What flavors go well with raspberries? White chocolate, lemon, floral flavors, and coffee all pair well with raspberries.
To help you pick a new favorite raspberry recipe, I found ones with the best flavor pairings and also organized them by meal type (breakfast, dinner, etc).
All of the recipes use fresh raspberries while they are in-season (not frozen, and not from jam or preserves).
Jump to:
Raspberry flavor
Very ripe raspberries picked from the vine are incredibly sweet, the tiniest bit tart, and full of flavor. They also fall apart by the time you get them from your back yard into your house (speaking from experience!).
Raspberries found in the store are picked much earlier than that - to survive shipping. Earlier picking results in a tarter flavor. Raspberries are more tart than strawberries, but less tart than blackberries.
The tarter flavor pairs well with sweet desserts, balancing out the sugary flavor. It also livens up dairy-forward recipes like ice cream or cheese cakes.
White chocolate
Tart raspberries wake up the creamy, mellow, sweetness of white chocolate. Most white chocolate is flavored with vanilla as well, giving an additional floral note to it that pairs incredibly well with the delicate floral aroma of raspberries.
Lavender & rose
If you like the subtle floral flavor of raspberries, try pairing them with edible flowers. The combination will bring that flavor to the forefront.
Lavender and roses work especially well, and lilacs could also be worth a try.
Lemon & lime
If mouth-puckering tart flavor is your jam, give one of these recipes a try. Pairing already tart raspberries with lemons or limes will be sure to delight.
These lemon and raspberry pairing are a little less mouth-pucking. Both flavors are more subtle with these recipes.
Rhubarb
Rhubarb & raspberry recipes are another tart-on-tart pairing that go well together. When raspberries and rhubarb are kept separate (like the scones or breakfast pastries below), you will get bites of sweet-tart raspberries, and others with sour-rhubarb.
When combined into a pie or syrup (etc), their flavors blend together and mellow each other out a bit (similar to strawberry-rhubarb pairings).
Coffee
It might seem surprising, but coffee goes well with raspberries too. Coffee, milk, and raspberries create a very balanced flavor.
Coffee's bitterness is tamed by the milk (or cream), and raspberries add a sweet-tart flavor to liven it back up.
Breakfast
Raspberries are one of the best breakfast ingredients for two reasons.
First, raspberries pair well with dairy like yogurt (or milk in coffee). The sweet-tart raspberries brighten up a plain yogurt or cream cheese, but are also balanced by dairy's creaminess.
Second, raspberries add pops of flavor to baked goods that can otherwise be just buttery & sweet, like muffins, pancakes, or waffles.
Salads & sides
Raspberries work well in salads and appetizers, adding a tart pop of flavor. Cheese also goes well with raspberries, so add a nice, creamy cheese to that salad or appetizer!
Dinner
A bland dinner is often fixed with the addition of an acid, like a splash of vinegar. Raspberries take on that role and create a very flavorful meal, even if their flavor isn't specifically identifiable, like in the raspberry chipotle chicken recipe below.
Drinks & cocktails
These drink recipes cover a little bit of everything: creamy milk & tart pairings as well as tart loving lemon and limeades.
Cocktails benefit from the tart raspberry flavor (yet again!), as it masks the astringent and sometimes bitter flavors of alcohol. It can do the same for the bitter flavors in coffee too.
Desserts
Deserts and raspberries go hand in hand. From classic chocolate-raspberry desserts and ripple ice creams, to bars, brownies, and banana breads. This recipe collection is sure to have a new favorite to offer (mine is the raspberry truffle s'mores tart).
Pies & tarts
Raspberry pies (and tarts) are a summer favorite because their bold, tart flavor shine through. I put them up there with sour cherry pies.
Also, if you're someone who likes ice cream with pies, then you should definitely try one of these recipes. A lot of time ice cream gets lost in an already-sweet pie, but instead it is welcomed to balance the tart raspberry flavor.
Cakes & bars
These raspberry dessert recipes will be more mellow than a pie, as their flavor is already blended with cake or dairy.
Mousse, meringue & curd
These desserts sit somewhere between pies and cakes, as far as the strength of flavor is concerned. Mixing raspberries with milk, heavy cream, or eggs mellows out the flavor but still lets it shine.
Frozen desserts
Raspberry ice cream is addictive, and so is a raspberry sorbet. If you've never made sorbet before, try it this summer. It's easier than you might think.
Frozen desserts are also the perfect way to pair chocolate and raspberries. Whether they are mixed in or reserved for a topping - it's a great way to beat the heat.
DIY jams, sauces & more
We've spent a lot of time talking about ice cream or cheesecakes - now you should try to make a raspberry sauce to drizzle over the top.
Or try making a jam. One reason raspberry jams are so popular is the tart flavor balances out the large quantities of sugar needed to make jam. It's also why strawberry-rhubarb jams are so good - the sour bite of the rhubarb cuts through the sugar.
Using up lots of raspberries
All of these recipes user 1.5 cups (or more) of fresh raspberries. Since they don't last long, even in the fridge, I hope this is helpful. You can also see the section above (DIY Jams, sauces, and more) which all use a ton of fruit.
More resources
Looking for ways to use other summer fruit, like strawberries, cherries, or blueberries? Or if you love tart flavor, check out my rhubarb recipe guide.
If you're wondering what else is currently in season, check out my calendars to see what produce is in season each month (and coming up soon).
Leave a Reply