12 Drinks to Enhance with Strawberry Puree

Strawberries aren’t just for eating — when pureed, these red-hued gems make an excellent addition to different drinks. I chatted with two berry talented Pittsburgh-based pros working in the city’s bartending scene to share their bountiful advice on creative ways to use strawberry puree: Lisa Considine, “100% a strawberry girl at heart,” is co-owner and director of business development of Lo Bar Cocktail Services, a full-service private bar program inspired by seasonal ingredients; and Liz Makar, lead bartender of Maggie’s Farm Rum, a distillery crafting award-winning rums, liqueurs, and ready-to-drink cocktails.

Rather than buying premade strawberry puree, Considine and Makar prefer it homemade. Considine explains, “It is a fairly simple process, and when making ingredients like this from scratch, you have more control over the flavor profile and can adjust to your personal taste.” Similar in concept to Ree Drummond’s ingredient strawberry sauce, modify the sweetness by adjusting the simple syrup or sugar content, with or without lemon juice to alter the acidity. After pureeing with a stick blender or food processor, Considine suggests an optional step of pushing it through a fine mesh strainer for a smoother final result.

Depending on the season, you can use either fresh or frozen strawberries with equal success. If using fresh, both experts urge you to wait until strawberry season to take advantage of the best flavor. Makar emphasizes how the “starting product is quite important. The freshest, ripest strawberries will give you the best end product.” Outside of the season, Considine enjoys the benefits of frozen strawberries. “Frozen fruit is such an incredible resource when making beverages of all sorts. They are often picked at peak freshness and then frozen immediately,” she says. However you decide to make your strawberry puree, save these drink ideas the next time you want a thirst-quenching beverage with a fun and fruity personality.

Pisco, a South American spirit made from distilled grape juice, is the base spirit in a Pisco Sour. The cocktail is typically made by shaking Pisco with lime juice, simple syrup, bitters, and egg whites.

Lisa Considine describes how well strawberries pair with sour-based beverages for building a dynamic flavor profile. Many classic cocktails, such as the Pisco Sour, “feature a base of sugar and acid, usually some combination of simple syrup mixed with fresh lemon and lime juice, and adjusting these specs is what gives each cocktail its unique taste.” Strawberries are uniquely perfect to combine with these flavors due to the berry’s natural flavor profile of “sweetness and acidity.” “Strawberry flavor doesn’t compete with lemon/lime juice, it complements it,” she explains.

Dry shaking the mix for a few seconds prior to adding ice helps to create the foamy layer on top, as the vigorous action helps to stabilize the egg whites without the interruption of excessive water. The foam mimics whipped cream, another natural companion to strawberries.

With lime, tequila, and triple sec, this perfect margarita recipe is the ideal base for additional fruity flavors. “A margarita is a fabulous warm weather drink, adding a strawberry puree is not only seasonally correct but a smart choice for flavor,” says Liz Makar. “The tartness of the strawberry puree goes along with the tequila, while adding the sweetness needed to balance the cocktail.”

Makar shares how she makes her strawberry basil margarita recipe by vigorously shaking together 2 ounces tequila, ½ ounce cointreau, ¾ ounce fresh lime juice, 1 ounce strawberry puree, and 5 fresh basil leaves in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Dirty dump the mix into a rocks glass rimmed with salt. Using a salt rim, rather than one coated in granulated sugar, will amplify the natural sweetness of the strawberry.

Another flavor-enhancing update is to use peppercorns in the strawberry puree. “One of my favorite drinks from a few summers ago was our strawberry black pepper margarita,” says Lisa Considine. “Add a handful of whole black peppercorns into the pan when you’re cooking frozen strawberries in the simple syrup and let it simmer awhile to bring out the black pepper flavor. To intensify the black pepper flavor, you can either add more peppercorns or simmer longer. Add equal parts fresh lemon and lime juice to the strawberry-black-pepper mix, and that combined creates a super-fresh and unique margarita mix.” Considine notes a helpful warning when using this particular mix: “If you choose to puree or even blend a frozen marg with this recipe, make sure to pick out the black peppercorns before blending!”

Mint and strawberries are the best buddies for summer sipping, since there is some overlap with both of their growing seasons throughout the warmer months. Lisa Considine values the seasonality of ingredients to direct her cocktail recipes for her business, saying “we create two menus a year, a spring-summer and a fall-winter, and we really focus on creating cocktails with seasonal flavors and availability in mind. So our strawberry cocktails are exclusively on our summer menus.”

