Best Vodka Lemonade Cocktail Recipe

A vodka lemonade can be deceptively, well, basic. That’s neither an insult nor an endorsement of the cocktail, so much as it is a challenge. When you have a drink that seemingly only requires lemonade and vodka, the recipe feels foolproof, but it’s not. Just because a vodka lemonade is simple doesn’t mean it is without its variability: A vodka lemonade can taste awful. Too much vodka? Then you’re back at college, without the wherewithal to make a cocktail. Cheap lemonade? Then it’s a sugar bomb, only masked by the liquor. This is a chemistry experiment, in a way.

With this vodka lemonade, it’s all about the add ons. Again—a vodka lemonade with low-end, high-sugar lemonade is going to taste like candy (not in a good way) and leave you with a massive hangover (never in a good way). If “sugar” is listed before “lemon juice” in the ingredients, you’re in trouble. A bit of club soda will help cut the sweetness, but playing with the simple syrup really adds the additional layer of flavor. As noted, the optimal summer flavor, in my humble opinion, is a bit of strawberry rhubarb. Not only does the strawberry essence play well off the tartness of the lemon, but the rhubarb ensures that the strawberry doesn’t fully steal the show.

Of course, this recipe calls for some extra steps and a few extra dollars, and a bit of investigation. But the foresight is worth it, because the result will be a robust, hot-weather drink that is truly unique to you, simply because there’s so much variation that can go into it.