Easy, homemade strawberry milk is crafted with real, fresh strawberries blended with cold milk, creating a sweet and utterly delicious drink that delights both kids and adults alike. Forget artificial colors and complex ingredients – this simple recipe uses just four core components, making it a perfect replacement for any store-bought powder or pre-made carton. Get ready to experience strawberry milk in its most authentic, vibrant, and flavorful form!

Homemade Strawberry Milk: Your Guide to a Fresh & Delicious Drink

For many of us, the pink glow of powdered strawberry milk mix, like Nesquik, brings back a wave of childhood nostalgia. While those memories are certainly sweet, I’m thrilled to share a secret: there’s a vastly superior, more flavorful way to enjoy this classic treat. Introducing homemade strawberry milk – a delightful beverage that’s not only incredibly easy to make but, most importantly, is made with real, ripe strawberries. You’ll be amazed at the difference in taste and quality!

This recipe transforms simple ingredients – fresh strawberries, a touch of sugar, and water – into a rich, aromatic strawberry syrup. This homemade syrup is the key to perfectly flavoring your milk, creating a drink that’s bursting with natural strawberry essence. Once you try this simple and delicious method, you’ll wonder why you ever settled for anything less. Say goodbye to artificial flavors, unnecessary additives, and that unnaturally bright pink color; welcome to the pure, unadulterated taste of authentic strawberry milk.

Why Choose Homemade Strawberry Milk?

Beyond the nostalgic appeal, opting for homemade strawberry milk offers numerous advantages. Firstly, you have complete control over the ingredients. This means you can adjust the amount of sugar to your preference, or even explore healthier alternatives. Secondly, by using real strawberries, you’re infusing your drink with natural vitamins, antioxidants, and a truly vibrant flavor profile that powdered mixes simply can’t replicate. There are no artificial colors, no preservatives, and no mystery ingredients – just pure, wholesome goodness. It’s a healthier, tastier, and more satisfying option for the whole family, ensuring everyone gets a refreshing drink packed with real fruit flavor.

The Simple Ingredients You’ll Need

Creating this delicious strawberry milk requires just a few basic ingredients, most of which you likely already have in your pantry or refrigerator. The star, of course, is **fresh strawberries**. Ripe, in-season strawberries will yield the best flavor, but frozen berries work wonderfully too, as we’ll discuss later. You’ll also need **sugar** to sweeten the syrup and bring out the berries’ natural sweetness. A bit of **water** helps in cooking down the strawberries to create that perfect syrupy consistency. Finally, your choice of **milk** completes the drink – whether it’s classic whole milk for a creamy texture, or a plant-based alternative for a vegan option. That’s it! Four simple ingredients for an extraordinary drink.

How To Make Homemade Strawberry Milk

Crafting this delightful beverage is a straightforward process that yields incredibly rewarding results. Follow these easy steps to create your own fresh strawberry syrup and assemble the perfect glass of homemade strawberry milk.

Prepare the Strawberry Syrup: Combine sliced strawberries, water, and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook this mixture over medium-high heat for approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The strawberries will soften and break down, and the liquid will begin to thicken into a beautiful, vibrant syrup. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s slightly reduced and has a rich, glossy appearance.
Strain for Smoothness: Once the strawberry mixture has thickened, carefully pour it through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Use the back of a spoon or a spatula to press down on the cooked strawberries, extracting as much of the flavorful syrup as possible. This step ensures a silky-smooth syrup, free from any pulp or seeds. The collected liquid is your concentrated strawberry essence.
Assemble Your Drink: Allow the freshly made strawberry syrup to cool down for about 10 minutes. For an extra refreshing experience, place your serving glasses in the freezer for about 10 minutes beforehand. Once cooled, combine approximately 4 tablespoons of the strawberry syrup with 1 cup of cold milk in your chilled glass. Swirl gently to mix, or stir with a spoon until the milk takes on a lovely pink hue. Adjust the syrup amount to your personal taste preference – add more for a sweeter, more intense strawberry flavor.

