A recipe for homemade strawberry milk using only three ingredients: fresh strawberries, whole milk and a little sugar. This version of strawberry milk is undeniably delicious with no red dye in sight!
There was a brief moment in my childhood when strawberry milk was my preferred after school snack. I clearly remember the squeeze bottle of “strawberry” syrup in the door of the refrigerator which of course had no trace of actual strawberry in it. Rather it was a concoction of red food dye and lab engineered flavoring. I relished squeezing the bottle’s contents into a tall glass of skim milk. I cringe at the memory! Though there are certainly processed foods in our home these days, I try my best to offer my kids whole foods first. At the end of the day I am really after flavor and making strawberry milk from scratch could not be more simple or delicious.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY MILK
- Homemade strawberry milk has only three ingredients! Fresh strawberries, whole milk and a little granulated or cane sugar. So simple!
- This recipe is very easy to make: No skills required other than cutting up berries, tossing them with sugar and blending them into milk.
- You can use imperfect berries: This is an excellent recipe for using up berries that have shriveled or are otherwise unappealing.
- Homemade strawberry milk can be made ahead! In the recipe I recommend letting the berries steep in the milk overnight for the best flavor, but an hour or two before blending will still yield a delicious drink.
INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- Fresh strawberries: This is a wonderful recipe to use during peak strawberry season or after going berry picking because you can use up berries that are starting to shrivel or berries that are not very visually appealing. I have not tried this recipe using frozen berries. If you do, I would recommend thawing and draining them completely first before proceeding with the recipe.
- Whole milk: I really enjoy the flavor and texture of whole milk. You can certainly substitute a lower fat content milk or a non-dairy milk in this recipe, however this will affect the texture and flavor of the final product.
- Granulated sugar: I have not tried any less refined sugars in this recipe, but you can certainly test it out. Since the berries and sugar are blended, using a coarser sugar should be fine. I would not recommend a liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup because it will interfere with the flavor of the strawberries too much.
CAN I MAKE STRAWBERRY MILK WITHOUT A COUNTERTOP BLENDER?
Absolutely! After the berries and sugar have macerated in a bowl or jar, you can use an immersion blender to crush them up and then incorporate the berry syrup into the milk.
CAN I USE FROZEN STRAWBERRIES?
I have not attempted this recipe with frozen berries, but my guess is that it could work. Be sure to thaw and drain the berries completely before proceeding with the recipe.
CAN I USE A DIFFERENT MILK OTHER THAN WHOLE?
I have not tested out other milks with this recipe, but I don’t see why a lower fat milk or even non-dairy milk wouldn’t work. Keep in mind the texture may not be as thick and stronger flavored nut milks may affect the flavor of the final product.
CAN I ELIMINATE OR REDUCE THE SUGAR?
You can certainly try! Just note that the recipe will not taste the same and the berries do need a little sugar in order to macerate properly and bring out their flavor more.
Strawberry Milk
Equipment
- 1 countertop blender or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 1 lb (1 quart) fresh strawberries
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Wash and hull the strawberries. If using a countertop blender: Cut the berries in half or in quarters and toss them with the sugar directly in a blender pitcher. Let the berries macerate for about 1 hour until very sweet and syrupy.If using an immersion blender: Cut the berries in half or in quarters and toss them with the sugar directly in a large jar big enough to hold them plus 4 cups of milk. Let the berries macerate for about 1 hour until very sweet and syrupy.
- If using a countertop blender: Add the milk to the blender pitcher of syrupy berries, put the lid on the pitcher and chill in the fridge overnight. If using an immersion blender: Add the milk to the jar of syrupy berries, cover with a lid and chill in the fridge overnight.If you are too impatient to wait overnight, let the berries steep in the milk for at least an hour in the fridge before blending.
- Blend the berries and milk and serve cold.
