This DIY for making your own dehydrated strawberries at home is going to be your favorite new snack! They can also be used in drinks and baked goods.
Strawberry season here in California is always a welcome sight. However, excitement for the season to begin quickly turns to feelings of being overwhelmed with the ample harvest!
Once we run out of baked goods and drinks to use the fresh berries in, we start looking for ways to preserve them for later use. The most simple way is our favorite – dehydrating the strawberries.
What you need to get started
- Strawberries – Perfectly ripe, fresh strawberries yield the best results. I do not recommend using strawberries that are already going soft or any that were previously frozen.
- Dehydrator – There are all kinds of dehydrators out there and they cost everything from $50 – $500+. You can use any kind you have available to you. I have a budget friendly Nesco.
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How To Make
- Wash your strawberries really well. Pat them dry with a paper towel or allow them to air dry.
- Hull the strawberries by slicing off the tops, then cut the berries into 1/4″ slices.
- Place the slices in your dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 135F for 8 hours.
Tips
- Want them sweeter? Sprinkle the sliced strawberries with a light coating of sugar before dehydrating.
- To quickly hull the strawberries without any excess waste, use an inexpensive strawberry huller.
Sliced vs Whole
Dehydrating whole strawberries will differ slightly from doing slices.
First, for whole strawberries I do not recommend using a stacked tray dehydrator like the one above. Even small strawberries are generally too big to fit on anything other than the top tray, so you can only do a few at a time. Instead, use something like the Excalibur, which allows you to remove trays so you can have a larger height clearance.
Whole ones take much longer than slices, anywhere from 16-24 hours depending on the size and moisture levels of the strawberries you are using.
How to use
You can simply eat them as a snack, that’s why they’re sometimes called “strawberry chips”. But there are lots of other ways you can use them too!
- Garnish cocktails
- Decorate cake or cupcakes
- Bake in cookies or muffins
- Top oatmeal, cereal, or yogurt
- Add to homemade trail mix
- Blend into smoothies
How to store
Store the dried berries in a sterilized jar or vacuum seal them. Keep the jar or vacuum sealed bag in a cool, dark place where the temperature does not fluctuate much.
FAQs
Are dehydrated strawberries the same as freeze dried?
Both are dehydrated, but to freeze dry them you would need a very expensive machine. If that’s what you’re after it’s best just to purchase freeze dried strawberries.
Should they be chewy?
Yes, they will be slightly chewy unless you dehydrate them so long they become crispy.
When are they done?
When the strawberries have been properly dehydrated, they will be dry to the touch. Jar them for 24 hours, then open the jar and feel them. If they are damp put them back in dehydrator for a little while.
What do they taste like?
They taste like a strawberry with 10xs the flavor! Some people even think they taste like Twizzlers.
Can you add sugar to them before dehydrating?
Yes, sprinkle a little sugar on the strawberries before dehydrating them for an extra sweet treat.
More Dehydrator Recipes
Other Strawberry Recipes
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Dehydrated Strawberries
Ingredients
- Strawberries
Instructions
- Wash your strawberries, then pat them with a paper towel to dry.
- Hull your strawberries by slicing off the tops or using a strawberry huller, then cut them into 1/4″ thick slices.
- Place the strawberry slices on your dehydrator trays, ensuring that none of them touch.
- Dehydrate at 135F for 8 hours. (If you’re doing whole strawberries, this will take 16-18 hours.)
- Turn the dehydrator off and allow the strawberries to cool for a few hours. (This helps any remaining moisture to evaporate.)
- Store the dehydrator strawberry chips in a sterilized jar or vacuum sealed bag. Keep them in a cool, dark place.
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