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Hi Bold Bakers!
If you like strawberry granita and getting caught in the rain — that’s not right, is it? Well, maybe the song needs to be updated because an ice-cold strawberry granita is incredible on a hot summer day, and the only equipment you’ll need to make the iconic Italian treat is a blender!
My Strawberry Granita recipes is, essentially, the best shaved ice you could ever have, and the perfect way to use those flavorful summer strawberries. With just a little sweetener, the juice from the berries is frozen and transformed into bright, icy, and refreshing chunks that melt in your mouth and provide relief from the worst heatwave.
[ Make a Blood Orange Granita, too! ]
This homemade strawberry granita recipe couldn’t be easier to make, with limited ingredients and even fewer equipment, so let’s get to it!
What is Strawberry Granita?
Granita is a popular dessert from Italy that is typically made with just a few ingredients, like fruit juice, sugar, or even coffee. The ingredients are mixed and then frozen and scrapped with a fork to form coarse and crunchy ice shards that I’d personally pick over a shaved ice any day.
For this recipe, we’ll be using strawberries, a small amount of sugar, a squeeze of lemon juice to balance the sweetness and bring brightness, and a pinch of salt to round it all out!
What You Need To Make Strawberry Granita
- Measuring cups
- A 9 x 13″ baking pan you can put in the freezer
- A fork
- A fine strainer
- A lidded, freezer-safe container for storage
- A blender or food processor
How To Make Strawberry Granita
With about 2-pounds of strawberries, a blender, and some time in the freezer, you can not only impress guests with a simple dessert but also keep the kids happy (and relatively healthy)! And don’t forget to get the full recipe with measurements, on the page down below:
- In a blender or food processor, blend your washed and hulled strawberries with sugar, water, salt, and lemon juice until pureed.
- Pour the mixture through a fine strainer into a 9×13-inch (23x33cm) metal baking pan and then place it in the freezer.
- Every hour, for about 4 to 5 hours, run a fork through the puree and scrape up the frozen bits from the edge, stirring to incorporate them with any part of the mixture that is still liquid.
- After 4 to 5 hours, the granita should be fully frozen, flaky, and ready to serve!
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips for Making Strawberry Granita
- You can use this recipe and replace the strawberries with any in-season juicy fruit of your choice to make a different flavor. Be sure to taste the puree before you freeze, as you might need to adjust the amount of sugar or lemon juice.
- If, after a few days, your granita has frozen into a solid block, you can re-scrape it with a fork, let it soften for a few minutes, and run it through a blender, or re-melt it and start the freezing process again.
- Out of ice? Add a spoonful of this to your favorite cocktail for a fresh, summery drink. Tequila and vodka would be perfect.
- Go the extra mile and serve granita with a big scoop of vanilla ice-cream on top. You get sweet and creamy, soft, and crunchy. The best of both worlds!
How To Store Strawberry Granita
Strawberry granita can be kept in the freezer, inside a lidded freezer-safe container, for up to 3 days.
Make More Ice Cream!
- Homemade Ice Cream with Only 2 Ingredients
- Blood Orange Granita
- 3 Ingredient Ube Ice Cream
- Ice Cream in a Jar
And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
Full (and printable) recipe below!
Strawberry Granita Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 ½ cups (2lbs/907g) strawberries, (fresh or frozen)
- 1/3 cup (2 ½ oz/71g) sugar
- 1 cup (8floz/225 ml) water
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- If using fresh strawberries, wash and hull them.
- In a blender or food processor, blend strawberries, sugar, water, salt, and lemon juice until pureed.
- Pour mixture through a fine strainer into a 9x13 inch (23x33cm) metal baking pan and place in the freezer.
- Every hour, run a fork through the puree, scraping up the frozen bits from the edges and stirring to incorporate them with the still liquid mixture.
- After about 4 or 5 hours, the granita should be fully frozen in flakes. Cover and store for up to 3 days.
Hi Gemma, you have inspired me to bake! I have two quick questions- can I freeze extra chocolate bars(during Covid, I am buying a lot extra) and how do you keep pastry brushes clean? The wood ones with the more natural bristles, not silicone. Thank you!
Hi Gemma, if I try this with water melon wht will be the measurements of watermelon and water? Thank you
Hi Gemma, if I use water melon in the place of strawberry, can I use the same amount of watermelon and water or will the amounts change?. Please let me know as I really love to try this. Thank you
Does this work with mangoes in the place of strawberries?
I made this and also tried the same thing with blueberries now I can’t stop! Gemma lots of love for you and your family.
We pick strawberry a every year and that is one of the things I will get up really early to do!;) And now I have something to do with all the extras!!!
Can’t wait to try it!