Too many raspberries is a tasty problem to have and a fun one to solve.
Yet, harvesting and preserving a glut of raspberries takes some planning skills, especially if you’re picking fresh from your backyard.
See, as lovely as they taste, raspberries take some work. That is unless you are picking them up from the market. In which case you can skip merrily along to the recipes and take the fast track to the good eats.
Raspberries aren’t a one-and-done sort of fruit.
You can’t harvest them all at once, yet their window of ripeness is narrow, generally limited to June-July. During that time it’s best to pick the fragrant red berries every two to three days.
This way you can avoid over-ripe and/or rotting fruit. Raspberries ripen fast, so you need to be able to keep up with them in the most efficient way possible to prevent spoilage. Knowing their destiny (how to preserve or gobble them up quickly) is essential for being able to enjoy them.
Enjoy browsing through these mouthwatering recipes filled with raspberries, to determine the fate of the next harvest.
Raspberries in the Pantry
1. Raspberry Jam Without Pectin
If you have a super-glut of raspberries, jam is the answer.
Making jam is always the ideal choice if you harvest an abundance of anything, from apples to plums, from pears and rhubarb to berries.
As long as you have large pots, you can process and can as much as you have time and jars for. If you have extra jars in your pantry, they make excellent gifts too. So, don’t skimp on the work, just get in the kitchen and can as much as you can.
The best thing about making raspberry jam, outside of picking, is that you really don’t have to do much at all. Wash the berries, toss them in a pot, add sweetener if necessary and stir occasionally, being sure not to burn the jam. The raspberries break down themselves as the temperature increases.
In a short amount of time, you can have jars upon jars of delicious homemade raspberry jam.
2. Chocolate Raspberry Sauce
Raspberry jam is nice, but chocolate raspberry sauce may be even nicer.
In addition to the raspberries and sugar, you’ll also need lemon juice, pectin and unsweetened cocoa powder.
Spoon it over ice cream, crepes, fresh fruit, whatever your heart desires. No shame for eating it straight out of the jar.
3. Canned Raspberries
Because raspberries are beautiful and often more expensive than free, they deserve to be preserved in their entirety.
To truly appreciate raspberries, there are times when you don’t want to mush them into oblivion. Not that those aren’t tasty, they just aren’t quite as pretty on the shelf.
If you have quality, not quantity, of raspberries, canning them whole is the perfect way to preserve summer in a jar.
Take your most wholesome, not too ripe raspberries and can them in a sugary syrup for special occasions.
Get the whole raspberry recipe from Where is My Spoon.
4. Homemade Raspberry Syrup With Honey
If you have a few pounds of raspberries and need to contain the hundreds, or thousands of berries in fewer jars, it is best to get down to the essence of the fruit.
Making a raspberry juice, strained and thickened with a serendipitous amount of honey or sugar, is a delicious way to go.
This recipe for raspberry syrup is absolutely perfect for those who love the taste of raspberry, but can’t stand seeds stuck between their teeth. Save the seeds for the jam or the raspberry chutney.
5. Raspberry Powder
If you haven’t caught the canning-bug yet, or simply have run out of jars and lids, there is another surprisingly delicious way to preserve raspberries.
Dehydrating.
Not fruit leather, we’ll get to that in a moment. Even more exciting than that is dried raspberries. Wow, they are flavorful!
The whole berries can be added to granola or steeped in tea. If the flavor-acidity is right, you can pop them straight in your mouth for a sweetly-tart crunch.
Better yet, the powerful raspberry powder can be added to smoothies, pancakes, cakes and salad dressings. It can even be used as a natural food coloring, or added to a warming cup of hot cocoa. Seriously, homemade fruit powders (think tomato powder) will inevitably change how you cook, therefore they have the ability to change your life.
Get the full dehydrating raspberry know-how from The Purposeful Pantry.
6. Red Raspberry Fruit Leather
If you have a dehydrator at home, you must bring it out at the start of the fruit season to reap the abundant harvests. And if you don’t have one yet, know that you can often use the heat of your oven to recreate some of the same recipes.
As is the case with raspberry fruit leather.
12 ounces of fresh or frozen raspberries, 1/4 cup honey and 1 tsp. of lemon juice is all that you need, alongside some slow, low-temperature heat.
