61 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 shortcake 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. Try some of our favorite combinations that rely on fresh berries, like blueberries and lemons or strawberries and cream, for a perfectly paired dessert. Back to the market!
Berry Chantilly Cake
Recipe: Berry Chantilly Cake
Fresh berries mix with cream cheese and mascarpone cheese for a smooth and creamy filling and frosting.
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Strawberry-Lemonade Cupcakes
Recipe: Strawberry-Lemonade Cupcakes
These sweet cupcakes draw inspiration from one of summer's most refreshing drinks. Top them with fresh sliced strawberries.
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Mascarpone Cheesecake
Recipe: Mascarpone Cheesecake
This no-bake masterpiece is bursting with summer flavor thanks to the abundance of berries added on to the frozen cheesecake.
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Strawberry Tart
Recipe: Strawberry Tart
While it may look intimidatingly beautiful, anyone can create this tart, as it relies on the simple ingredients of flaky crust, ricotta, and fresh glazed strawberries.
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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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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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Blueberry Snowballs
Recipe: Blueberry Snowballs
Make this refreshing New Orleans favorite this summer. All you need is fresh blueberries, lemon juice, and granulated sugar.
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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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Strawberry Cheesecake Salad
Recipe: Strawberry Cheesecake Salad
Add graham crackers and sliced strawberries to this cheesecake pudding.
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Lemon Blueberry Cake
Recipe: Lemon Blueberry Cake
This light and airy dessert is made with blueberry compote and a lemony cake batter.
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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-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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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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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-Blueberry Cupcakes
Recipe: Strawberry-Blueberry Cupcakes
Blueberries are folded into the batter while strawberries are used in the frosting on these pretty cupcakes.
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Strawberry and Cream Cake
Recipe: Strawberry and Cream Cake
Coat strawberries in flour before adding them to the sour cream batter to ensure they are suspended evenly when baking.
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Strawberry Cream Pie
Recipe: Strawberry Cream Pie
A chocolate cookie-crumb crust adds crunch to the French pastry cream and bright berries in this recipe.
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Cornmeal Cookie Berry Shortcakes
Recipe: Cornmeal Cookie Berry Shortcakes
Cornmeal makes these shortbread cookies extra crunchy, while cream cheese is combined with whipped cream to make the smooth filling.
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Triple Berry Sonker with Dip
Recipe: Triple Berry Sonker with Dip
All your favorite berries come together in this dessert that has ties to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina.
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Mixed Berry Cheesecake Cupcakes
Recipe: Mixed Berry Cheesecake Cupcakes
Top these cheesecake cupcakes with raspberries and blueberries, or whatever is fresh in your region.
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Corn Custards with Berry Compote
Recipe: Corn Custards with Berry Compote
Fresh summer corn is used to whip up the most creamy and delicious custard that's topped with your favorite berries.
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Homemade Berry Pop Tarts
Recipe: Homemade Berry Pop Tarts
These homemade pop tarts give store-bought ones a run for their money. All you'll need is pie crust, berry jam, and a frosting of your choice.
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Any-Berry Muffins with Cornmeal Streusel
Recipe: Any-Berry Muffins with Cornmeal Streusel
The cornmeal crumble that tops these muffins provides the perfect crunch to match the sweetness of the berries.
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Strawberry Swirl Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Recipe: Strawberry Swirl Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Strawberries add a beautiful swirl to the middle of this rich pound cake.
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Blueberry-Thyme Pie
Recipe: Blueberry-Thyme Pie
Thyme, lemon, and blueberries meet to make the sweetest summertime pie with the best gooey filling.
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Strawberry Lemonade Pie
Recipe: Strawberry Lemonade Pie
Frozen lemonade concentrate is the magic ingredient in this sweet and summery pie.
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Blueberry Streusel Muffins
Recipe: Blueberry Streusel Muffins
Blueberry muffins meet coffee cake in this wonderfully crumbly dessert.
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Lemon Raspberry Cake
Recipe: Lemon Raspberry Cake
Fresh raspberries give this cake's frosting and filling bright color and flavor.
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Blackberry Trifles with Pecan Feuilletage and Mascarpone-Cane Syrup Mousse
Recipe: Blackberry Trifles with Pecan Feuilletage and Mascarpone-Cane Syrup Mousse
The flaky feuilletage in this recipe is combined with butter, pecans, and sugar, and sits atop the dessert.
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Blackberry Jam Cake
Recipe: Blackberry Jam Cake
Caramel cream cheese frosting balances out the sweet layered cake that's made with blackberry jam.
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Strawberry Galette
Recipe: Strawberry Galette
This berry treat is similar to a strawberry pie, but without any of the fuss. The store-bought pie crust folds over the filling in this dish for extra crunch and security.
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Blueberry-Lemon Crunch Bars
Recipe: Blueberry-Lemon Crunch Bars
A blueberry and lemon filling is sandwiched between buttery layers of crust.
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Strawberry Vanilla Cake
Recipe: Strawberry Vanilla Cake
Chopped strawberries bring bright color to this elegant layered cake.
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Blueberry-Orange-Ginger Cobblers
Recipe: Blueberry-Orange-Ginger Cobblers
Blueberries, orange zest, and freshly grated ginger make an aromatic and filling cobbler.
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Bakeshop Blueberry Muffins
Recipe: Bakeshop Blueberry Muffins
Craving the buttery goodness of a bakery blueberry muffin? This recipe will help satisfy that craving within the hour.
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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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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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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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Blueberry-Cheesecake Ice-Cream Pie
Recipe: Blueberry-Cheesecake Ice-Cream Pie
This no bake cheesecake is perfect for summer. After preparing each layer, be sure to let it freeze for a pretty, assembled look.
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Strawberries-and-Cream Sheet Cake
Recipe: Strawberries-and-Cream Sheet Cake
This easy sheet cake is a strawberry lover's dream with its pink layers and strawberry garnish on top.
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Berry Bread Pudding
Recipe: Berry Bread Pudding
Pour raspberry sauce over this comforting dessert to add sweet berry flavor.
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Berries and Bubbles
Recipe: Berries and Bubbles
Prosecco and club soda are key to making this congealed berry salad.
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Mixed Berry Scones With Lemon Ginger Glaze
Recipe: Mixed Berry Scones With Lemon Ginger Glaze
Lemon ginger glaze adds an extra tart sweetness to these berry scones, which are the perfect snack for any time of day.
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Plum-Berry Cornmeal Sheet Cake
Recipe: Plum-Berry Cornmeal Sheet Cake
Use vanilla-flavored cornmeal batter for a sweet balance in flavor.
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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.