Growing up I remember the fresh batch of strawberries out of the garden. Picked at the peak of perfection, my mother would promptly cut them up and add about a tablespoon of sugar to them around lunch time.
There they sat until after dinner when she would get out the sponge cakes that came from the center section when you first walked into Walmart, and the imitation whipped cream aptly named “Cool Whip”. She would then proceed to add garden fresh strawberries to fake and super fake.
I loved the strawberries, hated the other stuff. I would pretend to enjoy the rubberiness of the sponge cake and the weird taste of the cool whip but secretly just enjoy the mouthful of strawberry and sugary goodness, praying that I could get away with throwing away the rest.
I still despise the taste of the sponge cake and cool whip and to this day will not make that as a dessert. Instead, when strawberry season rolls around, I reach for these:
Great Strawberry Recipes to Use This Spring
1. Strawberry Bacon Salad
I am not a salad fan for the most part but this is one of the few exceptions to the rule. You can add any ingredients you like but my personal favorites are spinach, strawberries, bacon, sauteed onions, and a sweet dressing.
The crisp, saltiness of the bacon blends in perfectly with the freshness of the spinach and strawberries, combined perfectly with the sweetness of the dressing. It’s a melting pot of salad goodness that makes for a healthy mid-day refresh.
2. Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
Strawberries are a perfect sweet component to many different breakfasts. This is a perfect weekend treat and healthy to boot!
Grab a cup of coffee and spend about twenty-five minutes busy in the kitchen before sitting down to a well-deserved meal.
3. Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal
This one is a childhood favorite, hands down. I grew up on the Instant Version but making it on my own has made all the difference. During strawberry season I use this strawberry and cream oatmeal recipe. I dehydrate some of my strawberries and then make my own instant version to last until fall gets here and it feels wrong to eat strawberries.
4. Strawberry Jam
Being a culinary teacher, I made this with my students in the springtime when I am teaching them how to can. This is the boil water canning recipe we use. Fruits are high in acid which means that you do not have to worry about botulism and getting sick, just make sure that the container is fully sealed and it basically preserves itself.
Another fun thing about making this jam is you can give it away as a gift. This past year we had a new superintendent, and our class chose to give one of their jams to him as a welcome gift from the Family and Consumer Science/Food department!
5. Strawberry Butter
Since we are on the topic of really easy things to make that are super yummy, try making strawberry butter. Strawberry butter is simply taking the hours old strawberries and sugar medley, mashing them down and straining. Take the chunks that are left and mix together with real butter.
Once it is good and mixed, you can spread it on toast, an English muffin or, my personal favorite, a toasted bagel. You can also put it in a container and save it for later. Be careful though, if people know it’s in the fridge, it will go quickly!
6. Strawberry Pie
You should have seen this one coming. It is pretty much a given that when there are strawberries, there is strawberry pie.
Thankfully, my mother makes this with her first batch of strawberries now instead of the imitation strawberry sponge cake. Not so thankfully, we live hours apart and she sends me pictures. Our growing season is a bit different so I just have to agonize and plan for when ours comes back.
This recipe calls for strawberry jello, sugar, strawberries and a pie crust. It’s extra simple which makes it a nice go-to recipe for a busy night. You can make it while you are making dinner, sit it in the fridge and enjoy it after everyone has eaten all their vegetables.
7. Creamy Strawberry Pie
Maybe you are like me and prefer anything with cream. When talking about pie, this one is more my style. She calls for golden Oreos but, in all chocolate goodness, I would purchase the chocolate ones. If they are homemade or organic, even better. I mean, they are getting crushed up anyways, right?
The recipe on this site calls for almost the exact same ingredients as the original strawberry pie I posted but adds whipped topping (to which I say, whipping cream whipped) and cream cheese.
Consider me sold.
8. Strawberry in Drinks
Really, we could chalk this one up to any drink that you can add flavoring to. I really like strawberry sweet tea and strawberry lemonade.
