Dehydrated Strawberries: How to Dry Strawberries

Dehydrated strawberries are strawberries that have had their water content removed by the process of drying. This process can happen in an oven, dehydrator, and more historically with the power of the sun. Dehydrating strawberries preserves them, extending their shelf life while concentrating their flavor. Depending on which method you use and how much moisture you remove, the texture of dehydrated strawberries can range from chewy to crisp.

Along with blending into smoothies or sprinkling over ice cream, there are many ways to use these sweet dehydrated berries.

1. 1. Breakfast cereals: Adding dried fruit to homemade granola, your favorite whole-grain cereal, or a hot breakfast porridge bumps up the nutrient content while adding flavor and texture. Learn how to make homemade granola without a recipe.
2. 2. Pastries: Scones, muffins, and quick breads typically have forgiving batters in which you can easily swap ingredients, depending on what you have on hand. If a recipe calls for dried fruit like cranberries or cherries, try adding dehydrated strawberries instead.
3. 3. Snacks: Making your own trail mix is easy and makes for a healthy snack option. Simply mix equal parts of your favorite roasted nuts and a blend of dried strawberries and other fruits.

There are a few ways to dry strawberries, depending on what equipment you have access to.

1. 1. Food dehydrator: If you have a dehydrator, it can make dehydrating strawberries an easy and hands-off project. Simply slice the berries, arrange them evenly on the dehydrator trays, and set the temperature and timer according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Using a dehydrator also allows you to purée the strawberries for fruit leather or jerky.
2. 2. Freeze dryer: More commonly used industrially, freeze dryers are also available for at-home use. Freeze-dried strawberries are crunchier than other types of dried strawberries.
3. 3. Oven: Oven-drying is an easy method that requires no special equipment or skill, just baking sheets, an oven, and time.
4. 4. Sunshine: This age-old drying method applies to everything from fruits and vegetables to fish and meat. Sun-drying requires more care and involves the risk of contamination due to insects and wildlife but is still a commonly established method for drying foods worldwide. You can sun-dry sliced strawberries on clean window screens or woven trays on particularly hot, sunny days.

Use these simple guidelines to take advantage of strawberry season and make dried strawberries at home.

1. 1. Choose ripe, firm fruit. For the most flavorful results when preserving food, use fresh fruit that is ripe and in-season. Look for firm fruit that doesn’t have any soft spots, and clean it well before processing. Learn how to clean strawberries properly.
2. 2. Cut even, thick slices. For the fruit to dry at an equal rate, slice the strawberries evenly, so you don’t end up with different textures and stages of dehydration. Thick strawberry slices work well since the fruit will shrink as it dries. If the strawberries are small, you can simply halve or quarter them.
3. 3. Use a low temperature. Because fruits have a high sugar content, higher temperatures can cause those sugars to caramelize, essentially cooking the berries rather than dehydrating them. When using an oven, make sure you are dehydrating at the lowest oven temperature possible. The minimum temperature will vary depending on your oven but is usually between 150 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit.