Balsamic Strawberry Smash Cocktail

Muddled strawberries, fresh lemon, a splash of syrup, and a hit of balsamic make this bourbon smash bright, juicy, and perfectly balanced.

By
Kelly Carámbula
Kelly Carámbula is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kelly Carámbula

Kelly Carámbula is an artist and sculptor based in San Francisco. Kelly was the designer and publisher behind Remedy Quarterly (2009–2018), a magazine about food memories and the recipes that inspire them, as well as an award-winning food blogger at The Best Remedy.

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Published July 12, 2025
A glass of strawberry smash cocktail with a whole strawberry garnish

Serious Eats/ Two Bites

Walk by a farmers market in the summer and you'll almost certainly be lured into a stand by the sweet smell of strawberries. It's that time of year when the little red jewels are scarlet all the way through and bursting with flavor.

Always looking for ways to bring seasonal finds into my cocktails, I started tinkering with some of my favorite strawberry flavor combinations. The result is this summery take on the classic whiskey smash. Strawberries are muddled with lemon to create a juicy base, then a little strawberry syrup is added for a bit of sweetness and to balance the tartness of the lemon. The balsamic acts as bitters, and then of course a hefty pour of bourbon is added, because what's a smash without the bourbon?

The result is a crimson cocktail with flavor as bold as the color. The strawberries and bourbon work together to create a rich and intense sweetness that is cut by the lemon and balsamic. It's the kind of cocktail that makes you do a double-take but it drinks with embarrassing ease.

June 2011

Recipe Details

Balsamic Strawberry Smash Cocktail

Total 2 hrs 10 mins
Serves 1 serving
Keep Screen Awake

Ingredients

For the Strawberry Syrup:

  • 2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • 1 (3-inch) piece lemon peel

For the Cocktail:

  • 4 large strawberries, hulled, plus more for garnish

  • 1 round slice lemon, cut into half-moons

  • 1 fluid ounce strawberry syrup

  • 1/2 fluid ounce balsamic vinegar

  • 2 fluid ounces bourbon

Directions

  1. For the Strawberry Syrup: In a small saucepan, combine strawberries, sugar, and lemon rind. Cover and let stand, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour at room temperature.

    Cooking strawberries with sugar and a lemon peel in a saucepan

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  2. Once the sugar has dissolved and the strawberries have released their liquid, bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring gently, until the berries are tender, about 3 minutes.

    Strawberries and lemon peel cooking on a stovetop in a pot

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  3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked strawberries to a pint jar. Continue simmering the syrup until it thickens to a syrupy consistency, about 2 minutes. Discard lemon peel and pour syrup over berries. Let cool to room temperature, then store in the fridge for up to 1 month.

    Two steps in making a strawberry drink showing mashed strawberries in a jar and pouring juice into the jar

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  4. To Make One Cocktail: In a cocktail shaker, thoroughly muddle 4 hulled strawberries with the lemon. Add the strawberry syrup, balsamic, and bourbon, then fill shaker with ice and close shaker.

    Stepbystep preparation of a drink with a clear glass on a pink background showing mixing and addition of ingredients

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  5. Shake vigorously until well chilled, about 15 seconds. Using both a cocktail strainer and a fine mesh strainer, strain the cocktail into a glass. Garnish with a strawberry.

    A cocktail being poured through a strainer into a glass on a pink surface

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Special equipment

Cocktail shaker, cocktail strainer, fine mesh strainer

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
609 Calories
1g Fat
121g Carbs
3g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 609
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 9mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 121g 44%
Dietary Fiber 9g 33%
Total Sugars 107g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 258mg 1,289%
Calcium 81mg 6%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 679mg 14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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