This recipe calls for less sugar which makes me really happy. One thing that I would change is adding different flavors to the drink such as basil. The extra burst of freshness adds a pop to the sweetness of the strawberries.
9. Strawberry Brownie Cheesecake
You can’t go wrong with a good cheesecake in my opinion. I haven’t tried one with a brownie base as opposed to a regular biscuit one, but I love the way it looks.
Because brownie is a little denser than a regular cake, it will act as the perfect base for this Strawberry Brownie Cheesecake. To add more strawberry elements to this dessert, as opposed to simply having them sliced on the top, you could dice up some fresh strawberries and incorporate them into the cheesecake mixture, or even spread a layer of strawberry jam between the brownie and cheesecake.
10. No-bake Strawberry Cheesecake
If you want the cheesiness of a cheesecake but desire it to be light or do not want to spend as much time, then a no-bake is the way to go. This recipe is, honestly, my preferred method of making a cheesecake.
It is what I started out with and what seems the easiest to me. They say practice makes perfect and maybe that is why I prefer it.
It combines the strawberries and this makes for a great tasting late spring/early summer treat.
11. Peanut Butter Strawberry Ice Cream Cookie Pizza
Like the skillet cookie, this Peanut Butter Strawberry Ice Cream Cookie Pizza would make an excellent sharing dessert. It looks fully loaded up with mountains of ice cream and strawberries, and you would add to that by throwing on any other ingredients you want to.
The flavor combination of peanut butter and strawberries will mimic that of a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich, so this dessert will be nostalgic and comforting. Be sure to leave some cookie crumbs to sprinkle on top for an added crunch.
12. Strawberry Fruit Roll-Ups
This is a personal favorite of mine. I absolutely love making my girls’ fruit roll-ups. It helps them to feel more like their friends who eat store bought food while giving me quality assurance.
It’s super simple as well. Blend strawberries and sugar together in a food processor. You want to get them as smooth as possible.
Pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread SUPER thin and bake at 170 degrees until dry. You get it too dry and it will be more like strawberry chips but I promise, it’s still edible.
13. Strawberry Gummies
Just like fruit roll-ups, gummies make everyone happy. It is even more fun if you have small cookie cutters. We have some in the shape of stars, hearts, and even bunnies. I am sure that over the next several years we will be adding more to our collection.
The recipe is super simple: puree your strawberries, add it to jello that has been prepped but not chilled. A thin layer is better than thick jello in the pan. Once set, grease your cutter with Crisco and cut out as many as you can. Naturally, you should eat the leftovers and enjoy!
14. Strawberry Sour Cream Scones
My oldest fell in love with scones several years ago when we started frequenting our local coffee shop in the afternoons. The coffees shop and park while momma studied worked really well during my undergraduate days.
She loved the crumbiness combined with the sweetness of the chocolate chip. Naturally, I really like when I can get specialty ones in season. Blueberry in the summer, pumpkin chocolate chip in the fall, plain scones in the winter, and strawberry scones in the spring.
When I asked her one day if she wanted to try making scones at home, she got this shocked look on her face as she said, “Wow! I didn’t know you could do that!” This, naturally, turned into excitement. I pulled out this recipe and we both happily cooked away, knowing that pretty soon we would have melt-in-your-mouth scones topped with butter.
15. Glazed Strawberry Donut Loaf
We have seen strawberry loaf and strawberry donuts separately, now they have come together to create the wonder that is Glazed Strawberry Donut Loaf.
Not only would this loaf taste delicious, but it also looks pretty and fun with the pink icing and multicolored sprinkles. With that said, you could decorate it however you wanted, thin slices of fresh strawberry, for example, would also work well. The cake itself has coconut within it which is a great idea, and the combination of coconut and strawberry reminds me of a cake I used to love at school when I was a kid.