“Adding a summer strawberry element is sure to turn any classic cocktail up a notch, making it taste jammy, fresh, and juicy!” continues Considine. There’s no surprise here when Considine suggests mixing strawberry puree in a basic mojito recipe with fresh mint, rum — we know the best kind to put in a mojito – soda water, and lime juice as a naturally delicious addition when the time is right and the ingredients are fresh for picking.

A personal favorite in my household for summer sipping, with an entire shelf lined with copper mugs to prove our devotion to the drink, a fiery ginger-forward beverage like a Moscow Mule is a perfect opportunity to balance the boldness with some sweeter fruit notes. The main features of this mighty cocktail include vodka, ginger beer, freshly squeezed lime juice, and an optional mint garnish. Make sure to serve with plenty of crushed ice, plus store some extra in the freezer for topping off as needed.

While you can quell its strength by replacing the ginger beer with a more subtle drink, like ginger ale, the addition of strawberry puree tames the ginger’s fierce power enough for anyone who might be more sensitive to the bigger flavors of the base. In addition to the mint garnish, include a strawberry slice, as well. As Lisa Considine demands, “As much as I find the frozen fruits to be a valuable ingredient in recipe creation, I absolutely insist that a fresh berry is used for any garnish needs!”

A perfectly made daiquiri is venerated as one of the simplest classic cocktails, made with high-quality rum, freshly squeezed lime juice, and homemade simple syrup. All the ingredients, as well as any other added ingredients, should be treated with the same amount of regard as the base recipe, which is exactly why Liz Makar values using a homemade strawberry puree. “A strawberry daiquiri is a very pedestrian cocktail, but the execution of it has been butchered many times with fake syrups and purees,” explains Makar. “Making your own strawberry puree will really balance the cocktail’s sweetness while not jeopardizing the strawberry flavor you’re looking for.”

While you can muddle a couple fresh strawberries to make a strawberry daiquiri that tastes like a bartender made it, Makar offers her own interpretation with the puree for a more concentrated flavor by vigorously shaking 2 ounces white rum, ¾ ounces fresh lime juice, and 2 ounces strawberry puree in a shaker with ice. She prefers to double strain the mix into a coupe glass, with a fresh strawberry slice as the final garnish.

With gin, lemon, simple syrup, and carbonated water, a Tom Collins is pretty much a spiked and carbonated lemonade, the ultimate adults-only refreshment when you want to sip on something simple and sunny. Adding fruity strawberry puree is a beautiful balance with the bright acidity.

Lisa Considine offers some creative tips for making this cocktail, like strategizing smart freezer storage to prep your puree in bulk to use in a variety of formats. “You could freeze your homemade puree into ice cubes, and then either use them for blended drinks, thaw as needed for shaken or mixed drinks, or get wild and use the strawberry cubes as-is to ice a cocktail,” she explains in more detail. “I am imagining a classic Tom Collins but with homemade strawberry cubes that start to melt in the glass making the drink more and more strawberry-forward as you continue to enjoy.”

Whether you’re sipping on a French 75, mimosa, or a bellini, there’s a Champagne-based cocktail for everyone. And all of them will gladly welcome a little strawberry puree into the mix for a juicier flavor experience. If Champagne is outside of your spending range, you can replace it with an equal amount of Prosecco in a pinch for a price-friendly buying choice.

Liz Makar agrees, and provides a bright and bubbly cocktail recipe for a Strawberry Champagne Spritz that includes the option of using Prosecco instead of Champagne. “Not only will the strawberry puree add brightness to the dryer flavor of the Champagne or Prosecco, but it will also add a beautiful color enhancing the overall aesthetic of the cocktail,” says Makar.

Her cocktail is a quick and easy build, with all of the ingredients added directly into the glass without shaking or stirring. Makar instructs to pour 1 ounce strawberry puree and ½ ounce elderflower liqueur, like St-Germain, into the bottom of a flute glass, then top with 4 ounces chilled Champagne or Prosecco.

If you don’t consume alcohol, there are still plenty of delicious opportunities to have some fun with strawberry puree in non-alcoholic cocktails without introducing liquor. Both Liz Makar and Lisa Considine turn to strawberry-flavored mocktail spritzes as their non-alcoholic suggestions. For her summertime menu this upcoming season, Considine’s team will be serving a rum-based drink named the Capri Sun, with the potential of replacing the rum with seltzer for anyone who is abstaining. Considine details that the cocktail “features strawberries cooked with dried chipotle peppers. It mixes rum [or seltzer] with pineapple, lime, strawberry, and chipotle. It isn’t spicy, but the dried chipotle pepper gives a beautiful smokiness that balances out the sweetness of the pineapple.”

