25 Strawberry Dessert Recipes to Make This Summer

Work your way through strawberry season dessert by dessert, from shortcake to cobbler and all kinds of chilled and frozen delights.

Almond Strawberry Tart
Photo: Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Juicy, sweet strawberries are a hallmark of warm weather — those wonderful, lazy months of late spring and early summer. And what better way to celebrate strawberries than by turning them into gorgeous desserts? There's always the fan-favorite strawberry shortcake (and we have a saffron-scented version scaled up for a crowd, if you're interested), but you can turn the bright red fruit into cooling granitas, a sunny take on tiramisu, and a jammy filling for cobblers, too. Read on for even more of our favorite strawberry dessert recipes.

01 of 25

Strawberry-Saffron Shortcake

Strawberry-Saffron Shortcake

Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

This simple vanilla shortcake from chef Hetel Vasavada is brushed with an aromatic lemon-saffron syrup, then topped with a saffron-mascarpone whipped cream. Ripe strawberries and their juices contrast beautifully with the warm spice.

02 of 25

Strawberry Ekmek Kataifi

Strawberry Ekmek
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Made from crispy shredded phyllo that's soaked in syrup and traditionally topped with custard, ekmek kataifi is a Greek dessert that perfectly balances crispy and creamy. Instead of the traditional custard, pastry chef Paola Velez's version features a vibrant strawberry pudding and a cloud of honey-flavored whipped cream.

03 of 25

Roasted Strawberry Sorbet

Roasted Strawberry Sorbet

Cedric Angeles

Silky, juicy, and fruity, this sorbet is bursting with strawberry goodness. Pinot Noir adds complexity and depth while lemon juice keeps things beautifully bright. It's delicious on its own, but it's even more wonderful served with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.

04 of 25

Strawberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

three strawberry cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

These vibrant cupcakes are perfect for summer celebrations. Freeze-dried strawberries, processed with a touch of sugar, add a fruity, just-sweet-enough flavor to both the batter and frosting.

05 of 25

Honey-Ricotta Mousse with Strawberries

Honey Ricotta Mousse with Strawberries
Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Kathleen Cook Varner

Ricotta cheese, quickly whipped in a food processor with honey and vanilla, forms the base of this easy strawberry-topped mousse. Folding whipped cream into the ricotta yields a luscious, velvety dessert.

06 of 25

Almond and Strawberry Tart

Almond Strawberry Tart
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

This eye-catching tart is filled with a buttery almond mixture before baking and piled with fresh strawberries. The tanginess of the strawberries is a perfect complement to the rich crust and filling.

07 of 25

No-Churn Strawberry Ice Cream

No-Churn Strawberry Ice Cream

Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless

For an ice cream that's full of strawberry flavor, we first roast the berries with vanilla bean, sugar, lemon zest, and salt until they're tender and jammy. It's a great way to use strawberries that are overripe, old, or about to go bad — roasting them brings out the richness of the sugars and deepens the flavor in the berries.

08 of 25

Strawberry Almond Cheesecake with Matzo Crust

Strawberry Almond Cheesecake with Matzo Crust
Abby Hocking

This silky cheesecake gets sweetness and tang from a blend of cream cheese and sour cream. Matzo meal and ground almonds replace the usual graham crackers in the crust for a nutty, toasty crunch. Topped with ruby-red strawberries and toasted almond slivers, this cake makes a beautiful centerpiece at any table.

09 of 25

Strawberry Tiramisu

Strawberry Tiramisu
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

This fresh take on the classic Italian coffee dessert is layered with ladyfingers, juicy strawberries, and mascarpone cream. Orange liqueur and a touch of balsamic vinegar deepen the flavors of the berries without overpowering them.

10 of 25

Strawberry-Buttermilk Cobbler

Strawberry-Buttermilk Cobbler Recipe
Eva Kolenko

A mixture of spelt and almond flours, gently combined with cold butter and creamy buttermilk, creates tender, fluffy biscuits that cover this juicy strawberry cobbler filling. Use the sweetest, best-quality berries from the market; their flavor is the foundation of this seasonal dessert.

11 of 25

Strawberry Slab Pie

Strawberry Slab Pie

Food & Wine / Andrew Purcell

With a perfectly buttery crust and a sweet, jammy filling, this slab pie from chef Joanne Chang is one of the most delicious desserts you'll eat all summer.

