Why go all the way to Starbucks for a taste of the famous strawberry acai lemonade refresher when you can make your version right there in the comfort of your home?
That is the question I asked myself the day I had a sudden craving for strawberry acai lemonade.
After all, having made homemade lemonade many times I knew I had freshly squeezed lemon juice on hand, meaning all the ingredients could be found in very little time. That is how I came up with this strawberry acai lemonade refresher which I will now share with you
What Is a Strawberry Acai Lemonade Refresher?
If you are already familiar with the standard strawberry acai refresher, then you should already have a pretty good idea of what the strawberry acai lemonade refresher is all about.
You have your usual strawberry acai refresher base but instead of adding water, you add lemon juice to make a strawberry acai lemonade refresher. As long as you get the strawberry acai refresher base right, it is easy to make other drinks with it by experimenting with the ingredients. If strawberry acai isn’t quite the copycat Starbucks recipe you were looking for, you can also try this mango dragonfruit lemonade recipe.
However, my favorite variation on a hot day has to be the strawberry acai lemonade refresher, and after a few sips of this masterpiece, I’m sure you will agree too.
What Does Acai Taste Like?
From the depth of the jungles of South America, Acai berries are tiny grape-like fruits that are derived from Acai palm trees.
These awesome berries are packed with a whole host of vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. Acai berries are usually considered superfoods due to their weight-loss and anti-aging properties.
The best results when preparing these berries are obtained when they are used as a juice or blended into acai smoothies.
These berries have a unique earthy tone that resembles a blend of different berries than anything else. they have just enough strength to add some great flavors to your drink without overpowering it.
What Kind of Acai Must I Use and the Best Place to Buy It?
Unlike fresh strawberries, you cannot just walk into any supermarket and find fresh acai berries because they spoil very fast/. You will have to settle for other types, such as freeze-dried acai powder which is found in the healthy food section.
Another option will be to go for frozen, unsweetened acai pulps, although I much prefer using acai powder as it is much easier to work with. The acai pulps can be found in the freezer section of many grocery stores.
When looking for acai powder, try places like Target and Costco and you will be sure to find it.
Why I Love This Strawberry Acai Refresher
If you are like me then you probably find yourself going to Starbucks too many times just to get your hands on a strawberry acai lemonade. This strawberry acai lemonade refresher will put an end to all that.
After a lot of trial and error, I believe this is the best version of all strawberry acai Starbucks copycat recipes that are as close to the real thing as possible.
Other things you will love include:
- Easy to customize to your taste
- Healthy and free of refined sugar, simple syrup, or juice
- Super refreshing and flavorful
- Only 4 ingredients!
- Caffeine-free
- Can be made ahead
- Easy and quick
Is there Caffeine in Strawberry Acai Lemonade?
There is no caffeine in an ordinary strawberry acai lemonade recipe. However, if you are craving a caffeine boost, there are other variations to this drink that allow you to add, for example, green coffee extract. In this particular recipe card, I have used green coffee extract so it will have some caffeine.
About Homemade Lemon Juice
If you do not want to run down to the shops for some store-bought lemon juice, making it at home is perfectly alright. Since I can have a lot more control over the sweetness of my lemonade drink if I make it at home, I prefer to buy commercial brands.
Important Strawberry Acai Lemonade Recipe Notes and Tips
Remember these notes and tips to make your strawberry acai lemonade refresher preparation easier:
- Each half cup of the base will make one full drink of strawberry acai lemonade refresher, so add as much as you require
- You do not have to strain the strawberry acai syrup if you do not want to, although I prefer the smoother texture of the juice after straining
- When serving, you should chill the strawberry acai lemonade juice until it is ice cold to best enjoy this refreshing drink, or you can simply pour it over a glass of ice cubes
- You can keep your base in the fridge for up to two weeks before it spoils
- Leave out the green coffee bean extract if you would rather not have the caffeine boost
- This drink is very versatile so feel free to play around with other ingredients, such as green tea, agave nectar, apple juice, and coconut milk
Fresh Strawberries vs. Frozen Strawberries
Using frozen strawberries will give your drink an extra bit of tartness rather than when you simply use fresh strawberry slices for your strawberry acai syrup. However, if you are going to use freeze-dried strawberries, make sure the strawberries are completely thawed first so as not to interfere with the blending process.
Strawberry Acai Lemonade Recipe Variations.
The best variation for this drink is the one that uses coconut milk in place of passion fruit to make a pink drink. This is very easy to do and will come in handy when you want to spice things up a bit.
However, you can also play around with other flavors, such as green tea, mixed berries, and maple syrup, or even go for a mango dragonfruit refresher. Having lemonade and green tea on hand will also come in handy if you decide to try making iced peach green tea lemonade.
The important thing is to get the strawberry acai base right. This will allow you to experiment in several different ways while still maintaining that unique strawberry acai syrup flavor that we love.
Storage
You can store your strawberry acai lemonade refresher in the fridge, although I do not recommend that you allow it to freeze. If you place it in a mason jar, it should easily last two weeks.
Final Word
If you are looking for a delicious drink that is easy to make and tastes just like original Starbucks drinks, try this Strawberry acai lemonade recipe. It will only take about 15 minutes to cook before you know it, you will be enjoying the unique acai flavor.
Loaded with all the important vitamins that you need, this is the perfect summertime drink to enjoy with your family and friends any time of the day.
Strawberry Acai Lemonade
Why go all the way to Starbucks for a taste of the famous strawberry acai lemonade refresher when you can make your version right in the comfort of your home?
Ingredients
Strawberry Acai Base
- 2 1/4 c. white grape juice
- 1/4 tsp. passionfruit powder
- 1 c. fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1/2 tsp. green coffee bean powder
- 1/2 tsp. acai powder
Strawberry Acai Lemonade
- 1/2 c. strawberry acai base
- 1/2 c. lemonade
- 1/4 c. freeze-dried strawberries
- ice
Instructions
Creating the Strawberry Acai Base
1. Add your sliced fresh strawberries and white grape juice into a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and allow the mixture to simmer. Leave it for about 10 minutes or until you see the fresh strawberries start breaking down in the white grape juice.
3. Next, strain the juice into a bowl and set the strawberry slices aside. After you strain the mixture, be sure to press on the strawberry pieces to get out as much juice as possible.
4. Place the saucepan back on the stove on low heat and add the strawberry/grape juice mixture. Then, add your acai powder to create the strawberry acai syrup. Also, add the green coffee powder and the passion fruit powder. Stir until the powders have dissolved, although you will still see some acai powder granules because it does not dissolve that easily.
5. Turn off the heat and add your lemon juice. Mix well before you transfer to a heat-proof bowl and place in the fridge to cool.
Strawberry Acai Lemonade
1. Add the strawberry acai base, lemonade drink, and freeze-dried strawberries into a shaker filled with ice cubes and shake very well.
2. Once everything has blended well, pour out the strawberry acai lemonade refresher into a cup.
3. If you wish to make some variations, such as making the drink a bit sweeter by adding sweetened coconut milk, now will be the time to do so by adding directly to the cup.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 791Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 45mgCarbohydrates: 166gFiber: 22gSugar: 110gProtein: 21g
