January 8, 2013
updated
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Try this Strawberry Milk recipe for a sweet and simple treat that’s made with only three ingredients: fresh strawberries, maple syrup, and your choice of milk.
If your family is a big fan of strawberry milk made with bottled pink syrup, they will love this homemade recipe.
It has a delicious flavor and light pink color from fresh strawberries without artificial ingredients or flecks of strawberry seeds.
Homemade Strawberry Milk
There’s something about a glass of ice-cold homemade strawberry milk that always hits the spot. And this recipe works just like store-bought syrup. Just stir the syrup into your choice of milk and enjoy it for a delicious treat that’s made with better ingredients.
It works great with regular milk or other non-dairy options such as almond, soy, and oat milk.
If you’re always looking for ways to make your family’s favorite snacks with better ingredients, check out the Clean Treats for Everyone cookbook.
It’s a source for all things cookies, cake, ice creams, and no-bake treats made without dairy, refined sugars, and grains.
Strawberry Milk Ingredients
Here’s everything you need to make strawberry milk at home:
- Strawberries: these can be fresh or frozen. If you do use frozen, make sure they are defrosted before you create the syrup.
- Maple syrup: our sweetener for this recipe, but honey or regular white sugar will also work.
- Milk: any milk will work for this recipe. If you use a non-dairy alternative, make sure it is plain and unsweetened.
If your kids are also fans of those yogurt drinks from the grocery store, these homemade fruit yogurts drinks are another healthier alternative made with similar ingredients.
It’s a mixture of Greek yogurt, milk, honey, and fruit blended into a delicious and refreshing chilled drink.
How to Make Strawberry Milk
This recipe is similar to making homemade strawberry pancake syrup, but it uses less sugar and no cornstarch. Here’s how to make it:
- Prep the berries
If using fresh strawberries, rinse them with water, pat dry with a clean kitchen towel, and dice. - Grab a saucepan
Add the berries to the saucepan and cook over medium heat until they begin to break down. Stir in the maple syrup and simmer for 8 minutes until they cook into a sauce. - Blend
Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the berries to cool down before transferring the sauce to a blender and processing until smooth. - Strain the syrup
Place a fine-mesh colander over a jar and pour the liquid into the jar. The colander will help catch the seeds. - Make Strawberry Milk
Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the strawberry syrup with 1 cup of milk. Stir until the syrup is dissolved, then drink up!
If you are curious about this strawberry milk’s color, it won’t be the vibrant pink color of store-bought milk, but it still has a light pink color.
Watch this video to see the process from start to finish!
How Long does Homemade Strawberry Milk Last?
I don’t recommend adding the strawberry syrup to milk until just before serving. Since we are using real strawberries, the acid from the berries will cause the milk to expire quickly.
However, the strawberry syrup itself lasts much longer. Once it’s prepared, refrigerate it in a lidded jar or bottle for up to 2 weeks. This way, it will stay fresh and ready to be added to milk.
What to Eat with Strawberry Milk
Looking for a snack to go along with your glass of strawberry milk? These recipes below will hit the spot and bring out your inner child:
Simple Strawberry Milk
Ingredients
For Strawberry Syrup:
- 1 cup fresh or *frozen strawberries, hulled and diced
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
For Strawberry Milk:
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 1 to 2 tablespoons strawberry syrup
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, cook the berries over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Once they begin to break down and release their juices, stir in the maple syrup.
- Simmer for an additional 8 minutes until the berries are fully cooked down into a sauce. Remove from heat and allow to cool down.
- Transfer the sauce to a blender and process until smooth.
- Place a fine-mesh strainer over a jar and strain the liquid into the container.
- Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
- To use, stir 1 to 2 tablespoons of strawberry syrup into 1 cup of milk. Mix until dissolved and enjoy.
elouise
loooooove creamy strawberry milk like this
Kate
How would this taste using unsweetened almond milk as that’s all we drink? Thanks! This sounds like a great recipe.
Laura Fuentes
I dont see why you couldn’t do that Kate. Enjoy!
