Strawberry Tiramisu Recipe

a vibrant strawberry tiramisu on a plate served with fresh strawberries and topped with strawberry powder

5 from 1 vote

This easy strawberry tiramisu recipe is a fruity twist on the classic Italian dessert—made with mascarpone, ladyfingers, and fresh strawberries.

Prep Time20

Total Time20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: strawberry dessert

Servings:

Calories: 460kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the strawberry sauce:

2 pounds Strawberries (hulled and halved)
2 tablespoons Water
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 tablespoon Lemon juice

For the dipping:

30-35 Ladyfingers (Savoiardi)
¼ cup Milk
Half of the Strawberry sauce

For the cream (zabaglione):

5 egg yolks
½ cup + 2 tablespoons Sugar
2 cups Mascarpone
1 ⅔ cups Heavy cream cold
1 teaspoon Vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoon Strawberry sauce optional

For the topping:

1 ounce Freeze-dried strawberries

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Strawberry Sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the strawberries, water, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring and gently mashing occasionally, until the strawberries are soft and saucy.
Halfway through, pour half of the sauce into a shallow bowl (this is for dipping the ladyfingers). Keep cooking the remaining sauce until it thickens. Set aside and let the sauce cool completely.
Prepare the Mascarpone Cream: In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler or bain-marie). Whisk constantly for 7–10 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens to a ribbon-like texture. The temperature should reach about 154–158°F (68–70°C). Remove from heat and allow it to cool slightly.
Whisk in the mascarpone and vanilla bean paste (or extract) until smooth and creamy. Optionally, add 2–4 tablespoons of the cooled strawberry sauce and fold until combined.
Whip the Cream: In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until fully incorporated.
Prepare the Dipping Syrup: To the bowl with thin strawberry sauce, add 1/4 cup of milk (at this stage, you can also add alcohol – read notes).
Assemble the Tiramisu: Use a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) dish or similar container. Quickly dip each ladyfinger into the strawberry-milk mixture for about 1–2 seconds (do not soak), and arrange in a single layer on the bottom of the dish.
Spread half of the mascarpone cream evenly over the ladyfingers.
Spread the remaining (the thick one) of the strawberry sauce over the cream for extra strawberry flavor. For easy spread, freeze the tiramisu for 30-60 minutes. Dip more ladyfingers and create a second layer. Spread the remaining mascarpone cream evenly on top.
Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight.
Make the Strawberry Powder Topping: Place the freeze-dried strawberries in a blender and blend into a fine powder. Before serving, dust the top generously with the strawberry powder. Read notes.
Decorate: Optionally, decorate the top with a few fresh strawberries just before serving.

Video

Notes

Alcohol: This strawberry tiramisu is completely alcohol-free, making it perfect for kids and anyone avoiding alcohol. If you’d like to add a boozy twist, try a splash of strawberry liqueur Aperol, or strawberry-flavored vodka in the dipping syrup.
Coffee/Tea: Unlike traditional tiramisu, this version skips the espresso entirely. It's a bright, berry-forward take. If you prefer, you can add a small amount of coffee or tea to the dipping syrup for a flavor contrast.
Cooking the egg yolks: Gently cooking the egg yolks over a bain-marie helps dissolve the sugar and makes the cream more stable and safer to eat. That said, if you're not concerned about salmonella and you're using very fresh eggs, you can skip this step.
Topping: The freeze-dried strawberry powder gives this dessert a beautiful, vibrant finish and mimics the classic look of tiramisu, which is traditionally topped with cocoa powder. This topping is optional—alternatively, you can use finely grated white chocolate, crushed meringue, cocoa powder, fresh strawberries or simply leave it plain.
Shortcuts: Short on time? You can use store-bought strawberry jam instead of homemade sauce. Choose a low-sugar or 100% fruit variety. Thin it slightly with water or lemon juice before using it for dipping and layering.
Eggless Version: Want to skip the egg yolks? No problem—the egg-based custard is optional. You can make the cream with just mascarpone, whipped cream, vanilla, and a bit of sugar. Or use the base of my pistachio tiramisu.
Watch the video above to see exactly how I make this strawberry tiramisu step-by-step—it’s super helpful!
Have a question? Scroll down below the recipe card to read the full FAQ section for tips on storage, substitutions, and more. Or just ask me in the comment section.

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