Homemade Strawberry Milk

Store-bought strawberry milk has ingredients like natural and artificial flavours, colour, disodium phosphate, and carrageenan. Alternatively, Homemade Strawberry Milk has strawberry syrup, sugar, and milk! This naturally sweet, ice-cold drink is perfect for a hot summer day. Optionally, add a splash of vanilla extract for even more delicious flavour!

Do you ever experience a wave of nostalgia so strong that no matter what you do, you cannot rid yourself of the feeling or wanting – depending on what caused the nostalgia in the first place? It happens to me a lot, and it should come as no surprise that most of my nostalgic moments are triggered because of food. Like in the case of this Homemade Strawberry Milk, for instance!

When I was a boy living in Newfoundland with my family, in the summer months there would be a van that would drive around town and park at random spots. The driver would swing open the back doors and inside were bags of freshly harvested vegetables. My mom would hurry one of us kids out with some cash to purchase whatever she was needing at that moment. The only rule was this – if the gentleman had any turnip greens we had to buy a bag in addition to the cabbage, turnip, or potatoes. And, if there was any money left, we could buy a little carton of strawberry milk as a treat.

I cannot tell you the brand. All I know is that the milk was perfectly cold and filled with that fake strawberry flavour that we all know and love – admit it! It’s the same flavour found in that bright pink strawberry ice cream; you know the cheap one! I still crave that strawberry milk. Fast forward 30 or so years and I allow myself to purchase a carton of strawberry milk once a year. And every year I drink it and instantly regret it because even though I have not been tested, I do think I’m a little lactose intolerant. But, I don’t care; the discomfort and instant regret is worth it!

As mentioned in the description above, store-bought strawberry milk is loaded with chemicals that act as not only preservatives but flavour producers as well. I often wonder if a treat labelled strawberry flavour has any real strawberries in it at all! In the case of my Homemade Strawberry Milk, I’ve eliminated all of that. This cold and refreshing glass of childhood nostalgia is prepared with milk, strawberries, and sugar. Nothing more than that is needed!

I do like a bit of vanilla flavour in my strawberry milk, so I recommend adding a splash of vanilla extract. Or, if it’s within your budget, use vanilla bean paste instead. Those flecks of vanilla beans look great in the milk and the vanilla flavour is more pure and prevalent.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Strawberry Syrup – I have an easy recipe for strawberry syrup if you don’t already have some on hand.
• Milk – Use your favourite milk here. I prefer whole milk because I like strawberry milk to be thick. You can use vegan milk too, however, just know that they may change the flavour profile slightly.
• Sugar – If you use my strawberry syrup recipe, you might not need to add much sugar at all. In fact, you can even top up the sweetness with sugar alternatives like stevia, for instance.
• Vanilla – You can use extract or vanilla bean paste. This is completely optional.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY MILK

Pour the strawberry syrup, milk, and vanilla (if using) into a cocktail shaker with 1/2 cup of ice. Place the lid onto the shaker and shake for 10-15 seconds. (Use a spoon to taste for sweetness. Add your sweetener of choice and shake again.) Strain the strawberry milk into a tall glass. Garnish with a strawberry and serve with a straw. Yummy!

HOW TO MAKE EASY STRAWBERRY SYRUP

If you are making my Easy Strawberry Syrup, click on the link here for the list of ingredients. It’s really simple! Here is how I make it. Add the strawberries, sugar, and water to a saucepan in that order. Turn the heat to medium and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook the strawberry and sugar mixture, stirring often, until the ingredients have reduced by half. The strawberries will have broken down and the mixture should look almost jam-like.

Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool for one hour. Strain into a mesh colander over a bowl to catch the syrup. Transfer the Easy Strawberry Syrup to a glass jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate. The syrup will keep safely refrigerated for 4 weeks.

Don’t discard the strained strawberries. Smear it onto some toast or stir it into some ice cream. Those strawberries are perfectly fine to eat and they are super sweet now after absorbing so much sugar. They are a dessert topping in their own right!

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!