Authentic Korean Strawberry Milk Recipe with Pearls

This Korean fresh strawberry milk recipe is super viral. You can find it in most cafes in Korea, especially during summer, and now it is popular worldwide. It is made of fresh strawberry and super easy to make.

If you live in a place where strawberries are easy to get or in season all the time, you can make this fresh strawberry jam with no artificial flavorings or colorings at all. It can be used to make cakes, ice cream, or this easy strawberry milk drink!

This is a perfect choice for hot summertime or during hot weather wherever you are. It is one of my favorite drinks besides rose milk tea and assam milk tea.

And this is a fail-proof recipe even for beginners in the kitchen. You can make it so easily with a video I attach below so you won’t get it wrong!

Another great thing is: it takes only 5 minutes to prepare!

What is Korean Fresh Strawberry Milk?

This drink is very popular in almost every cafes in Korea. You can see it served in Korean drama series. It looks pretty, it looks fresh. It is brought along with the tsunami wave of popular Korean K-pop culture.

Make it another choice of beverage for your guests or in your own café or restaurant. It could be a hit!

The strawberry milk is unlike the carton pack strawberry milk we have in the supermarket. It is made of fresh strawberry jam with a dash of lemon.

Fresh strawberries are cooked with sugar and then It is mixed with fresh milk or heavy cream. You can keep the strawberry jam in a container for a month in the fridge.

Korean Strawberry Milk Recipe with Simple Ingredients

This Korean strawberry milk recipe only needs three ingredients! That’s why it is so easy to make. Let’s check out the ingredients!

Fresh Strawberries

Always use fresh ripe strawberries. Avoid using unripe strawberries. The better the quality of the strawberries, the better the result!

Sugar

Use granulated sugar or raw cane sugar. If you are on keto diet, I think the perfect substitute would be erythritol.

I do not advise organic palm sugar or coconut sugar or brown sugar as it will darken the color of the red strawberries.

I like to keep the color as red as possible as it also makes it look attractive. And when it mixes with milk or cream, it will gives out pink color hue.

Sugar helps preserve the strawberry jam longer.

Milk

I use full cream milk and it tastes the best. If you like heavy cream, you can combine it with milk 50:50. It will make the strawberry milk even creamier.

If you are allergic to dairy products, you may want to change it to oat milk or coconut milk. I don’t think it will taste the same. If it is for healthy reason and you want to try it, go ahead!

Korean Strawberry Milk Recipe

• 300 gr fresh organic strawberry 
• 180 gr sugar (adjust to your liking)
• 200-250 ml milk
• Strawberry jelly (optional)
• Strawberry 6 pcs cut into cubes
• Strawberry for decoration

Strawberry Jam

First, let’s make the strawberry jam. This jam is very versatile. You can make it into cakes, ice cream, pastry cream for choux fillings.

Mix it with whipping cream and you will get fresh strawberry milk ice cream!

Instruction

1. Wash and clean the strawberries
2. If you have a hand blender, it will be easier to mash the strawberries. Put in the sugar in a big bowl or any container. You may blend it coarsely.
3. IF you don’t have a hand blender, you can use a fork. Strawberries are easy to crush even with a fork.
4. Boil the strawberries and sugar mixture for at least 5 minutes. This will help kill the germs in strawberries and make the jam last longer.
5. Turn off the heat. Pour into a container. Let it cool. Close the lid and put in the fridge for next day use.

Check the video for step by step instruction.

Korean Strawberry Milk

Instructions:

1. Take 2-3 tablespoons of strawberry jam, put it at the bottom of the glass.
2. Cut 1 or 2 strawberries into dice size cut. Put them into the glass.
3. Cut strawberry jelly in dice sizes. Put into the glass. (This is optional)
4. Pour in the milk or heavy cream. If you want to combine milk and heavy cream, you can use 1:1 combination.
5. Stir well. Decorate with a piece of strawberry.

Check the video for step by step instruction on korean fresh strawberry milk.

How To Clean Fresh Strawberries

Fresh strawberries may carry dirt, bugs, pesticides so you need to clean them thoroughly to consume them safely.

There are 3 ways to clean fresh strawberries:

• Salt

Put 1 tsp salt to 1 cup of water. You may use sea salt or just table salt. Soak the strawberries in a salt water bath for 5 minutes. Rinse and drain until clean.

• Baking Soda

Soak the strawberries in a baking soda mixed with water. 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 1 cup of water until all the strawberries are covered. Soak for 5 minutes. Rinse and drain until clean.

• Apple Cider Vinegar

Use 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar for 1 cup of water. Soak all the strawberries for 5 minutes. Rinse and drain until clean.

Do not be alarmed if you see some alive bugs coming out of the strawberries. After you soak them with salt, baking soda, or apple cider vinegar, they are no longer in the strawberries.

Plus, in this recipe I suggest you boil the strawberries before storing it in a container.

Suggestion For Toppings

• Strawberry jelly
• Tapioca pearls

• Fresh strawberries
• Whipped cream
• Hershey’s strawberry syrup
• Caramel syrup

More Additional Tips

Use fresh cow’s milk for the best taste. I know some of you might be lactose-intolerant, but the original recipe calls for cow’s milk. It is fine if you want to use coconut milk or oat milk, but the taste won’t be the same.

Make the strawberry jam one day ahead to get the best result. After the strawberry jam is put in the fridge overnight, it will be even thicker.

You can add any toppings that you like. I go for the strawberry jelly and pieces of fresh strawberries. They are the best!

The next option is the tapioca pearls. You need to cook the tapioca pearls until it becomes transparent first. Soak it in sugary water before putting them at the bottom of the glass.

You can also top it with whipped cream and Hershey’s strawberry syrup or caramel syrup. It will make it even more beautiful!

Storage

A bottle of cooked strawberry jam in a fridge can last up to 2 weeks. If you freeze it, it can last up to 1 month.

Other Variations

What variations can you make out of this wonderful strawberry jam?

1. You can mix it with whipping cream and make it into strawberry pastry cream.
2. You can make a strawberry chiffon cake with it.
3. You can also just spread it on your toast with butter.

So, it is quite versatile.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: Why is Korean strawberry milk recipe so popular

A: Korean strawberry milk recipe has been very popular in Korea because of its beautiful, fresh appearance. Korean strawberries are very fresh, big, and has a little sweetness in it, too. The vibrant red color appearance makes this drink instagrammable.

Q: Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh ones?

A: Frozen strawberrries can be used instead of fresh ones if you can’t find any. However, please keep in mind that the color can be less vibrant.

Q: Can I use other non-dairy milk to substitute dairy milk?

A: Sure, you can use non-dairy milk such as almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk. Please keep in mind the flavor may be different from the real fresh strawberry milk in Korea.

Q: Can I use other alternative sweeteners?

A: Yes. You can use other sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup or eryhtritol, stevia.

Q: How long does fresh strawberry milk stay fresh?

A: I would highly recommend consuming fresh strawberry milk within the day of making it. If you really have to keep some, keep it in a clean bottle in the chiller for up to 2 days.

Q: Can I use other fruits instead of strawberries?

A: You can experiment with other fruits such as raspberries, blueberries, or even papaya. Don’t forget to tag me if you do!

Conclusion

Korean Fresh Strawberry Milk has swept up the whole world along with K-Pop culture! It is a refreshing drink made with fresh strawberries.

It is worth trying to make at home or as an option in your restaurant or cafe.

If you come up with other variations, don’t forget to tag me with a photo!

Enjoy!