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Fresh Strawberry Syrup is my family's favorite thing to top on their pancakes, waffles, french toast, and so much more!
It's officially the first day of summer, which means strawberries are in their time for peak ripeness. This makes our girls very happy because they are both completely strawberry fanatics and can go through the containers we buy very fast. I mean, I can't blame them because strawberries are delicious and have that perfect little sweetness to make any occasion better.
One of my favorite things to do with beautiful summer strawberries is to make a strawberry syrup. During the summer, when weekend breakfast pancake and waffle requests get shifted to all days of the week because vacation mode hits hard, it's nice to have a little something fresh on hand to add.
I'm sure you've seen strawberries or several different varieties of flavored syrups at breakfast restaurants and even in the grocery stores' aisles. If you flip those bottles around and look at the ingredients, I can almost guess real fresh fruit will not be listed. I looked at one the other day, and the entire label read like a science experiment with everything from artificial sugars, dyes, and even flavors. This is not that kind of syrup. This is the real deal, real fruit deliciousness that will keep everyone running back for more.
This strawberry syrup is:
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- Gluten-free
- Grain-free
- Corn syrup free
- It has no artificial dyes.
- No Preservatives
- Made with real ingredients
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How to make fresh berry syrup.
- Put all the ingredients into a small saucepan.
- Cook the berry mixture over medium heat until the sugar is disolved and the berries have started to fall apart.
- Mash the berries into the sauce if you want more berry pieces. If you want a smoother syrup you can use an immersion blender or you can toss it in a blender until desired consitency has been reached.
- Serve it over your favorite breakfast foods.
How to use.
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- Using on top of pancakes or waffles or even some german (dutch baby )pancakes.
- Stir-in for your yogurt or granola, or oatmeal.
- It's even delicious to add some fresh strawberries over some ice cream or blended into a delicious strawberry milkshake.
Tips and Tricks for Berries
Fresh berries tend to go bad fast even when they are at the peak of their ripening season. So here are a few of my tips and tricks to make sure they last just a little bit longer for you to enjoy.
1. Make sure the berries are fresh - This is important, but it can be hard to determine, but you want to make sure that you pick the package with the least amount of damage when you buy strawberries.
Note: I always buy organic strawberries because they are one of the fruits on the dirty dozen list.
2. Prepping the berries for storage - I always go through the packs of berries before I buy them and make sure to open them up and check inside because that is often where the imperfect/ rotten berries tend to be located.
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- Remove the bad berries
- Remove any parts of berries you desire
- Prep berries to wash
3. Wash the berries - I've seen so many people debate whether to wash before storing or wash right before eating and personally, this is always something I do before storing. I do this mainly because our girls always get into them once they hit the house, so I like to make sure they are clean for them. Even with buying organic berries, it's essential to make sure they are clean before eating.
Berry Wash
- 2 lbs Strawberries, trimmed
- 4 C Cold Water
- 10 Drops Lemon Essential Oil
Combine the water and the lemon oil into a bowl and stir till combined. Add the berries and move them around. Allow the berries to sit for about 10 minutes and then rinse. Let them dry on a paper towel for about 5 minutes before placing them into a container to store.
Storing Berries
What I've found works the best: storing the berries in a container meant to hold them. I like to use the oxo green works containers. I find that they are a game-changer for strawberries and any berries in general and have them last more than a few days in the fridge.
Now that you have the fresh berries ready to go, it's time to make this deliciously easy treat to top all your favorites this summer.
Note: This syrup can be made thicker or thinner, depending on preference. If you want more of a liquid syrup, simply let it simmer less, and if you want it thicker, simmer it longer. If it becomes thicker than you prefer, add in a little bit more liquid and stir till the sauce loosens up to desired thickness.
More Breakfast Fun
Fresh Strawberry Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Strawberries fresh or frozen
- ½ Cup Sugar or honey or maple syrup
- ½ Cup Orange Juice
- ½ Teaspoon Vanilla
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the sweetener of choice has completely melted and the liquid starts to simmer.2 Cups Strawberries, ½ Cup Sugar, ½ Cup Orange Juice, ½ Teaspoon Vanilla, ¼ Teaspoon Salt, 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- Reduce the temperature to medium-low and allow the sauce to simmer and the berries to break down into the sauce.
- If the sauce becomes thicker than desired, add a little bit more of the juice. If you want a thicker sauce, allow it to simmer longer.
- Serve over your favorite pancakes, waffles, or whatever your heart desires and enjoy!
Notes
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #grainfreetable or @grainfreetable on Instagram. I'd love to see what you come up with!
Originally Posted 06/21/2019
Let me know what you think or if you have any questions.