15 best strawberry recipes

When are strawberries in season?

British strawberry season runs from late May-September. Sure, you can buy strawberries year-round, but if you’ve ever bitten into a rock-hard berry in winter, you’ll know it’s worth waiting to taste the ripe fruit in their prime.

How should I store strawberries?

Store shop-bought strawberries in the container they came in, in the vegetable drawer of your fridge, to keep them at their best. Grown your own or been strawberry picking? Keep the berries in a clean, shallow tub, lined with a few sheets of kitchen paper to absorb any excess moisture.

How long do strawberries last after picking them?

Keep the berries cool and dry in your fridge (see above) and they should last for 5-7 days. Don’t wash them until you’re ready to use them, as any additional moisture is the enemy of a firm berry.

What’s the best way to core a strawberry?

It’s not essential to core a strawberry, as the core – and indeed every part of the berry (including the leaves, which you can use in smoothies, milkshakes or our strawberry-top syrup) – is edible. If you do want to core a strawberry, use a paring knife to cut a circle closely around the top of the stem, then lift out the core with the tip of your knife.

Can I freeze strawberries?

Absolutely. To freeze fresh strawberries, first wash and dry them. Remove the stems, then slice the berries (or keep whole) and freeze in a single layer on a tray lined with baking paper. This stops the berries clumping together. Once frozen, you can tip them into a resealable freezer bag or container and freeze for up to six months. Frozen strawberries are best used in smoothies, milkshakes and other recipes where their appearance isn’t key, as they will go a bit squishy once defrosted.

Are strawberries good for you?

You bet! Strawberries are a good source of vitamin C. They’re also a source of fibre, potassium, folate (vitamin B9) and magnesium.

Three easy ways to boost the flavour of strawberries

Macerate them

• By tossing them strawberries in sugar and leaving them to sit for a while, you not only get juicier, sweeter berries but you’re also left with a natural syrup to drizzle. The sugar attracts the moisture in the berry, drawing it out. The sugar then dissolves into the liquid, some of which gets sucked back into the fruit (to make it sweeter) while the rest forms a syrup around it.
• Stick with just sugar (roughly 2 tbsp per 400g strawberries), or add a splash of liquid (lemon juice, balsamic vinegar or booze) to create more syrup with additional flavour.
• Just five minutes of maceration will turn your berries bright, shiny and juicy, but leave them for a few hours and they’ll be swimming in a pool of delicious syrup. Leave them even longer and the berries themselves will start to collapse and possibly go too soft – but you’ll have a huge amount of syrup, bursting with fresh strawberry flavour.

Cook them briefly

• Strawberries are a bit of an all-or-nothing ingredient in the kitchen: you either simmer them for hours on a high heat (to make jam) or eat them raw. Jam aside, cooking strawberries tends to turn them mushy and dull their taste. Subjecting the berries briefly to heat, however, can work wonders – provided you don’t overdo it.
• Roasting strawberries in a 160°C fan/gas 4 oven for as little as 10 minutes is enough to caramelise their sugars without breaking down the fruit completely.
• Gently simmering them in liquid (alcohol, syrup, juice or vinegar) will plump them up and make them juicier.
• While frying is generally too fierce for this delicate fruit, you can flash-fry for a minute or two with a reduced syrup to glaze and coat them before they start to collapse.

Pair strawberries with other flavours

• Strawberries and cream work so well together because of the contrast – in texture and flavour. Strawberries are sweet, tart, acidic and fresh; cream is mellow, smooth and rich. The differences highlight the best qualities of both. Whether they contrast or complement the flavours already present, the following ingredients elevate that beautiful berry flavour even further.
• Black pepper: a grind or two in sweet, fruity dishes is always welcome. It adds a subtle, prickly heat without affecting other flavours too much, opening up the palate and allowing the sweetness of strawberries in. Try it in this strawberry, clotted cream and black pepper tart.
• Balsamic vinegar is full of sweet acidity (which complements) and umami (which contrasts) and, while it’s not an obvious pairing here in the UK, it’s been enjoyed in Italy for decades. The vinegar’s complexity adds layers and depth to the flavour of the berries while tempering the sweetness.
• Herbs such as basil and mint are natural matches for strawberries – basil is full of herbal, fragrant sweetness, while mint adds its powerful fresh menthol flavour. Topping a strawberry dessert with just a few little leaves of either looks pretty and tastes beautiful.

