50 Best Strawberry Recipes for Summer Dining

The start of strawberry season kicks off the parade of berries that march through summer. While available year-round, strawberries are the first in-season fruit that shows up at farmers’ markets around the country. Depending on where you live, you may be met with memories of all-you-can-pick strawberry fields, dripping with red-hued berries. No matter how many strawberries you stock up on, it’s amazing how quickly they disappear. Once you have a perfectly ripe strawberry, it’s hard to eat them any other time of year. 

The two most popular strawberry-focused desserts are, of course, strawberry shortcake and anything using the combination of strawberry and rhubarb. There are endless variations of the former, from serving shortcakes individually to creating a towering showstopper cake. Some recipes opt for biscuits while others keep the base more cake-forward. Strawberry and rhubarb are the perfect pair, as the sweet berries temper the tartness of rhubarb. From crisps and crumbles to bars, you can spend the entire season experimenting with this pair. Other baked goods including scones, loaves and breakfast pockets highlight strawberries —whether they’re fresh, roasted or freeze-dried. 

While sweet, strawberries aren’t just relegated to baked goods and desserts. They’re a great addition to gussy up breakfast bowls and work equally well in savory salads and just may be one of the best berries for jams and jellies. From summery side dishes and ice pops to boozy beverages, read on for 50 of our best strawberry recipes. 

This strawberry-flavored dessert takes inspiration from crème légère, in which pastry cream is lightened up with whipped cream. In this case, mascarpone is loosened up in a mixer with a touch of vanilla and folded in with whipped cream to create an easy no-bake version. Finish it off with strawberries glazed in strawberry jam and balsamic. 

This beloved recipe lives up to the hype. Here, the base lands somewhere in between buttermilk biscuits and drop cream biscuits. The result is a delicate biscuit that holds up to macerated strawberries and airy whipped cream. 

There’s no better way to kick off the outdoor dining season than with summer’s favorite duo. The key here is to cut strawberries and rhubarb the same length so that they bake evenly. Top them off with an oat-based crumble, which gets crispy and golden brown in the oven. 

When the temperature is rising and it’s too hot to turn on the oven, we make this no-bake treat. While this strawberry cheesecake pie looks impressive, it is decidedly low-lift. After macerating the strawberries, combine them with cream cheese and heavy cream and pour the filling into a press-in graham cracker crust. 

A strawberry rhubarb pie is a classic for a reason. While rhubarb brings a unique tartness, strawberries offers sweet flavors that complement the red stalks perfectly. Here, they’re tucked into a homemade crust that becomes flaky and golden brown once baked. 

The combination of strawberries and cream is delicious in so many forms, but works particularly well in these scones. This recipe features exclusively heavy cream, in lieu of the usual butter and milk combination. The result are easy-to-make scones loaded with fresh strawberries. 

While this dish looks sophisticated, it’s easy enough to throw together for a weeknight dinner. The steak is seasoned simply with salt and pepper and seared in a pan until medium-rare. Serve it atop a crunchy arugula salad studded with fresh strawberries, cucumber and tomatoes and drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette. 

These adult-only pops are the perfect treat for pool parties. Macerated strawberries are blended with lime juice, rum and water and poured into molds until frozen. Since they need a few hours in the freezer, plan on making these ahead of time. 

This four-ingredient treat delivers all of the flavors of a strawberry shortcake without the fuss. Layer whipped cream with store-bought vanilla wafer cookies and boozy macerated strawberries to create personal parfaits. They’re light, bright and the perfect way to end a meal. 

These strawberry rhubarb pie bars hit all the buttery, jammy notes of a double-crust fruit pie but are far simpler to make. A single pie dough recipe does double duty as a bottom crust that’s pressed into the pan and a topping that’s strewn over the fruit filling. The dough comes together quickly in a bowl with no special equipment or pie-making prowess needed. 

If you’re looking for a fruity and festive drink for your next girl’s night, this pink-hued cocktail is just the thing. Fresh strawberries are muddled with sugar and lime juice before getting combined with rosé, elderflower liqueur and soda. Strain it into a wine glass filled with ice and garnish with a fresh strawberry to serve. 

All you need to make these fruity bars is one bowl, a whisk and fork. Yes, it’s that easy. The crust and crumble are made from the same dough, cutting down on time while ensuring buttery shortbread flavor in every bite. For the filling, we opt for store-bought strawberry jam. 

