This Italian strawberry crostata recipe is love at first bite. Buttery, cookie-like pasta frolla crust meets sweet homemade strawberry jam in a rustic tart that's a staple in Italian pasticcerias and home kitchens everywhere here. Whether you're making it for Valentine's Day, a summer BBQ, or just because strawberries are in season, this is the strawberry dessert that says "I love you" without being cheesy!
If you've made my (prettier) classic cherry crostata, you already know the magic of this deceptively delicious Italian dessert. This strawberry version uses the same forgiving pasta frolla dough, but it's paired with bright, fruity strawberry jam.
You also have the option to add adorable flowers or heart-shaped cutouts, making it perfect for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, or turn it into a mummy face for a Halloween dessert! Kids love it.
There are two components to this strawberry jam tart: "pasta frolla", the single most forgiving, easy-to-make Italian shortcrust pastry, and a 30-minute homemade strawberry jam (or your favorite store-bought brand).
See the difference below? The strawberry crostata on the left is more rustic because I skipped the final chill before baking, while my cherry crostata on the right was properly chilled.
Spoiler alert: they taste equally delicious! Whether you want a picture-perfect Italian jam tart or just a great dessert now, this forgiving recipe has you covered.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Strawberry Crostata Recipe
- What is Strawberry Crostata?
- Why Strawberry Crostata Is Perfect for Valentine's Day
- What's the Difference Between Strawberry Crostata and Strawberry Galette?
- Best Strawberries for Crostata
- Strawberry Crostata Ingredients
- How to Make Strawberry Crostata
- Making the Homemade Strawberry Jam
- Top Tips for Perfect Strawberry Crostata
- Strawberry Crostata Variations
- Homemade Strawberry Sugar (Optional Topping)
- How to Store Strawberry Crostata
- When to Serve Strawberry Crostata
- FAQ
- More Italian Crostata and Tart Recipes
- More Easy Strawberry Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- Food Safety
Why You'll Love This Strawberry Crostata Recipe
- The ultimate Valentine's Day dessert - Red strawberry filling, heart cutouts, homemade strawberry sugar garnish- made with love
- Perfect for strawberry season - Uses fresh or frozen strawberries year-round
- Homemade jam in 30 minutes - No canning required (or use store-bought to save time)
- Beginner-friendly - Pasta frolla is the most forgiving pastry dough you'll ever work with (if you have kids who love to bake, this is a great recipe to start with)
- Simple ingredients - Uses basic pantry staples
- 25-30 minutes hands-on time - Most of the work is waiting for things to chill
- Make-ahead friendly - Freeze unbaked or store baked for up to 5 days
- Kid-approved activity - Little ones can press in the dough and cut out heart shapes
What is Strawberry Crostata?
Strawberry crostata ("crostata alla fragola" in Italian) is a rustic Italian jam tart made with a buttery shortcrust pastry called pasta frolla and filled with strawberry jam. Unlike American pies with their flaky crusts, Italian crostata has a tender, cookie-like texture that's easy to cut with a fork.
While apricot crostata is the most common flavor in Italy, strawberry (fragola) is a beloved favorite that works beautifully year-round. The vibrant red color makes it especially popular for romantic occasions and summer celebrations.
Why Strawberry Crostata Is Perfect for Valentine's Day
Looking for a Valentine's Day dessert that's romantic without being cliché? This strawberry crostata checks every box:
- The color - That gorgeous ruby-red strawberry filling is naturally Valentine's-ready
- The presentation - Add heart-shaped cutouts to the lattice top for instant romance
- The effort - Homemade says "I love you" better than anything store-bought
- The timing - Make the dough and jam ahead, assemble day-of for a stress-free celebration
- The intimacy - Perfect portion for two (with leftovers for breakfast in bed)
Valentine's Day tip: Use a small or medium heart-shaped cookie cutter to make 5-7 heart cutouts from the lattice dough. Arrange them on top of the lattice before baking, brush with egg white, and sprinkle with homemade strawberry sugar or pink sanding sugar for an extra-special touch.
What's the Difference Between Strawberry Crostata and Strawberry Galette?