Making fruit leather is easy enough; blend all ingredients until smooth, pour the mix over a parchment lined baking sheet (less than 1/8″ thick) and bake for 3+ hours at 170 ºF until the raspberry puree is no longer wet.
Later in the season, don’t forget to make red grape fruit leather and blueberry and peach pie fruit leather too.
Make your own raspberry fruit leather with wise advice from Healthy Substitute.
7. Freeze Raspberries
Perhaps the easiest way to preserve raspberries beyond their “mold date” is to initiate the least amount of work. That is, to toss them in the freezer.
If they are unsprayed and organic, you don’t even need to wash them. Simply place the berries in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for an hour.
Then you can transfer them to a freezer bag, or jar, and place back in the freezer.
It takes virtually no time at all.
Plus, it doesn’t matter if you are freezing a cup or ten pounds, the process is exactly the same.
Raspberries in the Kitchen
8. Raspberry Glazed Salmon
You know raspberries are a healthy choice, you’ve heard it a thousand times.
All too often, as you’ll soon scroll down to find out, raspberries are often combined with various amounts of sugar and gluten to create irresistible treats. This sweet habit often leads to taking seconds, or thirds. Making the raspberries, not quite as healthy as consuming them fresh from the vine.
But how can you eat your raspberries if you don’t eat your meat?
For the sake of eating healthy and perhaps getting some much needed exercise in the garden, let’s introduce a lesser known dish. It also happens to be Whole30-approved: Raspberry balsamic glazed salmon. If you’ve got bunches of thyme growing in your garden, it is an absolute must to try.
Remake the delish recipe from The Real Food Dietitians.
9. Raspberry and Honey Grilled Cheese
If you are seeking a new-to-you recipe to help you step outside your comfort zone of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, we have an exciting menu option for you.
Here’s what you need to make it happen in your kitchen:
- 1/2 lbs. goat brie
- 1 pint raspberries
- local honey
- loaf of homemade bread (yeast-free bread works too)
- unsalted butter (or homemade butter if you’ve got some)
It’s a little posh, the kids probably won’t want to take a bite, so it’s all yours. Enjoy!
Girl in the Little Red Kitchen can show you how to put it all together.
10. Chipotle Raspberry and Black Bean Pizza
Keeping on with some less sweet options for using up a glut of raspberries, let’s take a look at an uncommon one: chipotle raspberry sauce on a pizza.
This is not just any pizza, it is a unique one that only you can manifest at home.
Ingredients needed to magic it up:
- 1 pizza crust
- 7 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1/2 small onion, finely or coarsely chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheese (Monterrey jack or Colby jack for starters)
- 1 cup and a bit of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 slices of bacon, fried to perfection and crumbled to bits
- 1/2 cup chipotle raspberry sauce
Bake as you would any other pizza.
Get the full instructions at Cooking For Keeps.
11. Raspberry Barbecue Sauce
Are you one of those people who always looks for recipes to use up leftover pickle juice? I just know, that there are bunches of us out there. Pickle juice is a hard thing to dump down the drain, or to pour out onto the compost pile.
It is too precious to throw away. Especially when it is homemade.
But back to the barbecue sauce made with raspberry preserves.
It entails 12 ingredients, many of which you will already have at home if you love to cook. Cooking it is ultra-simple. Add all ingredients to a pot, stir well over medium heat, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about an hour.
That’s it in a raspberry-shell.
Get the complete mouthwatering raspberry barbecue sauce recipe at AllRecipes.
12. Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing
Summertime was made for salads. When raspberries are in abundance, don’t forget about dressing your lettuce leaves with them. No, not in the garden, on the dinner plate.
One thing you need to know about store-bought salad dressings is that they are often full of ingredients that aren’t necessarily doing your body any good. They have the ability to negate the fact that your lettuce is homegrown and organic. Salad dressings also belong to our list of foods you should make, not buy. Number 16.
If you have fresh or frozen raspberries, you should be making a raspberry vinaigrette instead of your usual bottled dressing. It uses 1 1/2 cups of raspberries at once, so be sure you have enough.
Grab the best raspberry vinaigrette recipe from Downshiftology.
13. Raspberry and Red Onion Chutney
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, our pantry is never without a couple dozen jars of chutney, or more. As much as I love salsa, nothing beats the diversity of mixed fruits and vegetables in the same jar.
