Strawberry Infused Vodka
This strawberry-infused vodka is incredibly easy to make and tastes amazing. The strawberries give it a delicious hint of sweet berry flavor and a beautiful pink-red color that looks as good as it tastes.
About this recipe
Strawberry infused vodka is a homemade flavored vodka made by steeping fresh or frozen strawberries in vodka for a few days. It’s one of the simplest infusions you can make, requiring just two ingredients and a bit of patience while it sits. Infusing vodka with fruit is a great way to add natural flavor and color without any artificial ingredients. The strawberries bring a light, sweet berry flavor and that gorgeous pink-red hue.
You can keep things simple and serve it with lemonade or soda water over ice, or use it in cocktails like a chocolate strawberry martini or a strawberry gin fizz (just swap the gin for your strawberry vodka). It’s summer perfection in a bottle. If you love making infused spirits, also try my blueberry infused vodka or rhubarb infused vodka using the same technique.
Key ingredients and why
- Strawberries: Fresh or frozen both work well. Fresh strawberries are best in summer when they’re ripe and sweet. In cooler months, frozen strawberries are often better because they’re picked and frozen at peak ripeness. You’ll need about 1 cup (165 g) per 30 oz of vodka.
- Vodka: Use an unflavored vodka. The quality doesn’t matter too much since you’re infusing it, but a mid-shelf vodka will give you better results than the cheapest option. Avoid anything with an existing flavor.
Method
- Hull the strawberries and chop them into chunks.
- Add them to a clean glass jar.
- Pour the vodka over the strawberries until they’re fully covered. Seal the jar with a tight-fitting lid and give it a shake.
Straining the vodka
- After 3 days, taste the vodka. If it’s infused to your liking, it’s ready to strain. If you want a stronger strawberry flavor, leave it for up to a week.
- Strain the vodka through a cheesecloth, muslin cloth, or coffee filter into a clean bowl. This removes all the strawberry bits and gives you a clear infusion.
Tips
Variations to try
- Sweeten it up: Add a tablespoon of granulated sugar and macerate the strawberries for a few hours first first to enhance the natural sweetness of the strawberries.
- Strawberry lemon vodka: Add a few strips of lemon peel to the jar along with the strawberries.
- Strawberry vanilla vodka: Scrape the seeds from a vanilla pod and add them to the jar before pouring in the vodka.
- Strawberry mint vodka: Add a few fresh mint leaves to the infusion. Mint and strawberry are a classic combination.
More infused spirits
If you love making your own infusions, check out more of my infused spirit recipes. Here are a few favorites:
Strawberry-Infused Vodka
Ingredients
- 1 cup Strawberries fresh or frozen
- 30 oz vodka
Instructions
- Hull and chop the strawberries into chunks. Add them to a clean jar.
- Pour vodka over the strawberries. Add on a sealed lid and give the jar a bit of a shake. Place the jar in a place out of direct sunlight.
- For the next 3-4 days, store the vodka in a cool dark place and give the jar a little shake each day.
- After 3 days, taste the vodka, if infused to your liking it can be strained. If not, you can leave it up to a week to infuse it even more.
- Balance a clean cloth over a bowl and strain out the strawberries. You can use a fine mesh strainer to remove the berries too, but this makes a slightly less clear vodka.
- Pour the vodka into a clean bottle, one with an airtight seal.
- The strawberry vodka can last in a sealed bottle or jar for up to 12 months in a cool dark space. If your room temperature is very warm it's best stored in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Fresh or frozen strawberries both work well. Frozen are often better in cooler months since they’re picked at peak ripeness.
- Use a glass jar for infusing, not plastic. Glass won’t affect the taste.
- A mid-shelf vodka works best. You don’t need anything expensive since the flavor will be infused.
- For a clearer vodka, strain through a coffee filter rather than just a regular strainer.
- Store in a cool, dark place for up to 12 months. If your room is warm, keep it in the fridge.
- Add lemon peel, vanilla seeds, or mint leaves to the infusion for extra flavor variations.
