36 Ways To Turn Berries Into a Spectacular Summer Dessert
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!
Cakey Strawberry Cobbler
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Recipe: Berries With Tequila Cream
For a smokier flavor, use mescal for this velvety cream.
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Strawberry-Lemonade Layer Cake
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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"
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
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.