How to Freeze Dry Strawberries (And How To Use Them)

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Learn how to freeze dry strawberries for short-term and long-term storage with a Harvest Right freeze dryer. Whether you grow your strawberries, pick them from a local strawberry field, or buy them in a store, with just a few simple steps, you can preserve the beauty and flavor of spring all year.

We live close to a popular strawberry field, and each year, we take our daughter to pick berries. Of course, we like to eat the fresh berries, but I also like to preserve them. This year, I am making homemade strawberry jam and freeze-drying the remainder.

Freeze drying is one of the best ways to preserve your favorite fruit and pantry staples, such as freeze-dried apples and freeze-dried eggs. Sometimes, though, it’s more than just preserving food. It is also a way for me to hold on to the sweetness of spring memories like picking strawberries with my daughter.

Whether you have homegrown, locally grown, or store-bought strawberries, freeze drying them with a Harvest Right freeze dryer allows you to enjoy fresh strawberries all year.

Plus, preserving them reduces food waste, so you can get the most out of your effort and money. Growing strawberries is hard work, and buying them is expensive!

Why You Will Love Freeze Dried Strawberries

Spring all year!

Fresh strawberries might be the quintessential flavor of spring. Freeze-drying retains the strawberries’ perfectly ripe sweetness, so you can enjoy them all year long without compromising on flavor.

A healthy snack

Freeze-dried strawberries are a healthy and delicious snack. My three-year-old devours them as a snack or, often, with her lunch. For short-term storage and snacks, I vacuum seal them in small bags for grab-and-go treats. I also like mixing them with freeze-dried bananas for a healthy snack mix.

Pantry staple

When I think of pantry staples, fresh fruit isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. However, with freeze-drying, fresh fruit is a simple pantry staple. I like to keep freeze-dried strawberries on hand to add to our family meals and recipes, such as oatmeal, smoothies, and baked treats.

Dehydrating vs. Freeze Drying Strawberries

Though they seem similar, the dehydrating and freeze-drying processes are not the same, and they also produce different end products.

A food dehydrator removes moisture from the food by circulating warm air. As such, the food slowly cooks in a dehydrator, meaning it is no longer in its original state when finished.

On the other hand, freeze-dried food remains in its original state. A freeze dryer uses subzero temperatures (around -40° F) and a vacuum chamber to remove approximately 98% of the water from the food. Unlike a dehydrator, the food is not cooked in the freeze drying process. For instance, freeze-dried eggs will be raw even when dried.

In other words, when dehydrating strawberries, you slowly cook them. However, when you freeze-dry strawberries, you remove the water without changing their composition or nutritional value.

Tips for Freeze-Drying Strawberries

• Use ripe strawberries – For the best results, use strawberries at peak ripeness, but not overripe.
• Remove any blemishes – As you prepare the berries, be sure to remove any blemishes or bruises.
• Store in a cool place – After freeze-drying your strawberries, package them for short-term or long-term storage. Then, store them in a dry, cool place or at room temperature. Warm and wet environments can shorten the shelf life of freeze-dried food.
• Warm the trays – Always warm the freeze dryer trays before removing the strawberries from the machine. This will prevent condensation, which can rehydrate your food.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you freeze dry frozen strawberries?

Yes! You can definitely buy frozen strawberries or pre-freeze fresh strawberries. However, in my experience, store-bought frozen strawberries don’t taste as good as fresh. They will work, but they lack flavor. If you find a great deal at the grocery store, snag them and freeze dry them!

Do you have to use sliced strawberries?

No, but whole strawberries take a long time to freeze dry. So sliced strawberries can save time and electricity during the freeze-drying process. On the other hand, the benefit of freeze drying whole berries is that you don’t have to spend time slicing them.

Can you make strawberry chips in a freeze dryer?

Yes! But keep in mind that if you are used to dehydrated fruit, these will be different. The texture of freeze-dried strawberries is light and airy. To make strawberry chips, slice the strawberries into rounds instead of slices.

How To Freeze Dry Frozen Strawberries (Video)

How to Use Freeze Dried-Strawberries

Baking

A great way to use freeze-dried strawberries is in baked goods. They rehydrate well when added to a moist mixture or batter, like sourdough strawberry cake. Freeze-dried strawberries also work well for sourdough bread inclusions. Add them to any of your favorite recipes!

Smoothies

Freeze-dried fruit is perfect for smoothies. Just toss them right into the blender with your liquid ingredients and give it a whirl.

Or even easier, use freeze-dried strawberries to make instant smoothies. Powder the strawberries and store them in mason jars. To make an instant smoothie, add a spoonful or two of powdered strawberries to milk, milk kefir, or any milk alternative. I also like to add a little maple syrup and vanilla.

Snacks

Though they are great for various uses, freeze-dried strawberries are delicious on their own. I give them to my toddler for a snack or as a little side with her lunch after preschool.