This tangy lemon loaf relies on both oil and yogurt to lend a lush texture that keeps the cake moist for days. The star of the show — the striking strawberry glaze — is what takes this cake to the next level. The secret to the glaze’s bold color and assertive flavor is using freeze-dried strawberries. 

We’re still not over the frosé trend of summers past. Crispy and cool, it’s the perfect cocktail when you’re sitting outside on a sweltering summer day. The fresh strawberries in this boozy slushy enhance all the fruity notes of the rosé wine.

There are so many ways to channel the flavors of strawberry shortcake. Here, in lieu of shortcakes, this recipe calls for serving strawberries and whipped cream on flaky biscuits. To enhance the flavor of the strawberries, mix them with bright guava jam. 

For a kid-friendly take on tiramisu, try this strawberry-infused version. Ladyfingers are dipped into strawberry milk instead of coffee and layered with pastry cream and fresh strawberries. Like the classic, this tiramisu gets better with some time in the refrigerator so plan on making it a day before serving. 

Overnight oats are the answer to your weekday breakfast woes. Made in minutes, the oats sit in the refrigerator until ready to eat the following morning. The joy of overnight oats is that you can make any flavor combination you want, but we think this strawberry-vanilla version is particularly delicious. 

Homemade strawberry breakfast pockets put the store-bought version to shame. With a flaky crust, the pockets are filled with strawberry jam and drizzled with a vanilla glaze and sprinkles. While we love these for breakfast, they’re also a great snack or dessert option. 

Trust us — grilled cheese is totally appropriate for dessert. Here, cream cheese and pastry cream are spread over griddled caramel brioche. To serve, top with a homemade strawberry coulis. 

For shortcut strawberry shortcakes in minutes, make use of store-bought biscuits. The most involved part of this recipe is letting the strawberries macerate in sugar, which brings out their natural sweetness. From there, spoon them over the biscuits with whipped cream. 

Lemonade is a classic summer refreshment that’s hard to improve on. That is, unless you turn it into a fruity cocktail with the help of bourbon and fresh strawberries. This simple recipe requires just four ingredients and takes just a few minutes to pull together, making it an ideal option to bring along to summer barbecues.

Peaches and strawberries come together to make a juicy crumble filling that screams summer. Topped with a pecan-studded crumble, it’s made in a cast-iron skillet and can go directly from oven to table. Serving it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is optional but encouraged. 

Yes, tomatoes are technically considered a fruit, which makes this summery side dish a fruit salad. Ripe Roma tomatoes are roasted in the oven with an unexpected combination of powdered sugar, salt, red pepper flakes and olive oil until collapsing and tender. Serve them with fresh strawberries, apple cider vinegar and fresh herbs. 

Al Roker’s take on strawberry shortcakes is as classic as they come. While the strawberries macerate in sugar, the cream biscuits bake in the oven. Serve them with a dollop of whipped cream and syrupy strawberries. 

These gorgeous swirled bars get their corn flavor from a cornmeal batter. After the batter is spread evenly in a baking dish, spoon a homemade pickled strawberry jam over the top and finish with freshly sliced strawberries. To get a head start on prep work, make the jam in advance. 

Fried chicken is a summer staple. This seasonal take calls for bringing the chicken in a fennel seed and bay leaf mixture before dusting them in crushed cornflakes and frying until golden brown. Pair with a sweet-and-sour sauce made from stewed strawberries and rhubarb. 

Strawberry milk is one of those drinks that kids and adults alike love. While it’s a little more involved than just combining strawberries and milk together, this recipe can be easily doubled or tripled making it well worth your while. For a little extra decadence, top the milk with whipped cream to serve. 

Nothing beats the fresh, fruity flavor of homemade jam. Juicy strawberries are perfect for preserving in this sweet spread to savor the summer fruit even longer. Use it on toast, biscuits, in cookies or bars. 

This sweet recipe elevates classic strawberry shortcake with a few simple swaps. The biscuits features honey in the dough, which adds a subtle sweetness. Serve them with crème fraîche whipped cream and lemon-scented macerated strawberries. 

The bulk of this easy pie is made with store-bought ingredients. After baking a flaky pie crust, fill it with strawberry ice cream, strawberry jam and a pile of fresh strawberries. To help cut the sweetness, drizzle the berries with balsamic vinegar. 

This pink drink is perfect for summer celebrations. Fragolì is a sweet liqueur made with wild strawberries. It can also be mixed with ginger ale instead of Prosecco for a less alcoholic but much sweeter version of this drink.

