Vodka Lemonade

Only two ingredients are absolutely required for a spiked vodka lemonade cocktail - your favourite vodka and store bought or homemade lemonade. Not only do these two simple ingredients deliver a refreshing, not-too-sweet, thirst quenching cocktail, but it can morph into countless versions. Read on to discover more vodka lemonade drinks, how to make slushies, or a big batch punch recipe for a crowd.

1½ oz vodka, regular or fruit flavoured
4½ oz Simply Lemonade
fresh fruit, for muddling

If using fresh fruit or mint, muddle at the bottom of a pint glass.

Fill glass with ice. Pour in vodka, lemonade, and give a quick stir.

Using Homemade Lemonade:
For a completely homemade vodka lemonade recipe, mix up a batch of homemade lemonade. This is a great option for serving party guests because they can choose between a virgin or spiked lemonade drink.

If you don’t want to make an entire pitcher of lemonade and want to serve less, consider making a spiked lemon shake-up recipe, using a cocktail shaker, fresh lemon juice and citrus vodka.

What is the Best Lemonade to Use?
The key to making the best cocktail is choosing the right lemonade. Since there are so many options, how do you choose?

• The most affordable route would be making lemon from frozen concentrate. If serving pitchers or punch for a large amount of people this might be your best option, but you will sacrifice taste.
• Another option is to buy store bought prepared lemonade. There’s a variety of brands and choices to make pink lemonade, store brands, to higher quality, small batch options.
• For the best marriage of taste and convenience, I always use Simply Lemonade brand, which only contains fresh lemon juice, cane sugar, water. It’s a great shortcut, saves you from squeezing lemons, and has clean, fresh taste.

What Vodka to Use?
Ironically the brand or quality of vodka doesn’t have a strong effect on a great tasting cocktail. Vodka is essentially a flavourless liquor, so the taste will not shine through as much as the lemonade. Typically I use something mid range, such as Smirnoff, Stoli, or Tito’s.

• Add another layer of flavour by using flavoured vodkas. Substitute regular vodka with raspberry, strawberry, citrus, cranberry, or blueberry.

More Easy spiked Lemonade Drinks:
Play off the different lemonade and vodka possibilities to make many easy cocktails. Use fresh or frozen fruit, flavoured vodkas, lemonades, or floaters.

• Strawberry Lemonade: Muddle fresh or frozen strawberries at the bottom of the glass. Substitute strawberry vodka or lemonade, or use both for an extra flavoring.
• Blueberry Lemonade: Muddle a handful of fresh or frozen blueberries at the bottom of the glass. Add ice, blueberry vodka, and lemonade.
• Pink Vodka Lemonade: Use pink lemonade in place of regular.
• Raspberry Lemonade: Muddle fresh or frozen raspberries at the bottom of the glass. Substitute raspberry vodka or lemonade, or use both for an extra flavouring.
• Floaters: Add a touch of fizz by topping your drink with lemon-lime soda, soda, or seltzer.
• Fruit Cubes: Use these easy fruit cubes for not only a great looking spiked lemonade, but fruity as well.
• Frozen/Slushies: To make a frozen lemonade slushy blend together all the ingredients, ice, and optional fresh or frozen fruit.

Making a Punch or Pitcher:

• To make a large batch punch, gallon, or pitcher you simply need to keep the ingredients in a 1:3 ratio, so for every one part vodka, add 3 parts lemonade.
• For one liter of vodka add a half gallon of lemonade, plus 2 additional cups. This will make about 16 cocktails.
• Refrain from adding ice to the pitcher or punch bowl to avoid watering down the flavour. Instead, add the ice to the glasses as you serve it.
• To make a gallon punch add 32 oz vodka, or 4 cups, with 96 oz lemonade, or 12 cups. Shake or stir, and then refrigerate until ready to serve. This can be prepared up to 3 days in advance.

Garnish Suggestions:

• Fresh mint adds a nice bright pop of colour and fragrant addition to the lemon flavour.
• Fresh or frozen berries not only look great, but are a tasty alcohol-soaked bite to enjoy at the end of the cocktail.