I love strawberries, they’re not the cheapest fruits you can get here in South Africa, so we don’t get them very often. When we do get strawberries, we enjoy them in a number of desserts and milkshakes/smoothies.
With that said, I thought we’d look at some smoothie and dessert recipes which use strawberries. Let’s get started!
Desserts
Let’s start out with desserts, shall we?
1. Strawberries and Cream
A classic! This is a super easy one to make – seriously, it’s a bowl of strawberries covered in cream! You don’t get much simpler than that, just don’t use whipped cream if you can avoid it. There’s nothing wrong with using it but it tastes better if you use actual cream.
2. Strawberries in Meringue / Lazy Strawberry Pavlova
Strawberries in meringue, is another very simple dessert, its literally strawberries dropped into circular meringues and coated in either sugar, cream, or chocolate sauce.
3. Strawberries in Chocolate Fondue
I haven’t had this one in ages! This is very easy to make, all you need is a handful of skewers, a pack of strawberries, and chocolate – the more the better. How do you make it?
Well, for starters, melt down a couple of big slabs of chocolate. Once the chocolate is melted down, take a strawberry and stick it on a skewer. You can see where this is going, right? Take the skewered strawberry and dip it into the chocolate.
Gordon Ramsey would probably call this one ‘idiot proof’ because it’s just that simple. The sweet, tangy strawberries mix with the rich chocolaty goodness to give you and your family a nice movie-night treat.
If you want to add a little extra sweetness, you can add marshmallows to the mix; just don’t put marshmallows and strawberries on the same stick (trust me, sugar overload waiting to happen).
4: Strawberry Ice Cream
In the summertime, when the weather is high, we eat ice cream! Seriously, who doesn’t like ice cream? Strawberries and ice cream go together very well and whether you eat it on its own or in co-ordination with other summertime treats… hmmm… jello, anyone?
Anyways, if you’d like to make this yourself, there’s a great recipe for it here.
5. Strawberry Pretzel Tart
So, a sort of cheesecake-type of dessert with a crushed pretzel base and a strawberry gelatin topping? Well…okay, a bit weird but I’m game.
The idea of strawberry slices in jello isn’t a new one – fruit in yoghurts and other treats are a common thing – but it’s a popular one just the same. I will admit, I’ve never heard of using crushed pretzels as a base for a dessert but this one looks too good not to try!
You can get the recipe for this one here.
6. Fresh Strawberry Pie
Not really a surprise to see a pie on the list is it? This one’s great because you can use a pre-made crust and just put the filling – strawberry slices in strawberry jello – into it, bake, and refrigerate.
Voila! Strawberry pie! Here’s a recipe for you!
7. Strawberry Pavlova
This strawberry pavlova, unlike the lazy pavlova we discussed earlier uses freshly made meringue instead of the store-bought, premade meringues. It’s absolutely mouth-watering!
It uses a meringue base which is filled with whipped cream and topped with strawberry slices. You also drizzle pureed strawberries over the strawberries for extra flavor.
You can get a recipe here.
8. Strawberry Cheesecake
Strawberries + cheesecake = scrumptious! A base of crushed biscuits and a filling of cream, cheese, and icing sugar.
Cheesecake has always been popular, and you can add extra color by splitting the filling into separate dishes and using differing amounts of food coloring to give each layer a different shade of color.
The topping of strawberries gives this one a nice sweetness to counter the tangy, slightly sour taste of the filling.
If you like cheesecake, then this is the recipe for you.
9. Victoria Sponge Loaf Cake
A two-layered sponge cake with generous coatings of strawberry jam and whipped cream and topped with strawberry slices.
I don’t know about you guys, but that sounds really good to me! This is one that you have to try, here’s a good recipe for you, if you’re interested.
10. Strawberry and Pistachio Olive Oil Cake
If you’re on a gluten-free diet, or you just want a treat that isn’t too sweet. Pistachio nuts are a popular topping for certain ice creams, and I can see why. Unfortunately, we don’t get them very often here in South Africa because they are very expensive here – or at least they were when I last checked. Anyways, if you want a good recipe to use, you can get one here.
11. Strawberry Cupcakes
Cupcakes are a standard teatime or birthday treat that everyone loves – at least, everyone I know loves them. Cupcakes with bits of finely chopped strawberries topped with pretty pink icing and a strawberry on top. What’s not to like?
Get a recipe here.