12 of 25

Strawberry Granita with Sweet Pesto

Strawberry Granita with Sweet Pesto
Victor Protasio

Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson blends juicy strawberries with simple syrup, tangy verjus, and a bit of salt for this quenching granita. Once it's frozen, he serves it with a honeyed mint-basil pesto and mounds of whipped cream.

13 of 25

Strawberry Icebox Cake with Maple-Ginger Cream

Strawberry Icebox Cake
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas

This no-bake icebox cake riffs on the flavors of a classic strawberry shortcake with buttery shortbread cookies, maple-macerated strawberries, and a ginger-spiced whipped cream.

14 of 25

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Abby Hocking / Food & Wine

Dessert disguised as salad? Your secret's safe with us! With a sweet-salty pretzel crust, a creamy no-bake cheesecake filling, and a fruity gelatin top studded with sliced strawberries, this tasty treat is a favorite in our test kitchen,

15 of 25

Boozy Frozen Strawberry Lemonade

Boozy Frozen Strawberry Lemonade
Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall

Sweet, zippy, and irresistibly delicious, pastry chef Claudia Fleming's frozen cocktail is made with lemon vodka, Prosecco, basil, limoncello, strawberries, and lemon sorbet — and can also double as a dessert.

16 of 25

Strawberries-and-Cream Gelato Cake

Strawberries-and-Cream Gelato Cake
Victor Protasio

A stunning riff on the classic flavor combination, this ice cream cake includes layers of strawberry sorbet and strawberry gelato frosted with sour cream gelato. You can make your own ice cream or use an assortment of store-bought flavors — it's a showstopper either way.

17 of 25

Strawberry-Mango Paletas

Strawberry-Mango Paletas
© John Kernick

When crafting new paletas for her company La Newyorkina, Fany Gerson's rule of thumb is this: If the colors of her ingredients go together, the flavors will, too. These bright, red-and-orange-hued ice pops are perfect to make when juicy strawberries are at their peak.

18 of 25

Strawberry Gelato

Strawberry Gelato
Victor Protasio

To guarantee homemade gelato's luscious consistency and purity of flavor, it's thickened with cornstarch rather than eggs. The result has less palate-coating fat than ice cream and lets the fruit shine.

19 of 25

Strawberry Baked Alaska

Strawberry Baked Alaska
© Con Poulos

Chef Andrea Reusing makes each and every part of these lovely strawberry baked Alaskas from scratch — even the graham crackers for the base. She says it’s OK to use store-bought grahams, and to sub in a good store-bought ice cream.

20 of 25

Strawberry Shortcakes with Meyer Lemon Cream

Strawberry Shortcakes with Meyer Lemon Cream
© James Baigrie

Pastry chef Michelle Polzine makes her riff on strawberry shortcake with sweet, intensely flavored Seascape strawberries and fragrant Meyer lemon cream.

21 of 25

Ricotta-Orange Pound Cake with Prosecco Strawberries

Ricotta-Orange Pound Cake with Prosecco Strawberries
© Con Poulos

This dessert from Giada De Laurentiis is a simple way to enjoy strawberries in all their glory. Combined with Prosecco and a touch of sugar, the berries are a terrific accompaniment to the moist, orange-scented cake.

22 of 25

Strawberry Cream Puffs

Strawberry Cream Puffs
© Stephanie Foley

These luscious cream puffs are made from traditional choux pastry filled with vanilla custard, but it's the layer of thinly sliced tarragon-tinged strawberries and a drizzle of strawberry glaze that makes them sing.

23 of 25

Strawberry-Honey Cake with Sour Whipped Cream

Strawberry-Honey Cake with Sour Whipped Cream
© Eva Kolenko

Seattle chef Eli Dahlin's floral, honey-inflected strawberry cake is his seasonal take on sticky toffee pudding. Once the cake is removed from the oven, it's poked with holes to absorb a warm honey syrup that penetrates each bite.

24 of 25

Strawberry-Pistachio Sweet Rolls

Strawberry-Pistachio Sweet Rolls
Jennifer Causey

Whether you enjoy these fruity buns for breakfast or dessert, fresh strawberry preserves and crunchy chopped pistachios are a winning combination.

25 of 25

Strawberry Mochi Ice Cream Sandwiches

Coconut Mochi Ice Cream Sandwiches
© John Kernick

Pastry chef Jen Yee makes these pretty sandwiches with a simple Japanese dough that combines sweet glutinous rice flour, sugar, water and strawberry jam.

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