There’s something magical about Sonic’s strawberry limeade that makes every sip feel like a taste of summer. The vibrant pink color and perfect balance of sweet strawberries with tart lime create a refreshing drink that’s impossible to resist. What makes this copycat version even better is that you can skip the artificial dyes and preservatives while creating an even more flavorful drink at home.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
The key to an authentic Sonic strawberry limeade lies in the quality of the strawberry syrup. By cooking fresh strawberries down and straining out the pulp, you create a smooth, intensely flavored syrup that mixes perfectly with carbonated beverages. The natural sugars in the strawberries concentrate during cooking, creating a syrup that’s both sweet and intensely fruity without any artificial additives.
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Syrup:
- Fresh strawberries – Provide the base flavor and natural sweetness for the syrup
- Water – Helps extract juices from the strawberries during cooking
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens and thickens the syrup to the perfect consistency
For the Strawberry Limeade:
- Sprite or lemon-lime soda – Creates the fizzy, refreshing base for the drink
- Fresh lime – Adds the essential tart citrus flavor that balances the sweet strawberry
- Ice – Keeps the drink perfectly chilled and refreshing
How to Make Strawberry Syrup
- You will begin with 1 pound of fresh strawberries. You will wash them, hull them, and cut those strawberries into small pieces.
- You will then cook the strawberries for about 20 minutes. What results is a beautiful colored juice, but it isn’t sweet yet.
- You will strain and remove the strawberries. You can compost them if you desire.
- Then add the sugar and heat just a bit more.
You can then store the syrup in a clean container. I recommend storing the syrup in the refrigerator. It is ok for a couple of weeks.
How to Make Strawberry Limeade
Next, we will make the Sonic Strawberry Limeade.
- You will grab a glass and fill it with ice, and then make your drink.
- Add about 1 part of strawberry syrup
- Add 4 parts of Sprite.
- Top with some lime slices or quarters, and there you go.
You can make strawberry lemonade, or even strawberry soda if you desire. I hope you enjoy this Sonic Strawberry Limeade.
Love Sonic drinks? Check out these copycat recipes
Popular Summer Drink Recipes
- Orange Julius
- Passion Fruit Lemonade
- Frosted Lemonade
- Starbucks Berry Tea
- McDonald’s Fruit Smoothie
- Coolatta Dunkin Donuts
- Easy Iced Mocha Recipe
- Pina Colada Smoothie Recipe
- Italian Peach Tea
Be sure to check out more of my easy drink recipes for any season and the best fast food copycat recipes.
Sonic Strawberry Limeade Easy Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
Strawberry Syrup
- 1 pound strawberries
- 32 ounces water
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
One Serving
- 1/4 cup strawberry syrup
- 1 cup Sprite
- 4 slices lime
- 1 strawberry garnish
Instructions
Strawberry Syrup
- Wash and hull your strawberries. Cut strawberries into quarters.
- Place strawberries into a pot and add 32 ounces of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Strain liquid, discard the strawberries.
- Pour the strawberry liquid back into the pot. Add sugar, and cook for 5 additional minutes. Skim off any impurities on the top of the syrup. Pour into a container, and allow to cool. Store the syrup in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Strawberry Limeade
- Fill a glass with ice, add 1/4 cup strawberry syrup, 1 cup of Sprite, and stir well.
- Add lime wedges, and garnish with a strawberry if desired.
As a
NewBorn Photographer worker , I super love your website!
Very delicious, great drink. Also,what portions would the strawberry syrup be for one serving?
If you click on the serving size you can adjust the recipe as you need it.
Turned out pretty good. Although I think I should have stuck with 1 1/2 cups of sugar even though I used more then a pound of strawberries. It is very good!! Now it is off the chain, I added a shot of Vodka 🙂 just for flavor!!! lol
I love your idea of vodka!
I am making this now. But I had screen shot the recipe and 1/2 read as usual lol. I added sugar in the strawberries while they were cooking. I also used frozen strawberries from Dollar Tree. They come in 10oz packs, I bought 3 packs of them,so I added 1/2 cup sugar more. So I will let you know in a couple of hours when it all cools down, how it taste doing it my screwed up way. lol But thank you!! I did buy fresh Lime and I also have some Lime in a bottle if needed.
Thanks for sharing all of your wonderful recipes. I have always loved Sonic too My very favorite Sonic drink is one that I don’t believe they offer anymore. When Sonic first came to our town, I discovered Lemon Sours. I went there all the time to get them. After some time, Lemon Sours went away, along with Sonic, After several years, Sonic came back! I rushed down there to get a lemon sour. The girl at the drive through just looked at me when I ordered one – with lots of salt. I have searched for a recipe for this favorite of mine, but haven’t found the right one. If you have it, would you please post it? Thanks so much!
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I have never heard of their lemon sours. I’ll have to do some research.
excellent blogpost thanks for sharing,god bless you
have a nice day
Wow wow looks refreshing and perfect for hot summer party 😀 . I would like to add this to my kid’s bday party beverage list also 😀 Thanks dear
Hi Stephanie, love your website. I want to tell you though, that you forgot to write an important instruction in your recipe. In the video, you say and show us how to scoop out the strawberries, with a sieve, after they are cooked. It’s not in the directions. Also the video says to pour the syrup into an air-tight bottle. That is not in the directions either. Can’t wait to make this. Just last week I had bought a box of strawberries and made strawberry shortcake. Could have made this recipe if I knew about this. Will be going back to the store soon to get more. Yummm.