12. Chocolate-dipped Strawberries
Similar to the chocolate fondue we looked at earlier, this one involves dipping strawberries into melted chocolate. The difference is that here you’re allowing the chocolate to harden and then adding a drizzle of icing sugar or whatever you like.
Sound good? Well, here’s the recipe for you.
13. Strawberry Jellies and Ice Cream
Jelly and ice cream, this is such a common dessert in my family that we even have a joke about it.
This one is simple enough; strawberry jelly with slices of strawberries in it, topped with ice cream. This recipe uses elderflower ice cream, but you can substitute that for vanilla or whatever you want.
There’s a recipe here for you.
14. Strawberry Mousse
I have a feeling we all know what chocolate mousse is, this is pretty much the same thing. The only real differences are the color – a nice pink – and the flavor.
There is, after all, a huge difference between chocolate and strawberry flavors… unless you have a strawberry flavored chocolate.
There are also a handful of other ingredients: Lemon juice, pistachio nuts, etc. which you don’t get in chocolate mousse.
You can find a recipe here.
15. Strawberry Tart
A homemade pastry with a crème patissiere filling and topped with strawberries…lots and lots of strawberries. Yum! I’m a huge fan of tarts in general so this is a big win in my book.
Here’s a recipe for you to try at home.
16. Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
I’m not a breakfast person by any means, but if there’s yogurt in the fridge; I’m chowing. With that in mind, when you combine frozen yogurt and strawberries? Man, oh man, I’m definitely getting some of that!
Here’s the recipe for you.
17. Strawberry Panna Cotta
This creamy Italian dessert is something else. I don’t always get a chance to try international desserts but recently my sisters prepared some panna cotta for my mom’s 50th birthday party and, well, let’s just say that we were all a little sad when it was all gone.
So, what is a panna cotta? A panna cotta is an Italian dessert that has two layers. The bottom layer is a mixture of milk, sugar, yogurt, and gelatin – with a bit of vanilla thrown in for good measure. The top layer is like a jam/jelly of sorts which is applied separately once it’s cooled.
If you haven’t tried this, you really should. You can get a recipe for strawberry panna cotta here.
18. Giant Strawberry Shortcake
Sponge cake and shortbread in one? YES PLEASE! This one is alternating layers of sponge cake and shortbread. Perfect for teatime, parties, or just casual snacking.
Considering what it’s made of, I can safely say it would be gone in a few days in my household.
All jokes aside, you can get a recipe here.
19. Strawberry Dessert Nachos
Yes, this is a real thing that someone put together. It looks like a sugar overload waiting to happen and if that’s what you’re looking for then this might be for you. If you’d like to try it yourself, you can get a recipe for it here.
20. Strawberry Dessert Tostada
A flour tortilla filled with sugar and strawberries and drizzled in chocolate sauce. This one looks like a sort of crepe or pancake and that’s enough reason for me to try it.
You can get the recipe here.
21. 5 Minute Strawberry Dessert
Whipped cream, strawberries, and finger biscuits… do I need to say more? Finger biscuits are a family favorite so when you combine that with the sweet tanginess of strawberries and the smoothness of cream; that’s a win!
If you want to try it for yourself, you can get a recipe here.
22. Strawberry Lemonade Pie
If you’re looking for a use for excess lemonade concentrate, you can’t go wrong with this one. It’s a nice blend of flavors using strawberries, lemonade, condensed milk and a few other bits and bobs to give you a sweet, tangy party in your mouth.
Try this recipe here if you don’t believe me.
23. Strawberry Angel Food Dessert
An angel food cake with a layer of cream cheese and sugar and topped with a strawberry glaze and chilled. This is a nice simple dessert that will be a solid win at teatime with friends and/or family.
If you want to try it, here’s a recipe for you.
24. Strawberry Cheesecake Trifles
A simple one to make, this one involves using cubes of cake, and a cream cheese/sugar/whipped cream mix, and, of course, strawberries to form a cheesecake dessert that’s absolutely divine!
Try it yourself, here’s a recipe.
25. Strawberry Shortcake Ice Pops
The name says it all, you’re making frozen strawberry shortcake lollies. Considering how it’s headed into summer and we’re reaching temperatures in the late 20s, this sounds like quite a plan to me!
Check out this recipe if you want to try it.
