Start by cleaning your fresh strawberries thoroughly under cool running water. Remove any stems, leaves, or bruised fruit.

Pat the strawberries dry using clean paper towels or cloth. Then use a sharp knife to slice them about 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch thick. Keep in mind they will shrink down quite a bit.

Be sure your slices are uniform so they dry at the same rate. Place the sliced strawberries in a single layer on dehydrator trays or oven racks.

Next, you'll use either an electric food dehydrator or oven to dehydrate the strawberries fully. Drying removes all moisture leaving intense flavor and color.

If using a food dehydrator, set your unit to approximately 135°F. The exact time needed can vary from 6-15 hours based on humidity, the ripeness of the berries, and your dehydrator model.

Check frequently once the berries look dry on top. They should be evenly shriveled, brittle, and snap when bent rather than bending (this can take 6+ hours). Rotate the trays and continue drying if needed.

To use your oven, preheat to 200°F (or the closest low temperature setting). Arrange the strawberry slices in a single layer on top of oven racks or baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Prop the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon to allow moisture to escape. Like with a dehydrator, drying times can range widely from 6-18 hours. Check them frequently toward the end.

The berries are done when no moisture remains and they appear shriveled and snap when bent. If any moisture remains, they will mold quickly.

Once the strawberry slices are fully dried, allow them to cool to room temperature. Now you're ready to grind them into a fine powder!

A blender or food processor work best for this. Add your dried strawberries and grind continuously for 2-5 minutes until a smooth, even powder forms.

Make sure there are no remaining chunks or moisture pockets. Let the powder rest openly for an hour or two if needed to release any final moisture.

Finally, transfer your strawberry powder into clean, sealed containers right away. Mason jars or reusable plastic containers with silicone lids work very well.

And that's it - you now have delicious homemade strawberry powder to enjoy whenever you like!