Our Most Spectacular Strawberry Recipes

By Victoria Spencer
Updated June 01, 2020
Credit: Marcus Nilsson
We wait all year for strawberry season, when pints of the bright, sugar-sweet berries to appear at roadside stands and in the produce aisle. When they finally do, we celebrate with these strawberry recipes. Learn how to make strawberries the star of breakfast dishes, desserts, cocktails, and even salads.
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Credit: Marcus Nilsson

Everyone's favorite berry, the strawberry is also the first fresh berry to appear in markets, beating out the raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries that all appear later in the year. Peak season for strawberries is April to June, which means these sweet, juicy berries star in many springtime dishes.

Strawberry desserts are the ultimate sweet ending to a meal come spring. We love them simply tossed with sugar and served with crème fraîche or paired with an elderberry cream for something a little more unexpected. Of course, there's the classic strawberry shortcake—it's a stellar dessert for just about any type of celebration, whether it's a family birthday or a Friday night. Riffing on shortcake, we also have a fun recipe for Strawberry-Shortcake Sundaes. And for the frozen treat purists among us, there's nothing quite as refreshing as Strawberry Ice Cream made using ripe, seasonal berries.

Strawberries, of course, go beyond dessert. You can start the day with a Strawberry-Grapefruit Smoothie or a simple strawberry muffin. You can even spread our easiest-ever strawberry jam on your toast (it takes just 10 minutes to make!). What about cocktails? Enjoy strawberries in a colorful daiquiri or a refreshing spritz.

When shopping for strawberries, look for bright red berries that do not have any white or green around the stem. Be sure to sniff (the strawberries should be fragrant!) and to touch (you'll want to find berries that are plump, with no soft spots). If you are going to use the berries the same day, it's best not to refrigerate them. Otherwise we recommend laying the berries flat on a paper-towel-lined plate and refrigerating for up to two days. Do not rinse or hull the strawberries until you are ready to use them.

Ready to start cooking with berries? Enjoy your favorites all season long with these spectacular strawberry recipes.

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Strawberry Slushie

Credit: Con Poulos
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Strawberries are already packed with vitamin C, but we up the health factor (and the vitamin count) in this easy three-ingredient drink by adding lemon juice and agave for extra sweetness. It's a super-refreshing, dairy-free beverage.

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Vanilla Sponge Cake with Strawberry-Meringue Buttercream

Credit: Ngoc Minh Ngo
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A whopping three pounds of strawberries are called for in this showstopping cake—they're sandwiched between the layers, cooked down and added to the frosting, and used to crown the top.

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Roasted Strawberries

Credit: Johnny Miller
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A touch of honey and a low oven temperature transform overripe strawberries into a delectable syrupy topping. Try them on everything from ice cream and yogurt to biscuits and pancakes.

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Strawberry Salsa

Credit: Con Poulos
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Grab the tortilla chips and try this fruity four-ingredient salsa in place of your usual tomato version. Red onion and jalapeño take strawberries into savory territory.

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Tartlets with Yogurt Pastry Cream and Strawberries

Credit: Christopher Testani
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Pastry cream lightened up with yogurt and whipped cream is paired with store-bought puff pastry and strawberries macerated with sugar and lemon juice in this company-worthy dessert.

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Strawberry Shortcake With Basil

Credit: Katie Quinn Davies
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Here's a sophisticated take on a classic dessert. For this strawberry shortcake, basil leaves are simmered in heavy cream to add a subtle perfume to the whipped cream filling. Bake one large shortcake (or eight smaller ones, if you prefer) and top with sweetened strawberries, small basil leaves, and the basil whipped cream.

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Strawberry Spinach Salad

Credit: Mike Krautter
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A simple, harmonious salad of strawberries, baby spinach, and feta in a white-balsamic vinaigrette. Toasted almonds and sesame seeds add a rich crunch.

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Quick Strawberry Jam

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Strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice are all you need to make this easy strawberry refrigerator jam that cooks in just 10 minutes. Spread the jam on toast or biscuits, or use as filling for a layer cake.

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Strawberry-Cucumber Gin-Elderflower Spritz

Credit: William Abranowicz
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A light, fragrant spritz that's also make-ahead, just the thing for summer entertaining. The combination of strawberries, cucumber, and gin is magical.

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Strawberry-Shortcake Sundaes

Credit: Marcus Nilsson
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Transform the classic summer dessert into a knockout sundae by layering vanilla ice cream swirled with homemade strawberry sauce, fresh strawberries macerated with sugar and lemon juice, store-bought pound cake, and freshly whipped cream.

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Strawberry–Goat Cheese Tartine

Credit: Con Poulos
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Here's a strawberry power breakfast: Roast the berries with maple syrup and olive oil and spread on top of goat cheese on your favorite toasted bread. We hear this also makes a wonderful afternoon snack.

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Strawberry-Passion Fruit Pavlova

Credit: Jonathan Lovekin
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Crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside, and heaped with whipped cream and fresh fruit, this classic meringue dessert is a lively study in textures.

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Strawberry-Grapefruit Smoothie

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Fresh ginger adds a pleasant kick to this refreshing, good-for-you vegan smoothie. It's packed with grapefruit, strawberries, and Honeycrisp apple. Also check out our other healthy strawberry smoothie recipes.

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Rhubarb-Strawberry Lattice Pie

Credit: Con Poulos
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Strawberries mellow out the sharp edges of rhubarb in this classic spring pie.

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Waffle-and-Strawberry Trifle

Credit: Johnny Miller
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You can make this out-of-the-ordinary dessert with frozen waffles to save time, but be sure to whip up your own creamy pudding. The rich flavor and silky texture are worth the extra effort. Seeking a more traditional waffle setup? Look no further than our Whole-Grain Waffles with Sliced Strawberries and Yogurt.

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Strawberries with Créme Fraîche and Sugar

Credit: Jonathan Lovekin
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This is one of the world's great finger foods. The three ingredients are are thick crème fraîche, confectioners' sugar, and the most fragrant, perfectly ripe strawberries you can find. Dip, sprinkle, and eat to your heart's content. Want something equally simple? Try bathing them in a syrup made with vanilla extract, lemon zest, and black peppercorns in our Strawberries with Vanilla Syrup recipe.

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Whole-Grain Strawberry-Cherry Crisp

Credit: Lennart Weibull
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We like this crisp for breakfast as well as dessert. Whole-wheat flour adds an earthiness to the crunchy oat-and-coconut topping which is scattered over lightly sugared strawberries and cherries and baked.

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Strawberry Cobbler

Credit: Mike Krautter
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Teaming strawberries with a buttery biscuit topping is always a good idea. Serve warm or at room temperature with a drizzle of cream or a scoop of ice cream.

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Strawberry Daiquiri

Credit: Mike Krautter
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To make this irresistibly fruity twist on the classic daiquiri, simply blend fresh lime juice, strawberries, white rum, a touch of sugar, and ice cubes.

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Fig and Strawberry Tart

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Rich hazelnut-Armagnac filling in a buttery pastry crust forms the base of this elegant tart. Arrange halved fresh figs and strawberries on top and bake until the fruit is caramelized and sweet.

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Strawberry Ice Cream

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Eight egg yolks plus equal parts skim milk and heavy cream make this fresh strawberry ice cream deliciously rich. You will need an ice-cream maker to prepare this recipe.

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Strawberry Muffins

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Fold mashed strawberries into these cinnamon-kissed muffins that get their tender crumb from buttermilk and oil.

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