How to Make Macerated Strawberries: Summer's Best No-Bake Dessert Topper (2 Ingredients, 30 Minutes) by Elisa Schmitz

Summertime means fresh-picked strawberries. I love going to the farmers market and loading up on ripe strawberries grown by local farmers. What I may love even more is coming up with creative ways to use those fresh strawberries in a variety of dessert recipes.

I recently rediscovered the art (and science) of macerating strawberries. Macerating strawberries (or other fruit) is a way of softening it without cooking. It might sound complicated but it's actually very simple! All you do is combine the fruit with sugar (and/or a bit of liquid, such as lemon juice or a liqueur), then let it soak until the fruit releases its juices and becomes soft and tender. You can then use the fruit in dessert or snack recipes, or use it as a topping for ice cream or other desserts.

I love macerated strawberries. The fruit is tangy sweet and, thanks to the syrup that's created by macerating, it becomes summer's best no-bake dessert topper. Yep, no cooking or baking required! Plus, you get the health benefit of strawberries in every bite.

To make this easy, delicious strawberry recipe, here's what you'll need to gather: fresh strawberries and granulated sugar. That's it! The lemon juice is optional (try it both ways and see which you prefer). You simply coat the strawberries in the sugar then let them sit for at least 30 minutes (and up to two hours), allowing them to release their juices. Then you can use them in recipes or as a fresh and sweet dessert topping! You can drain the liquid before using the strawberries in recipes, or keep the liquid if using them as a dessert topping.

Serve these gluten-free macerated strawberries on top of ice cream, french toast, cake, biscuits, etc. They even work for breakfast – try serving them on top of oatmeal. So good! Try this recipe with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, peaches, plums, pineapple, etc. I drained the liquid and used the syrup to make a strawberry mocktail. I also macerated strawberries along with some rhubarb so I could include them in a strawberry rhubarb muffin recipe. So many delicious possibilities!

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh, ripe strawberries (about 2 cups), hulled and halved or quartered, depending on size
• 2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)

Here's how to make it:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, add the strawberries. Add the granulated sugar (and the lemon juice, if using) and stir to thoroughly combine. Make sure the berries are evenly coated in the sugar.
   
2. Allow the strawberries to sit on the countertop for about 30 minutes or up to two hours. You want the strawberries to be soft and tender, not mushy, so it's better to not let them macerate for too long. The sugar should be dissolved and the strawberries should be sitting in their syrup.
   
3. Use in recipes or serve as a dessert topping immediately. (Drain the syrup before using the strawberries in recipes, or keep the syrup if using them as a dessert topping.) Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
   

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