Homemade Infused Strawberry Vodka Liqueur

Let's make our own Infused Strawberry Vodka. Not only is this a lot of fun, but you also capture one of the best products of summer in a fruity glass jar, promising more fun with cocktails, shots or simply a beautiful gift. Infusing vodka with strawberries is my favourite way to preserve the deliciousness of strawberry season.

The vodka infusion captures the sweet, lightly tart taste of the strawberry perfectly - giving us lots of fun mixer ideas. My Strawberry Infused Vodka recipe is so easy to make - and even easier to drink.

Homemade Strawberry Vodka Recipe Steps 

Hull, wash and slice your strawberries into quarters. If you are using frozen strawberries, there is no need to defrost them first - just add them straight to the jar.

Add the strawberries to a clean Mason jar, pour the vodka over the top, then add the sugar. Give everything a good stir and seal the jar tightly. Place in a cool, dark place - a kitchen cupboard works perfectly.

Leave to infuse for 7-10 days. You will know it is ready when the strawberries have turned almost white and the vodka has taken on a deep, beautiful red colour. Once ready, strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean bowl, then pour into your bottles.

How to use Homemade Strawberry Vodka? 

Now the fun part! Here are my three favourite ways to enjoy your homemade strawberry infused vodka - from a simple summer drink to a crowd-pleasing punch.

Strawberry Vodka Lemonade

This is my favourite way to enjoy it on a hot summer day, and honestly, it couldn't be simpler. I use a 1:3 ratio - one part strawberry vodka to three parts lemonade. For a standard glass that's 75ml / 2.5 fl oz vodka topped up with 225ml / 7.5 fl oz lemonade over ice. You can add some fresh or frozen strawberries to the glass too - if you use frozen ones you can skip the ice cubes.

Strawberry Vodka Summer Punch

This punch is perfect for entertaining and uses a double hit of strawberry - fresh pureed berries AND your homemade strawberry infused vodka for an incredibly intense flavour. It makes approximately 2.5 litres / 85 fl oz so it's great for a crowd.

• 1.5 kg / 3.3 lb fresh strawberries
• 400ml / 1.7 cups water
• 500g / 2.5 cups sugar
• 500ml / 2 cups fresh lemon or lime juice
• 2 vanilla beans
• 750ml / 25 fl oz homemade strawberry infused vodka

Make a simple sugar syrup by heating the water and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool. Hull and blend the strawberries until smooth, then pass through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds. Combine the strawberry puree, sugar syrup, lemon juice and your homemade strawberry vodka. Split the vanilla beans, scrape out the seeds and stir into the mixture. Pour into bottles and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve over ice with a splash of prosecco or sparkling water to stretch it further.

Strawberry Vodka Shots - Our German Wedding Seating Chart

These shots hold a very special place in my heart! Months before our wedding in Germany in 2013 we made a big batch of this recipe and on the big day used it as our DIY seating chart. Just before the wedding meal we set up a table with shot glasses, each one labelled with a guest's name and their table number at the bottom of the glass. It was so much fun - and went down extremely well!

For those who didn't want vodka, we simply swapped it for blueberry juice instead. You can read more about our German wedding buffet here.

How to store

Strawberry infused vodka does not need to be refrigerated - the alcohol acts as a natural preservative so there is no food safety risk at room temperature. Store it in a dark bottle or cool dark cupboard to preserve the colour and flavour for as long as possible.

If your kitchen gets warm in summer, pop it in the fridge. Your strawberry infused vodka is best enjoyed within 3-6 months - after this time it will start to lose its beautiful red colour and turn brown. It is still safe to drink but the flavour won't be as fresh and vibrant.