Canning strawberry lemonade concentrate is a simple way to preserve summer berries so you can enjoy fresh strawberry and tart lemon flavor all year. This homemade concentrate stores easily on the pantry shelf and turns into a pitcher of refreshing lemonade whenever you need it.
If you grow or buy strawberries in season, you know how quickly they can pile up. Canning strawberry lemonade concentrate is a great alternative to jams and preserves—rather than a spread, it becomes a versatile drink base. A jar of concentrate stretches a long way: one pint makes about a half gallon of prepared lemonade, making it ideal for family meals and gatherings.
This recipe follows tested guidance for canning fruit purees and is adapted from reliable home-preserving sources. Using strawberry puree rather than strained juice keeps the process fast and gives the finished concentrate a fuller berry flavor and richer body.
Why you’ll love this strawberry lemonade canning recipe!
This recipe is quick and uses everyday ingredients. It’s perfect when you have a batch of berries that need to be used right away. Each jar stores compactly and makes multiple servings of lemonade, so it’s practical as well as delicious.
You can substitute lime juice for lemon to make a strawberry limeade concentrate if you prefer a slightly different citrus profile.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- Recipe Name: Canning Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate
- Recipe Type: Fruit Drink Concentrate
- Canning Method: Water bath canning
- Prep/Cook Time: About 30 minutes
- Canning Time: 15 minutes (adjust for altitude)
- Yield: About 5 to 7 pints, depending on berry size
- Jar Sizes: Half pint, pint, or quart (do not use half-gallon jars)
- Headspace: 1/4 inch
- Ingredients Overview: Strawberries, fresh lemon juice, and sugar
- Difficulty: Easy — puree, heat, and ladle into jars for processing
Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate Ingredients
This recipe relies on three core ingredients. Strawberries provide sweetness, color, and body; fresh lemon juice supplies bright acidity and classic lemonade flavor; and sugar balances the tartness to create a stable, pleasantly sweet concentrate.
- Strawberries: Main fruit flavor and natural body
- Fresh lemon juice: Tartness and acidity—strain to remove pulp for a smooth concentrate
- Sugar: Sweetens and balances the lemon
A standard batch uses:
- 6 cups hulled strawberries
- 4 cups fresh lemon juice (about 16–20 lemons)
- 6 cups sugar
Yield varies with berry size and how much puree you obtain. Each pint of concentrate makes roughly a half gallon of prepared lemonade when mixed 1 part concentrate to 3 parts water (2 cups concentrate to 6 cups water).
How to Make Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate
The steps are straightforward once your ingredients and equipment are ready.
Juice and Strain the Lemons
Juice the lemons and strain well to remove seeds and excess pulp. While strawberry puree stays in the concentrate, lemon pulp can add bitterness, so a smooth strained juice is best.
Prepare the Strawberries
Hull the strawberries and puree them until smooth using a blender or food processor. You can also mash them by hand if necessary, but aim for an even texture.
Heat the Concentrate
Combine the strawberry puree, strained lemon juice, and sugar in a saucepan. Heat gently, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot—about 190°F—without boiling. You want it well mixed and hot but not cooked down hard.
Canning Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate
Because this recipe contains fruit puree, it follows water-bath processing times for fruit purees. Prepare a water bath canner, hot jars, lids, and rings before filling jars.
Ladle the hot concentrate into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims, apply lids, and process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes for elevations under 1,000 feet. Adjust processing time for higher altitudes (see notes). After processing, turn off heat and let jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes, then remove and cool undisturbed on a towel for 12–24 hours. Check seals and refrigerate any unsealed jars; properly sealed jars store in a cool, dark pantry.
You may also freeze this concentrate in freezer-safe jars with appropriate headspace if you prefer.
Water Bath Canning Altitude Adjustments
Processing times for water-bath canning:
- Under 1,000 feet: 15 minutes for half pints, pints, and quarts
- 1,001–6,000 feet: 20 minutes for half pints, pints, and quarts
- Above 6,000 feet: 25 minutes for half pints, pints, and quarts
Serving Ideas
To serve, mix 1 part concentrate with 3 parts cold water. For a pint jar, add 3 pints of water to make roughly a half gallon of lemonade. Taste and adjust dilution if you prefer a stronger or lighter drink. Serve over ice and garnish with fresh strawberries or lemon slices if desired.
Strawberry Lemonade FAQs
A pint (2 cups) of concentrate makes about 1/2 gallon (8 cups) of prepared lemonade when mixed 1 part concentrate to 3 parts water (2 cups concentrate + 6 cups water).
No. This recipe uses strawberry puree rather than strained juice to retain body and berry flavor. If you prefer a smoother liquid, you can strain the puree, but yield and flavor will be reduced.
Fresh lemon juice provides the best flavor and a clean, bright acidity. If you use bottled lemon juice, choose a plain, high-quality product with no additives for the best result.
If you want other ways to preserve berries, consider mashed or sauced options like strawberry applesauce, or preserve lemons separately with recipes like lemon jelly or canned lemon curd to use alongside this concentrate.
Canning Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate
Equipment
-
Water bath canner
Ingredients
- 6 cups hulled strawberries
- 4 cups fresh lemon juice from 16–20 lemons
- 6 cups sugar
Instructions
- Prepare a water bath canner, jars, lids, and rings. Preheat the canner to a simmer for hot pack.
- Juice and strain the lemons to remove pulp and seeds.
- Hull and puree the strawberries until smooth.
- Combine the strawberry puree, strained lemon juice, and sugar in a saucepan.
- Gently heat the mixture to around 190°F, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Do not boil.
- Ladle the hot concentrate into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims and apply lids.
- Process the jars in a water bath canner for 15 minutes (adjust for altitude).
- Turn off heat and let jars sit in the canner for 5 minutes. Remove and cool undisturbed on a towel for 12–24 hours.
- Check seals. Refrigerate any unsealed jars for immediate use. Properly sealed jars store in the pantry; refrigerate after opening.
- To reconstitute, mix 1 part concentrate with 3 parts water (2 cups concentrate + 6 cups water = 1/2 gallon).
Notes
Yield
A typical batch yields around 5 pints; yield depends on berry size and how the strawberries are measured. Adjust the ratio of strawberry to lemon to suit your taste—both ingredients are safe for canning on their own.
Reconstituting
Mix 1 part concentrate with 3 parts water. For a pint jar, add 3 pints water to make about a half gallon. Adjust strength to taste.
Altitude Adjustments
Process half pints, pints, and quarts for 15 minutes below 1,000 feet; 20 minutes between 1,000 and 6,000 feet; and 25 minutes above 6,000 feet. Do not can in half-gallon jars; the largest recommended jar is a quart.
Nutrition
Calories: 84 kcal
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Sugar: 21 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