15 of the best strawberry recipes

Strawberry chocolate cake
Three classic cake flavours in one bake? Yes, please. Our strawberry lemon drizzle cake with thick chocolate icing is the joyful birthday cake you need to keep strawberry lovers, chocaholics and lemon drizzle aficionados all happy at the same time.

Strawberry dutch baby with strawberry-top syrup
A dutch baby is a giant baked pancake with puffy edges and a cratered centre just waiting to be filled with goodies. Try it filled with fresh berries, scoops of ice cream and a quick syrup that uses up usually-discarded strawberry tops, including the leaves.

Eton mess roulade
Eton mess is one of the simplest – and best – desserts on earth. Just whipped cream, meringues and berries: what could be better? Well, how about adding cake? Our roulade tucks the eton mess trio inside a delicate vanilla sponge for the ultimate summertime bake.

Strawberry daiquiri
If you love a classic daiquiri made with lime, rum and simple syrup, you’ll love this strawberry version. The scarlet drink is made with fresh strawbs – and as they’re getting shaken up, is a great way to use up some squishy berries. Put those same heady cocktail flavours to work in this gorgeous strawberry daiquiri tart, too.

Strawberry and ricotta pancakes
Start the weekend right with a stack of fluffy strawberry and ricotta pancakes, drizzled with a strawberry and thyme syrup. Yes, that’s right, strawberries in the pancakes AND the sauce. Why not scatter extra berries over the top while you’re at it?

Strawberry tart
Expert baker Nicola Lamb‘s strawberry tart is a next-level version of the popular dessert. Think roasted strawberries, a rich custard filling and incredible golden brioche pastry. Follow the step-by-step photos in our recipe to nail the pretty plaited edges.

Strawberry jam
Got a glut of fruit from the pick-your-own farm? Learn how to make classic strawberry jam with our step-by-step recipe. Decant into sterilised jam jars and give some as gifts.

Burrata with balsamic strawberries
Just five minutes and five ingredients, and this gorgeous starter will be ready to serve. Pair creamy burrata with juicy strawberries, basil and a dash of maple syrup and balsamic vinegar.

Strawberry milkshake
Swap sugary shop-bought milkshakes for this healthier homemade version. All you need is fresh or frozen berries, ripe bananas, yogurt and milk.

Strawberry and vanilla summer crumble
Who says crumbles are just for the colder months? This gorgeous summer crumble is bursting with fresh strawberries and a hint of vanilla. Perfect with a dollop of clotted cream.

Strawberry sandwich cake
Give a victoria sponge a summer spin with a strawberry and rose-scented cream filling. Scatter with sugared rose petals to finish. Beautiful.

Buttermilk strawberry shortcake
Shortcakes are crisp, buttery rounds, somewhere between shortbread and a scone in texture. They’re also the perfect vessel for a big dollop of cream and some juicy berries.

Strawberry and clotted cream cheesecake
Use that timeless strawberries and cream pairing in this gorgeous cheesecake. The clotted cream adds unbeatable silkiness to the baked cheesecake, while a dash of sherry vinegar brings welcome acidity to the roasted strawberries on the side.

Strawberry ice cream sundae
Why stick to plain scoops when you can tuck into a DIY ice cream sundae? Our epic strawberry sundae includes homemade ice cream, crumbly shortbread and a glossy strawberry and cassis sauce. Need a quicker fix? Try our 10-minute strawberry ice cream sandwich.

Strawberry smoothie
Squidgy, imperfect berries, this is your time to shine! Leave the photogenic specimens for other recipes and use up those wonky-but-perfectly-delicious strawberries in a smoothie. Our easy strawberry smoothie recipe is made with bananas, oats, yogurt and orange juice.

Browse our complete strawberry recipes collection for even more bakes, desserts and delicious sweet-savoury dishes.