16. Strawberry and Basil Tart
This Strawberry and Basil Tart look like the perfect summer recipe to me. It has a delicious shortbread style base, meaning it will truly melt in the mouth while still being sturdy enough to hold the tart together.
The strawberry sauce sits atop a layer of custard, which I like as it means that a slice of this tart would have multiple different flavor elements within it. The sweet, smooth custard makes a perfect pairing for the sharp, sweet strawberry layer and the basil adds a hint of something special.
17. Strawberry Shortcake Macarons
After having spent a year living in France, macarons of any sort hold a special place in my heart. There was a fancy macaron shop near where I lived, and occasionally on a Friday my friends and I would treat ourselves to one or two sweet treats.
I love macarons with fresh fruit between the halves, so these Strawberry Shortcake Macarons are a winner for me before even tasting them. The classic vanilla flavoring of the macarons will mean that the flavor of the strawberries shines through, which is precisely what you want from these little mouthfuls of joy.
18. Strawberry Pop Tarts
Pop Tarts are a guilty pleasure of mine; I almost wish I didn’t enjoy them as much as I do. My issue with them is, of course, the amount of sugar they contain, but I am hoping that by making my own I might reduce that.
These Strawberry Pop Tarts contain relatively few ingredients, meaning that it’s easy to keep track of exactly what you are consuming. You could have fun decorating them with different colored icing, and lots of fun sprinkles. To make them even more special, you could make your own strawberry jam for the filling.
19. Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
I know for a fact that if you placed a plate of these Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries in front of me, they would be scoffed down in a matter of minutes. Cheesecake is one of my all-time favorite desserts, so when combined with one of my favorite fruits I am pretty much in heaven.
Because of how simple these are to make, and how conveniently bite-sized they are to eat, they would be perfect for a gathering or party as a lighter dessert option. The graham cracker crumbs are an excellent touch and would add a little crunch to the strawberry.
20. Strawberry Buttermilk Donuts with Strawberry Glaze
There’s a double dose of strawberry in this recipe, with diced strawberry running through the donut itself and strawberry flavored glaze. The only strawberry donuts I have ever had have been jam filled, so I am intrigued to find out what taste the pieces of diced strawberry would give the donut.
I have never attempted to make my own donuts, but I reckon these Strawberry Buttermilk Donuts with Strawberry Glaze could be a great place to start. The recipe is simple to follow, and the use of buttermilk will mean that the donuts are extra fluffy and yummy.
21. Ricotta Strawberry French Toast
Imagine a plate piled high with this Ricotta Strawberry French Toast on a Sunday morning. This would be perfect to make if you’re hosting a little brunch for your friends; also if you’re wanting to treat yourself a little and have a breakfast like no other.
I must admit that french toast by itself isn’t my favorite thing, but when it is sweetened and flavored with vanilla like it is here, I am a big fan. Cover it with creamy ricotta, sweet honey and fresh strawberries and mint and you’ve got me sold.
22. Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
None of us know why, but our garden produces an abundance of rhubarb every single year without fail, so we are constantly keeping an eye out for new and exciting recipes we can test out with our harvest.
This Strawberry Rhubarb Pie would have a beautiful balance of sweetness from the strawberries and a slight tartness from the rhubarb. It would make a delicious summer dessert, especially topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
23. Strawberry Jam Biscuits
Biscuits and cookies are some of my favorite things to bake. I love having them around the house as an easy snack or treat, and by making your own, you avoid the risk of them being filled with unnecessary additives like many store-bought ones are.
The addition of jam to these Strawberry Jam Biscuits will bring both moisture and punchy flavor to the biscuit. Although still thin, these biscuits look soft and fluffy as opposed to crunchy, which is an exciting twist on the traditional biscuit.
24. Vanilla Sponge Cake with Strawberry-Meringue Buttercream
If you’re looking for a decadent and delicious cake for a birthday, celebration or even for no reason at all then look no further than this Vanilla Sponge Cake with Strawberry-Meringue Buttercream.