Tips For The Perfect Strawberry Milk

Elevate your homemade strawberry milk experience with these simple yet effective tips:

Repurpose Cooked Strawberries: Don’t let the strained strawberry pulp go to waste! These softened, flavorful strawberries are a delicious byproduct. They make an excellent topping for pancakes, waffles, or French toast. You can also mix them into plain yogurt for an instant fruity parfait, blend them into smoothies for added fiber, or even use them as a base for a quick strawberry jam.
Pre-Chill Your Serving Glass: For the ultimate refreshing drink, place your serving glass (or glasses) in the freezer for at least 10 minutes before mixing your milk. This small step ensures your strawberry milk stays colder for longer, enhancing the crispness and overall enjoyment of the beverage.
Customize the Sweetness and Flavor: The beauty of homemade syrup is its adjustability. Start with the recommended 4 tablespoons of strawberry syrup per cup of milk, then taste and adjust. If you prefer a sweeter drink or a more pronounced strawberry flavor, simply add another tablespoon or two of syrup until it perfectly suits your palate. For those who prefer less sugar, you can also reduce the initial amount of sugar when making the syrup.
Consider a Touch of Color: While homemade strawberry milk naturally boasts a lovely pastel pink hue from the real fruit, some people prefer a brighter, more vibrant pink. If this is your preference, feel free to add a couple of drops of red food coloring to your strawberry milk as you mix it. This is purely optional and doesn’t affect the taste.

Can I Use Almond Milk Instead Of Whole Milk?

Yes, absolutely! The beauty of this recipe is its versatility. You can use virtually any type of milk you prefer. For a delicious vegan option, oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk work wonderfully and provide a slightly different flavor profile that complements the strawberries beautifully. Coconut milk could also be an interesting, tropical twist. Feel free to experiment with your favorite dairy or non-dairy alternatives to find your perfect combination.

Can I Use Frozen Strawberries Instead Of Fresh Strawberries?

Definitely! While fresh, in-season strawberries are fantastic, frozen strawberries are an excellent and convenient substitute, especially when fresh ones are out of season or expensive. When using frozen strawberries, you can often use them directly in the saucepan without thawing. They may release a bit more liquid as they cook, so keep an eye on the consistency of your syrup and perhaps cook it for a few extra minutes until it reaches the desired thickness. The flavor will still be wonderfully concentrated and delicious.

Can I Double Or Triple The Recipe?

Of course! In fact, I highly encourage it. This strawberry syrup stores beautifully in the refrigerator, allowing you to whip up a fresh glass of strawberry milk whenever the craving strikes. Doubling or even tripling the recipe is a great way to ensure you always have a batch of this delicious syrup on hand for quick and easy drinks throughout the week. Just be sure to use a larger saucepan and scale up all the ingredients proportionally.

Storing Your Homemade Strawberry Syrup

Once you’ve made your delicious strawberry syrup, you’ll want to store it properly to enjoy it for days to come. After straining and allowing the syrup to cool completely, transfer it to an airtight container or a glass jar. Store it in the refrigerator, where it will remain fresh for up to 5-7 days. This makes it incredibly convenient to prepare a single serving of strawberry milk whenever you or your family desires a sweet, refreshing treat. You can even portion it into smaller containers or ice cube trays for easy grab-and-go use or for longer-term freezer storage.

Making your strawberry milk with real, fresh strawberries truly is the best way to enjoy this beloved beverage. The rich, authentic flavor of true strawberries far surpasses anything you’ll find in a store-bought version. It’s a simple pleasure that brings joy with every sip. If you’ve fallen in love with this real strawberry recipe, I invite you to explore more delightful creations, such as my Strawberry Banana Milkshake or these incredible Fresh Strawberry Donuts. For even more delicious recipes and handy cooking tutorial videos, be sure to follow me on Youtube and Facebook.

two milk jugs filled with strawberry milk and pink and white straws.

5 from 2 votes

Homemade Strawberry Milk

By

Julie Maestre

Easy, homemade strawberry milk is made with real strawberries mixed with cold milk for a sweet, delicious drink both kids and adults will enjoy. With no artificial colors and 4 easy ingredients, it’ll replace any store-bought powder in an instant.

Prep:

10 minutes

Cook:

15 minutes

Total:

25 minutes

Servings:
2

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Equipment

Saucepan
Fine Sieve Strainer

Ingredients

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1 cup fresh strawberries , sliced
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1/4 cup sugar
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1 cup water
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2 cups whole milk

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Instructions

Place 2 glasses in the freezer. Add the strawberries, sugar, and water to a sauce-pan and cook over medium-high heat for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Run the strawberries through a fine sieve strainer and only keep the liquid. Let the liquid cool for 10 minutes.
Add 4 tbsp of the strawberry liquid along with one cup of whole milk to each chilled glass. Enjoy immediately.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author:

Julie Maestre

Prep Time:

10 minutes

Cook Time:

15 minutes

Total Time:

25 minutes

Course:
Drinks

Cuisine:
American

Servings:
2

Calories:
269

Keyword:
Easy Strawberry Milk, Homemade Strawberry Milk, Strawberry Milk

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