From crumbles and galettes to cakes and jams, here are 23 sweet and sour gooseberry recipes that’ll bring joy to your berry-loving heart.
Believe it or not, this little berry was once banned in the US, which is why it’s not seen too often. In contrast, it’s super popular in the UK.
But, now that it’s widely available in most states, it’s slowly gaining traction, which is fantastic because gooseberries are sweet, tart, a little sour, and crazy-versatile.
So, if you’re curious about these healthy grape-looking berries, try one of these delicious gooseberry recipes today.
1. Gooseberry Crumble
This is a traditional dessert with a lovely twist.
Tart yet sweet gooseberries rest underneath a crisp oat crumble topping making this a lot like an apple crisp, only way more sour.
With basic ingredients and just 15 minutes of prep, this crumble proves that baking doesn’t have to be complicated.
Serve gooseberry crumble with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a refreshing summer treat.
2. Gooseberry Jam
Making jam is the best way to preserve gooseberries. It keeps you from wasting food and gives you a scrumptious spread!
This basic gooseberry jam requires just three ingredients (four if you include water).
It’s ready to be devoured in under an hour and will keep well for many months. Minimal effort, maximum payoff – what more could you ask?
3. Brown Butter Gooseberry Tart
If you’re craving a homemade tart but don’t want to go through the trouble of making shortbread crust from scratch, this recipe has you covered.
You’ll use a simple mixture of flour, sugar, and melted butter to create a crust. So there’s no need to roll or knead or proof dough!
The filling is a wonderful mix of gooseberries cooked in brown butter, sugar, and eggs.
It’s sweet and tart with an extra dose of nutty goodness from the browned butter.
4. Gooseberry Fool
Don’t be fooled by gooseberry fool! It might have a silly name, but it’s a heavenly dessert that’s so simple, anyone can make it.
A fruit fool is an English dessert made by folding stewed fruit puree into some type of cream or custard.
In this version, you’ll use a mix of whipped yogurt and cream. The fruit puree, of course, features none other than gooseberries.
If you prefer it a little sweeter, try drizzling some honey over the top.
5. Slow Cooker Steamed Gooseberry Pudding
Not to be confused with a smooth and silky flan, this next recipe is all about the English version of a pudding.
This British dessert is a sponge cake usually finished with a sweet and sticky treacle drizzled on top.
In this variation, the spongecake is studded with gooseberries to give it a sweet and tart flavor profile.
6. Gooseberry Eve’s Pudding
Here’s another recipe for gooseberry pudding, just in case you didn’t get enough of this British dessert the first time.
In this version, the gooseberries are tucked underneath a blanket of moist and fluffy sponge cake.
Serve the pudding with custard or ice cream to counterbalance the tartness of the berries.
And in case you haven’t noticed, many of these recipes hail from across the pond. As I mentioned, gooseberries are super popular with the Brits!
7. Gooseberry and Elderflower Cordial
An elderberry cordial is a classic British beverage made to preserve elderflowers.
It’s usually just a combination of elderflowers, sugar, and water.
But, in this recipe, you’ll add tart berries and lemon juice to create the perfect yin and yang of flavors.
8. Gooseberry Sorbet
This gooseberry sorbet is as delicious as it is pretty. That baby pink hue is so adorable I could stare at it for days.
With a beautiful balance of sweet and tart, this sorbet is absolutely refreshing. It’s a terrific way to blast away the summer heat.
9. Gooseberry & Elderflower Trifle
This glorious trifle has layers of sweet and tart gooseberries, sponge cake, elderflower jelly, and custard.
And it’s finished off with whipped cream on top. Yum!
It looks like any other trifle you’ve had before, but the flavors are definitely different.
It’s another fantastic dessert brought to us by our friends from across the pond!
10. Gooseberry Cheesecake
As a cheesecake fanatic, I never say no to trying new varieties and flavors of the smooth and creamy dessert.
Between the crumbly biscuit base, elderflower cordial-infused cheesecake filling, and roasted gooseberry topping, this cheesecake is equally unique and delicious.
You’ll love the sweet floral scent and flavor of the elderflower. But it’s super subtle, so it doesn’t overpower everything.
The sweet gooseberry topping proves that roasting fruit is the best way to make it ten times more delicious.
11. Gooseberry Nectarine Galette
A galette is a French tart with a free-form crust, which just means you don’t need to be neat!
