The arrival of March promises that warmer temperatures are on the horizon. Yet even before the grass greens and the flowers bloom, a touch of colorful hope appears in the produce aisle. The strawberry—with its sweet and tangy flavor—allows us to bring a bit of spring into our kitchens, and feel that much closer to afternoons spent on the porch enjoying the sunshine once again.

To bring this early springtime experience to fruition, we’ve compiled some of our favorite strawberry recipes. Appealing to your sweet tooth, the selection includes Grilled Strawberry Cobbler, Strawberry Cupcakes, and Strawberry Meringue Ice Cream. We’ve also thrown in a refreshing Strawberry-Mint Spritzer, and for a more savory option: the zesty Strawberry-Blueberry Salad from our March/April issue.
Spring is just beginning and there’s no better way to celebrate than with the season’s first fruits.
- 6 (12-inch) wooden skewers
- 1 (2-pound) container fresh strawberries, stems removed
- 1 cup strawberry preserves
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 cups all-purpose baking mix
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
- Lemon Custard Ice Cream (recipe follows)
- Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. Spray grill rack with nonstick nonflammable cooking spray. Preheat grill to high heat (400° to 450°).
- Thread strawberries onto skewers. Arrange skewers on grill, and grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side; slice strawberries, and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine strawberry preserves, water, and lemon juice over medium heat. Bring to a simmer; cook for 2 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Place butter in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Place dish in oven until butter melts.
- In a medium bowl, combine baking mix, sugar, and half-and-half. Pour batter into dish with butter. Arrange strawberries on top of batter. Pour preserves mixture over top of strawberries. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until lightly browned and set. Serve warm with Lemon Custard Ice Cream.
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 1 1⁄4 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine cream, half-and-half, evaporated milk, sugar, lemon zest, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; do not boil. Remove from heat.
- In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks, lemon juice, and vanilla. Add 1 cup hot cream mixture to egg mixture, stirring until well blended. Whisking constantly, gradually add egg mixture to remaining hot cream mixture in saucepan. Return to medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly, for 7 to 8 minutes or until mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat, and cool for 10 minutes. Cover, and chill for 4 hours to overnight.
- Pour mixture into a gel-type countertop freezer. Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Ice cream will be soft. For a firmer texture, freeze ice cream in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month.
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup strawberry preserves
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 (16-ounce) package frozen sliced strawberries, thawed and pureed
- 1/2 cup whole buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons strawberry extract
- Strawberry Filling (recipe follows)
- Fluffy Strawberry Frosting (recipe follows)
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in strawberry preserves. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternately with strawberry puree, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until well combined. Add buttermilk and strawberry extract, beating to combine. Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling three-fourths full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire racks.
- Using a melon baller, scoop out and discard about 1 tablespoon cake from the center of each cupcake. Fill indentations with Strawberry Filling. Spread or pipe Fluffy Strawberry Frosting over cupcakes.
- 2 (16-ounce) containers frozen sliced strawberries in syrup, thawed and well drained
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
- 2 teaspoons strawberry extract
- In the work bowl of a food processor or the container of a blender, puree strawberries until smooth.
- In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add strawberry puree, lemon juice, and egg yolks. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 7 to 8 minutes or until very thick. Remove from heat; gradually whisk in butter until melted. Stir in strawberry extract. Let mixture cool slightly; cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 (8-ounce) container frozen nondairy whipped topping, thawed
- 2 tablespoons strawberry extract
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add whipped topping, beating to combine. Beat in strawberry extract.
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon strawberry extract
- 1 (1-pound) container fresh strawberries, pureed
- 1 (5-ounce) container vanilla meringue cookies, crumbled
- Garnish: fresh strawberries, crushed meringue cookies
- In a heavy 3-quart saucepan, combine cream, half-and-half, and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat; do not boil.
- In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks and strawberry extract. Add 2 cups hot cream mixture to egg mixture, whisking to combine. Whisking constantly, gradually add egg mixture to remaining hot cream mixture. Increase to medium heat, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, until mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat, and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Strain mixture through a fi ne-mesh strainer into an airtight container. Whisk in strawberry puree. Cover, and chill for 4 hours to overnight.
- Pour ice-cream mixture and meringues into an ice-cream freezer. Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Ice cream will be soft. For firmer ice cream, place in an airtight container, and freeze for several hours or overnight. Garnish with fresh strawberries and crushed meringue cookies, if desired.
- 1 cup Strawberry-Mint Simple Syrup (recipe follows)
- 2 cups tonic water or club soda, chilled
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- Garnish: fresh strawberries, fresh mint, lemon slices
- In a pitcher, combine Strawberry-Mint Simple Syrup, tonic water or club soda, and lemon juice, stirring gently to combine. Serve over ice. Garnish with fresh strawberries, fresh mint, and lemon slices, if desired.
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 (1-pound) container fresh strawberries, chopped
- 1 (1-ounce) package fresh mint
- In a large saucepan, combine water and sugar over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add strawberries, and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and add mint.
- Cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Strain syrup, discarding solids. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- 1 (5.3-ounce) container plain, 0% fat Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 (5-ounce) bag spring-mix lettuces
- 16 ounces strawberries, sliced
- 1/2 pint blueberries, picked through and stems removed
- 1 avocado, pitted and diced
- 1/3 cup sliced, toasted almonds
- In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, zest, lime juice, mayonnaise, honey, salt, and pepper until fully combined.
- In a large serving bowl, combine spring-mix lettuces, strawberries, blueberries, avocado, and toasted almonds. Drizzle yogurt dressing liberally over tossed greens just before serving.