For any strawberry lover, this cake is pretty heavenly, with the berries flavoring the buttercream as well as creating layers between the sponge cakes. My mom used to make us a birthday cake with fresh strawberries inside, and although it wasn’t as fancy as this one, I would definitely recommend giving it a try if you haven’t already.
25. Strawberry Cream Pie
The chocolate cookie crust is what made this Strawberry Cream Pie stand out to me. I love it when a recipe takes a relatively classic dish and adds its own special twist to it. The dark, almost black crust also provides a brilliant color contrast with the bright red berries and pure white cream.
Don’t be put off by the length of time indicated for making this pie, most of that comes from the chilling process so there is very little actual hands-on work involved.
26. Strawberry Banana Bread
Regular banana bread is a staple in my family. We make it often, my mom is most definitely the best at it, and keep them around as a yummy breakfast option or to enjoy with a good old cup of tea.
I had never thought to add different fruits to my banana bread, but this Strawberry Banana Bread has me thoroughly intrigued. This recipe, in particular, makes a whopping great sized bread, so it would stretch far enough for everyone to go back for seconds, as they most likely would.
27. Strawberry Hi-Hat Cupcakes
These Strawberry Hi-Hat Cupcakes are the prettiest little sweet treat I ever did see. They have multiple delicious elements to them, elevating them above the level you would expect from a regular cupcake.
The cake part itself in this recipe comes from a pre-made mix, which you could use if you were pushed for time, or you could use your own recipe. Chocolate cake could also work extremely well in this recipe. The fluffy cakes are topped with a dollop of strawberry jam, then strawberry buttercream and topped off with a layer of dark chocolate to balance out the sweetness.
28. Chocolate Covered Strawberries
I know what you’re thinking, you don’t need a recipe to make Chocolate Covered Strawberries, you simply melt chocolate, dip the strawberries in and let them set, easy peasy.
As much as that is true, I must include these based on all the fun and creative ideas shown. Chocolate covered strawberries are a great thing to have on offer as a sweet nibble at any occasion, and you could really jazz them up using some of these ideas. My personal favorites are the strawberries that look like they are wearing little tuxedos.
29. Mini Eclairs with Strawberries and Cream
These Mini Eclairs with Strawberries and Cream look like something straight off a menu at a café serving fancy afternoon tea. I took my mom for an afternoon tea for her birthday not too long ago and they had something a little like this amongst the other delicious treats. I must say it was one of my favorites.
You could follow this same recipe and use other fruits if you would rather, or use a mix of a couple. I personally like the idea of having mixed berries, so would add some raspberries and blueberries in there too.
30. Strawberry and Rhubarb Pavlova
Pavlova is my granny’s signature dessert. I have always been a little scared to make one myself in case it gets rejected by my family for being inedible compared to hers.
I doubt it is possible for anyone not to want to eat this Strawberry and Rhubarb Pavlova, however, it looks scrumptious. The cream topping is spiced up with a little Amaretto which sets it aside from a regular pavlova and makes it a tad more adult. That fresh fruit on top will pair perfectly with the crispy meringue and soft cream.
31. Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
These Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes sound like a summer essential, and I can already tell they will be appearing more than once in my house over the next few months. The strawberries in the cake mix make the cakes themselves pink, which is a pretty and fun touch and would make them perfectly suited to a kids’ birthday party.
Cream cheese frosting is by far my favorite way to top cupcakes as it isn’t too sweet, and this recipe cranks that up a notch by adding in some lemony goodness.
32. Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies
I am yet to find someone who doesn’t like brownies, so I can imagine these Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies would go down an absolute treat.
The strawberries are not covered in regular melted chocolate like I initially thought, but a rich, chocolate ganache instead. The ganache won’t fully set, meaning you can let your teeth slide right through the layers of chocolate, juicy strawberries, and fudgy brownie.
