What's so great about berries?
They all pack a slew of benefits that will have you leaping high buildings in a single bound. (Well, almost.)
They're full of vitamin C, fiber, and phytochemicals (health-enhancing plant compounds), which together may help prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory conditions, and even age-related mental decline.
Each one's exact nutritional makeup is slightly different, so our advice is, Why choose? Click ahead to see how to enjoy them all!
Raspberry, Cucumber, and Mint Smash
This refreshing drink has all the makings of a signature party cocktail. It can be adjusted to taste (using light rum instead of the gin will tilt it toward a mojito). And the pitcher-size format means more time with guests rather than shaking drinks.
Berry Tartlets
Use any size of mini-tart pan you like for these sweet little tarts. If you have leftover dough, you can always roll it out, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, cut into shapes, and bake into that childhood comfort, piecrust cookies.
Recipe: Berry Tartlets
Raspberry Pluot Crisp with Coconut Streusel
Recipe: Raspberry Pluot Crisp with Coconut Streusel
Raspberry, Lime, and Coconut Pie
Sweet and tangy, crunchy and creamy—this recipe delivers a perfect combination of flavors and textures in each bite. A touch of gelatin in the lime curd helps it set enough to slice cleanly.
Recipe: Raspberry, Lime, and Coconut Pie
Blueberry Rosemary Focaccia
With generous herbs and a sprinkling of flaked salt, this bread is as delicious with bacon for brunch as it is alongside grilled pork chops for dinner.
Recipe: Blueberry Rosemary Focaccia
Boysenberry Mousse with Cookie Crumble
This vanilla mousse, with ribbons of tart-sweet boysenberry sauce, has a delicate, cloudlike texture. If you’re substituting raspberries and blackberries, start with more berries for the sauce, as they’re not as juicy as boysenberries.
Summer Berry Cobbler with Sour Cream Biscuits
Recipe: Summer Berry Cobbler with Sour Cream Biscuits
Raspberry Buckle
As this soft, fruit-laden coffee cake bakes, the pistachio streusel sinks a bit, or “buckles.” If you’re lactose-intolerant, feel free to swap in almond milk.
Recipe: Raspberry Buckle
Boysenberry Wine Compote with Goat Cheese and Basil
Here’s one for your summer-party recipe stash. Wine and black pepper make the compote sophisticated, and you can put the whole thing together in minutes—for guests to serve themselves.
Blueberry Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt Sandwiches
Cream cheese and vanilla beans give these treats an extraordinary depth of flavor. Just as amazing: the time saved by making the sandwiches in a big pan rather than assembling them individually.
Chocolate Raspberry Tart
A tender chocolate crust under the chocolate pastry cream makes each bite seamless—the gastronomic equivalent of an infinity pool. The raspberries wake you back up.
Recipe: Chocolate Raspberry Tart
Boysenberry Danishes
Even if you’re a baking newbie, you can turn these out with ease, thanks to frozen puff pastry. To keep them from sticking, remove the pastries from the pan right after baking.
Recipe: Boysenberry Danishes
Blueberry, Orange, and Cardamom Cobbler
Recipe: Blueberry, Orange, and Cardamom Cobbler
Blackberry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream
Use this shortcut method to make just about any ice cream flavor you want.
Recipe: Blackberry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream
Grilled Chicken with Pickled Blueberries
The gently seasoned pickling combo brings out berries’ tart side and makes a refreshing dressing for the watercress and chicken.
The Black Seed
Smoky and slightly fruity, this cocktail has loads of complexity.
Recipe: The Black Seed
Pavlovas with Summer Berry Sauce
Make this dessert at the height of summer berry season--or hoard your berries in the freezer to whip up this dessert later in the year.
Recipe: Pavlovas with Summer Berry Sauce
Buttery Raspberry Lemon Cake
Yogurt and lemon curd are the secrets to this cake's slight tang and subtle citrus note.
Recipe: Buttery Raspberry Lemon Cake
Chocolate Raspberry Bruschetta
To make this recipe for a party, you could toast the baguette slices ahead of time and set the chocolate on top. When ready to serve, warm them in the oven and top with the other ingredients.
Recipe: Chocolate Raspberry Bruschetta
Roasted Berry Sundaes
Here we've combined berries and ice cream, two summer favorites, in this super-easy sundae.
Recipe: Roasted Berry Sundaes
Blackberry Hazelnut Honey Crisp
Foods that grow in the same place tend to taste good together, as this pairing of blackberries and hazelnuts proves.
