Learn how to make a strawberry sauce canning recipe. This is one of my favorite strawberry canning recipes, and you can use it for food or drinks. We'll discuss canning strawberry syrup and strawberry syrup uses that I know your family will love.

Strawberry Syrup Recipe

Name: Strawberry Syrup Canning Recipe
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 1/2 pounds fresh strawberries; 3 cups sugar; 2 cups water

We drink a lot of water, but I'll admit that plain water gets boring. We use this strawberry syrup recipe to add to sparkling water to make Italian sodas or loaded teas. My kids also like to use it for strawberry milk.

This strawberry syrup canning recipe is fairly easy to make with fresh or frozen strawberries. If you're not comfortable canning it, you can also freeze leftovers for later.

For more strawberry canning recipes, check out these posts:

Getting Started with Strawberry Syrup Canning

Why choose homemade strawberry syrup? While store-bought options may be convenient, crafting your own syrup allows you to control the ingredients, ensuring a healthier and tastier outcome.

Additionally, the joy of preserving the flavors of peak-season strawberries to enjoy throughout the year is unmatched. This has a true strawberry flavor that you can't get from the grocery store!

This strawberry sauce canning recipe is from my Better Homes and Gardens Complete Canning Guide book. I love this recipe book for unique and safe canning recipes.

Selecting the Perfect Strawberries

The key to a truly exceptional strawberry syrup lies in selecting the freshest and ripest strawberries. Opt for strawberries that are plump, deep red, and free from any blemishes.

Farmers' markets or u-pick farms are excellent places to find top-quality strawberries, ensuring your syrup captures the natural sweetness and tanginess of this beloved fruit.

Wash your fresh berries with a homemade produce wash and hull them before making a strawberry syrup recipe.

If you opt for frozen berries, then I recommend buying them from Aldi. They have the best quality frozen berries. That said, I don't care much for their fresh berries. I'm sure that varies across the country though.

Preparing for Canning

Before we start canning strawberry sauce, we need to have the right equipment. I have an entire post devoted to canning supplies for beginners for reference.

If you're new to canning, I recommend printing the recipe below and following it step by step. It also helps to read the recipe and gather your ingredients first before canning strawberry syrup.

The water bath canning method is the most common and effective way to can strawberry syrup. Submerging the filled and sealed jars in boiling water for a specific duration will create a vacuum seal, preserving your syrup for months to come.

Strawberry Syrup Recipe Variations

I added a few cinnamon sticks to my strawberry sauce, and you can also add other flavors to create a unique sauce.

Add a tablespoon of dried orange peel or dried lemon peel to add some citrus flavor. You can also add orange or lemon juice.
Add a tablespoon of vanilla extract or make vanilla sugar or add vanilla powder to add with the sugar.
Add 2-3 cinnamon sticks and let boil with the strawberries. Remove before straining the juice.
Add some fresh mint for a strawberry mint syrup.

Strawberry Syrup Canning Recipe Storage and Shelf Life

Proper storage is crucial to maintain the quality and flavor of your canned syrup. Store the sealed jars in a cool, dark place, such as a pantry or cellar, to protect the syrup from light and temperature fluctuations, which can degrade its taste over time.

When stored correctly, canned strawberry syrup can retain its freshness and flavors for up to a year, ensuring you can relish the taste of summer strawberries throughout the seasons.

If you don't want to be canning strawberry sauce, you can also freeze it. I freeze it in small 4 to 8 ounce containers or even in ice cube trays for smaller amounts.

Troubleshooting Common Canning Issues

Here are some common problems that may arise when canning strawberry syrup:

If your syrup is too runny, boil it longer to reduce some water. If it's too thick, you can add some water to thin it before canning.
If your canning jars do not seal, check out this post for reasons for a false seal and how to reprocess canning jars.
Although this is a low risk canning recipe due to the sugar and acid content, familiarize yourself with these 11 canning mistakes that can kill you.
Learn how to sterilize canning jars to practice safe canning.

Strawberry Syrup Uses

We use strawberry syrup for drinks for the most part, but we also use it for some food. Here are some strawberry syrup uses to give you ideas on how to use it.

Drizzle over pancakes or waffles for a delicious alternative to maple syrup. Try it on these sourdough discard pancakes recipe.
Use it to drizzle over ice cream or cheesecake.
Swirl the sauce into yogurt or oatmeal.
Add about a tablespoon per cup of water. We like to make sparkling water in our Soda Stream and flavor it with the syrup then top with whipped cream.
Use for cocktails and mixed drinks for a natural strawberry flavor.

Ingredients for Strawberry Syrup Canning Recipe

3 1/2 pounds fresh strawberries
3 cups sugar
2 cups water

40 minutes prep

20 minutes cook

makes 3 half pints

Canning Strawberry Sauce Directions

Step #1

Clean and hull the strawberries. Place about half of the strawberries in a 6 quart heavy pot. Use a potato masher to crush the berries. Add the rest of the berries and crush all of them. Add the water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat as necessary to simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Step #2

Line a colander with a double layer of cheesecloth and place over a large bowl. Pour the crushed berries into the colander and let stand until the juice has drained into the bowl. When cool, use the back of a spoon to press the berries to extract more juice. Compost the berries and save the juice.

Step #3

Pour the juice into the same pot. Heat to a rolling boil. Add the sugar and continue boiling uncovered at a steady rate for 20 to 30 minutes or until the mixture has thickened to about the same consistency as maple syrup. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.

Step #4

Pour the hot syrup into prepared half pint jars. Leave a 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and add lids and rings.

Step #5

Process jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner and let cool for 24 hours before testing the seals.

Which of the strawberry syrup uses are your favorite?

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Strawberry Syrup Canning Recipe