How to Freeze Dry Strawberries at Home the Easy Way

Freeze-drying strawberries is incredibly easy. So it’s simple to process whole strawberries through one of the home freeze dryers on the market & turn your favorite fruit into a very sweet treat. And if you have this special equipment, it’s a great way to preserve other delicious fruits & other foods too.

Of all the freeze-dried options available, freeze-dried fruit stands out because the freeze drying process intensifies the flavor of food you process. So freeze-dried fruit is that much more delicious, plus more versatile.

If you want to know more about the science of the freeze drying process, read this blog post.

Benefits of Freeze Dried Fruit (Strawberries)

Whether you get them from the grocery store, farmer’s markets or grow them yourself, freeze-drying strawberries is a fun way to preserve the fruit.It’s not a bad way to gain some numerous benefits either making them a popular choice for home cooks & commercial food manufacturers. That’s why you’re starting to see them all in the stores & stuff. Fresh fruit is great, but how can we extend that goodness is all I’m saying. This is one way.

First, freeze-dried strawberries have a long shelf life. The quality of freeze-dried products is pretty spectacular if made properly. I’m talking several years when stored properly in airtight containers. Ever had a years’ old strawberry you still loved to eat? If so, it was probably canned. And that’s a great way to preserve them too.

Additionally, freeze-dried strawberries retain much of their original flavor, color & nutritional content making them a healthy & delicious snack option. Guilt free snacks are my favorite! I will say though as they pick up moisture when you eat them they can turn a little gummy. So have a toothpick ready.

Freeze-dried strawberries are lightweight, portable & versatile. Perfect for hiking, camping & other outdoor activities. Plus this lightweight-ness is how they take up less space so storing won’t be too much of a problem.

Understanding the Science of Freeze Drying

Making your own freeze-dried strawberries is a fairly simple process. But it’s still cool to understand the science behind it because it’s different from dehydrated foods. So here it is.

Freeze drying, also known as lyophilization, is a dehydration process but this is different from drying fruits. This process involves freezing food, removing ice crystals through sublimation, and then drying the food in a vacuum environment.

Now sublimation is when a substance, like ice or dry ice, turns directly into gas without becoming a liquid first. It’s going from solid to gas, skipping the liquid stage entirely. In freeze drying, sublimation is the key process that removes water from frozen foods.

The frozen food is placed in a vacuum chamber where the pressure is lowered. This low pressure causes the frozen water (ice) in the food to change directly into vapor (gas) without passing through the liquid phase. This vapor is then removed, leaving behind freeze-dried foods that retain its original shape and most of its nutrients while leaving them lightweight & easy to store & transport.

The machine will cycle through a few phases including: freezing, vacuum freezing, drying.

The freeze drying process begins with pre-freezing the food, usually by placing it on the freeze drying trays in a freezer until solid.

Next, the food is transferred to a vacuum chamber where the pressure is lowered, and the temperature is gradually increased. This causes the frozen water in the food to sublimate, transforming from a solid to a vapor without passing through the liquid phase. Real life science right?

This is the stuff maybe you forgot about in grade school ahahaha The vapor is then collected on condenser plates as ice, leaving behind freeze-dried food with minimal moisture content.

So this food preservation technique preserves the food’s structure, texture, flavor, and nutritional value much better than traditional drying methods like air drying or sun drying.

To freeze-dry fruit like strawberries at home, start by slicing fresh, ripe strawberries into thin slices using a sharp knife or mandolin, even an egg slicer. Alternatively, you can dice them into uniform pieces. Just lay a paper towel down to catch the juice.

Then arrange the strawberry slices in a single layer on parchment paper-lined trays of your freeze dryer. Be sure that they don’t touch each other to allow for proper airflow.

You can pre-freeze the trays loaded with your fruit slices until solid. And if you pre-freeze your fruit, the actual freeze drying process will be much shorter.

This full run will typically take several hours to complete, depending on the size & thickness of the strawberry slices & whether you use the pre frozen strawberry slice or not.

Now because the freeze-drying process removes the free water from the strawberries, it leaves behind delicious, crispy strawberry chips with minimal loss of flavor or nutrients. Then once the freeze-dried strawberries are finished processing, seal them in airtight containers like glass jars or Mylar bags to prevent rehydration and spoilage.

If you use jars, best practice is to vacuum seal them shut for maximum protection. And if you intend to store these for many, many, many years as you definitely can do – put it in your long-term storage area in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. Because the moisture & water content is removed from the food, it’s best to not leave these at room temperature without protection since they could rehydrate & spoil.

Adding the Sliced Strawberries into Recipes

Freeze-dried strawberries can add a burst of fresh summer flavor to a wide range of dishes. Since you’ve removed their water in the process, nothing else remains except the natural sugars in the fruit. And boyyyy are they intensified.

One popular way to use them is to rehydrate them by soaking them in water or fruit juice before adding them to your recipes. Rehydrated freeze-dried strawberries can be used in fruit salads, oatmeal, pancakes, muffins or granola. Or blend it into smoothie & shakes! These make the most healthy snack in a jiffy.

