Freshly-picked strawberries are a delight in season.
To enjoy that delicious flavor more often, try turning some of those strawberries into powder!
Strawberry powder is easy to make and will provide you with a nearly endless number of uses.
Here’s how to do it right the first time…
How to Dehydrate Strawberries for Powder
Preheat your dehydrator to around 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
While waiting for your dehydrator to heat up, wash, hull, and slice your berries. Place on the dehydrator trays, ensuring the pieces do not overlap or touch.
Reduce heat to between 125 and 135 and dry for anywhere from six to ten hours.The exact time will depend on factors like humidity, altitude, etc.
On super humid days, I’ve had to go as long as 24 hours! So don’t be surprised or think you messed up if that happens.
If you’re in the market for a dehydrator, this is the one I recommend:
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>>> If you prefer to not use a dehydrator, you can dry strawberries many different ways.
How Do You Know When Dehydrated Strawberries Are Done?
Your strawberries are done when they are dry to the touch and feel much like paper.
They should be somewhat pliable; however, you should not be able to bend them easily.
Check the feel and consistency of your strawberries when removing them from the dehydrator. Allow them to reach room temperature and then inspect them again.
If they meet the standards the second time, they are ready for you to begin conditioning.
To condition your strawberries, put them in a glass jar with a tight-fitting seal. Leave them in the jar for about a week, shake daily, and inspect daily for signs of moisture.
Should you notice moisture, remove the berries and dry in your dehydrator for just a little while longer.
At the end of the one-week time frame, your berries are ready to become powder if there is no moisture present.
How to Turn Dried Strawberries into Powder
Place a handful of dehydrated strawberries into a food processor or blender. Grind until the fruit reaches the consistency of a fine powder and has no lumps.
Alternatively, you may also use freeze-dried strawberries. When doing so, keep in mind that the taste and color will be different than powder made with dehydrated strawberries.
How to Store Strawberry Powder
Place your finished strawberry powder in a container with a sealed lid and store at room temperature. Your kitchen’s cool, dry pantry is an ideal spot for storing strawberry powder.
Your product will remain fresh for several months, but you can always add a desiccant pack if you would like to ensure it stays fresh for longer.
How to Use Strawberry Powder
Oh, the possibilities are endless! But here are a few of my favorite ways to use it:
Add a few teaspoons to cake batter, cookie dough, frosting, or meringue. This is a great way to add a bit of flavor to some otherwise ordinary baked goods.
Stir in some strawberry powder to your pancake or waffle mix just before placing it on the griddle. Or warm some corn syrup and a bit of strawberry powder on the stovetop to make a delightful syrup that you can then drizzle over top of your pancakes.
Want a milkshake or smoothie, but do not have any fruit? Use strawberry powder instead. Add a bit to milk, yogurt, ice cream, or any other ingredients and then mix thoroughly in a blender until it is the desired consistency.
Strawberry powder makes a delicious strawberry milk that children of all ages will love. Simply stir some powder into regular, coconut, or soy milk and then enjoy.
You can also create a fruity drink similar to Kool-Aid, but with no added colors or flavors. Just add the powder to plain water and stir until it is mixed thoroughly.
You may even add it to apple or white grape juice for extra flavor.
The powder will also add flavor to plain oatmeal or other cereal. Just sprinkle the powder on to taste and mix well.
It provides the same flavor as real strawberries and is a great way to entice the kids to eat something healthy.
You may even find that you no longer need to add any sugar!
Make your own salad dressing by combining a bit of strawberry powder with some olive oil, honey, and red wine vinegar.
The result is a tasty vinaigrette dressing that is perfect for fresh lettuce or spinach salads.
Plain strawberry powder can be a powerful nutritional supplement. A single tablespoon contains as much as 125% of the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C.
It’s also full of antioxidants, calcium, potassium, and manganese. One tablespoon daily can provide you with a number of health benefits, including more manageable blood sugar.
Since there are so many ways to enjoy strawberry powder, you will want to keep plenty of it on hand.
Buy strawberries in bulk and then use this information to create your own made-from-scratch powder!
