There is a very short window every year when strawberries are so good you almost don’t want to do anything but eat them over the sink fresh from the colander.
And then, standing there thinking, I can’t help but think about swoopy hipped cream in strawberry shortcake, and the way baked strawberries taste with a buttery oat crumble in a strawberry pie.
Friends, strawberry desserts are one of summer’s great gifts. Whether you’ve just come home from the farmer’s market with all the berries money could buy (it happens every single time) or you’re looking for something worth making on a warm Saturday afternoon, this is the list for you. These are my best strawberry dessert recipes: pies, cakes, shortcakes, bars, and one truly excellent no-bake situation.
Grab your berries. Let’s get into it!
Strawberry Pies, Crisps & Cobblers
There is nothing more summer than a strawberry pie cooling on the counter. These recipes lean into that seasonal magic without making you sweat (too much) for it.
My Best Strawberry Crumble Pie
This is the one. A jammy, bubbling strawberry filling under a buttery crumble top that manages to add a crispy pie topping and help thicken the strawberry juices as the pie cakes. I’ve made this pie more times than I can count, and it never disappoints. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and sneak a slice to the side to have with coffee in the morning..
| Reader Review | “It is definitely 5 stars.” – Janet |
| Prep Time | 2 hours |
| Cook Time | 45-50 min |
| Total Time | 2 hrs 45 min |
| Yield | 1 9-inch pie |
| Category | Pie |
Peanut Butter and Strawberry Jam Cobbler
I know. I know! Just trust me. This cobbler leans hard into the peanut butter and jelly energy we all grew up with, but in the most grown-up, dessert-appropriate way. It’s unexpected with cookies bakes on top of juicy strawberries. It fully works and, it’s FUN!
| Reader Review | “This was honestly the best thing ever. If you’re reading this, MAKE IT!” – Allison |
| Prep Time | 20 min |
| Cook Time | 35 min |
| Total Time | 55 min |
| Yield | Serves 9 |
| Category | Fruit |
Strawberry Cakes & Sheet Cakes
Cake is always the right answer. Especially when it’s pink.
My Favorite Easy Strawberry Sheet Cake
This cake is my go-to for any summer gathering that requires feeding more than four people without losing my mind. What a sheet cake won’t do! It starts with a white cake mix, gets a boost from strawberry Jell-O and sour cream, and finishes with a cream cheese frosting you will absolutely want to eat straight from the bowl. Very Southern. Very church picnic.
| Reader Review | “I’ve made this cake for my girls 3 years in a row and they ask for it every birthday!” – Sabine |
| Prep Time | 20 min |
| Cook Time | 30 min |
| Total Time | 50 min |
| Yield | 12-16 servings |
| Category | Cake |
Strawberry Pie Bars
Everything you love about strawberry pie in a shareable, hand-held format that travels well to picnics, potlucks, and any occasion where a whole pie feels like too much commitment. A buttery shortbread base (that doubles as the crumble topping!), plus a fresh strawberry filling that’s perfectly sweetened and thickened. Genuinely one of the easiest bakes on this list, without compromising deliciousness!
| Reader Review | “This recipe was absolutely divine with fresh picked strawberries!” – Candace |
| Prep Time | 30 min |
| Cook Time | 35 min |
| Total Time | 1 hr 5 min |
| Yield | 9-12 bars |
| Category | Fruit |
Almond Flour Whipped Ricotta Strawberry Bars
These bars are gluten-free, which is almost beside the point once you taste them. The whipped ricotta layer is creamy and delicate in a way that makes the strawberries on top feel like they fruit jewels.
| Reader Review | “This was so easy to put together and my family gave it 4 thumbs up.” – Anneka |
| Prep Time | 25 min |
| Cook Time | 16-18 min |
| Total Time | 45 min |
| Yield | 9-12 bars |
| Category | Gluten-Free |
Strawberry Shortcakes
Shortcake season deserves its own section. Full stop.
Dad’s Biscuits Make the Best Strawberry Shortcake
The secret to a truly great strawberry shortcake isn’t the strawberries. It’s the biscuit. This recipe uses my dad’s biscuit formula, which produces a tender, flaky, buttery base that turns peak-season berries and a cloud of whipped cream into something genuinely special. It’s a classic combination, at its very best (imho).
| Reader Review | “Holy moly, I just made these and they are AMAZING. 1000000/1000000.” – Kat |
| Prep Time | 40 min |
| Cook Time | 18 min |
| Total Time | 1 hour |
| Yield | 9-12 biscuits |
| Category | Bread, Summer, Brunch |
Snickerdoodle Strawberry Shortcakes
What happens when you swap the classic biscuit for a giant biscuity snickerdoodle? This. The cinnamon-sugar cookie base adds a warmth that plays beautifully against bright, fresh strawberries. A fun twist on a classic that earns its place at any summer table.
| Reader Review | “You just schooled every shortcake I’ve ever had. Love this!” – Erin |
| Prep Time | 30 min |
| Cook Time | 12 min |
| Total Time | 45 min |
| Yield | 6 shortcakes |
| Category | Dessert, Cookies |
No-Bake Strawberry Desserts
For the days when the oven simply isn’t invited.