26. Strawberry Kiwi Tartlets
This is a very simple dessert, strawberries in puff pastry shells and topped with kiwi sauce…boy, that sounds really good. Kiwi isn’t something we find often in South Africa but in this case, I’d be willing to go on a scavenger hunt or two!
Here’s the recipe if you want to try it.
27. Strawberry Shooters
Is this a cheat? Maybe but I’m adding it anyways! This probably the easiest one on the list so far. Amaretto Liqueur, strawberries, and whipped cream.
How do you do it? Simply remove the cores from the strawberries, fill them with the liqueur and top with whipped cream.
This recipe uses Amaretto Liqueur, but I’d imagine that you can use whatever liquor you prefer so give it a shot and see what you think.
28. Strawberries and Ice Cream
This one isn’t really a recipe but I can’t do a list and not include it. A simple treat of strawberries and vanilla ice cream, this one is sweet and tasty, and perfect for summer.
If you don’t have vanilla ice cream on hand you can use whatever you do have; I just find that vanilla works best.
The strawberries can be either whole or sliced and you can top it all off with chocolate or caramel sauces – whichever you prefer.
29. Strawberry Crack Salad
Strawberry crack salad…no, not the drug – that would be inappropriate – although, this is an addictive dessert.
Still, the ‘crack’ in the name comes from the crunchy toffee type stuff made from crushed pretzels and pecan nuts (yes, really) that have been coated in melted butter and brown sugar and baked.
The strawberries and crunch are accompanied by a cream cheese filling which adds a nice bit of texture and flavor.
It looks good and tastes great, try it yourself; here’s the recipe.
Smoothies
30. Vegan Strawberry Smoothie
Let’s start off the smoothie section with something simple, shall we? This one combines pureed/blitzed strawberries with a bit of banana and orange juice for a tasty fruit treat which can be enjoyed anytime you like.
Give it a try with this recipe and see how you like it.
31. Strawberry and Banana Almond Smoothie
Strawberries, banana, AND almonds?! Sign me up! The strawberries, bananas, and almonds provide a nice sweetness while the addition of yogurt and milk to the mix adds a nice creamy texture to the smoothie. It’s also ridiculously easy to make!
You literally add all the ingredients to a food processor and blitz the mixture to a smooth texture. After that, it’s a simple case of pouring it into a glass and enjoying it.
Sweet, creamy, healthy goodness that can be enjoyed anywhere, anytime! Try it out, here’s a recipe for you!
32. Avocado and Strawberry Smoothie
I’m…not so sure how I feel about this one. Don’t get me wrong, I love avocado – especially with nachos but the idea of mixing it into a smoothie with strawberries is a little weird to me.
Still, this one looks good and the mixture of avo and strawberries gives it a sweet taste and creamy texture. It’s a low-calorie smoothie that’s rich in calcium. Try it yourself with this recipe and see what you think.
33. Strawberry Green Goddess
This is even weirder than the previous entry. For this one you’re combining strawberries, avocado, and, get this, spinach. Yes, you read that correctly, spinach in a smoothie. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the previous entry but this one has me skeptical. That said, there’s only one way to know for sure and that’s to try it so, with that in mind, here’s a recipe for you to do exactly that.
34. Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie
Okay, so technically speaking this is more than strawberries and kiwi. There’s also vanilla frozen yogurt, orange and pineapple juice, and bananas in it. Preparation is simple enough, place your ingredients in a blender and blend until you have a nice, smooth texture.
You can get the recipe here.
35. Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie
This one has a weird mixture of strawberries, bananas, chocolate syrup, and yogurt. You add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. I’m not so sure I’d add chocolate syrup to a fruit/yogurt mix.
That said, try it for yourself with this recipe.
36. Strawberry Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie
Rich in flavor, this one is a quick, easy breakfast for those of us who don’t really have time for a bowl of cereal in the morning. This recipe uses soy milk, but you should be able to substitute it with normal milk if that’s what you want. You also use oatmeal, strawberries, banana, sugar, and vanilla extract – yummy!
You can get the recipe for this one here.
37. Strawberry, Banana, Peanut Butter Smoothie
Okay, seriously, what’s with all these smoothies using bananas? They’re strawberry smoothies! Well, this one is a bit weird, but it looks good, plain yogurt, strawberries, banana, and peanut butter, and you have a tasty treat for whenever you like.
You can get the recipe here.
