Canning strawberries is one of the simplest ways to preserve your harvest, keeping the sweet, sun-ripened flavor of summer berries ready for pies, cheesecakes, and winter mornings. With just fresh strawberries and sugar, this old-fashioned water bath canning method lets you store whole strawberries in syrup... no pectin, no fuss, just pure seasonal magic.

There's nothing quite like cracking open a jar of preserved summer sunshine in the dead of winter. And if there’s one fruit I want to taste again when the snow is flying, it’s strawberries. Sweet, bright, and dripping with nostalgia.

Sure, we make strawberry jam, freeze some, dry a few trays into fruit leather, but when you’re staring down bowls of fresh-picked berries and don’t want to babysit a dehydrator all day, canning whole strawberries in syrup is the move.

It’s easy, it’s gorgeous, and it leaves you with plump, flavor-packed berries ready to spoon over cheesecake, swirl into cocktails, or layer into a flaky tart crust.

Let’s preserve that berry bounty, shall we?

What You’ll Need

• Fresh, ripe strawberries
• Sugar (I use organic cane sugar)
• Water bath canner
• Clean jars, lids & rings
• Canning tools (jar lifter, funnel, ladle)
• Wooden spoon, large saucepan

How Much Fruit?

Plan on:

• 1–1½ lbs per pint
• 2–3 lbs of berries per quart jar

Or roughly:

• 4 cups prepared strawberries = 1 quart
• 2 cups = 1 pint

Step-by-Step: Canning Whole Strawberries in Syrup

Step 1: Prep the Strawberries
Hull and rinse your berries. Toss them into a large pot and gently stir in a couple of cups of sugar until they’re coated. Cover the pot and let them sit at room temp for 6 hours. This draws out their juice... aka your canning syrup.

Step 2: Prep Jars + Canner
While the berries are macerating, wash your jars, lids, and rings. Fill the jars with hot water, and prep your water bath canner. Heat everything to 180°F over medium-high heat so it’s ready when you are.

Step 3: Heat the Strawberries
After 6 hours, move your pot to the stove and gently heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the berries are warmed through. If you want full jars, get a small pan of water boiling to top off any low-fill jars later.

Step 4: Pack the Jars
Using a funnel, carefully ladle strawberries into hot jars. Add the hot syrup over the top, leaving ½ inch headspace. Pack the berries in tight, they’ll shrink while processing. Remove air bubbles, adjust headspace if needed, wipe rims, and apply lids + rings (finger-tight).

Step 5: Process in Water Bath
Lower jars into your hot canner (jars should be covered with at least an inch of water). Bring to a rolling boil and process:

• Pints: 10 minutes
• Quarts: 15 minutes
  (Adjust for altitude... see notes below.)

Step 6: Cool + Store
Turn off the heat, remove the lid, and let jars rest in the water for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a towel-lined counter and leave undisturbed for 12–24 hours. Check seals. Store sealed jars (bands off!) in a cool, dark place for up to 18 months.

No-Sugar Option: Canning Strawberries in Their Own Juice

Want to skip the added sugar? Totally doable. You’ll need to extract some juice from the berries to preserve flavor without syrup.

Here’s how:

• Mash 2 cups of strawberries with 3 tablespoon water in a saucepan.
• Cover and simmer for 2 minutes, until soft.
• Strain through a damp jelly bag to get pure strawberry juice.
• Use this juice (plus a little water if needed) to heat + pack your remaining strawberries.
• Follow the same process above to can.

You still get that luscious berry flavor, just without the added sugar rush.