Fresh strawberries are bountiful during the summer months, which is also when you are looking for fresh, easy recipe ideas like these beautiful strawberry parfaits. All you need, along with some juicy, plump strawberries, is strawberry gelatin powder, whipped cream, and water. There is no baking involved and these are so easy anyone can make them!
Jump to:
Not only are these incredibly simple to prepare, but they are also wonderfully delicious. When I make gelatin, my secret is to add ice cubes as well as cold water to the mixture. That way, you get a perfectly smooth consistency and it sets quicker too!
Use sugar-free gelatin powder and unsweetened whipped cream and you have a low-carb dessert that you can enjoy without guilt!
These strawberry parfaits are a summer staple and everyone is going to rave about them. Parfait is French for "perfect" - make these little summer treats and you will certainly know why.
My banana cream cupcakes are also a great dessert if you love creamy fruit flavors, or maybe you'll love the creamy topping on these strawberry filled cupcakes!
Main Ingredients
You can consider all the ingredients in this strawberry parfaits recipe to be the main ones since you need so few things to make it. Let’s have a closer look at what you need to prepare this sensational summer dessert:
- Fresh strawberries: The star of the show. Although strawberries are available year-round, the best ones are those picked during the summer months. Take advantage of strawberry season and choose the plumpest berries you can find. This is absolutely not a dessert for frozen or canned strawberries.
- Strawberry gelatin: For texture and flavor. This ingredient delivers the perfect consistency. You can use any brand. I like to use sugar-free gelatin. Feel free to switch up the flavors since all fruits pair nicely with strawberries. Try raspberry, peach, or lime gelatin to add another flavor element to the dessert.
- Whipped cream: For a creamy texture. Whip your own cream or use an aerosol variety for convenience. Cool Whip would also work here. You can pick either sweetened or unsweetened cream.
- Water: To make the gelatin. This recipe calls for boiling water, cold water, and also ice cubes. This helps get the gelatin consistency perfect and the ice cubes speed up the setting time so you can enjoy these strawberry parfaits sooner.
Instructions Overview
The first thing to do is make the gelatin since it takes a while to set. Do this before slicing up the berries. If you’re using the box instructions it will call for you to add a cup of boiling water, dissolve the powder and then add cold water. Other brands (or sugar-free kinds) might have different directions, so do check the packaging first.
When the gelatin powder has dissolved in the hot water, you can add cold water and ice cubes. Keep stirring until the ice melts. Add some sliced fresh strawberries to each serving glass then pour some of the liquid gelatin mixture on top.
At this point, you need to chill the parfaits in the refrigerator so the gelatin sets partially. Combine the remaining gelatin liquid with whipped cream and then pour some of this into each serving glass. Now simply refrigerate the strawberry parfaits for an hour, then serve garnished with whipped cream.
Common Questions
We’ve all heard the term, but what exactly is a parfait and how is it different from a sundae? Well, parfait is made by layering ingredients in a glass so you can see all the different layers in there. In France, a parfait will include eggs and some kind of cooked element, while sundaes are ice cream with at least one topping or sauce.
But here the terms are used interchangeably, so you can call these whatever you'd like! I love the word "parfait" because it’s French for "perfect" and these strawberry parfaits certainly are! In the U.S., parfait recipes are often made by combining yogurt with berries or another kind of fruit, plus optionally granola too.
One pouch of flavored regular gelatin weighs 7 grams (about 2½ teaspoons). Sugar-free gelatin is lighter since sweetener is lighter than sugar. For this recipe just use one standard-sized pouch of gelatin, either regular or sugar-free as you prefer.
These glasses are tall and slim with a short stem so you can show off the different layers. However, strawberry parfaits look just as good in any serving glass so you don’t have to go out and buy parfait glasses.
I’m sure you already know, but these tasty desserts are pronounced par-FAY (the S on the end is silent).
These sweet summer desserts can be made up to 2 days ahead.
These need to be kept in the refrigerator since they contain dairy.
Honestly, this isn’t a good dessert for freezing. Freezing damages the colloids and polymers that bind gelatin together, so it will separate when thawed. Also, freezing doesn’t extend its shelf life, so keep it refrigerated instead and enjoy it within a couple of days.
I love these pretty, yummy treats when it’s hot and sunny and I just want to cool down. The kids are also crazy for them. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on top makes parfait even more refreshing.
Feel free to add other kinds of fruit. Chopped peach, banana, raspberries, or cranberries added to the gelatin mixture would add more flavor to the dessert as well as more nutrients. Don’t add fresh pineapple though - it contains an enzyme that can stop gelatin setting. The same is true of kiwi, mango, guava, fresh ginger, and figs.
Chopnotch Tips
- These look pretty if you tilt the glasses at an angle while the gelatin mixture sets. It’s easiest to do this using a muffin or cupcake pan for balance.
- Discard any less-than-perfect strawberries and take your time slicing them evenly.
- If you want to make a batch of these, use transparent 5-ounce plastic cups unless you have a whole set of matching dessert glasses. They’re the perfect size for a small dessert or an after-school snack. You can also make a bunch of them for a party if you’re using plastic cups.
- Don’t add the whipped cream on top until serving for the prettiest result.
- Top each one with a fresh strawberry or strawberry half before serving if you like.
Strawberry parfaits make a light, refreshing treat for the summer. They’re perfect as an after-school snack or you could make a batch for a party. They are super-simple and every mouthful tastes fresh and amazing. This recipe is a must-make for strawberry lovers.
Related Recipes
Let us know what you think! Give this recipe a rating in the comments section below.
Recipe
How to Make
Strawberry Parfaits
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh strawberries, sliced
- ¾ cup boiling water
- ½ cup cold water
- 3 ounces strawberry gelatin
- 1 cup whipped cream, and some for topping
- ¾ cup ice cubes
Instructions
- Prepare the gelatin. Pour boiling water into the bowl with the gelatin powder, mix well until dissolved.
- Prepare 2-4 glasses and put strawberry slices in each glass. Add cold water and ice cubes to the gelatin mix, stir until ice cubes melt.
- Fill ¾ of each glass with gelatin mix. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Add whipped cream to the remaining mix, stir until combined.
- Divide the mixture among glasses, refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve topped with whipped cream.
Notes
- These look pretty if you tilt the glasses at an angle while the gelatin mixture sets. It’s easiest to do this using a muffin or cupcake pan for balance.
- Discard any less-than-perfect strawberries and take your time slicing them evenly.
- If you want to make a batch of these, use transparent 5-ounce plastic cups unless you have a whole set of matching dessert glasses. They’re the perfect size for a small dessert or an after-school snack. You can also make a bunch of them for a party if you’re using plastic cups.
- Don’t add the whipped cream on top until serving for the prettiest result.
- Top each one with a fresh strawberry or strawberry half before serving if you like.
Nice!