In this recipe, the crust is filled with a superb mix of sweet nectarines and tangy gooseberries.
They balance each other so well and produce a remarkable explosion of flavors.
12. Friands with Gooseberry and Hazelnut
Here’s another French dessert, only this time we’re looking at bite-sized almond cakes.
Studded with tart gooseberries and hazelnuts, this friands recipe is given extra layers of exceptional tastes and textures.
These treats are wonderfully dense and crumbly, perfect for your morning coffee or afternoon tea.
13. Gooseberry Pickle
Say ‘hello’ to one of the two gooseberry recipes that aren’t sweet!
It’s a common practice in India to pickle gooseberries, or amla, as they call them.
They aren’t like your typical sweet and sour relish, though.
Cooked with Indian spices and seasonings such as turmeric and red chili powder, these pickles have a salty and spicy flavor profile.
They’re either used as a condiment or served with rice and other Indian breakfast dishes.
14. Gooseberry Frangipane Tart
This gooseberry frangipane tart has the perfect mix of sweet, nutty, and tart. It’s mind-blowingly delicious, to say the least!
Between its crumbly crust and sensational almond and gooseberry filling, it’s hard to pick which component I love more.
15. Gooseberry and Coconut Cake
The sweetness and nuttiness of coconut plus the tartness of the berries make a perfect combination in this dreamy cake.
Don’t believe me? Have a bite and see for yourself! It’s so ridiculously good; you won’t want to share.
The cake itself is moist and tender, but it’s the unique flavor profile that’ll keep you wanting more.
Almond slivers and powdered sugar are added on top to make you drool even harder.
16. Gooseberry and Chamomile Jam
The tartness of gooseberries and the sweet floral flavor of chamomile are the highlights of this jam.
Spread this on toast, top it on ice cream, use it as a cake filling, or just eat it with a spoon – you can’t go wrong.
This jam is so yummy – you’ll want to incorporate it as much as you can into your daily meals.
17. Gooseberry Cake
This gooseberry cake is moist, tender, and bursting with flavor! Also, how stunningly beautiful does it look?
You’ll also love the bright pop of flavor the gooseberries add to this dessert.
Their tartness balances out the sweetness of the cake so well; you’ll want a second slice..and maybe even a third!
18. Gooseberry Greens Detox Drink
Let’s take a short break from the indulgent desserts and focus our attention on this detox drink.
Let’s be honest, such beverages, while good for the body, tend to taste awful. Luckily, this one doesn’t!
This detox green drink has a surprisingly pleasant flavor with its blend of sweet gooseberries, greens, and curry leaves.
19. Gooseberry Elderflower Champagne Cocktail
It’s never too early in the week for this champagne cocktail!
So bring out the cocktail connoisseur in you with this super simple recipe.
Champagne, rose water, elderflower, and gooseberries are all you’ll need to make this sweet and sparkling drink.
20. Gooseberry, Apple & Mint Jelly
Lamb chops are great on their own, but they’re so much better when paired with mint jelly!
But this jelly has a surprise – it’s also full of crisp apples and tart gooseberries.
I love how the sweet and minty taste of the jelly cuts through the rich gamey-ness of the lamb. They balance each other out wonderfully.
21. Individual Gooseberry Crumbles
I adore mini desserts – which is why I have so many little ramekins and mason jars crowding my cupboards.
But once you see how adorable these gooseberry crumbles look, I have a feeling you’ll jump on the bandwagon.
Between the gooseberry jam, crumbly oats, and desiccated coconut, this is clean, simple, and scrumptious.
22. Snow White Gooseberry Pie
First of all, how charming is the name of this dish? It does a fine job of getting you intrigued!
In the classic film, the heroine baked this double-crusted gooseberry pie for the dwarves, hoping it’ll convince them to let her stay in the cottage.
It was so good even Grumpy finally approved. So just imagine what it could do for you!
23. Gooseberry-Blueberry Jam
Gooseberries and blueberries unite to create this mouthwatering jam, and I have to warn you, this one is addictive!
The berries complement each other, so beautifully you’ll want to make at least triple the recipe.
23 Best Ways to Use Gooseberries
From crumbles and galettes to cakes and jams, here are 23 sweet and sour gooseberry recipes that’ll bring joy to your berry-loving heart.
Ingredients
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