Prep the strawberries. Rinse and hull the strawberries. If using frozen, let them thaw slightly so they blend smoothly. Set a few nice-looking berries aside for garnish if you’d like.

Juice the lemons. Roll each lemon on the counter to loosen the juice, then cut and squeeze. Strain out seeds. You want roughly 1 cup of fresh lemon juice for a bright, zippy taste.

Make a quick lemon sugar base. In a pitcher or large bowl, combine the lemon juice with 3/4 cup sugar. Stir until the sugar starts to dissolve. Add 1 cup of warm water to help it along, stirring until mostly dissolved. This prevents gritty sugar in the finished drink.

Blend the strawberries. Add the strawberries to a blender with 1 cup cold water. Blend until completely smooth. For a silkier lemonade, pour the puree through a fine-mesh strainer to remove seeds. If you like a bit of texture, skip the straining.

Combine and dilute. Pour the strawberry puree into the pitcher with the lemon mixture. Add 2 more cups of cold water and stir well. Taste and adjust. If it’s too strong, add up to 1 additional cup of water. If you prefer it sweeter, stir in more sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until it’s just right.

Chill. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors meld and the lemonade gets nice and cold. This step makes a big difference in the final taste.

Serve. Fill glasses with ice and pour over the strawberry lemonade. Garnish with sliced strawberries, lemon wheels, or a sprig of mint for a fresh aroma.

Optional variations. For sparkle, top each glass with chilled seltzer. For a mellower sweetness, replace some of the sugar with honey or maple syrup, dissolving it in warm water first. For a cocktail, add a shot of vodka or gin to each glass and stir.