I’m so excited to share with you how to make strawberry infused vodka. Not only is it super delicious but it’s also so easy to make! It all started last summer when we went to a strawberry picking farm for the first time. Berry picking was a first for us, and we had so much fun that we picked for hours and came home with a ton of strawberries.
Once we came home I sort of went into panic mode. I mean what was I going to do with all these strawberries? We ate some fresh and I started portioning them out for jams and other recipes, and then I remembered an infusion recipe book I bought years ago. It didn’t have a strawberry infused vodka recipe but after reading through the book I knew it would be pretty easy to come up with a version of my own, and it was definitely a success.
Once again it’s strawberry season in Maine and as soon as we came home with all our berries Brian asked if I was going to make my strawberry vodka again. You bet I was going to make it again, and this time I decided I needed to share it with you. It makes a perfect cocktail on a hot summer day.
SUPPLIES NEEDED
Knife
Cutting board
Jar with a lid
Funnel
Fine mesh strainer
Bottle, carafe, or other clean jar
We start with sliced strawberries and two tablespoons of sugar. I’m not a fan of super sweet cocktails but in this case I find adding sugar really brings out the strawberry flavor. If you’re drinking the strawberry vodka over ice then yes it will probably taste pretty sweet, but I like to dilute mine with soda water so it’s really just a hint of sweetness.
You can definitely reduce the sugar or leave it out all together but I’d recommend making it with the full amount the first time to see what you like.
After adding the sugar, you add the vodka, pop the lid on, and give it a good swirl to mix. Now comes the hard part. The waiting to drink it part.
I leave mine on the counter (giving it a good daily swirl) for about 3-5 days. The first day the strawberries will be bright red in the mixture and as they infuse they will slowly lose color. I find 4 days to be the perfect amount of time to infuse, just make sure all the strawberries are pale in color before you strain them out. If you feel more comfortable infusing this mixture in the refrigerator you can, it just may take longer.
Once the mixture is ready, give it a strain through a fine mesh strainer into a jar or bottle (this is the one I’m using) and refrigerate.
I also wanted to note that I doubled my recipe so if you use the same bottle as me if won’t be quite as full.
Look at that gorgeous red color all from the strawberries!
My favorite way to serve this strawberry vodka is mixed with sparkling water and lime juice. It’s the perfect combination of sweet with a hint of tartness, and the citrus really enhances the flavor of the strawberries. Once my basil plant grows a little bit more I think I’ll muddle the leaves and do a strawberry basil cocktail with sparkling water.
Really the sky’s the limit with this delicious vodka. If you come up with any creative cocktails of your own let me know in the comments. Cheers!
Strawberry Infused Vodka
Ingredients
- 750 mL Vodka
- 1 pint Strawberries (see notes below)
- 2 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Wash strawberries, trim tops, and thickly slice.
- Add the strawberries to a jar large enough to hold the berries and vodka.
- Add sugar and vodka to the jar. Add the lid, shake, and swirl to combine and dissolve the sugar.
- Store the mixture on the counter out of sunlight and swirl the mixture every day for 3-5 days or until all the strawberries are pale and no longer red.
- Strain the vodka mixture through a fine mesh strainer into another clean jar or bottle using a funnel if needed. Discard the strawberries.
- Store in the refrigerator.
Notes
SUMMER KITCHEN FAVORITES
