Easy Baked Strawberries

Baked strawberries pack a real flavor punch, and are perfect for snacking as is or adding to your favorite breakfasts or desserts such as overnight oats, milkshakes, ice creams, or popsicles. The perfect way to use up an abundance of overripe or cheap strawberries, and so naturally sweet that there is no need for the addition of refined sugar.

Strawberries are such a versatile ingredient and using recipes like this, and also simple macerated strawberries really bring out and showcase the natural sweetness of this delicious fruit.

Easy Baked Strawberries

When the strawberry season is in full glorious swing you better be taking advantage of it.

Strawberries are so cheap at the height of the season, and it is not uncommon to find whole trays available for next to nothing at the farmers market, or the store if you live in the right area.

One of my favorite things to do to preserve this season, and enjoy ripe and juicy strawberries when they are at their best, is to pop the strawberries into the oven and bake low and slow until they are just bursting with flavor.

It Couldn't Be Easier To Enjoy Cooked Strawberries

If you haven't had baked strawberries before, then you are in for a treat!

When strawberries are baked low and slow like this, they release the most incredible amount of flavor.

And the smell!

Oh don't even get me started on the smell.

Your kitchen is going to smell all kinds of amazing with these baking away.

You literally need one ingredient: strawberries.

That's it.

No sugar, so syrup, nothing else.

Just pure unadulterated strawberries that will be baked until they are ooey and gooey and give you the most amazing syrup to play with.

How To Cook Strawberries

We are simply going to wash, dry and hull the strawberries.

Hulling strawberries simply means removing the green stem at the top.

Use a sharp knife for this, and try to keep as much of the strawberry intact as possible, just remove the green bit.

Once this is done, lay the strawberries out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

If you are working with overripe strawberries, simply cut off any mouldy bits or overly soft bits from the strawberry before adding them to the baking tray.

Once baked, they should be very gooey, easily squeezed and oozing strawberry juice.

Tips and Substitutions

I have tried lots of different versions of baked strawberries, and in my humble opinion, baked strawberries all by their lonesome gave off the best flavour.

However, if you want to change it up, you can try adding these before baking:

• A drizzle of maple syrup
• A drizzle of honey
• Vanilla beans or vanilla extract
• A splash of balsamic for something a little more savory

This recipe is easily doubled or tripled.

To increase the recipe: Simply add more strawberries to the tray, and as long as they are in a single layer so they can bake at the same time, you do not need to make any other adjustments.

Once baked to perfection, transfer the cooled strawberies to a glass jar, pressing down to release the syrup.

The more you press, the more syrup will come out.

What To Do With Baked Strawberries

What to do with these amazing oven baked strawberries now that you have them.

I am so glad you asked!

You can do so many things, here are some ideas:

• Add them to your breakfast oats
• Whiz them up with some frozen bananas for an out of this world banana nice cream
• Blend with some almond milk and ice for a great strawberry milk alternative
• Blitz until a liquid for a strawberry syrup
• Add on top of pancakes or waffles
• Add them to your next batch of muffins or banana bread (like this Healthy Strawberry Banana Mango Bread from Healthy Little Foodies.)
• Add a dollop on top of some vanilla ice cream
• Add the strawberries without the syrup (so drain it a little) to some toast and peanut butter for an epic PB&J

Waste Not Tip: Keep Those Greens

This has become a firm favorite in our house, and could not be easier.

Keep the washed bits you cut off when you are hulling the strawberries (not the mouldy bits, you can get rid of them).

Put them in a jug with some filtered water, pop it in the fridge for an hour or so and voila you have some refreshing strawberry water to enjoy.

It might look a bit strange, but it tastes delicious!

Trust me.

Kind of like the cucumber water you get in fancy day spas; but with strawberries, so even better.

Need Some More Strawberry Recipes?

Try these out:

• Strawberry Coconut Butter
• Baked Strawberry Crumble In Mini Mason Jars
• Strawberry Cashew Quinoa Vegan Bliss Balls
• Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheesecake Bites
• Summer Stone Fruit and Spinach Strawberry Salad

So much yum!

Happy Eating

xx

Recipe

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.