Strawberry recipes turn ripe, juicy berries into homemade jam, strawberry topping, lemonade, and summer cocktails. These are the strawberry recipes I make every year when local berries come in.
My rule for strawberries: buy them ripe and use them fast. Strawberries do not keep ripening after they are picked, so when you find good ones, make jam or freeze them that day.
viral recipe!
Strawberry Jam with Sure-Jell
My most popular strawberry recipe; classic homemade strawberry jam with Sure-Jell pectin that works with fresh or frozen berries.
Strawberry Jam, Topping, and Syrup
Jam is where most of my strawberries go. My strawberry jam with Sure-Jell is the classic, and my strawberry rhubarb jam is the one I make when my rhubarb patch and strawberry season overlap.
My strawberry topping takes 4 ingredients and about 25 minutes, and it goes on everything from cheesecake to pancakes. The 2-ingredient strawberry simple syrup is how I sweeten iced tea, lemonade, and cocktails.
Strawberry Desserts
My strawberry rhubarb crisp bakes in a cast iron skillet, so there is only one pan to clean. Serve it warm with a scoop of ice cream.
For something fun, try my take on strawberry tanghulu, candied strawberries with a crisp sugar shell. My chilled strawberry soup is my version of the one served at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort.
Strawberry Lemonade, Tea, and Mocktails
Fresh strawberries make some of the best non-alcoholic summer drinks. My homemade strawberry lemonade uses fresh berries, tart lemons, and a simple homemade syrup, and my strawberry iced tea is made with real strawberries.
My take on strawberry agua fresca started with a cold cup from a street cart in Mexico. For parties, the sparkling strawberry mocktail with lemon and mint comes together fast.
Strawberry Cocktails
My frozen strawberry daiquiri is the cocktail readers ask me about most once summer hits. The strawberry mimosa takes 3 ingredients and about 5 minutes, and I make the strawberry puree ahead for brunch.
When rhubarb and strawberries overlap, make my strawberry rhubarb margarita with homemade rhubarb syrup and fresh lime juice.
How do you wash strawberries?
Wait until right before you use them. Rinse the berries in a colander under cool running water with the green tops still on, then pat them dry and hull them.
Washing before you store them adds moisture, and wet strawberries mold faster in the refrigerator.
Can I use frozen strawberries in these recipes?
Yes, for jam, topping, syrup, daiquiris, and lemonade. Frozen strawberries release more juice and turn soft as they thaw, so they work best in recipes that are cooked or blended.
For more ideas, see what to do with frozen strawberries, and use my guide on how to freeze strawberries when you have more than you can use.
How do I make strawberry topping for shortcake?
Hull and slice the berries, then cook them with sugar until they break down into a glossy sauce. My strawberry topping has the exact amounts and takes about 25 minutes.
Can I can homemade strawberry jam?
Yes. Follow the water bath canning instructions on my Sure-Jell strawberry jam recipe card exactly, and add processing time if you live above 1,000 feet in elevation.
Check that every lid has sealed once the jars cool. Refrigerate any jar that did not seal, along with any jar once you open it.
When is strawberry season?
Local strawberry season usually runs from late spring into early summer, depending on where you live.
Look for berries that are red all the way to the stem with fresh green caps. Skip any that are white at the shoulders or soft in spots.