The difference between strawberry crostata and strawberry galette comes down to three key differences:
The crust: Crostata uses pasta frolla, a rich, cookie-like Italian shortcrust made with eggs, sugar, room temperature butter, and lemon zest. While galettes use a French-style pie dough (pâte brisée) that's much more like our American pie dough.
Galettes are flakier, less sweet, typically contain no eggs or lemon zest, and ingredients must be kept very cold throughout preparation. Pasta frolla is much more forgiving to work with, which is why I recommend crostata for beginner bakers.
The filling: Traditional crostata is filled with jam (marmellata), while galettes typically use fresh fruit with minimal sugar. This means crostata holds up beautifully at room temperature, while galettes are best served the day they're made.
The shape: Crostata is traditionally made in a tart pan with a lattice top, while galettes are free-form with the edges folded over the filling. Both are delicious, but crostata gives you that beautiful lattice presentation perfect for special occasions.
Best Strawberries for Crostata
One of the beautiful things about strawberry crostata is that it works with either store-bought or homemade strawberry jam. One of the reasons why this is one of the best strawberry crostatas you'll ever eat is because of the quick but super delicious homemade jam.
And for the jam, you can use fresh or frozen strawberries. Either way, this strawberry tart can make it year-round - including in February for Valentine's Day, when fresh local berries aren't in season.
Fresh strawberries: Best during peak season (late spring through early summer). Look for berries that are deeply red all the way through, fragrant, and slightly soft. Avoid strawberries with white shoulders or that smell like nothing - they'll make bland jam.
Frozen strawberries: A great option for off-season baking, especially on Valentine's Day! Frozen berries are picked at peak ripeness and often have more consistent flavor than out-of-season fresh berries. No need to thaw - add them directly to the pot frozen and add 5 or so extra minutes to the cooking time.
Pro tip: If your fresh strawberries aren't super sweet, add an extra tablespoon or two of sugar to the jam. Taste as you go!
Strawberry Crostata Ingredients
This recipe uses simple pantry ingredients. I recommend using Italian 00 flour for the most authentic texture, but cake flour or all-purpose work well too. A kitchen scale helps with accuracy, but cup measurements are provided.
For the pasta frolla crust:
- Italian 00 flour (or cake flour, or all-purpose)
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter (room temperature)
- Sugar
- Egg and egg yolks
- Pure vanilla extract
- Lemon zest (don't skip this!)
For the strawberry jam filling (or use store-bought strawberry jam):
- Fresh or frozen strawberries
- Sugar
- Fresh lemon juice
- Fresh orange juice (optional, but makes strawberry jam taste even more strawberrry-like)
See recipe card for exact quantities. If you're short on time, substitute 1 to 1½ cups of your favorite store-bought strawberry jam.
How to Make Strawberry Crostata
This recipe comes together in stages, with plenty of flexibility built in. You can make the dough and jam ahead (great for Valentine's Day prep!), or do everything the same day. Here's the overview:
How to Make Strawberry Crostata Step-by-Step
Step 1. Prep your baking pan. Butter and flour a tart pan and shake out excess flour, alternatively use a pie plate.
Step 2. Measure the dry ingredients and cream the butter mixture. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together until well combined. Cream the butter, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla together until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Then add egg and egg yolks one at a time until just incorporated.
Step 3. Make the pasta frolla dough. Combine the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and form it into a dough disc. Place the dough onto a floured surface and form it into a disc. Cover and refrigerate the dough to firm up.
Step 4. Roll out the bottom layer, and add it to the tart pan. Divide the dough into two pieces, with the bottom crust using slightly more dough than the top. Roll out the bottom layer, add it to the baking pan, press it in, trim the edges, prick it with holes on the bottom and refrigerate.
Step 5. Roll and cut the lattice top and any cutouts.
Step 6. Fill with jam and assemble the lattice top. Brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with coarse sugar. I recommend using this all-natural homemade strawberry sugar for the tops for the added color and flavor, but you can use any kind of sugar or none at all.
To see how to make your own jam step-by-step, check out this Easy 30-Minute Strawberry Jam Without Pectin (w/VIDEO) post before you get started or use store-bought jam.
Step 7. Bake the crostata until golden brown. Cool completely before serving.
Find detailed step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below.
