Vodka Lemonade

At a glance

What stands out: Vodka lemonade punch is a fun straightforward beverage for your next backyard barbecue. It’s simple to make and refreshing.

How long it takes: 5 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: sharp knife, pitcher, ice
Servings: 4

Summertime and lemonade. Hand in hand, right? Icy cold, tart, and refreshing — just the beverage you need on a hot summer day.

Straightforward Vodka Lemonade

Refreshing. If you like lemonade, you’ll love this cocktail. If you like lemon drop martinis or a French 75, you’ll love this cocktail. Stir up a pitcher or make individual cocktails. Serve it in a tall chilled glass, with a straw if you like.

Relaxing. Long day playing with the kids at the beach/park/zoo/etc.? Put them to bed and wait for that sweet, sweet silence. Pour yourself a little cocktail and bring out the cards to play some euchre with friends and family, or just relax on a deck chair and watch the fireflies. Are you liking the picture we're painting? We sure am.

Straightforward to mix. This comes together with a few simple ingredients and is endlessly adaptable – keep reading for our suggestions.

What goes in

• Lemonade: There’s a lot of flexibility here. Make your own lemonade or buy it already made. The balance of tart/sweet will depend on the kind of lemonade you use. You can use a frozen concentrate (with the water added) if you like.
• Simple Syrup: Whether you add simple syrup or not depends on how sweet you like your cocktail. Make your own flavor-infused simple syrup if you want to add a twist.
• Vodka: Use your favorite brand or try Absolut Citron vodka for even more lemon flavor.
• Lime White Claw: White Claw is a flavored carbonated beverage with 5% alcohol content. It’s sold in 12-oz. cans in a variety of flavors. It adds flavor, fizz, and a little more buzz to your cocktail. Keep reading for substitutions.
• Lemon and Lime Slices: Fresh citrus slices add so much fun and excitement to your punch. If you’re making a pitcher, stir them into right into the pitcher. For individual servings, garnish the glasses with a slice of each. If you’re feeling fancy, make a lemon twist garnish!
• Ice: You’ll need lots of fresh ice because it’s summer and it’s hot and cold drinks need to be icy cold, right?

How it comes together

Mix all the ingredients in a pitcher and pour into chilled tall glasses. Relax and enjoy!

As always, drink responsibly. Like our mom always said (and still says) before we go out with friends, choose a DD (designated driver) before the festivities begin.

Straightforward Cocktail Variations

There’s so many ways to alter this recipe to make it your own creation. Here’s a few ideas:

• Quality lemonade: The lemonade you use makes a lot of difference. Find the one you like best.
• Reduce the booze: Omit the vodka for a low alcohol drink.
• Switch up the seltzer: Instead of White Claw, try plain club soda or seltzer. They’ll add fizz but not as much sweetness and no extra alcohol. There are other brands of spiked seltzer available that could be substituted for White Claw.
• Switch the garnish: Instead of lemon and lime slices, garnish with a sprig of rosemary, mint, or basil.
• Make it raspberry: Make raspberry vodka lemonade with Raspberry White Claw.

Ways to serve it

If you’re looking for something straightforward to serve with this lemonade drink, try edamame dip or baked goat cheese dip with crackers, or warm refried bean dip with tortilla chips. A sweet treat like slice and bake honey lemon shortbread cookies or lemon poppy seed bread is reliable to nibble on, too.

Make Ahead Ideas

Prepare the lemonade, if necessary, and cut the citrus slices. Make sure everything is chilled and you have plenty of ice. You can stir everything together ahead of time, except the White Claw, and refrigerate it. Once the White Claw is added, the punch should be served immediately.

• Yield: 4
• Prep: 5 minutes
• Total: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 24 ounces lemonade, chilled
• 6 ounces vodka, chilled
• 1 ounce simple syrup, optional (see note)
• 24 ounces lime White Claw, chilled (see note)
• Ice
• Lemon slices, optional
• Lime slices, optional

Method

1. Add the sliced citrus, lemonade, vodka, simple syrup, and White Claw to a large pitcher and stir.
2. Pour into glasses over ice, garnish with citrus, and serve immediately with a straw, if desired.

Notes

Adjust sweetness: Simple syrup can be omitted depending on how sweet or tart you like your drink. Add ¼ cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice for more tartness.

Use your favorite brand of lemonade. The tart and sweet level will depend on the kind of lemonade used – we recommend using Newman’s Own, Uncle Matt’s or Simply Lemonade. If you prefer, make your own from-scratch lemonade.

White Claw alternatives: Use club soda or lime seltzer instead of White Claw to reduce calories or if it’s just what you prefer. There are other brands of spiked seltzers that would work, too.