This delightful strawberry-rhubarb dessert has an unexpected addition — pistachio ice cream. The nutty flavor of the ice cream works perfectly with the springy flavors of the filling. While there are a few components to making this dish, you can prep both the ice cream and cobbler ahead of time and simply reheat it just before serving. 

These cool bars play into our childhood nostalgia when the ice cream truck would roll up on summer afternoons. Instead of popsicles, they’re made in bar form with a handful of pre-made ingredients. To make them, layer a cookie crust with vanilla ice cream, strawberry sorbet and freeze-dried strawberries. 

This decadent dish is the perfect way to upgrade brunch. Chocolate chips are folded into the batter, along with cocoa powder, to create the ultimate chocolate waffles. Serve them topped with cheesecake mousse, strawberry sauce and a heap of fresh berries. 

Pre-made cookies and store-bought ice cream come together to make an easy no-bake dessert. Sablé cookies are layered in a loaf pan with strawberry and vanilla ice cream and are frozen until firm. Keep it in the freezer until you’re ready to dig in and serve with whipped cream, fresh strawberries and crumbled cookies. 

This classic strawberry shortcake is the ultimate showstopper. The cake rounds are made like biscuits, just in a bigger form. Layer them with scoops of whipped cream and fresh strawberries. 

These five-ingredient bites are the ideal low-lift appetizer. Strawberries and goat cheese are drizzled with olive oil and thyme and baked until softened. Spread both on crusty bread for a sweet-meets-savory snack.

These cookies — from sweet treat mastermind Christina Tosi — channel all the flavors of a strawberry shortcake. Caramelized cookies are topped with chewy caramel, white chocolate, shortbread and of course, freeze-dried strawberries. While they’re far from traditional, these cookies offer a unique take on the classic dessert.

If you’re serving a crowd, there’s no better option come summer than an ice cream cake. This no-bake treat starts with a cookie crust and layers strawberry and vanilla ice cream, along with whipped cream. While you could use any combination of ice cream flavors, strawberry and vanilla are a classic duo. 

This decadent brunch delivers strawberries in three forms. The waffles are tinted red with food coloring to mimic the color of strawberries. Serve them stacked with homemade strawberry compote and strawberry icing. 

Homemade pop tarts are easier to make than you might expect. The pastry crust is made in a food processor and comes together quickly. Use store-bought strawberry jam for a no-fuss filling. 

Lemonade is the ultimate thirst-quencher on a hot summer’s day. While the classic is always welcome, why not make something a little more flavorful by adding fresh strawberries and basil to the mix? For an adults-only spin, add vodka too. 

For a real crowd-pleaser, turn to Martha Stewart’s take on strawberry shortcakes. Instead of individual servings, cut biscuits are placed close to each other on a sheet pan so that they create one giant biscuit once baked. Finish it off with vanilla bean whipped cream and macerated strawberries. 

Chocolate covered strawberries get an easy upgrade, thanks to one additional ingredient: sprinkles. After dipping the strawberries in melted chocolate, immediately dunk them in a bowl of sprinkles to ensure they adhere on all sides. 

There’s nothing green about this salad! This sweet treat layers a pretzel crust with a layer of sweetened cream cheese and strawberry-flavored jello made with real strawberries. Adults will love the retro vibes and kids will love the fact that there’s jello for dessert. 

Made with only four ingredients, this beloved dessert comes together quickly. The key here is using store-bought pound cake, which are toasted before layered with the classic toppings. Doing so prevents them from getting soggy and brings out nutty, buttery flavors. For even more flavor, let the strawberries macerate in sugar ahead of serving. 

Whether you’re looking for a drink for girl’s night or a summer barbecue, this cocktail is a real crowd-pleaser. To make it, muddle fresh strawberries and mix them with tarragon, lime juice, simple syrup and vodka. 

These punchy bars work equally well as dessert, as they do for a sweet breakfast treat. The lemon and lime layer adds a bit of tang while the strawberry jam adds a natural sweetness. Don’t skip the layer of fresh strawberries on top, which add texture and visual appeal to every bite. 

When you’re looking for something a little lighter to beat the heat, make these creamy coconut bars. With only a handful of ingredients, they come together quickly and can be made well in advance. For a sweeter flavor, use strawberry jam instead of fresh strawberries. 

There’s no shortage of great strawberry-flavored drinks come summertime. If you’re looking for a booze-free option, this punchy mocktail is a great option that will keep you cool on hot days. Just mix strawberry purée with ginger beer, lime juice and agave, then serve.