36 Ways To Turn Berries Into a Spectacular Summer Dessert

By Southern Living Editors
July 21, 2017
Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick / Food Styling Marian Cooper Cairns

Nothing beats a bowl of fresh summer berries—that is, unless you have the idea to take those berries and make them into an irresistible dessert. Fresh berries are one of the truest treasures of Southern summers, and turning your farm stand finds into tasty treats is easier than you think. So if you get a little carried away at the market and end up with a basket of berries (or three), why not transform them into one of our most popular berry dessert recipes?

From frozen desserts that are sure to cool you down, like our homemade strawberry ice cream to baked berry-studded classics, like the quintessential blackberry cobbler, these fresh berry dessert ideas are sure to have everyone asking for seconds. Back to the market!

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Cakey Strawberry Cobbler

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Cakey Strawberry Cobbler

You'll always want to use cakey batter for your cobblers after seeing how beautifully it puffs up around fresh strawberries—oh, and how delicious it tastes. 

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Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

Credit: Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

Lemon and blueberry are flavors matched in heaven, and this stunning Bundt topped with a bright berry glaze does the duo justice.

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Mixed Berry Slab Pie

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen

Recipe: Mixed Berry Slab Pie

Feed a crowd without sacrificing any style with this slab pie that features raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. The trifecta. 

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Strawberry Brownies

Credit: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Margaret Dickey, Prop Styling: Kay E Clarke

Recipe: Strawberry Brownies

Get the best of both worlds with these fudgy treats made with fresh strawberries, brownie batter, and a no-bake chocolate topping. 

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Blackberry Gelato

Credit: Helen Norman

Recipe: Blackberry Gelato

Created by Blackberry Farm, an award-winning luxury hotel and resort in eastern Tennessee, this recipe is made with vanilla gelato and swirls of homemade blackberry purée.

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Deep-Dish Berry Cobbler

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Deep-Dish Berry Cobbler

Deep-dish means there is more for everyone—and this three-berry cobbler is too good to ration. Lattice crust makes it pretty as a picnic. 

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Strawberry Icebox Cake

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Recipe: Strawberry Icebox Cake

Layers of store-bought chocolate wafer cookies, homemade whipped cream flavored with strawberry jam, and fresh strawberries create this towering masterpiece fit for a feast. 

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TennTucky Blackberry Cobbler Sundaes

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: TennTucky Blackberry Cobbler Sundaes

Savor in-season blackberries in this cobbler-turned-sundae that’s bursting with berry flavor and a caramel surprise.

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Fried Blueberry-Ginger Hand Pies

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Fried Blueberry-Ginger Hand Pies

These hand pies are made with a fresh ginger to give the berry filling a dash of heat that’s sure to sizzle at any summer soirée.

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Strawberry-Pretzel Icebox Pie

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Strawberry-Pretzel Icebox Pie

Sweet strawberry flavor meets pretzels and salt to create an irresistible and refreshing dessert. Top it with whipped cream, and you’ll have a hard time walking away from the table.

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Berries with Tequila Cream

Credit: Ralph Anderson

Recipe: Berries With Tequila Cream

For a smokier flavor, use mescal for this velvety cream.

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Strawberry-Lemonade Layer Cake

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Recipe: Strawberry-Lemonade Layer Cake

Perhaps one of our most popular summer cake recipes ever, this lemony strawberry layer cake is an absolute dream.

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Blueberry-Cornmeal Cake

Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Blueberry-Cornmeal Cake

This moist dessert mixes texture from medium-grind cornmeal with the sweet taste of fresh blueberries for the perfect summer cake combination.

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Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Stylist: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey

Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

Cool off with the ultimate frozen treat: strawberry ice cream. This recipe gets an extra twist by adding fluffy angel food cake to the mixture. 

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Blackberry Cobbler

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Blackberry Cobbler

It's actually been proven that adding a scoop of ice cream helps classic blackberry cobbler straight from the oven cool down even more quickly. No burnt tongues here! 

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Blueberry-Orange Blossom Honey Slab Pie

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen

Recipe: Blueberry-Orange Blossom Honey Slab Pie

Have you ever seen a prettier pie that also feeds 12 people? We thought not. Orange, honey, and blueberry make the freshest trio of flavors. 

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Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars

Credit: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars

Two different homemade berry purees jazz up the most perfectly creamy cheesecake and ensures it doesn't taste saccharinely sweet. 

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Peach-and-Blackberry Crisp

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Katelyn Hardwick

Recipe: Peach-and-Blackberry Crisp

A slightly crunchy, crumbly topping is made even better by super tender, sweetened berries and peaches. Serve with ice cream.

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Key Lime Slab Pie with Strawberry Whipped Cream

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen

Recipe: Key Lime Slab Pie with Strawberry Whipped Cream

The strawberry-infused whipped cream that tops this tangy recipe is reason enough to make it—and the pretty pink color makes quite the centerpiece.

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Raspberry-Almond Crumble Bars

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Raspberry-Almond Crumble Bars

Gooey in parts, crumbly in others, these bars have all the sweet jammy flavor we could want in a summer bar cookie. 

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Blackberry, Browned Butter, and Almond Tart Recipe

Credit: Helen Norman

Recipe: Blackberry, Browned Butter, and Almond Tart Recipe

This crust-less tart is a Blackberry Farm creation. Made in a tart pan, these treats act like a cookie on the outside but give way to juicy blackberries and dense butter cake texture on the inside.

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Chocolate Strawberry Cake

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Recipe: Chocolate Strawberry Cake

This layer cake doesn't want you to have to choose between indulgent chocolate and fruity strawberry, which will eliminate a lot of dessert debates in any house. 

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Blackberry-Apple Butter Pie Bars

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Blackberry-Apple Butter Pie Bars

For the perfect balance between cookies and pies, choose this berry-studded bar dessert made with our Slow-Cooker Apple Butter.

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Mini Strawberry Tarts

Credit: Greg Dupree

Recipe: Mini Strawberry Tarts

Top these tarts with fresh strawberries tossed in sugar for a hint of added sweetness.

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Raspberry-Rhubarb Bars

Credit: Cedric Angeles; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Raspberry-Rhubarb Bars

Rhubarb adds a zingy dose of tartness to sweet berry bars, and seeing the berries before you eat them just adds to the charm.

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Double Berry-Almond Galette

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Double Berry-Almond Galette

The only thing better than this beautiful mixed berry presentation is the scrumptious filling you’ll get in every bite.

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Blackberry-Oat Crumble Bars

Credit: Photo: Helen Norman; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns

Recipe: Blackberry-Oat Crumble Bars

Take your berry crumble on the road by turning it into a portable bar dessert with the perfect layer of homemade jammy filling. 

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Strawberry Dream Cake

Credit: Greg Dupree

Recipe: Strawberry Dream Cake

With layers perfectly filled with upright strawberries, each bite of this cake is sure to be a delicious dream.

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Strawberry-Basil Ice Cream

Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Strawberry-Basil Ice-Cream

Pulse basil, lemon juice, and strawberries to help these distinct flavors collide just right.

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Raspberry "Rhubars"

Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Raspberry "Rhubars"

Like a buttery, nutty sandwich cookie with a layer of rhubarb-raspberry filling, this recipe is guaranteed to make any afternoon nibble extra sweet. 

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Mile-High Mini Strawberry Pies

Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Mile-High Mini Strawberry Pies

Our trick for perfect mini pies? While your first batch of pies bakes, chill your reserved crust rounds. After you’ve let the pan completely cool off, you can start your second batch.

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