Learn how to make strawberries for shortcake and other desserts. This easy recipe for sweetened fresh berries is also great on cheesecake, ice cream sundaes, pound cake, and more.
(For your shopping convenience, this post contains affiliate links.)
This simple recipe is probably common sense for some people but thought I’d share as fresh strawberry season is coming soon and some people might not realize how to sweeten strawberries for desserts. You’ll have sweet sliced berries in a few hours that are great on shortcake, cheesecake, ice cream, and all sorts of other treats.
You don’t really need any fancy equipment for this simple strawberry recipe.
Equipment You May Need
- Large Bowl – A large mixing bowl will make mixing the berries easier.
- Spatula – A large rubber spatula is gentle enough to mix the strawberries.
- Juicer – A small hand juicer for fresh orange juice will add a little something special.
- Mason Jars – Large quart mason jars make great storage containers but you can just cover the bowl with plastic wrap or use another airtight container.
(Full printable recipe card is at bottom of post.)
Sweetened Strawberries Ingredients
- Strawberries – Use fresh sweet ripe berries. Gently wash and remove the stems, then thinly slice.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar. Depending on how sweet your berries are you may want to add more or less sugar.
- Orange Juice – Fresh juice is way better if you can. Don’t worry, it’s just a little orange juice so it won’t overpower the berries. Although if you like citrus you can certainly add more juice or a little orange zest. If you prefer lemon or lime, you can substitute for the orange.
- Water (optional) – Not needed but if you like a lot of liquid with your sweetened fruit, add a little water before refrigerating.
Hungry? Subscribe to the Snappy Gourmet newsletter for all the latest recipes and get my FREE ebook!
How to Make Sweetened Strawberries
Step One: Gently mix all the ingredients together. Store covered in the fridge for at least a few hours but overnight would be better.
Step Two: Serve the sweet strawberries on top of your favorite desserts such as shortcake, cheesecake, pound cake, ice cream, etc.
(Full printable recipe card with full details is at bottom of post.)
Uses for Sweetened Strawberries
- These sweet strawberries are perfect for strawberry shortcake like these Cannoli Cream Strawberry Shortcake, Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes, and Mini Strawberry Shortcakes.
- Serve in a bowl topped with sweetened whipped cream or cannoli cream.
- Delicious on top of yellow cake or pound cake like this Almond Pound Cake.
- Also great on other desserts such as ice cream or a good New York Cheesecake.
- Perfect on top of breakfast options like waffles, pancakes, and French toast.
Quick Tips for Best Results
- Use fresh ripe strawberries. This recipe is of course only as good as the berries. Be sure to wash the berries and remove the stems.
- You may need to add more or less sugar depending how sweet your strawberries are and your personal sweetness preference.
- You might think the orange juice sounds a little strange, but it gives the berries a little something extra. Use fresh fruit juice if you can.
Strawberries for Shortcake FAQ
How should I store the sweetened strawberries?
Store the strawberries in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze the sweetened strawberries?
Yes. Be sure to get out as much air as possible. The berries may be softer when defrosted.
How long will the sweetened strawberries last?
Depending on how fresh your berries are they should last at least a few days in the fridge or a few months in the freezer.
Substitutions?
Instead of orange juice, you can use another citrus juice such as lime or lemon.
Can I use low-fat ingredients?
No high-fat ingredients in this recipe.
What else can I add to this recipe?
You can experiment with adding other fruit such as blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, cherries, or maybe even pineapple. You may need to adjust the sugar.
Can I make this vegan/vegetarian/low carb/gluten-free?
Here are some suggestions, but I can’t guarantee results. Be sure as always to check particular brands and ingredients if you’re following a specific diet or have diet restrictions or allergies.
Vegan – It’s vegan.
Vegetarian – It’s vegetarian.
Low-Carb – You can try a sugar substitute or sweetener of choice.
Gluten-Free – It’s gluten-free. Just be sure to serve over gluten-free treats.
Other Strawberry Recipes You May Enjoy
- Strawberry Pretzel Dessert Bars – A homemade classic that is great for potlucks.
- Strawberry Cobbler – Individual little cobblers that are perfect for spring or summer.
- Strawberry Prosecco Slushie – A delicious strawberry cocktail.
- Strawberry Pie Dip – Easy peasy, this is a fun dessert dip.
Hope you enjoy this easy way how to prepare strawberries for strawberry shortcake and other desserts. Tell me in the comments if you made any changes.
You might also like these Homemade Belgian Waffles that would pair beautifully with these sweet strawberries!
Strawberries for Shortcake
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh strawberries washed, stems removed, and sliced
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange juice
Instructions
- Carefully mix together sliced berries, sugar, and juice in a large mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 3-4 hours or overnight.
- Serve on top of your favorite biscuits or desserts with whipped cream or as desired.
Notes
Nutrition:
(Nutrition data is provided when available for informational purposes only and calculated using an online nutritional calculator. For the most accurate information please calculate based on specific ingredients and brands you use as well as any changes you made to the recipe. I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietician and any nutritional information provided should only be used as a general guideline and estimate.)
Vicky says
I like the idea of varying the amount of sugar used as sometimes strawberries are a lot less flavorful. You just convinced me that I need to make a strawberry shortcake!
Nancy says
Thanks for sharing your secret on how to make strawberries for shortcakes. I thought it was just sliced fruits the whole
Time.
Beth says
These strawberries look delicious. I can see using them for so much more than just strawberry shortcake. I want to put them on my ice cream!
Dana says
These are so convenient to have on hand! They’re great on oatmeal as well.
kushigalu says
Love strawberries in any form. These strawberry for shortcake sounds fantastic, Pinned your recipe