38. Strawberry & Raspberry Smoothie
Vanilla yogurt, strawberries, raspberries, and honey can give you a really sweet, fruity treat for whenever you like. It’s quick, simple thing to mix and is highly nutritious. If you like raspberries and strawberries, you’ll love this one!
Give it a try with this recipe and see what you think.
39. Asian Pear & Strawberry
Another one-step prep deal, this smoothie has a nice blend of strawberry and pear flavors which complement each other nicely with neither one overpowering the other. If that sounds good to you then check out this recipe.
40. Strawberry Mango Smoothie
Strawberries and mangoes? Yes, please! I’ve always enjoyed mangoes, they’ve got a sweet flavor with just a hint of tartness to them. When you add the sweetness of strawberries to the mix…you win, I’m sold!
Get the recipe here.
41. Strawberry Carrot Smoothie
Carrots…in smoothies…yes, this is a real thing. Okay, so carrots are high in fiber and Vitamin C which makes them a healthy choice of ingredient for a smoothie. They also have a nice sweetness to them which goes well with strawberries.
You can get a recipe for this one here.
42. Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie
Okay, this probably doesn’t look too appetizing but, it’s strawberries and watermelon – two of my favorite fruits – so I’m willing to take a crack at it. The sugary taste of the watermelon and the sweet/sour flavor of the strawberries go well together.
Seriously, try this one; you can get the recipe here.
43. Strawberry, Banana, and Granola Smoothie
Back to breakfast! Strawberries, banana, and a granola mix provides a sweet, creamy breakfast that’s light, quick and filling. If that sounds like something you would like or need in the mornings, then you’re in luck. Here’s the recipe.
44. Simple Strawberry Smoothie
Strawberries, plain yogurt, cranberries, and strawberry jam…I couldn’t think of a better (or simpler) combination. It’s rich, it’s sweet, and it’s creamy, and you literally can’t get any better than that!
Here’s the recipe for you!
45. Strawberry Kale Smoothie
Yes, you read that correctly. This smoothie recipe adds spinach and kale to strawberries, banana, and pineapple to provide a very healthy snack. If that sounds like something you’d like to try then here’s the recipe for you.
46. Strawberry Orange Banana Smoothie
Strawberries mixed with a bit of orange juice and banana for a healthy, smooth, and flavorful drink that’s perfect anytime, anywhere. It’s simple to make and it’s great for vitamin C, and potassium levels.
Give it a try here.
47. Strawberries and Cream Smoothie
The classic dessert returns as a smoothie! Rich in protein, this one tastes great and is easy to make. This smoothie recipe is aimed at breakfasts (yes, please) but I’m sure you can find an excuse to make one anytime, am I right?
Anyways, here’s the recipe for you!
48. Strawberry Lemonade Smoothie
Strawberries and lemonade, do I need to explain why this is a good idea? You’ve got two popular summer treats – strawberries and lemonade – in one drink. I don’t think it can get much better than that.
Here’s a recipe for you to try it yourself.
49. Immune-Boosting Strawberry Smoothie
If you’re like me, then your immune system is probably not the greatest. With that in mind, this smoothie is packed with fiber, minerals, and vitamin C. It’s both tasty and healthy. It’s also, if you play your cards right, a fresh treat – no pre-packaged, processed stuff here.
Try it with this recipe and see what you think.
50. 3-Ingredient Strawberry Smoothie
Quick and simple, a mixture of frozen strawberries, milk, and strawberry fruit spread (jam/marmalade) provides a sweet, creamy flavor that’s hard to refuse. The use of frozen strawberries means you don’t have to use ice in your smoothies – so no loss of flavor occurs when it melts.
You can grab this recipe here, and try it at home for yourself.
51. Roasted Strawberry Peach Smoothie
Peaches are a common enough fruit in South Africa, they’re also a very popular one. This one’s sweet, tasty, and super easy to make. The only ingredients you’ll need are strawberries, peaches, and apple juice. The roasting process caramelizes the fruit slightly, making it a sweet treat to add to the smoothies…yum!
Here’s the recipe for you.
There are Many More to Choose From!
The best part about lists like this one is that the number of smoothie and dessert recipes will keep increasing as people keep experimenting so it may be that someone comes along and adds more recipes to make our mouths water! I hope you guys enjoyed this list and that it gave you some ideas to try.
As always, thanks for reading and I’ll see you for the next one. Take care, and happy snacking!
Greg is a South African farmer and homesteader who’s been around animals ever since he can remember. he’s also an avid camper and hiker.