjoy!
If you enjoy mocktails, be sure to check out our virgin Moscow mule!
Substitutions
Below are a few ideas for substitutions to consider in case you don’t have a few of the ingredients or would like to swap any of them out:
- Strawberry Infused syrup – instead of strawberry infused syrup, you can use simple syrup, agave syrup, maple syrup, or any other sweetener of choice.
- Fresh Strawberries – you can opt to use frozen strawberries if you prefer or if fresh ones aren’t in season when you decide to make this perfect drink. Be sure to let them thaw in the refrigerator, first.
- Basil – you can use other fresh herbs like fresh mint leaves or a rosemary sprig instead of basil leaves or omit them all together if you prefer. Strawberry and lemon flavors on their own still make a great virgin cocktail!
- Lemons – instead of lemon juice you can use fresh lime juice to make a strawberry limeade. If you go this route, garnish your drink with a lime wedge or lime slices.
- Tonic Water – instead of tonic water, you can use soda water, seltzer water or sparkling water.
Variations
I’ve included a few variations below to consider if you’re wanting to spice up this recipe!
- Spicy – to add some heat to this sparkling strawberry mocktail, you can add a tajin rim instead of a sugar rim. You could also add a few fresh, jalapeño slices to your drink.
- Alcohol – although this a mocktail recipe, it makes a great base for alcoholic cocktails. Vodka, gin or white rum would be a great addition to this delicious drink.
- Strawberry Watermelon – add in a splash of watermelon juice in your drink or muddle a few chunks of watermelon in your cocktail glass. This will make for a naturally sweeter drink and add a fun twist to your strawberry mocktail.
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
- Cocktail muddler
- Mixing glass
- Jigger
- Mixing spoon
- Fine mesh strainer
These are all just recommendations of items to have on hand for making this drink. You can certainly get by with using items that you already have in your kitchen.
Storage
Store any remaining strawberries, lemon and basil in the refrigerator.
Top tip
If you don’t have a muddler, you can always use a wooden spoon or mortar and pestle to muddle your ingredients.
FAQ
When are strawberries in season?
In California, peak season for strawberries are between the months of January and May.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Food Safety
Be sure to wash all produce thoroughly before making your drinks.
Strawberry Mocktail with Lemon and Basil
Ingredients
- 1 cup strawberries, sliced
- 1 lemon
- 3 leaves basil
- 8 oz tonic water
- 2 oz strawberry infused syrup
- granulated sugar
Instructions
- Add some of your strawberry infused syrup to a small, shallow plate. Add granulated sugar to another small, shallow plate. Dip rim of your glass into syrup then dip into plate of granulated sugar. Repeat process for the second glass.
- In a tall mixing glass, add in sliced strawberries, juice from one lemon, a few basil leaves, and 2 oz of strawberry syrup. Muddle everything together. Pour contents into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and pour over glass with ice. Top off each glass with tonic water. Add basil and sliced strawberries for garnish. Enjoy!