And as for Makar, she likes to concoct a Strawberry Citrus Cooler for non-imbibing guests. Makar says to shake together 1 ½ ounces strawberry puree, 1 ounce orange juice, 1 ounce lemon juice, and ¾ ounces honey syrup in a cocktail shaker, then to pour the mix into a tall Collins glass and top it with sparkling water. A fresh mint garnish is the final fresh touch for her jammy summer beverage.

Your kid’s lemonade stand will have a real winner this summer if strawberry shows up with its entrepreneurial A game. Lemonade is one of those pinnacle sunny refreshments enjoyed by both child and adult. Sugar, lemon juice, water, ice … what a classic! But if you’re seeking a transcendent deviation from the base recipe, and are craving an even fruitier upgrade that will elevate the purely citrus drink, strawberry puree will be a pure joy when added to this zesty zinger of a drink.

It can be as simple and semi-homemade as whisking strawberry puree into your favorite store-bought lemonade mix. For another idea with a few more prep steps in the kitchen, and when summer is in full swing with herbs aplenty, make a roasted strawberry basil lemonade by first roasting your strawberries before pureeing them, intensifying the flavor. You can use fresh basil as a botanical garnish, as well as steep the leaves in the simple syrup for additional herbal flavor.

Strawberries and cream? An irresistible combination. When you’re in an indulgent mood for something sweet, turn to the sentimental (and usually sugar-loaded) food experiences of childhood favorites by making a cool and creamy milkshake. In a blender, whiz up your choice of ice cream, a few spoonfuls of strawberry puree, and milk until everything is completely combined. Vanilla ice cream is the classic choice here, but you can use strawberry ice cream for a more concentrated berry flavor, or chocolate ice cream for a chocolate-covered-strawberry flavor profile. I also particularly adore the combination of nutty pistachio ice cream with the fruit.

If you are following a disciplined diet, ditch the shake and make a smoothie instead. For something healthier, start your day with a homemade strawberry smoothie by blending the puree along with assorted frozen fruit/vegetables, milk, nut butter, fruit juice, and yogurt. You can also make your own strawberry milk ahead of time for adding to your future smoothies by first blending together the puree with the milk and storing that in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. If you are avoiding dairy entirely, use milk and yogurt with an alternative milk base like nut, soy, or oat. I also like incorporating chia seeds into the smoothie once I have blended the ingredients together. Not only do they provide more fiber and protein, they also playfully mimic the fun texture of the strawberry seeds.

Far tastier, and so much safer than any slushie sold at the gas station, all you need is your blender, ice, water, and your fruit puree to make a light and thirst-quenching homemade slush when you want to beat the heat with sweet strawberries. With minimal ingredients, this icy delight is a simple and low-maintenance choice to make a big batch for family-friendly summer parties.

Play around with the amount of ice you use. You might want a thicker slush made with more ice and less water for lazy spoon dipping, or you might prefer a thinner and sip-worthy alternative for the thirstier folks made with less ice and more water.

If you want to go the extra mile and really flex your creativity, build a multi-color treat by layering with a creamy lemon slushy, another easy recipe made with sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, water, and ice. Carefully place the layers on top of the other without mixing to keep the two flavors separated before serving immediately. And don’t forget to serve it in a clear glass so everyone can see the bold contrast of colors.

Adding some strawberry puree to your morning latte is a fresh and unexpected update. While the flavor combination of coffee and strawberry may seem odd on the frothy surface, the two ingredients mingle incredibly well together. Given that certain origins and roasts have base flavor notes — which you can find listed on your bag of coffee – along the broad spectrum of fruitiness, strawberry is a most welcome companion that will echo those specific flavor characteristics.

The puree is particularly excellent with espresso beverages that have a higher milk content, such as lattes, cappuccinos, and frappes to play with the ever-enjoyable strawberries-and-cream theme. You can serve all the drinks hot, or you can incorporate your strawberry puree in iced coffee beverages for a refreshing alternative.

Due to the bitterness of espresso and coffee beverages, you may want to include additional sugar for more balance, either by adding more granulated sugar or simple syrup. You can also add chocolate as another way of sweetening your morning cup. Try a strawberry mocha using your favorite milk or semisweet chocolate, but there’s something extra special about using a dreamy white chocolate instead.