Freeze-dried strawberry powder
Pure strawberry, milled fine. Natural pink colour and real fruit flavour for icing, bakes, milkshakes and yoghurt, with quantities that work.
- 100% fruitin plain powders: check the label
- 10g per 250gstarting point for buttercream
- 1 to 2 tspper glass of milk or smoothie
- Airtightstorage: it clumps in damp air
On this page
Freeze-dried strawberry powder is one ingredient doing two jobs: it flavours and it colours, and it does both naturally. Because it contains no water, it can go into mixtures that fresh fruit would ruin.
What it is
Freeze-dried strawberries are milled into a fine, pale pink powder. A plain powder contains nothing but fruit. The pink deepens to a bright strawberry red as soon as it meets moisture, which is a lovely thing to watch in a bowl of buttercream.
How to use it, with quantities
| Use | How much | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Buttercream | 10 to 20g per 250g | Beat in at the end, rest ten minutes |
| Cream cheese frosting | 10 to 15g per 250g | Add before the icing sugar is fully in |
| Whipped cream | 1 tbsp per 300ml | Whisk in with the sugar |
| Meringue or macaron shells | 5 to 10g per 100g egg white | Sift with the icing sugar |
| Cheesecake filling | 20 to 30g per 500g | Blend until streak-free |
| Milkshake or smoothie | 1 to 2 tsp per glass | Blend, do not just stir |
| Yoghurt or porridge | 1 tsp per bowl | Stir and wait a minute |
| White chocolate | 5 to 10g per 100g | Stir into melted chocolate off the heat |
These are starting points. Strawberries vary in strength, so taste and adjust.
Why bakers prefer it to fresh fruit
Fresh strawberries are about 90 per cent water. Add a purée to buttercream and it splits; add it to meringue and it collapses. Powder gives you the flavour and leaves the water out, so textures stay exactly as they should. It also means natural colour with no bottle of food dye.
Making your own
Put freeze-dried strawberry slices into a completely dry blender, spice grinder or pestle and mortar and grind in short bursts. Pass through a fine sieve if you want it seed-free. Grind little and often: home-made powder is fluffier and fresher, but it clumps quickly.
How to store it
Powder has far more surface area than whole fruit, so it absorbs moisture faster. Keep it in a small airtight jar, use a dry spoon, and close the lid between spoonfuls. If it has come with a desiccant sachet, leave it in. More in our storage guide.
Good questions, short answers
Is strawberry powder the same as strawberry flavouring?
No. Plain freeze-dried strawberry powder is simply strawberries with the water removed, ground fine. Flavourings and drink mixes are different products, often with sugar, colour and aroma added. Check the ingredients list.
How much strawberry powder do I need for buttercream?
Start with about 10g of powder for every 250g of finished buttercream and taste. For a stronger flavour and a deeper pink, go up to 20g. Let it stand for ten minutes, because the colour develops as the powder hydrates.
Can I make strawberry powder myself?
Yes. Blitz freeze-dried strawberry slices in a dry blender or spice grinder for a few seconds. Sieve if you want it seed-free. About 20g of slices gives 20g of powder, so nothing is lost but the crunch.
Why has my strawberry powder gone lumpy?
It has absorbed moisture from the air. Break up the lumps with a fork or push it through a sieve. It is still fine to use if it has been stored hygienically and shows no sign of mould.
Does the colour survive baking?
It fades with heat. In unbaked things such as icing, cheesecake and milkshakes the pink stays vivid. In baked sponges and biscuits it turns softer and browner, so add a little more or use the powder in the filling and topping instead.