This family-friendly, easy Strawberry Tiramisu is made with fresh homemade strawberry sauce, creamy mascarpone cheese filling, and sweet, fluffy ladyfingers! It's a fresh and flavorful summertime no-bake dessert that's perfect for BBQs, potlucks, and family gatherings.
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Fresh strawberries in strawberry season are, hands down, one of the best things about summer. We use them for Strawberry Shortcake and Strawberry Ice Cream, but I also love trying new and creative ways of enjoying them. This fresh fruity twist on a classic Italian dessert is a fun addition to our collection of strawberry recipes.
This recipe is different from your typical classic Tiramisu recipe. We don't use raw eggs, orange liqueur, marsala, or coffee to make it, so this no-bake summer dessert is perfect for the whole family!
This is a super easy strawberry tiramisu recipe that is perfect to try if this is your first time making tiramisu.
For more no-bake desserts that are perfect for a crowd, check out my Easy Oreo Dessert Recipe, Easy No-Bake Blueberry Delight, and this No-Bake Kool-Aid Pie!
What You'll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Strawberries - Fresh strawberries are best for decorating the top although you can get away with using frozen strawberries for the sauce in a pinch.
- Granulated Sugar - The strawberry sauce is a little too tart without some sugar to sweeten it and draw out the strawberry juices in a process known as maceration.
- Lemon Juice - Squeeze your own fresh lemon juice for the best flavor.
- Cream - Heavy whipping cream gives you the creamiest flavor and consistency for the whipped cream filling.
- Mascarpone Cheese - This creamy, sweet cheese is soft and spreadable, much like cream cheese which could be used as a substitute (although you would need to add a little extra sugar to the filling). If you can't find it next to the cream cheese, try the deli aisle with other specialty cheeses like brie.
- Vanilla Extract - Adds a warm, subtle sweetness to the filling that blends well with strawberry flavor.
- Ladyfingers - I've used Savoiardi ladyfingers, but you can use your favorite brand or make your own from scratch if you prefer. These super light cookies soak up liquid and turn soft and spongelike, which is perfect for no bake desserts like this one.
- Topping - You'll need some fresh strawberry halves for decorating the top, and you can use powdered sugar or finely grated white chocolate for a sweetened finish, similar to the cocoa powder or grated dark chocolate that is often used to dust the top of traditional tiramisu.
How to Make Strawberry Tiramisu
- Make strawberry filling. Combine mashed strawberries and sugar in a bowl and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to release the juices and allow the sugar to dissolve.
- Soak ladyfingers. Dip the ladyfingers in the strawberry sauce, one at a time, until soaked but not soggy.
- Beat cream. Beat heavy cream in a large bowl with a whisk attachment until stiff peaks form.
- Make mascarpone filling. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the mascarpone cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Fold in the heavy cream.
- Make bottom layer. Arrange a single layer of soaked ladyfingers on the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish.
- Add strawberry sauce. Spread half of the strawberry sauce on top of the ladyfingers.
- Add creamy filling. Spread half of the mascarpone filling on top of the strawberry sauce in an even layer.
- Make second layer. Arrange the rest of the ladyfingers in a similar second layer, and spread the remaining half of the strawberry sauce on top.
- Add creamy mascarpone mixture. Add the remaining mascarpone filling on top in an even layer.
- Sprinkle with grated white chocolate. I use a bar of Ghiradelli white chocolate and grate it right over the tiramisu using a zester or the smallest holes of a box grater.
- Chill and serve. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. Just before serving, cut into slices and decorate with additional strawberries for garnish.
Recipe FAQ's
As your Strawberry Tiramisu needs to sit in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, it's perfect for making the night before to enjoy the next day. You can let it chill for up to 24 hours before enjoying it fresh. The longer you leave it, the more time those spongy fingers will have to soak up all the juicy goodness!
Store leftover tiramisu in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
I strongly prefer the flavor of homemade whipped cream myself, but if you want to skip whipping the heavy cream, you could use a tub of thawed Cool Whip instead.
Tips for Success
- If you find the strawberry sauce to be too grainy, you can always bring it to a simmer for 5 minutes in a medium saucepan on the stovetop until the sugar has melted.
- I tend to use my stand mixer for whipping cream, but you can use a handheld electric mixer if you prefer. You can use a whisk, but you'll need a lot more elbow grease too!
- Leave the mascarpone at room temperature for a bit to soften it. This helps it mix more easily and prevents lumps.
- For a fancy finish, rather than simply spreading the top mascarpone filling layer, you can transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe decorative dollops over the top of the tiramisu with the filling, instead of spreading it on.
Substitutions and Variations
- Change the fruit. You can easily change the flavor of your tiramisu by changing the kind of filling you use. Instead of a strawberry filling, use raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries instead. You can even use peaches, pineapple, lemon curd, or apple pie filling!
- Strawberry Lemonade Tiramisu. If you want to add a punch of lemon flavor, add about 1 Tablespoon of lemon zest and a few Tablespoons of lemon juice to the mascarpone cheese mixture.
- Topping. Arrange fresh strawberry slices, drizzle with strawberry sauce, or decorate with slices of lemon and strawberries on top for an extra special finish.
More Easy Strawberry Recipes
- Strawberry Rice Krispies Treats
- Homemade Strawberry Milk
- Best Homemade Strawberry Cake
- Baked Strawberry Donuts
- Summertime Strawberry Shortcake
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Strawberry Tiramisu
Ingredients
Strawberry Sauce
- 1 pound strawberries, mashed (fresh or frozen)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Mascarpone Filling
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Assembly
- 1 (7-ounce) package Savoiardi ladyfingers (about 24)
- Finely grated white chocolate, for dusting
- Additional strawberries, for garnish
Instructions
- Combine mashed strawberries and sugar in a bowl and let them sit for 5-10 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the strawberries have released their juices. If the strawberry sauce still feels gritty when you rub some of the syrup between your fingers, you can bring it to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes until the sugar is melted, but I haven't found this to be necessary most of the time.
- Meanwhile, beat heavy cream in a large bowl with a whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine mascarpone cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Beat until smooth with an electric mixer. Fold in heavy cream with a heavy spatula until evenly combined.
- Dip lady fingers into the strawberry sauce, one at a time, until soaked but not soggy. Arrange in an even layer in an 8-inch square baking dish. Spread half of the filling on top.
- Arrange remaining ladyfingers on top of the mascarpone cheese layer. Spread with the remaining filling or transfer the remaining filling to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe decorative dollops over the top of the tiramisu with the remaining filling instead.
- Sprinkle with the grated white chocolate. I use a bar of Ghiradelli white chocolate and grate it right over the tiramisu using a zester or the smallest holes of a box grater. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
- Slice and decorate with additional strawberries just before serving.
Notes
- Store: Store leftover tiramisu in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
I wish you would give calorie counts.
Usually I do! I must have missed it on this one. Sorry! It's fixed now!
Why in the world would you ask her for calorie content ? If you're going to be eating a dessert, especially one as beautiful as this one is, you don't need to be wondering how many calories you're consuming. My goodness.