Strawberry reduction is super easy to make. In a nutshell, you puree strawberries, add a little lemon, salt, and maybe some sugar, and reduce by half over low heat. I typically use it for my strawberry cake recipe, strawberry buttercream, or as a cake filling so I like mine to be a bit thicker.
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Whats The Difference Between A Puree and A Reduction?
Strawberry reduction and strawberry puree are not the same thing. A puree is just blended strawberries and is mostly water. For baking we typically need the strawberry flavor to be more intense.
To make your strawberry puree thicker, you're going to want to simmer it for a few minutes. Simmering the mixture reduces the amount of moisture that is in the puree allowing for a stronger strawberry flavor with less liquid.
The best thing about making a reduced strawberry puree is that it keeps all the flavor of the strawberries without adding extra moisture.
Strawberry Reduction Ingredients
I prefer to use frozen strawberries because frozen fruit is generally picked at the peak of freshness and then frozen. You get the most flavor in frozen strawberries.
If strawberries are in season though and you need to use them up, making puree is a great option. You can freeze leftover puree and defrost as you need it. If you're super talented and know how to can, you can make canned puree. This is definitely on my to-learn list.
When buying fresh strawberries, choose brightly colored, shiny berries that are dry, firm, and plump. They should still have fresh-looking green caps attached. Avoid soft, dull-looking, or shriveled berries. Since strawberries do not ripen after being picked, avoid berries that are partly white as that means they are unripe
How to make a strawberry reduction in 5 easy steps
- Defrost your strawberries or chop up your fresh strawberries.
- Blend your strawberries in a blender or give them a quick blend using an immersion blender.
- Add the blended strawberries, sugar, lemon zest, and salt and bring it all to a simmer on medium heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so it's just barely bubbling and allow the mixture to reduce (40-60 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent burning. The reduction should look like tomato sauce, not watery.
- Let the strawberry reduction cool before using.
How to store the leftover strawberry reduction
You can store leftover strawberry reduction in the fridge for two days or you can freeze it up to 6 months. Fresh strawberries are very prone to mold so be sure to only leave cakes with fresh fruit fillings at room temperature for no more than 2 hours. Cakes with fresh fruit filling can be refrigerated for two days before consumption.
Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- 32 oz fresh or frozen strawberries
- 2 oz sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Defrost strawberries if frozen or cut up strawberries if whole.
- Blend your strawberries.
- Place strawberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and sugar into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over med heat.
- Once bubbling, reduce the heat to medium-low and let slowly reduce until berries begin to break up and the liquid is almost gone. This can take between 40-60 minutes depending on how much liquid you have.
- Occasionally stir the mixture to prevent burning. Transfer to another container and let cool before use.
Jacqui says
Great recipe. My strawberries weren't that ripe so I had to add a bit of sugar for taste as they were fresh ones.
Amy P says
Very delicious filling! I used this with your strawberry cake recipe along with your strawberry buttercream for my granddaughters birthday and it was so wonderful! ??? I’m so thankful for you sharing all your wonderful recipes with us! (All your talents!!)?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yay! I'm so happy! I love this recipe too <3 So perfect for summer
Jeanine Williams says
Mine aren’t reducing enough!!! Can you just keep on the heat for A’s long as it takes?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can no worries
Michelle says
I’m a little confused about the amount. It says it makes two cups but isn’t a pound of diced fresh strawberries about two cups? If it’s reducing by half shouldn’t it yield one cup or so? Thanks in advance!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Hmm you could be right but it's hard to say. It just depends on your strawberries. I was using 1 lb of frozen strawberries which was way more than two cups but not diced of course, they where frozen and whole and when all was said and done I had about two cups of liquid. There is also an addition of sugar so that affects things.
Jill says
You mentioned sugar in the comment on Sept 1, 2018. I was wondering if you added sugar and I missed that in the directions? And if so, how much?
The Sugar Geek Show says
I don't add sugar anymore. Recipes are always being updated.
Amy M says
HELP! I used frozen strawberries, not sure if maybe they weren't that ripe to begin with or I just had a potent lemon for the zest, but it's overwhelmingly lemony. Not tasting much strawberry. Should I add some sugar? It's already cooled. Was ready to add to strawberry cake recipe for wedding cake...
The Sugar Geek Show says
If you have some strawberry extract you can add some in, maybe your strawberries where not in season. Did you use frozen or fresh? Frozen usually have better flavor.
Jenna says
Can this be incorporated into an American buttercream, or would there be too much moisture? I'm too lazy for the steps in making a classic buttercream!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Have you tried the easy buttercream? Just dump the ingredients in the mixer and go!
But to answer your question yes it can be added to american buttercream
Bev says
You mention pasturized egg whites...is that from regular eggs bought in a grocery store? If not, where do I buy them.
