One of my favorite childhood simple treats, which people either love or think is super weird haha, is fresh strawberries dipped in sour cream, and then into brown sugar. The tangy cream and sweet sugar are magic with juicy berries! Strawberries Romanoff is like a dressed up version of that idea. I take fresh sliced strawberries and toss them with fresh orange juice and sugar and top with a lightly sweetened sour cream/brown/sugar/whipped cream mixture. It’s an easy, completely no-cook dessert that comes together in just minutes (literally) and is perfect when berries are in season. While strawberries are classic, this creamy topping is also really delicious with other fresh fruits, like blackberries or my favorite- fresh summer peaches. So good!
What’s in a Name…
Despite the name, Strawberries Romanoff doesn’t come from Russian royalty. The dessert was originally developed by French chef Auguste Escoffier, but became famous in the 1940’s, when it became a signature recipe at a glamorous Beverly Hills restaurant named “Romanoff’s”.
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Strawberries
- Orange– just one navel orange will do. Thought I’ve also used clementines or mandarines, too!
- Sugar
- Sour cream – I recommend full fat sour cream
- Brown sugar
- Cream – heavy cream, or regular.
- Vanilla – or vanilla bean paste
- Almond extract – optional, but I LOVE a little almond with berries!
How to Make Strawberries Romanoff
Full printable recipe, below!
- Slice your fresh berries and toss them with sugar and fresh orange juice. I like to do just a couple passes on a microplane grater to add just a touch of orange zest, too.
- While those rest, combine sour cream, brown sugar, and vanilla, and then fold in whipped cream. Tip: I LOVE almond extract with berries so I always add a little almond, too.
- Spoon berries into glasses or small bowls and top with cream.
I’m using my great grandmother Mimi’s crystal goblets, which I think is so perfect for this delicate dessert, especially considering it became famous and got it’s name in glamorous 1940’s Beverly Hills.
Optional Finish
Though not traditional, if you want some cheesecake vibes, a little graham cracker or biscoff cookie crumbled on top is really delicious. You could even go a step further and add my Easy Air Fryer Crumble.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can prepare the cream mixture a few hours ahead and store it in the fridge. For the best texture, macerate the berries shortly before serving so they don’t become too soft.
I prefer fresh berries in this recipe. Frozen tend to release a lot of liquid and become mushy as they thaw.
If you’d like traditional romanoff-style flavor, stir 1-2 tablespoons of orange liqueur (like Grand Marnier) into the strawberries as they mascerate.
You can sub full-fat plain Greek yogurt, but the flavor will be slightly tangier and a little less rich. My preference is sour cream!
Strawberries Romanoff (Easy No-Alcohol Recipe)
Ingredients
Strawberries
- 1 pound fresh strawberries
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon orange zest microplaned
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Romanoff Cream
- ½ cup full fat sour cream
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract optional
- 1 pinch salt
- ⅓ cup heavy cream whipped to soft peaks
Optional Ingredient
- Graham or Biscoff cookies for crumbling on top
Instructions
Berries
- Remove stems from strawberries, slice, and place in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Take your clean and washed orange and zest just a tiny bit of zest to the bowl, about ¼ teaspoon. Add sugar and orange juice. Note: If your berries are off season and not super sweet, add 1-2 tablespoons additional sugar. Let sit for about 15 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, brown sugar, vanilla, almond if using, and salt. whisk until smooth.
- You will need to whip 1/3 cup heavy cream. My favorite easy way to do this is to place the cream in a mason jar. Grab a hand mixer and insert only one of the beaters (if one doesn't work, try the other one!) Whip until soft peaks form.
- Stir one spoonful of the whipped cream into the sour cream mixture and whisk until smooth. Gently fold the rest in.
- To assemble, spoon berries into small bowls or glasses, including some of the juices. Spoon cream on top. If desired, you can sprinkle some cookie or graham crumbs on top just before serving.
Questions & Reviews
I just bought some cute tulip dessert glasses at Target I didn’t need but couldn’t resist. Now I know what I’ll serve in them. Thanks!