Looking for a fast, easy homemade strawberry syrup recipe using simple ingredients? You'll love this smooth syrup that's ready in under an hour!
Strawberry season came early to the north, so we have an overabundance of wild strawberries.
We love fresh berries of all sorts, and we love them all year round. Yet it can be tough (and expensive) to find fruit here in the winter.
That's why we look for ways to preserve fresh fruit. Luckily, some of our favorite recipes include homemade syrups and preserves.
With just five simple ingredients plus water, my kids will tell you this is the best way to use up extra strawberries!
Why Make Your Own Strawberry Syrup or Sauce
Homemade fruit sauces, syrups, cordials, chutneys, and preserves are great ways to can and preserve fresh fruit. Making jams, jellies, preserves, etc. is the "old-fashioned" way of stocking your pantry. The way our grandparents built up their food stores before refrigeration was around.
We forage for wild strawberries, cranberries, and blueberries, as well as grow raspberries. However, we also buy strawberries when they're on sale at the grocery store - at the peak of strawberry season.
That helps keep our food costs down.
And when you make your own strawberry syrup (or even blueberry syrup) you create a natural fruit base and sweetener to use later in recipes.
It lets you adjust the sweetness if you find too much sugar in commercially prepared syrups.
And then you know exactly what's in the final product. An all-natural simple recipe!
When to Use Fresh Strawberry Syrup
One of our favorite ways to use strawberry syrup (or any fruit syrup) is over homemade pancakes. Another great way to use strawberry syrup is over vanilla ice cream. Here are a few more ideas.
- pour it over angel food cake
- thicken it with a little cornstarch to make strawberry sauce for cheesecake
- drizzled over crepes
- drizzled over ricotta-filled dessert pastries
- as an alternative to maple syrup
- as a base for a homemade strawberry lemonade recipe
- as a base for strawberry shortcake (add sliced sweet strawberries to the syrup, pour over shortcake and add a dollop of whipped cream)
- as a base for strawberry jam
- in anything that calls for a simple syrup recipe, like Kentucky Mule!
- instead of homemade pancake syrup
- poured over french toast sticks
- poured over porridge or oatmeal
- as a base to make your own soft drinks, such as fruity Italian sodas
- to make quick, all-natural homemade strawberry milk without preservatives
- as an alternative for raspberry sauce
- to add a liquid base for any desserts calling for a pretty strawberry topping or garnish
- with any of your favorite griddle breakfast recipes
Strawberry Syrup Recipe FAQs
Can I use less sugar?
Yes. Adjust it to your family's personal taste. I find this recipe works best with slightly overripe, mushy strawberries which are already pretty sweet.
How long does it take to make?
It took me about an hour to make a batch of this strawberry syrup. That includes the washing and chopping. And the cooking time was about an hour.
Is this the same as a strawberry simple syrup recipe?
It's very similar. Use a simple syrup recipe to add liquid sugar to any recipe.
Sweet syrup or simple syrups mix easily into alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. And this is a perfect strawberry syrup recipe to use in any recipe calling for a simple syrup.
Can I freeze this strawberry syrup?
Yes! We freeze strawberry syrup in the small 4-ounce Ball mason jars
Is this syrup canned?
NO. This recipe is not canned. That means it must be refrigerated or frozen.
How should I store homemade strawberry syrup?
Once you make this syrup, store it in a glass jar in the fridge. It should stay fresh for about 3 - 4 weeks.
(Note: do you have a cool root cellar? It might be okay down there. I'm going to experiment with this soon at our northern Ontario property. I'll update this once I do!)
Or you could freeze your homemade strawberry syrup in small mason jars. Make sure to leave about ½ inch space for the syrup to expand. It's fine in the freezer for up to about a year.
How to Make Strawberry Syrup
Recipe
Easy Homemade Strawberry Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh strawberries diced
- ¾ cup water
- 1 cup white sugar white
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Clean strawberries and cut stem off. Place in a small bowl.
- Slice strawberries into small pieces and place them into a small saucepan. Add water.
- Cover the saucepan with the water and chopped strawberries and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
- Then reduce heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes. If there's too much liquid, simmer a little longer.
- Add white and brown sugar, cinnamon, and fresh lemon juice and mix well together.
- Bring syrup back to a boil and stir continuously to dissolve all sugars until it reaches a syrupy consistency
- Remove from heat and allow to cool uncovered until it reaches room temperature.
- Refrigerate once cool, freshness will last in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 weeks
- Serve over anything. Enjoy.
Notes