But another common way to use them is to grind into a fine powder. Then you can use it as a natural food coloring or as a flavoring in frosting, icing, cake batter & other desserts or baked goods.

Maybe try even adding freeze-dried strawberry chips to ice cream for a fruity flavor & crunchy texture. All you have to do there is mix the freeze-dried strawberry chips into the ice cream like they do at Coldstone. Or sprinkle them on top like sprinkles ahahaha

Whole freeze-dried strawberries can be crushed, chopped or sprinkled over desserts, yogurt, or even just cereal hello. Anywhere you want some added texture & flavor.

Got a recipe calling for fresh or frozen strawberries? Rehydrate freeze-dried strawberries by soaking them in water or lemon juice before adding them in. Rehydrating the strawberries with an acidic solution cuts some of the sugar & helps restore the natural flavors & cell structure of the strawberries. Because let’s be real, sometimes fresh strawberries can be a lil tart.

Experiment with your favorite recipes & you’ll find, delicious ways to add freeze-dried strawberries into your meals. You can also just add some to a tall cup of cold lemonade & as they rehydrate they’ll add good vibes to your glass.

15 More Easy & Delicious Recipes to Try:

1. Strawberry Yogurt Parfait: Layer some Greek yogurt, freeze-dried strawberries & granola together in a cute lil glass jar for quick & nutritious breakfast or snack.
2. Strawberry Banana Smoothie: Blend freeze-dried strawberries with banana, yogurt & milk for a refreshing & fruity smoothie. It’ll blend better if your strawberries are already pre-blitzed just FYI.
3. Strawberry Chocolate Bark: Spread melted chocolate on a baking sheet & sprinkle freeze-dried strawberries on top. Let it solidify in the fridge or freezer then break into pieces for a sweet & crunchy treat. Add peppermint or spearmint extract for a cool kick!
4. Strawberry Oatmeal Cookies: Add freeze-dried strawberries to your favorite oatmeal cookie recipe for a burst of fruity flavor.
5. Strawberry on your Salad: Toss freeze-dried strawberries with fresh greens, nuts & cheese for a colorful & flavorful salad. They’re really great crouton replacements!
6. Strawberry White Chocolate Blondies: Fold freeze-dried strawberries & white chocolate chips into blondie batter for a decadent dessert.
7. Strawberry Almond Energy Bites: Mix freeze-dried strawberries with oats, almond butter & honey, then roll into bite-sized balls for a healthy snack.
8. Strawberry Chia Seed Pudding: Combine freeze-dried strawberries with chia seeds & almond milk, then let it sit overnight for a creamy & nutritious pudding. This is also great with coconut milk & mango too btw.
9. Strawberry Lemonade: Make homemade lemonade & top it with with freeze-dried strawberries for a refreshing twist on a classic drink.
10. Strawberry Granola Bars: Mix freeze-dried strawberries with oats, nuts & honey, then bake into homemade granola bars for a wholesome snack.
11. Strawberry Coconut Overnight Oats: Layer freeze-dried strawberries with oats, coconut milk & shredded coconut in a jar, then refrigerate overnight for a tasty grab-and-go breakfast.
12. Strawberry Chocolate Covered Pretzels: Dip pretzel rods in melted chocolate, then roll in crushed freeze-dried strawberries for a sweet & salty snack.
13. Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats: Stir freeze-dried strawberries into melted marshmallows & rice krispies for a fruity twist on a classic treat.

These recipes are simple to make & perfect for incorporating freeze-dried strawberries. They’re also affordable so your taste buds won’t be the only parts enjoying this lil treat!

Storing Freeze-Dried Strawberries

Once the freeze-drying process is complete, transfer your freeze-dried strawberries to an airtight container like mason jars. Using a jar sealer attachment, vacuum seal the mason jars for added protection against oxygen, harmful bacteria & microbial growth.

Alternatively, you can use Mylar bags for long-term storage. Adding oxygen absorbers to the container can help prolong the shelf life of the strawberries by removing any remaining oxygen you couldn’t get out by squeezing the bag. Label, label, label – with at least the name & date.

Store the container in a cool, dark & dry place away from direct sunlight to maintain the quality of the freeze-dried strawberries for a long time. Proper storage is the one of the best ways you’ll be able to enjoy the taste of fresh strawberries year-round.

Best Tips for Quality Freeze-Dried Berries

To ensure the quality of any type of freeze-dried products, pay attention to each critical control point throughout the freeze-drying process.

Those are:

• Properly preparing the strawberries. Washing & slicing them into small pieces ensures uniform drying & optimal results.
• Using a vacuum pump with your home freeze-drying machine helps remove water vapor from the chamber. It prevents the formation of ice crystals & ensures efficient freeze drying. So you need this bit to go right.

Now, you can add ascorbic acid which is naturally found in citrus fruits to the strawberries before freeze drying. That will help preserve their color & flavor but isn’t necessary for safety. Purely aesthetics.

Follow these simple steps & you’ll lock in the peak ripeness of strawberry season for eating anytime!

You’ve got this lovely!

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