Grilled Strawberry Shortcake Skewers

Serves 4 servings

Prep: 20 minutes • Cook: 10 minutes

Fresh strawberries and bite-sized pieces of gluten-free shortcake are threaded onto skewers and grilled just long enough to caramelize the berries and toast the cake. Finished with cool vanilla Greek yogurt and a light drizzle of honey, this playful take on strawberry shortcake brings a classic summertime dessert straight to the grill.

Ingredients

1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled
8 oz gluten-free pound cake or prepared gluten-free shortcake, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon melted butter or coconut oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons honey or pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
Fresh mint leaves for serving, optional

Instructions

Preheat a grill or Blackstone griddle to medium heat.
If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes before assembling.
In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, vanilla, 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup, and lemon zest. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Cut very large strawberries in half, leaving smaller berries whole.
Thread the strawberries and shortcake cubes alternately onto skewers, leaving a small amount of space between each piece.
Combine the melted butter or coconut oil with 1 teaspoon honey and lightly brush the mixture over the shortcake pieces.
Place the skewers on the grill and cook for approximately 1 to 2 minutes per side, turning carefully, until the cake is lightly toasted and the strawberries are warm and beginning to caramelize.
Remove the skewers from the heat before the strawberries become too soft or the shortcake begins to burn.
Arrange the warm skewers on serving plates and spoon the chilled vanilla-lemon Greek yogurt over or alongside them.
Garnish with fresh mint if desired and serve immediately.

Notes & Tips

Use firm, ripe strawberries so they soften slightly on the grill without falling apart.
Verify that the prepared pound cake or shortcake is certified gluten-free if needed.
Gluten-free pound cake holds together particularly well on skewers.
Keep the grill at medium heat. The shortcake can toast very quickly because of its natural sugars.
On the Blackstone, cook the skewers over medium to medium-low heat and turn frequently for even browning.
For a stronger strawberry flavor, lightly mash one or two extra strawberries into the vanilla Greek yogurt before serving.
The lemon zest adds brightness without making the yogurt taste strongly of lemon.
For an occasional richer version, add a few shavings of dark chocolate over the warm skewers just before serving.

Nutrition: 245 cal • 8g protein • 7g fat • 39g carbs