Macy Z
This recipe worked out great! I didn’t have maple syrup so I used 1 tablespoon of agave nectar per 1 cup of strawberries. Could probably have used up to 1 and 1/2 tablespoons because the sweetness gets lost a little in the whole milk. Also used a 1 & 1/2 cup food “processor” to blend the syrup so didn’t have a lot to clean up. My husband and I both loved it!
Chloe
Strawberries are sweet! You don’t need to add syrup or sugar! Just try it without the syrup. It’s a lot better for you and really refreshing!
Lisa
this was pretty easy to make, but dirtied a lot of dishes!! My son loved it though and I did too. I would NEVER entertain the idea of buying strawberry milk, so this worked great as a fun and healthy alternative. It tasted so fresh and natural and now that jersey strawberries are ready, I will be making it again!!
Laura Fuentes
sorry you made a mess in the kitchen! the good news is that you can make a big batch and freeze the sauce in ice-cube trays!
Audrey
Just came across your post and being that I am currently trying to eat healthier and cook more I have been scouring the world wide web for recipes. Just my luck I am a proud owner of the mysterious 4 year old creature who loves strawberry and chocolate milk. Question on this “sauce” do you happen to know if it freezes well?
Thank you so much for making my transition to healthy easier!!
Laura Fuentes
Audrey, I’ve frozen the strawberry sauce into ice cubes and used them later to make strawberry milk. I hope this helps. enjoy!
Mandi
This is also the best way yo make “pink” lemonade. Homemade lemonade and strawberry syrup to taste, best ever!
We leave the seeds and pulp in here, because the kids don’t mind either way. About 4 T of sugar does the trick if you are out of syrup, but the syrup tastes best. Frozen, good quality berries are tiding us over this year, poor berry season in Utah.
Staci Anderson
I made this today and mine was way too thick, almost jam-like consistency. Did I perhaps let it simmer too long?
Laura Fuentes
Staci -yes, if it was too thick it might of simmered too long. don’t worry. it should still work to make chocolate milk. you can add a little water to it and blend it well.
April Carrasquillo
Regarding the above post^ just realized that was not your spaghetti squash I was referring to… Wow. My brain is dead today. I will be making your chicken salad though, that looks amazing. I’ve actually just printed several of your recipes and look forward to making them soon. Thanks again 🙂
Laura Fuentes
haaahaaa. don’t worry, happens to me all the time 🙂
April Carrasquillo
Thank you for the wonderful idea! I can’t wait to try it. My husband is a HUGE “strawberry” milk fan – and I shudder every time he pours himself a 24 oz water bottle full of it. Thankfully my children are not fans – though they may be of the real stuff! They are, however, huge fans of chocolate milk – they just only get it once or twice a week. Any recipe for real chocolate, chocolate milk? I’m making your spaghetti squash recipe at the moment and I’m super excited about it. Thanks for all of the GREAT recipes!!
Laura Fuentes
April, here is a recipe for real chocolate syrup 🙂 http://www.momables.com/homemade-chocolate-syrup/. tell your husband that of course, the “real thing” won’t taste like melted strawberry ice cream… but it’s real! 🙂
June
I saw on Pinterest where they took strawberry milk, poured it into heart shaped ice cube trays, then froze them. They used them in a glass of milk with a cupcake! So cute, but I was thinking that strawberry milk is so fake, I couldn’t do this but now I’m gonna see if the Dollar Store still has those ice cube trays! duh, so simple, but my brain must be on vacation, lol! Thanks for the idea!
Laura Fuentes
what a fantastic follow up to this idea!!!
Tiffany
Making this right now.. we can’t wait to try it 🙂
Laura Fuentes
let me know how everyone enjoyed it! 🙂
Erin / Cooking With Erin
Yay! This is brilliant. I’m going to make this tomorrow and surprise my kiddos with a fun after school snack.
Laura Fuentes
Let me know how they enjoy it! 🙂
Charlie Hendricks
Will be trying this in the morning with the boys. They’ll eat it up. What other sweeteners can be substituted for the maple syrup?
Laura Fuentes
Hi Charlie! You can try honey, but pure maple syrup gave it the best liquid consistency.