Flavored Water & Cocktails

Freeze-dried fruit is great for infusing natural flavors into water and other drinks. Add it to water or seltzer for a touch of flavor. It also works great for making beautiful spring cocktails and summery strawberry daiquiris.

Trail Mix

The sweetness of freeze-dried strawberry slices makes them a perfect addition to homemade trail mixes. Swap out chocolate candies for strawberries for a healthier version of popular trail mixes.

Dipped in chocolate

Chocolate. Covered. Strawberries. Need I say any more? A freeze-dried strawberry dipped in warm dark chocolate is a delicious treat! You can thank me later.

Toppings

Top your oatmeal, yogurt, or baked goods with freeze-dried strawberries. You can also crumble them and use them as a topping on other yummy treats like ice cream or sourdough donuts.

Tools You Will Need

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• Harvest Right Freeze Dryer. This is the machine you will use for freeze-drying. You will need your own freeze dryer or a friend with a home freeze dryer.
• Knife – You will need to hull and slice the strawberries. A small knife will do the trick.
• Cutting board – A cutting board is helpful when hulling and slicing your strawberries.
• Mylar bags (for long-term storage). If you plan to store your strawberries for over a year, seal them in a mylar bag with an appropriate-sized oxygen absorber.
• Oxygen absorbers (for long-term storage). Oxygen absorbers preserve the quality of freeze-dried food by preventing spoilage, mold, and other deterioration.
• Jars (for short-term storage). Mason jars are great for short-term storage. Make sure you have air-tight lids to go with them.
• Handheld vacuum sealer (for short-term storage). If you are storing food for a short time, vacuum sealing the jar lid will keep it fresh and allow you to seal and re-seal it.

Ingredients

• Fresh or frozen strawberries – One of the things I like the most about freeze-drying is its versatility. If you have access to fresh berries, I recommend using them. If not, store-bought or frozen strawberries will work just fine.

How to Freeze Dry Strawberries

Prepare the Strawberries

Wash the strawberries. Either pat them dry or let them drain in a colander for a few minutes.

Hull and cut the strawberries into thin slices. Ideally, the slices should be about the same thickness. This will help them dry evenly. Note: You can freeze-dry whole strawberries. If you have frozen whole strawberries, you may find it easiest to skip slicing them.

Place Strawberries in Freeze Dryer

Place the strawberries on the freeze dryer trays. Some folks like to line the trays with parchment paper, but I haven’t found it necessary. It’s okay if the strawberries overlap on the trays, but they will dry faster and more evenly if they are in a single layer.

Place the trays into the freeze dryer. Close and seal the freeze dryer door. Make sure the drain valve is closed (it should be perpendicular to the drain line). Hit start.

Let the freeze dryer do its magic! The process’s length depends on the number of strawberries, the size of the slices, and the room’s temperature (if your freeze dryer is in a garage like mine, for example, it can take longer on hot days). But it usually takes around 12 hours or more.

Check for Doneness & Store

Once the freeze dryer has completed the process, check the strawberries to ensure they are completely dry. If there is any moisture, return the trays to the machine, select “more dry time,” and add 2 hours.

When the strawberries are completely dry, store them in an airtight container (short-term storage) or mylar bags with an appropriate-sized oxygen absorber (long-term storage up to 25+ years).

Note: When packing freeze-dried food, don’t dilly dally. The longer it sits out in the open, the more water it will absorb from the air. This happens faster than you’d imagine, so quickly get it in jars or bags.

How to Tell When Freeze-Dried Strawberries Are Done

The strawberries are done when they are light and airy in texture. They should not feel cold (cold indicates remaining moisture). I often find the best way to test if my strawberries are completely dry is to taste them. If your slices vary in thickness, test the thickest ones for doneness.

If they are not done, put them back into the freeze dryer and dry them for two more hours. Continue this process until they are completely dry.

How to Store Freeze Dried Strawberries

How to store long-term

If stored properly, freeze-dried food can last up to 25+ years. For long-term storage (more than one year), store your freeze-dried goods in a mylar bag with an appropriate-sized oxygen absorber. Always keep your packaged freeze-dried food in a cool, dry place.

How to store short-term

Personally, I am not interested in long-term food storage. I aim to have quality food in the pantry and use it within a year. So, for short-term storage like this, I store them in a vacuum-sealed jar or vacuum-sealed bags and keep them in a dry place. The strawberries stay fresh for about a year this way, though we usually use them up faster than that.

How to Rehydrate Freeze Dried Strawberries

Freeze-dried strawberries are delicious as is. However, if you want to rehydrate them, combine one part strawberries with two parts water and allow them to soak until they reach your preferred consistency.

Where to purchase a freeze dryer

Most home food preservationists use a Harvest Right freezer dryer. You can buy one directly from Harvest Right or use my Harvest Right affiliate link.

If you choose to use my affiliate link, I will receive a commission at no expense to you. It’s a great way to help me provide more free content for you. Thank you for supporting my content!

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