Strawberries, those delightful summer treats we all adore, are a favourite among sweet-toothed enthusiasts. When fresh, they only keep for a day or two. So why not make dried or dehydrated strawberries to preserve them longer? Especially since dehydrated strawberries are rich in fibre and vitamins. Perfect for brightening up your aperitifs, cereals and many other recipes!

Here are our tips for making beautiful homemade dried or dehydrated strawberries from your own strawberry plants:

When to make dried strawberries?

Depending on the variety, strawberries are harvested from May to October. Non-everbearing varieties produce from May to June, while everbearing varieties fruit from May until October for the most productive types. You can thus make dried strawberries throughout this summer period. Be sure to select ripe yet firm strawberries. Ideally, dry freshly picked strawberries immediately after harvest.

Which are the best strawberry varieties for drying?

Here's our selection of the best strawberry plants for making your dried strawberries:

  • Charlotte strawberry, with its sweet, slightly tangy flavour, will give you lovely crunchy, firm fruits. This everbearing variety produces beautiful strawberries from June to October. Also available as an organic variety.
  • Ciflorette strawberry, with its rich flavour and perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, offers a good yield from May to June. This variety, also available as organic, pairs well with other everbearing varieties.
  • Gariguette strawberry is an early variety. You'll enjoy firm, fragrant, sweet and slightly tangy fruits from May to June. Ideally, pair this variety with other everbearing strawberries. Gariguette strawberry is also available as an organic variety.
  • Mara des Bois strawberry, with its intensely fragrant wild strawberry flavour, is an everbearing variety producing fruits from June to October. Also available as organic.
  • Cirano strawberry, with firm, sweet and fragrant flesh, is another everbearing variety producing fruits from June to October.

Other strawberry varieties will also work perfectly for making your dehydrated strawberries, as long as the fruits chosen are firm and ripe. Feel free to select your strawberry plants from our varieties.

How to make dried strawberries?

There are 2 techniques, the first is oven-drying your strawberries. The second, which we most recommend, is using a dehydrator to make dehydrated strawberries. This second technique shouldn't be confused with freeze-dried strawberries. Indeed, freeze-drying is an industrial process that removes water from food using cold temperatures. Here are both techniques explained step by step:

Steps for making oven-dried strawberries:

  • Wash the strawberries
  • Dry the strawberries with kitchen paper.
  • Remove the stems
  • Slice your strawberries. Note that thicker slices will require longer cooking time. For quicker drying, we recommend slicing 2-3mm thick using a knife or mandoline.
  • Line your baking tray with parchment paper and arrange the strawberry slices without overlapping.
  • Bake at 140°C (gas mark 4-5) for 30 minutes.
  • Flip the strawberries and bake for another 30 minutes, checking every 10 minutes towards the end. The strawberries should develop a deeper colour without turning black. If they still seem moist, you can add 10 more minutes of baking time while monitoring closely.
  • Remove the tray from the oven and let cool before peeling off your dried strawberries.
  • Note: Your strawberries must be completely dry for preservation - don't hesitate to return them to the oven for a few more minutes if in doubt. You can also remove already dried strawberries from the oven to prevent them from blackening.

Steps for making dehydrated strawberries:

  • Wash the strawberries
  • Dry the strawberries with kitchen paper.
  • Remove the stems
  • Slice your strawberries. Note that thicker slices will require longer dehydration time. We recommend slicing 2-3mm thick using a knife or mandoline.
  • Arrange the strawberry slices on your dehydrator trays without overlapping.
  • Dehydrate at 50-60°C for 6-10 hours depending on slice thickness and whether you prefer them chewy or crisp.
  • Let cool by turning off and opening your dehydrator.
  • Check that your strawberries are completely dry. If not, return to the dehydrator for another hour.

How to store dried strawberries?

Dehydrated strawberries in a jar - photo by Marco Verch

You can store your dehydrated or dried strawberries in a glass jar, filled three-quarters full. During the first week, we recommend shaking the jar to evenly distribute any residual moisture.

Note that if condensation appears in the jar, it means your strawberries weren't sufficiently dehydrated and there's too much moisture. You'll need to return them to the oven or dehydrator for a while longer.

Store your jar for 1-2 months in a cool, dark and dry place.

What recipes can you make with dried strawberries?

You can use your dried strawberries in many ways! Whether snacking on them directly or serving them as appetisers, here are some ideas:

  • add your dehydrated strawberries to cereals
  • add a strawberry to your tea or infusion
  • Rice pudding with dried strawberries
  • Dried strawberry cookies
  • Dessert cream with dried strawberries
  • Fromage blanc with dehydrated strawberries.
  • Far breton with dried strawberries
  • as decoration for cakes and ice creams
  • muffins and cakes with dried strawberries
  • madeleines with dehydrated strawberries.

Note: you can rehydrate your strawberries if you want to use them in a tart, for example. Simply soak them in warm water for several hours.

Cereal with dried strawberries

What are the benefits of dried strawberries?

Strawberries contain lots of water. Therefore, dried strawberries are much richer in fibre and minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamins, iron and antioxidants. Thanks to their concentration, dehydrated strawberries are also rich in energy and carbohydrates, making them ideal for athletes!

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