Strawberry Malt Icebox Cake
I’m a sucker for malt flavors. Layers of malted whipped cream and fresh peak-season strawberries, chilled until the whole thing becomes sliceable and dreamlike. Halfway between a shortcake and a milkshake in the best possible way. No oven, the effort of slicing berries and layering cookies, and genuinely spectacular results!
| Reader Review | “Made this for my book club and everyone LOVED it, including me!” – Morgan |
| Prep Time | 20 min |
| Cook Time | Overnight chill |
| Total Time | 12-24 hours |
| Yield | 8 servings |
| Category | Cake, Summer, Birthday |
No-Bake Eton Mess Sundaes
A deconstructed British classic that requires zero oven time. Crushed meringue, fresh peak-season strawberries, and softly whipped cream layered in sundae glasses. It looks like you tried very hard. You did not.
| Reader Review | “These No-Bake Eton Mess Sundaes look like the perfect Mother’s Day treat…” – Shummi Claire |
| Prep Time | 15 min |
| Cook Time | None |
| Total Time | 15 min |
| Yield | 4 servings |
| Category | No-Bake, Summer, Strawberry |
Recipes Using Freeze-Dried Strawberries
Even when fresh strawberries aren’t at their peak, freeze-dried strawberries deliver an intensely concentrated flavor to baked goods year-round. These are the recipes where freeze-dried berries are the star.
Taylor Swift’s Strawberry White Chocolate Chai Sugar Cookies
What started as a Swiftie tribute became a full-on baking obsession. Freeze-dried strawberries fold into a chai-spiced sugar cookie dough finished with white chocolate chips. Fragrant, fun, and genuinely hard to eat just one.
| Reader Review | “These are amazing! Based on other previous reviews I also only used 2 cups of flour and they turned out perfectly.” – Peyton |
| Prep Time | 1 hr 30 min |
| Cook Time | 12 min |
| Total Time | 1 hr 42 min |
| Yield | about 20 cookies |
| Category | Cookies, Strawberry, Freeze-Dried |
The No-Bake Neapolitan Birthday Cake
A celebration cake that requires zero oven time. Chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry layers of no-bake cheesecake filling make this the birthday cake that earns the loudest compliments and the quietest recipe requests.
| Reader Review | “I have a friend who can’t eat eggs. I always make Rice Krispie treats for her. Now I can make a cake! Thank you.” – Jennie |
| Prep Time | 20 min |
| Cook Time | None |
| Total Time | 1 hr 20 min |
| Yield | 8-12 nice slices |
| Category | No-Bake, Birthday, Freeze-Dried |
Dede’s Strawberry Pistachio Doberge Cake
A New Orleans-style doberge cake with alternating layers of strawberry and pistachio, inspired by the legendary Dede’s Bakery. Freeze-dried strawberries are what give the filling its deep pink color and concentrated flavor.
| Reader Review | “YES, my Mother turns 90 next week and she loves strawberries. So this will be her cake. Thank You.” – Debbie |
| Prep Time | 4 hours or overnight |
| Cook Time | 25 min |
| Total Time | 4 hours 25 min |
| Yield | 8 to 12 slices |
| Category | Cake, Strawberry, Freeze-Dried |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best strawberry desserts for a crowd?
Sheet cakes and bars are your best friends here. The Strawberry Sheet Cake and Strawberry Pie Bars both travel well, slice easily, and can be made a day ahead. The icebox cake is also a great make-ahead option, and it actually improves overnight.
Can I use frozen strawberries in these recipes?
For pies, cobblers, and crisps, absolutely. Thaw them first and drain the excess liquid so your filling doesn’t get watery. For shortcakes and no-bake desserts, fresh strawberries will always give you better results in both flavor and texture.
What is the easiest strawberry dessert to make?
The Strawberry Sheet Cake is probably the most accessible since it starts with a cake mix and comes together quickly. The Strawberry Malt Icebox Cake is a close second: no baking required, and it mostly assembles itself.
How do I store strawberry desserts?
Most of these keep well refrigerated for 2 to 3 days. The pies and crumbles are best the day of or day after baking. The icebox cake and bars actually improve after a night in the fridge.
xo, Joy
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