Take these raspberry chutney ingredients for example:
- 5 ounces fresh red raspberries
- 3 red onions
- raisins
- lemon zest
- apple cider vinegar
- balsamic vinegar
- maple syrup
- olive oil
- and sea salt
In 30 minutes, you’ll have the best condiment-sauce-dressing to serve on a festive cheeseboard.
Get the full scoop at Romy London UK.
14. Raspberry Cheesecake Fluff Salad
Okay, okay, let’s not hold back on raspberry desserts forever. But, let’s not be so simple as to toss a few berries on top of a scoop of vanilla ice cream either.
If you really want to have your cake and eat it too, or maybe you just crave a really sweet salad, this raspberry cheesecake fluff salad may be for you. Maybe not. It is truly one for your sweet tooth to decide.
In the meantime, let’s look at some more ways to use up a glut of raspberries, fresh or frozen.
15. Raspberry Olive Oil Cake
If you have a bunch of beautiful and fresh raspberries to spare from putting away for later, you’ve got to bake a cake.
It’s lemony, it’s creamy, it’s raspberry-y. You can make it with regular flour, or make it gluten-free. One thing is for sure, don’t leave out the mascarpone cheese.
Get the scrumptious raspberry olive oil cake recipe from My One Hundred Year Old Home.
16. Raspberry Pie
No summer should go by without a proper raspberry pie. Or a blackberry pie, or just some sort of berry pie. After all, there are so many yummy berries to eat.
You’d like to imagine it’s as easy as dumping a lot of raspberries into a pie crust, tossing it in the oven and hoping for the best. In an ideal world, that would work, but you may already know that raspberries have a tendency to get runny. After all, they are more than 85% water.
For the filling, not only do you need a little sweetener, to tame the tartness of the raspberries, you also need a thickener such as flour. Any kind will do.
Learn to make your own crust and you can pretend to bake like a pioneer, or a grandma, or a self-reliant homesteader. It’s empowering, isn’t it?
Grab the recipe from Bake.Eat.Repeat.
17. No-Bake Raspberry Cheesecake
There is a certain beauty to no-bake desserts that no baked pie can touch. Not necessarily in scent, but in looks. And sometimes we do eat with our eyes – or do we always?
A no-bake cheesecake is like a sweetened cloud that brings a smile to your lips, right before you fork that first bite. Then bam! It is gone in a flash. So smooth, so creamy, so utterly delicious.
Almost like a dream. A cream dream.
If you are going to make one no-bake cheesecake this year, make sure it is a raspberry one.
You might want to drool over this recipe from El Mundo Eats.
Then gather the ingredients to make your own.
18. Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes with Raspberry Syrup
You remember that raspberry syrup from up above? You don’t have to can jars and jars of the delicious stuff to save for later. It is enough to make it in small batches, from fresh raspberries as the harvests allow.
You can even make lemon poppy seed pancakes extra special by growing and harvesting your own breadseed poppies.
Find both recipes in one place at Life Made Simple.
19. Raspberry Turnover
Raspberry turnovers were a favorite childhood breakfast of mine. With tartly sweet raspberries encased in a puff pastry, I couldn’t ask for anything more delicious to start the day. Unless it was raspberry jam, with seeds, on toast (or bacon and eggs).
Although they are similar in flavor, the turnovers still manage to win every time. They can easily be stuffed with freshly cooked apples, blueberries, cherries and strawberries too.
Grab the best raspberry turnover recipe from Sip Bite Go.
20. Raspberry Crumble Bars
As you get older, your taste buds get wiser too. If one day you realize that turnovers aren’t really your sort of thing anymore, you can move onto raspberry crumble bars.
The crust is appetizingly soft: made from oats, flour, brown sugar and butter. This makes a gluten-free option available for you too. I’d like to see a turnover do that.
And the filling? It’s a rich, raspberry dream, guaranteed to brighten your day.
Nip the recipe from Pinch of Yum.
21. Raspberry and Pistachio Semifreddo
Semifreddo is Italian for “half-frozen” or “half-cold”. It’s not quite an ice cream, rather more like a mousse and your dinner guests will absolutely love it.
Plus, a classic semifreddo is a great way to use up extra egg yolks, should you also happen to have an abundance of those right now. It takes almost no time at all to make, so if you are looking for an easy dessert, this is the one.