Recipe: Blackberry Hazelnut Honey Crisp
Raspberry, Ricotta, and Chocolate Parfaits
At the farmers' market, look for deep red late-summer raspberries, artisanal ricotta cheese (if available), and pistachios.
Crushed Berries with Hibiscus Jelly
The jelly here isn't the kind you spread on bread; it's a soft, lustrous gelatin--like Jell-O, but more delicate.
Huckleberry Skillet Cobbler
One of our all-time favorite desserts, with just a hint of spices to pull out the complex, wine-rich flavor of the huckleberries ― and also delicious made with blueberries.
Recipe: Huckleberry Skillet Cobbler
Recipe: Butter Pastry
Blueberry and Prosciutto Salad
This sweet and savory starter bursts with a harmonious blend of flavors.
Recipe: Blueberry and Prosciutto Salad
Triple-Berry Popsicles
We couldn't believe how simple it was to make these frozen treats. You can strain out the seeds if you like, but we love the texture they lend to the popsicles. Feel free to use boysenberries, pitted cherries, or other favorites instead of the combination of fruits here.
Recipe: Triple-Berry Popsicles
Lemon Berrymisu
If you think tiramisu has to be made hours ahead, try this fresh, summery version, which comes together in no time. For a non-alcoholic variation, use lemonade concentrate in place of the limoncello. And swap in madeleines for the ladyfingers if you like.
Recipe: Lemon Berrymisu
Refresher: Almond Raspberry Lemonade
For the most thirst-quenching drink, look for a less-sweet brand of lemonade such as Santa Cruz Organic.
Recipe: Almond Raspberry Lemonade
Five-Grain Buttermilk Pancakes with Raspberry Honey
Beating the egg whites and folding them into the batter makes these hearty, nutritious pancakes surprisingly light in texture.
Three Berry Buttermilk Sherbet
Less isn't always more. Serve this creamy sherbet with whole versions of the berries for a prettier presentation.
Recipe: Three Berry Buttermilk Sherbet
Mixed Berry Raspberry-Cream Tart
A simple, buttery crust, a pool of raspberry-scented pastry cream, and piles of fresh berries add up to a great party dessert.
Recipe: Mixed Berry Raspberry-Cream Tart
Spinach-Blackberry Salad with Manchego and Prosciutto
Blackberries, prosciutto, and Manchego may sound like an unusual combination, but here they blend in three-part harmony.
Recipe: Spinach-Blackberry Salad with Manchego and Prosciutto
Pavlova Parfaits
The perfect finale for a warm summer night. Store-bought meringue cookies add crunch, while pistachios lace the layers with nutty sweetness.
Recipe: Pavlova Parfaits
Blackberry-Almond Tea Cakes
Serve these buttery little cakes for breakfast or as a midday snack with a cup of hot tea. You can substitute raspberries for the blackberries if you like.
Recipe: Blackberry-Almond Tea Cakes
Marionberry, Blue Cheese, and Arugula Salad
Perk up a green salad with juicy-sweet berries and flavorful blue cheese crumbles. A dish this peppery and refreshing needs only a simple vinaigrette to finish.
Berry Camping Cake
Guy Fieri loves to make this treat on a camping adventure. Any berry or berry combination works in this cake, which has a dry, crumbly topping that combines with the berry juices for a rich, sweet treat. Pack the frozen berries in a cooler and make this on the first night of camping, before they thaw completely.
Recipe: Berry Camping Cake
Greens with Chèvre and Berries
Cranberries, goat cheese, and blueberries give this salad its red, white, and blue kick.
Recipe: Greens with Chèvre and Berries
Raspberry Fool
A fool is the simplest of desserts—just whole or puréed fruit folded into whipped cream.
Recipe: Raspberry Fool
Raspberry Lemon Pudding Cakes
Tender berries rise to the top of these little cups, while creamy lemon cake awaits at the bottom. Dive in with your spoon and you get the best of both worlds.
Recipe: Raspberry Lemon Pudding Cakes
Blueberry Cornbread
Juicy sweet blueberries are tossed in the batter before baking, resulting in this unique cakelike cornbread.
Recipe: Blueberry Cornbread
Blackberry Lime Rickeys
Late-summer sundowners don't get more refreshing than this blend of fresh blackberries and lime juice—with a healthy splash of gin for good measure.
Recipe: Blackberry Lime Rickeys