This Strawberry Fool is one of the simplest and most luscious desserts I know of. Whipped strawberry cream is topped with crushed cookies for contrast, and fresh strawberry slices.

Strawberry Fool with Strawberry Halves in Glass bowls

Isn’t it the best thing ever when you eat something so gloriously delicious, and it’s also unbelievably simple?

Yes, I love complicated dishes too, and don’t shy away from making elaborate recipes like Beef Wellington or Carrot Cake Truffles, but when something is quick, just a few ingredients, and totally delightful, there is a special kind of satisfaction that comes from that. Simplicity is something I find myself drawn to again and again, especially in the summer.

If you’ve never heard of a fruit fool before,  you might read through the ingredients and instructions and conclude that it’s just fruity whipped cream, and you would be right and wrong at the same time.

True, it is basically a fruit puree swirled into homemade whipped cream with some crushed cookies on top, but it tastes like a fluffy whipped strawberry ice cream cloud. It’s light, textural, flavorful heaven.

And like you may have gathered by this point, it’s really simple to make. Let me show you how to do it:

Start by roughly chopping a pound of strawberries, and add some granulated sugar:

Adding Sugar to Chopped Strawberries for Macerating

Add a tiny splash of vanilla extract:

Adding Vanilla Extract to Chopped Strawberries

And a little fresh lemon juice:

Adding Lemon Juice to Chopped Strawberries in Bowl

Let that sit for 10 minutes.

Then whip up some heavy cream to soft peaks:

Whipped Cream in Mixing Bowl with Beaters

Pop the macerated strawberries into a blender and blend just a little bit:

Chopped Macerated Strawberries in Blender Jar

Fold the pureed fruit into the whipped cream, leaving little ribbons all around:

Strawberry Whipped Cream - In Stainless Mixing Bowl

Put scoops of the fruity cream into glasses, and top with crushed cookies halfway through:

Sprinkling Crushed Cookies Onto Strawberry Cream - How to Make Strawberry Fool Dessert

Then another scoop of cream, and more crumbs on top:

Strawberry Fool - In Glass Serving Bowls with Fresh Strawberries for Garnish

And that’s it! It’s absurdly simple, but an absolute delight. It’s definitely a dessert to try this summer.

One more note before I leave you with the recipe: there are many different ways that people make fruit fools, and sometimes if I want a different flavor I’ll cook down the strawberry puree in a saucepan for about 15 minutes until thick and jammy. Both ways are good, but sometimes I really prefer the fresh flavor of the strawberries, uncooked. You can play with it to discover what you prefer.

Strawberry Fool Dessert in Glass Cups

Strawberry Fool Recipe

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
This strawberry fool recipe is such a quick and easy dessert to make, and perfect for summertime. It’s incredibly light and fluffy!
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Ingredients

For the strawberry puree:

  • 1 lb strawberries stems removed and chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

For the cream:

  • 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 10 of your favorite crunchy cookies crushed (ladyfingers, vanilla snaps, vanilla wafers, etc)

Instructions 

  • Place the strawberries in a bowl and stir to combine with the sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. Let sit for 10 minutes. Place the strawberries into a blender and puree just enough to chop the strawberries up into small pieces (do not completely obliterate the strawberries).
  • Place the heavy whipping cream and sugar into a mixing bowl and use an electric mixer on medium high speed (or a balloon whisk and your arm) to whip the cream to soft peaks.
  • Mix in however much you like of the strawberry mixture into the whipped cream, leaving some streaks and swirls of the fruit puree behind. I mix in about 3/4 cup of strawberry mixture and find that’s right for me, but taste and add more if you want.
  • Portion the fruit cream into glasses, and sprinkle generously with the crushed cookies. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 458kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 20g, Cholesterol: 122mg, Sodium: 35mg, Potassium: 240mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 34g, Vitamin A: 1325IU, Vitamin C: 67.2mg, Calcium: 76mg, Iron: 0.5mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Fifteen Spatulas