Grab the raspberry and pistachio semifreddo recipe from AllRecipes.
22. Raspberry Sorbet
Have you seen the prices of sorbet in the stores? It’s definitely one of those luxury items that makes you think – how can I make it better at home?
Well, if you have 5 cups of fresh raspberries, or more, you are in luck. The only other ingredients you need are water, sugar, vanilla extract and lime juice. Even if you don’t have an ice cream machine you can freeze the sorbet overnight in shallow dishes.
Find out how to make raspberry sorbet work for you at Creme de la Crumb.
23. Raspberry and Chocolate Swirl No-Churn Ice Cream
The proof is out there that you don’t need an ice cream maker to enjoy homemade ice cream. Although it can be a handy kitchen gadget if ice cream’s your thing.
If you have a loaf pan, a blender and a freezer, you are good to go on making your own raspberry swirl ice cream. Maybe next time you can try a no-churn key lime pie or s’mores ice cream.
To make your own no-churn ice cream follow the instructions from A Savory Feast.
24. Raspberry Parfait Popsicle
Take some Greek yogurt, heavy cream, raspberry jam, and a bit of granola, then pop it in a popsicle mold. Wait for your tantalizing parfait breakfast bar to freeze – or better yet, make them ahead of time – and enjoy.
It’s easy, uncomplicated and delicious.
Just be sure to have enough stainless steel popsicle molds on hand, as there are numerous recipes to try.
25. Raspberry Butter
You’ve tried rosemary butter and garlic butter, but what about raspberry butter?
It’s perfect for serving on top of bagels and scones, at baby showers or picnics in the park. Best of all, it only takes a few minutes to whip up. Letting you focus on the rest of the event, or taking some much needed time to yourself.
Nope, it’s not selfish to serve something so heavenly and easy to make. It’s efficient, practical and wise. All it takes is unsalted butter and raspberry jam, a spreadable treat you can make throughout the year.
Find the uncomplicated raspberry butter recipe at Happy Foods Tube.
Raspberry Drinks
26. Basil-Raspberry Lemonade
With so many raspberry foods to eat, why don’t you take time to sit down for a drink. Or at least, think about drinking.
A no-fuss way to increase your raspberry intake, is to add some fresh berries to your lemonade.
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice, organic if using lemon zest
- 1 cup sugar, or honey to taste
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
If you’ve made lemonade before, you can figure out the rest.
However, if you’d like a little more instruction, simply head over to Country Living.
27. Raspberry and Lemon Rosé Sparkler
On a hot summer’s day, forget about the beer. Opt for a chilled bottle of rosé instead.
It’s particularly refreshing when combined with lemon juice, a subtle hint of sugar and a couple handfuls of fresh raspberries.
Country Living also has the recipe for that.
28. Raspberry Sweet Tea
As long as you adults are setting the beer aside for the moment, let’s swap that Kool-Aid for something much healthier, so we can all enjoy a drink together.
Raspberry tea will last for up to 4 days in the fridge, though you’ll likely run out of it far before that. No problem, just make another batch to quench your summer thirst.
Note that you can change the flavors by changing the fruits. Try it with blueberries, strawberries, peaches and blackberries too. All natural, super flavorful.
Here’s the scoop from the Spruce Eats.
29. Raspberry Daiquiri
This one is for the adults (and the sneaky little kids who swoop in for an unsuspecting raspberry drink…) who desire a refreshing cocktail at the end of the day. Rum and raspberries, sure, I’ll take a sip.
If you enjoy refined drinks, not sickly sweet bright concoctions, you’ll want to mix your own raspberry daiquiri.
Find the recipe over at Cookie + Kate.
30. Raspberry Smoothie
Last on this list, but certainly not least, as there are far too many raspberry recipes to try, is the humble raspberry smoothie.
You can make a raspberry smoothie with avocados.
Blend your raspberries with Greek yogurt and almond milk.
Or use a ton of raspberries, banana and milk.
Add some mint or basil, toss in some coconut, mango, pineapple or ginger.
Most of all, go out there and experiment with new-to-you and new-to-the-world raspberry recipes. Goodness knows, there are thousands of ways to joyfully eat raspberries all throughout the year.
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