5-minute blender swirl • cold, creamy, fruity dessert
A lush strawberry soft-serve you can pipe into swirls—bright, tangy, and naturally sweet with real fruit.
Why You’ll Love It
- Cold Desserts in minutes: Blender-fast, no churn, no stovetop.
- Creamy with real fruit: Frozen berries + yogurt or coconut milk → that classic soft-serve feel for Fruity Desserts.
- Drinkable option: Thin it into a smoothie for Smoothie Drink Recipes and Drink Recipes Nonalcoholic.
- Budget sweet snack: Pantry/freezer staples for Sweet Snacks Recipes.
- Picture-ready: Pipes beautifully—perfect for Deco Fruit garnishes.
Ingredients (notes only)
Base – Frozen strawberries (sweetness varies), pineapple or apple juice (brightens and helps blend), lemon juice, vanilla, pinch of salt.
Creamy element – Greek yogurt for protein/tang or canned coconut milk for dairy-free.
Sweetener – Honey, maple, or powdered sugar to taste.
Extras – Frozen banana for body, or collagen powder for a protein boost.
Step-by-Step
- Pre-chill gear: Pop your bowl and piping bag/tip in the freezer 10 minutes for firmer swirls.
- Load blender: Add frozen strawberries first, then juice, yogurt (or coconut milk), lemon, vanilla, salt.
- Blend: Pulse, then blend on medium, tamping as needed, 30–60 sec until thick and creamy. Add 1–2 Tbsp more liquid only if needed.
- Sweeten: Taste; blend in honey/maple/sugar 1 Tbsp at a time.
- Swirl or scoop: Serve soft immediately, or freeze 15–25 min for pipeable swirls.
- Finish: Dust with finely crushed freeze-dried strawberries; garnish with Deco Fruit (strawberry fans, blueberry pops).
Pro Tips
- Softer berries = less liquid. Start low; over-liquid = smoothie.
- For ultra-smooth: Use a high-speed blender or food processor; scrape sides often.
- Color pop: Add 1–2 Tbsp freeze-dried strawberry powder.
- Stable swirls: Chill the mixture 15–25 minutes before piping.
Variations (mapped to interests)
- Strawberry-Blueberry FroYo (Frozen Yogurt Blueberries) – Swap half the strawberries for frozen blueberries; use Greek yogurt.
- Classic Dole Whip Vibe (Dole Whip Recipe) – Blend ¾ strawberries + ¼ frozen pineapple.
- Strawberry Crisp Parfait (Strawberry Crisp Recipe) – Layer swirls with cinnamon-oat crumble.
- Smoothie Sipper (Smoothie/Nonalcoholic) – Add extra juice or milk to reach drinkable consistency, serve over ice.
- Light Snack Cups (Sweet Snacks Recipes) – Pipe into mini cups, top with one chocolate-dipped strawberry slice.
How to Serve
In chilled cups or cones; swirl with a large open-star tip. Top with berry fans, mint, or a crisp-style oat crumble.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Freeze: Pack into airtight container; freeze up to 2 months. Soften 10–15 min at room temp, then re-blend or stir before serving.
- Meal-prep pucks: Freeze portions in silicone muffin cups; pop into blender with a splash of juice when ready.
FAQs
Can I make it dairy-free?
Yes—use full-fat canned coconut milk (well-shaken) instead of yogurt.
Why is mine icy?
Too much liquid or a weak blender. Reduce liquid and pause to scrape/tamp; add a few slices of frozen banana for body.
Can I sweeten without sugar?
Ripe berries may need none; otherwise honey, maple, or 1–2 dates work.
Simple Nutrition (estimate per serving, 4 servings)
Calories 115 • Carbs 22g • Protein 3g • Fat 3g • Fiber 3g • Added sugar 0–8g (depending on sweetener)
Easy Strawberry Dole Whip
Ingredients
- 4 cups frozen strawberries (600 g)
- 0.5 cup pineapple or apple juice (120 ml; start with ⅓ cup, add as needed)
- 0.5 cup Greek yogurt or full-fat coconut milk (120 g)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 1–3 tbsp honey, maple syrup, or powdered sugar, to taste
- optional add-ins: ½ small frozen banana, 1–2 tbsp freeze-dried strawberry powder
Equipment
- high-speed blender or food processor
- piping bag with open-star tip (optional)
Method
- Chill serving bowls and piping bag/tip for 10 minutes if piping swirls.
- Add strawberries, ⅓ cup juice, yogurt (or coconut milk), lemon, vanilla, and salt to a blender.
- Blend, tamping and scraping as needed, until thick and creamy. Add more juice 1 tbsp at a time only if needed.
- Sweeten to taste with honey, maple syrup, or sugar; pulse to combine.
- Serve soft immediately, or chill 15–25 minutes for pipeable swirls.
- Garnish with crushed freeze-dried strawberries and fresh Deco Fruit if desired.