Irish Blackberry Fools with Shortbread - A Heavenly Summer Dessert

Blackberry Fools with Shortbread Cookies, a dessert combo that's a summery match made in heaven,! Even better, they can both be made ahead so this is a perfect choice for summer entertaining and enjoyment.

Local blackberries are finally ripe and ready here in the mountains of Western North Carolin - and I'm pumped! I'm hoping to go blackberry picking next week with a friend and I can hardly wait. I'm already dreaming about the sweet, juicy berries, still warm from the summer sun, filling my bucket and (of course) a few making their way to my (watering) mouth for approval.

What to do with Fresh Blackberries

I've been thinking about what I'll do with my blackberry-loot besides making lots of Blackberry Freezer Jam which brings back that wonderful taste of fresh summer berries all year long. (If you've got blackberries, don't miss this easy jam recipe with free printable labels for gifting! If you don't have blackberries, pick some up!)

I also see a batch of this Easy Blackberry Jelly in the near future.

It's a shimmering clear jelly that's perfect for toast, scones, biscuits, bagels, crumpets, etc. with a super simple technique! And a MUST to pair with our Ridiculously Easy Buttermilk Biscuits for breakfasts and brunches all year long.

Although the blackberry jelly can be made with store-bought or frozen blackberries throughout the year, there's nothing like the flavor of fresh local berries.

The BEST blackberry recipe

BUT the blackberry recipe I'm most excited about making is our Irish Blackberry Fool. To me, it's a quintessential summer dessert. What do I mean by that? It's easy to make, it can be made ahead and it's out-of-this-world delicious! With sweet, lightly stewed blackberries layered with tangy vanilla whipped cream and yogurt, this delicious dessert is universally loved. It's perfect for both fancy dinner parties and casual nights at home!

You can read all about Fools (in the culinary sense) and the history behind this delightful dessert but, trust me, you want to make this before the summer slips away!

Even better!

You can definitely serve these pretty little Blackberry Fools on their own but for an incredibly delicious dessert combo, we love to pair them with crisp, buttery shortbread cookies.

The Irish Shortbread Cookies (pictured above) are some of your very favorites.

But these French Shortbread Cookies (Sablés Bretons) also tend to bring rave reviews. They're crisp, crazy-delicious and might just make you feel like you've taken a magic carpet ride to France. They look and sound quite fancy and gourmet but, in reality, they're super easy - again with just one bowl and no mixer needed!

And if you want to keep things super simple, try this Ridiculously Easy New York Times Rosemary Shortbread recipe, pictured above. It's a one-bowl, no-mixer dough that's simply pressed into the pan for a very gourmet dessert with minimal effort on your part! It's one of those unforgettable recipes you'll be begged to make again and again.

So, do you want to meet me in the blackberry patch? I'll be the one dreaming about Blackberry Fools... the one with the crimson-hued smudge on my face and a BIG bucket of fresh, juicy berries!

Thought for the  day:

And we have this HOPE
as an anchor for the soul,
firm and secure.
Hebrews 6:19

What we're listening to for inspiration:

Hope Has A Name

If you enjoy any of these recipes, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations, and ideas for variations.