33. Vanilla Custard White Chocolate Sugar Cookie Skillet with Strawberry Sauce
I have never written more consecutive delicious-sounding words than I just did. I would challenge anyone to turn down this Vanilla Custard White Chocolate Sugar Cookie Skillet with Strawberry Sauce, although I will admit I think it would be better as a sharing dessert due to the sheer amount of sweetness it contains.
The strawberry sauce is just what this skillet cookie needs, as it will bring an element of tartness to combat the sweetness of the white chocolate. The cool vanilla ice cream will help to do that too.
34. Strawberry-Swirl Meringue Nests
Whenever we used to have bake sales at school, my mom and I would make something like these Strawberry-Swirl Meringue Nests. Because they look so impressive and fancy, you would expect them to be far more difficult to make than they are. In fact, all you need to do is whisk up the egg whites and sugar, which you don’t even need to do by hand, and then use a skewer to add the snazzy pink details.
I would be tempted to take the strawberry element of this dessert one step further than essence. My favorite thing to do with meringues is to sandwich two together with cream and fresh strawberries in between.
35. Strawberry and Nutella Crepes
My sister has been known to sit down for the evening accompanied by a punnet of fresh strawberries and a jar of Nutella to dip them in. For that reason, I have no doubt that she would be the first one to rush to the table if these Strawberry and Nutella Crepes were served.
If you don’t want to make your own crepes, they are relatively easy to find in more grocery stores, although I would definitely recommend trying it yourself as fresh ones are far more delicious. Once again this recipe is pretty self-explanatory, just cover your crepes with large amounts of Nutella and strawberries until they are unrecognizable.
36. Mini Strawberry Tarts
You can’t go wrong with a classic Mini Strawberry Tart. I like the fact that they are mini, not only do they look incredibly cute, but they would make a perfect addition to a little afternoon tea or a bigger spread of nibbles.
Whenever I am in a bakery or patisserie, I feel myself going goggle-eyed over the strawberry tarts, and the ones in this recipe look like they are filled to the brim with cream and topped with the loveliest sweet, juicy strawberries and accompanying sauce. As the recipe suggests you could easily add extra fruits on top of these tarts along with the berries.
37. Strawberry Crumb Bars
These Strawberry Crumb Bars look like something I would have been ecstatic to find in my lunch box as a special treat when I was a kid. Things like this are easy to make and yet simply delicious; they also keep well if stored in an airtight container.
Few ingredients go into making these bars, and they are all ones which are most likely already in your kitchen cupboard. Both the shortbread base and streusel topping will be crumbly and will melt right away in your mouth, the strawberry layer acting as the perfect binding layer to tie the two together.
38. Strawberry Cheesecake Chimichangas
I never imagined myself saying that I want to make Strawberry Cheesecake Chimichangas, but after only a brief scan over this recipe, with the help of that mouthwatering photo, I am sold. The use of flour tortillas is a bit strange to me, but I have assured myself that if it is beyond my comfort zone, I could swap them for crepes which would have a similar effect.
Every element of this dessert is perfectly thought out and marries together like a dream, from the warm melted chocolate to the slightly spiced cinnamon sugar and the hint of zesty lemon.
39. Cream Cheese Strawberry Cookies
These Cream Cheese Strawberry Cookies look almost like a combination of cakes and cookies when it comes to texture, and I like that about them. I can imagine the softness comes from the cream cheese.
Strawberries and white chocolate are a classic flavor combination that you can’t go wrong with, so I have no doubt that these would deliver taste wise. The white chocolate used here is a chopped up chocolate bar instead of store-bought chocolate chips, which I am particularly fond of as your chocolate chunks will be slightly irregular.
40. Strawberry Panna Cotta
Panna cotta of any description is my favorite lighter dessert option. If I am ever at a restaurant and am feeling a little full but still determined to squeeze in dessert, this is always my port of call.
