Fresh Strawberry Limeade

This sweet, bubbly Strawberry Limeade is perfect for sipping on during hot summer afternoons, or enjoying with family and friends and a fun evening barbecue. We start with a simple Strawberry Sauce (make it with vanilla), add juice from fresh limes, lots of ice, and Sprite. 

Ingredient Notes

  • Strawberry Sauce – This simple fresh strawberry sauce can be used in so many ways! Over pancakes or waffles, on ice cream or cheesecake, over angel food cake with whipped cream, you really can’t go wrong. Here we use it to add that fresh strawberry flavor to our limeade. 
  • Limes – Look for smaller limes with thinner skin. These will usually have the best tasting juice for beverages, but any limes will do. Fresh lime juice is a must here. Leave the bottled stuff on the shelf! 
  • Sprite – You can use regular or diet Sprite here. 

How To Make Fresh Strawberry Limeade

  1. Make your strawberry sauce. Wash strawberries and remove stems. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can roughly chop the berries. Combine berries, sugar, and vanilla extract in medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for five minutes, stirring/breaking strawberries up with a wooden spoon constantly.

    After five minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly (if you have a glass blender jar) and a lot (if you have a plastic blender jar). When cool enough, transfer mixture to blender and pulse until desired consistency is reached. You can also use an immersion blender, which makes things super easy! For more details and pictures of this process, see the original Strawberry Sauce post. Allow sauce to cool in the refrigerator. 

  2. When ready to serve, fill a cup with ice. Squeeze the juice of one lime over the ice.

3. This is where it gets hard. Fill the glass halfway full with Sprite.

4. Then add about 3-4 tablespoons of strawberry sauce. This will largely be to taste and also how frothy your strawberry sauce is (the frothier it is, the more you’ll need).

5. Fill the glass to the top with Sprite. Stir it up gently with a straw (or don’t if you like the pretty red swirls). Add another lime slice or two and enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this ahead of time? Can I make it for a crowd? Absolutely! Prepare your strawberry sauce up to a few days ahead of time and store in the fridge. You could juice fresh limes up to a day ahead of time and refrigerate as well. Plan on 2 tablespoons of juice per glass, as well as any slices you may desire for garnish. Make sure your Sprite is chilled. When ready to serve, fill glasses with ice, and follow the instructions as written. 

Serving Suggestions

Have leftover strawberry sauce? Here are some other ways to use it up!
Light & Crispy Waffles
100% Whole Wheat Pancakes
Strawberry Cheesecake Squares

Looking for similar beverages?
Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade and Limeade
Brazilian Lemonade
Frozen Blackberry Limeade

Did You Make This?

I’d love to hear from you! Snap a picture on tag me on Instagram, then come back and give this recipe a rating!

Fresh Strawberry Limeade

A refreshing, carbonated strawberry limeade, utilizing homemade strawberry sauce, fresh limes, and Sprite.

Ingredients

  • STRAWBERRY SAUCE
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
  • 1 pint strawberries
  • FOR EACH GLASS OF LIMEADE
  • 1 tall glass
  • Lots of ice
  • Sprite or Diet Sprite...or Ginger Ale if you're feeling wild
  • 1 1/2 limes about 2 tablespoons juice and a slice or two of lime for garnish
  • 3-4 tablespoons Strawberry Sauce
  •  

Instructions

Make your strawberry sauce:

  • Wash strawberries and remove stems. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can roughly chop the berries.Combine berries, sugar, and extract in medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for five minutes, stirring/breaking strawberries up with a wooden spoon constantly.After five minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly (if you have a glass blender jar) and a lot (if you have a plastic blender jar). When cool enough, transfer mixture to blender and pulse until desired consistency is reached. You can also use an immersion blender, which makes things super easy! Cool and refrigerate.

Make your drink:

  • Fill a glass with ice. Squeeze the juice of one lime into the glass over the ice.Fill the glass about halfway with Sprite. Add 3-4 tablespoons of strawberry sauce. Top the glass off with Sprite and add more strawberry sauce if desired.Garnish with lime wedges (which you can also squeeze into the glass before drinking. Definitely best when served with a straw.
Author: Our Best Bites
Did You Make This Recipe?Snap a picture, and hashtag it #ourbestbites. We love to see your creations on our Instagram @ourbestbites!
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Meet The Author

Sara Wells

Sara Wells co-founded Our Best Bites in 2008. She is the author of three Bestselling Cook Books, Best Bites: 150 Family Favorite RecipesSavoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites, and 400 Calories or Less from Our Best Bites. Sara’s work has been featured in many local and national news outlets and publications such as Parenting MagazineBetter Homes & GardensFine CookingThe Rachel Ray Show and the New York Times.

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Questions & Reviews

  1. This sounds like a perfect drink for the summer. I will definitely be making it!

  2. my daughter raved so much about this website that I had just had to check it out. She was right. I will be using it also. She is just to smart for me.

  3. Looks so refreshing! I tried your sopapilla recipe last night, it was a huge hit in our house! So simple and quick when you want dessert, and we had the leftovers reheated for breakfast, YUM!!! I am so loving your cookbook!!

  4. Hee, must be fate…I JUST made the strawberry sauce! 🙂

    I hope you feel better SOON! Take care of yourself and those kiddos.

  5. I just made this strawberry sauce a few days ago and I’ve got limes! Great way to make it through Wednesday!

  6. This looks so refreshing! Just in time for the warmer days that are *just about here* in Boston. Thanks for the great and delicious idea. 🙂 Feel better soon!

  7. Your pocketless pants comment made me chuckle 🙂 but in all seriousness, I hope you and the kids get better soon! That limeade does look tasty and, yes, I’d say you can call this a recipe. ((hug))

  8. This is when I think a nanny would come in handy. I hope you feel better soon Kate. Love the idea for this drink. A bonus for me is living in Queensland, I get fresh juicy strawberries in winter with season starting soon.

  9. OH MY GOSH!!! That sounds so extraordinarily delicious!! I’d love for you to come link it up tomorrow to Wow Me Wednesday!!