Feel like a kid again with a tall glass of strawberry milk. This recipe takes a simple syrup made from strawberries and sugar and combines it with cold milk to create a delicious dairy beverage that is thinner than a strawberry smoothie, but packed with strawberry flavor.
Homemade Strawberry Milk Vs. Store-Bought
This fresh, fruity drink is perfect for whose who are looking to get more vitamins, minerals and calcium in their diet. If you’re making it for your kids, it’s a good alternative to store-bought syrups that contain unwanted ingredients.
This recipe uses real, fresh strawberries and only two other basic ingredients. When you make a homemade syrup for the milk, you don’t need to add the preservatives and other chemical ingredients.
Some commercial strawberry syrups and strawberry milks contain ingredients like glucose-fructose, high fructose corn syrup, sodium benzoate, modified corn starch, potassium sorbate, mono and diglycerides, flavor and color. I don’t even see strawberries on that list…
Ingredients & Tools You Will Need
This recipe keeps it simple with only 3 ingredients:
- fresh strawberries (you can also try this recipe with frozen strawberries but it may take longer to cook the syrup)
- sugar
- milk
You will also need a saucepan and fine mesh strainer.
How to Make Strawberry Milk
- Make the syrup. In a small pot, heat the strawberries, sugar and water over medium heat. Simmer until very soft (around 10 minutes).
- Strain and discard strawberries. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer*. This will give you a clear strawberry syrup. Discard the strawberries from the strainer.
- Add syrup to milk. Add 3-4 tablespoons of the strawberry syrup to each glass of cold milk (or to taste) and stir.
- Serve. Serve! Store any leftover syrup in the refrigerator.
Tips & Tweaks
- Once you’ve learned how to make strawberry milk, you can get a little creative with the recipe. For a vegan twist, replace the cow’s milk with coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk, pumpkin milk or another dairy-free product.
- Make it an adult beverage by spiking it with some vodka or white rum.
- You can serve it hot or cold and use the leftover strawberry syrup for another sweet treat that you would like to add strawberry flavor to.
- This drink is best served fresh, so don’t pour the syrup into the milk until you’re ready to drink it.
- If you’re planning ahead, you can make a batch of homemade syrup and store it in the fridge, then mix the beverages whenever you’re ready.
- The syrup in this recipe is clear, but you could purée the strawberry mixture in a blender instead of straining it, to get a thicker syrup with more texture and fiber.
Other Ways to Use up the Syrup
After you’ve made strawberry milk, you can use the leftover strawberry syrup in a number of other ways.
- Add it to smoothies. For example, pour it in a blender with a banana, dates and/or other types of fruit to make a nutritious fruit smoothie.
- Spoon it over a strawberry sundae.
- Pour it over pancakes.
- Make fruit punch.
- Bake a strawberry cake.
- Serve up delicious strawberry milkshakes for you and your family members.
- Try adding fresh strawberry slices to make a sweet strawberry glaze for your cakes and pastries.
- You can even add it to drinks like lemonade, iced tea and homemade cocktails.
- For a unique summer treat, make shaved ice at home and pour the strawberry syrup on top.
Storage
This recipe makes about 3/4 cup strawberry syrup. If you have any leftover, it can be stored in an airtight container (like a squeeze bottle) in the refrigerator and use it in the ways listed above or for more strawberry milk.
How did this recipe turn out for you? Let me know what you thought of this strawberry milk recipe in the comments and please share it!
Strawberry Milk Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup strawberries - cleaned and chopped
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 cups milk - whole milk is best
Instructions
- In a small pot, heat the strawberries, sugar and water over medium heat. Simmer until very soft (around 10 minutes).
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer*. This will give you a clear strawberry syrup. Discard the strawberries from the strainer.
- Add 3-4 tablespoons of the strawberry syrup to each glass of cold milk (or to taste) and stir.
- Serve! Store any leftover syrup in the refrigerator.
Notes
- This recipe also works with frozen strawberries.
- Makes approximately ¾ cup strawberry sauce.
- *You could purée the strawberry mixture in a blender instead of straining it, to get a thicker syrup with more texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
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