Strawberry Panna Cotta is a perfectly balanced glass of loveliness. The creamy pannacotta is sweetened with the strawberry, but not so much that it is sickly. The bold color contrast also makes it look incredibly attractive. One thing I might change in this recipe would be to swap the vanilla extract for the inside of a vanilla pod, but that is simply down to personal preference.
41. Strawberry Shortcake Trifle Cups
This is one of the simplest strawberry desserts you will come across as there is no cooking involved, all you have to do is to assemble a few delicious ingredients together prettily in a cup.
I like classic trifle and this is an imaginative, easy adaptation of the regular construction. The strawberries in these Strawberry Shortcake Trifle Cups are tossed in orange juice which will make them even juicier and full of citrusy flavor. If you wanted to, you could add other fruits into the trifle. I can imagine that raspberries especially would go particularly well.
42. Mini Strawberry Cinnamon Twist Knots
Anything mini always attracts my attention, and not only do these Mini Strawberry Cinnamon Twist Knots look cute but you could convince yourself it was acceptable to go back for seconds or even thirds based on the size.
Cinnamon buns always go down well in our house, whether they’re a breakfast treat at the weekend or an afternoon snack eaten straight out of the oven. I have never thought to add fruit to my recipe, however, but now I have been roused to the idea to give it a go. The combination of the cinnamon and strawberry is bound to be sweet and perfectly spiced.
43. Grilled Strawberry Kebabs with Lemon-Mint Sauce
If you are looking for the ideal summer BBQ recipe, then look no further than these Grilled Strawberry Kebabs with Lemon-Mint Sauce. For family parties in the past, I have made fruit kebabs but have never gone any further than to pop a couple of different fruits onto a skewer, maybe adding some marshmallows here and there. I like the idea of taking them to another level though, grilling the fruit to bring out a slightly different flavor.
All that is needed to accompany the strawberries is a simple glaze made up of maple syrup, lemon, and mint.
44. Strawberry Crumble
Crumbles are the most homely and comforting dessert in my eyes, I have multiple happy memories of sitting by the fire as a kid with a big bowl of crumble and custard.
Many might consider crumble to be a dessert better suited to the colder months but I think that this Strawberry Crumble provides a summer alternative, especially when served with a huge dollop of vanilla ice cream. The yummy berries will cook in their own sweet juices until they are soft and create the perfect companion for the crunchy, crisp crumble topping.
45. Strawberry Swirl Pound Cake
This Strawberry Swirl Pound Cake is stunning to look at, with those gorgeous deep pink swirls through the pale vanilla cake. The recipe states that it makes two pound cakes, so if you’re entertaining guests or simply want to make it last, then the quantities are brilliant.
I like that the cake has a glaze, which makes a cake a little more exciting, as well as bringing more moisture. The glaze uses real strawberries as opposed to a strawberry flavoring which I am incredibly glad of, as the flavor will be natural and delicious.
46. Brownie Brittle Strawberry Lasagne
Don’t worry, this concept isn’t as crazy as you might initially assume based on the name. This Brownie Brittle Strawberry Lasagne is simply a layered icebox style dessert, and oh my, does each and every layer look heavenly?
You can, of course, buy brownie brittle in store, but you could also make your own. The same goes for the chocolate pudding element, which in this recipe comes from an instant mix. The main component of this dessert is a cheesecake-like mixture, which is separated by layers of pudding, strawberries, and brownie.
47. Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Pops
I am always looking for new and exciting ice cream recipes for summer, and I have fallen in love with these Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Pops. I have made popsicles before, and ice cream, but never a combination of the two.
These ice cream pops have everything from delicious strawberry ice cream to a sweet white chocolate coating and crunchy cereal to decorate. It could be fun to play around with different decorations like sprinkles or colored cereals, even freeze-dried strawberries which would add both a pop of color and a strawberry flavored crunch.
If all these recipes appeal to you but your strawberry patch needs some TLC, then read our guide on How To Grow Berries and how to grow Strawberries in Pots.