The Sugar Geek Show says
They come in a box in the egg section of the cooler
Ter C says
Hi,
Thank you for your recipes! I am trying to make the strawberry cake for my son's birthday, but I have some doubts.
Is strawberry reduction the same as straberry puree that you use for the strawberry cake?
And do you blend the strawberrys before reducing them?
Thank you
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes it's the same, you can do either, I usually blend after cooking because they are softer 🙂
Sheila L says
Hi Liz! Newb, here. Just wondering if you can freeze the strawberry puree? I'm making a small tasting cake and thought I could freeze the leftovers. Thanks so much!
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can, I freeze mine in ziplock bags 🙂
Eliot says
When I tried the recipe the strawberry puree turned burgundy ... the resulting cake ended up being a tanish purple ?
Do I need to add the lemon zest at the beginning of the reduction?
What did I do wrong ...
The Sugar Geek Show says
Strawberries do not naturally keep a red color when cooked which is why the recipe called for a little pink or red food coloring in the batter.
Katherine D says
I am somewhat confused. If I use frozen strawberries there is juice....should I drain them and only cook the strawberries which are still somewhat juicy? If I use fresh strawberries there is no juice/liquid..,do they create some as they cook?
The Sugar Geek Show says
No you don't want to drain the juice, there is flavor in the juice. Fresh strawberries have just as much juice as frozen, it's just not as visible because it stays in the berries when they are fresh. Don't strain the juice, just follow the directions and you'll be fine 🙂
Lisa says
Hi i need to.make strawberry and cream on a 5layed cake will this recipe work and how much cornflour to.water do i need.. Going to make the cake a.day before.. Will it still taste ok.. Thank you
Lisa says
How many days head can i make the jam thank you
Vickie says
****Fresh berry warning****. I ended up making this recipe twice to net 2 cups of purée. I used 3 lbs. of berries, adding a bit of strawberry extract at the end to boost the flavor.
enola henderson says
I made this and added some Grand Marnier and a little sugar and paired it with your champagne cake and buttercream I added a little champagne to the butter cream as well. Once I finish decorating I'm going to tag you so far everything is delicious.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Sounds delicious!
Lorie says
Is it possible to reduce this recipe too much. I kept reducing mine bc it did t seem thick enough and basically I think I ended up making strawberry jam but it’s that consistency of nearly jelly like and thinking I may have lost some flavor that way because it doesn’t seem as strong . Is this possible and if it is can you say how long you let yours boil first and what the ending consistency should be. Thanks.
The Sugar Geek Show says
You could reduce it more, it's not going to hurt it 🙂
Lorie says
Thanks so much. I am so excited because I remade this for my second time and didn’t reduce as much and my reduction looks identical to yours and berries full of flavor and extra ripe. I never liked fruit hot but I’m telling you I could have eaten that entire container of purée right off the stove.
Carolyn says
Hi Liz I'm a bit confused.. Your recipe says 36oz but the directions say to use 1lb.. Please help
The Sugar Geek Show says
I increased the amount of the recipe to make more puree so it's twice as big as the original.
Rebecca says
When you freeze and defrost, do you have to reduce on stove a little bit before use?
Stephanie Hendrex says
Can you do this same recipe for other berries and or fruits?
The Sugar Geek Show says
absolutely
Jaime says
I want to make this for a cake on Saturday. I need to make the cake on Friday and then on Saturday it will probably be out for 3 or 4 hours before eating. I don't want to refrigerate it because I'll be covering it in fondant and an edible icing strip.
So does this mean I'll need to skip the strawberry puree completely or does it last longer at room temperature if it's made from frozen berries? Thanks and thanks so much for your awesome videos. They've been a massive help.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Fondant and edible images can go in the fridge. If you use fruit it will definitely have to be in the fridge or the strawberry will mold
Judy Lynn says
Can you use Stevia in place of sugar? I am diabetic
Elizabeth Marek says
Yes you sure can
Judy Lynn says
One more question, the recipe says to add the lemon zest and salt before cooking and then later in the recipe it says add the lemon zest and salt after reducing. Can you clarify that? I can't wait to try this recipe! Thanks!
Elizabeth Marek says
Oops! Sorry about that discrepancy. It doesn't really matter when you add it 🙂
Vams says
Can I use this recipe for oranges instead of strawberries?
Elizabeth Marek says
I haven't tried that 🙂
senthil says
Hi in the below mentioned recipe, its asks to add an extract. what extract is that please?
HOW TO MAKE A STRAWBERRY REDUCTION IN 5 EASY STEPS
Step 3 - Add in sugar, lemon zest, extract and salt and bring to a simmer on medium-high heat
Elizabeth Marek says
lemon extract
Judy says
Do you add the puree directly on the cake? If so does it soak into the cake? Should I add a layer of my buttercream and then the puree?
Elizabeth Marek says
Yes you add it directly to the cake and it soaks in, that's a good thing 🙂