Making the Homemade Strawberry Jam
The homemade jam is what makes this crostata special. It's brighter and fresher-tasting than store-bought, and you control the sweetness. For the full detailed recipe with extra tips, see my 30-minute homemade strawberry jam post.
The jam is ready when:
- The mixture coats the back of a spoon
- A line drawn through the coating stays put (see photos below)
- The strawberries are mostly broken down, but still have some texture
- The color has deepened to a rich ruby red
Don't worry if your jam seems thin while hot - it thickens significantly as it cools. If it's too thick after cooling, stir in a splash of water to loosen it before spreading.
Top Tips for Perfect Strawberry Crostata
- Chill the dough completely - At least 2 hours, or overnight. Soft dough is hard to roll. If it warms up while working, pop it back in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Don't overfill - Use 1 to 1½ cups of jam maximum. More than that, and it bubbles over like lava while baking (believe me, how I know).
- Cool the homemade jam first - Hot jam will melt the butter in your dough and make it greasy and not ok.
- Use the lemon zest - This is what gives the crust its authentic Italian flavor. Don't skip it if you want an authentic Italian crostata experience.
- For clean lattice edges - Chill the assembled crostata for at least 20 minutes before baking. This sets the butter and keeps the lattice shape defined.
- For Valentine's Day hearts - Cut hearts from the lattice scraps, place on top, brush with egg white, and sprinkle with homemade strawberry sugar or pink sanding sugar before baking.
Strawberry Crostata Variations
If you want to move beyond a basic strawberry crostata, try these delicious variations:
Strawberry Rhubarb Crostata: Use my strawberry rhubarb pie filling instead of plain strawberry jam. You can add an extra tablespoon of strawberry sugar or regular sugar to the pie filling after you've added it to the crostata dough for a little extra sweetness, top with lattice strips, chill, and bake.
Strawberry Cheesecake Crostata: We love this delicious strawberry cheesecake tart with a layer of strawberry cheesecake batter and strawberry jam. It's the best of both worlds!
Fresh Strawberry Crostata: Arrange fresh sliced strawberries on top of the jam filling for an extra pop of color and freshness and bake. It's especially delicious when strawberries are in peak season. You can brush with a little warmed apricot jam over the top for shine if you want.
Homemade Strawberry Sugar (Optional Topping)
Want to take your strawberry crostata over the top? Make homemade strawberry sugar to sprinkle on the lattice before baking. It adds a gorgeous pink sparkle and an extra hit of strawberry flavor that makes this dessert truly special - perfect for Valentine's Day!
Get this 2-ingredient strawberry sugar recipe here.
Brush the lattice top with beaten egg white, then generously sprinkle with strawberry sugar before baking. The sugar caramelizes slightly in the oven, creating a beautiful pink, sparkly crust that tastes like concentrated strawberry. You can also mix the strawberry sugar with a little regular sanding sugar for extra crunch and sparkle.
Pro tip: Use leftover strawberry sugar to stir into yogurt, sprinkle on toast, or rim cocktail glasses for Valentine's Day drinks!
How to Store Strawberry Crostata
- Room temperature: Up to 3 days, loosely covered. Best in a cool kitchen - refrigerate if it's warm.
- Refrigerator: Up to 5 days, well-wrapped or in an airtight container to prevent it from absorbing odors.
- Freezer: Up to 3-4 months, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or at room temperature for a few hours (remove wrapping first to prevent condensation).
When to Serve Strawberry Crostata
This strawberry crostata shines at so many occasions:
- Valentine's Day - The ruby red filling and heart cutouts make it the perfect romantic dessert
- Summer entertaining - Perfect for backyard barbecues and picnics (it travels well!)
- Mother's Day brunch - Elegant but easy enough to make the morning of
- Anniversary dinners - Skip the restaurant and make something from the heart
- Italian breakfast - In Italy, crostata is traditionally enjoyed with morning espresso
- Afternoon merenda - The Italian tradition of a 4pm snack with coffee or tea
FAQ
Absolutely! Use 1 to 1½ cups of your favorite strawberry jam or preserves. Look for brands with minimal added ingredients for the best flavor. Homemade is lovely if you have time, but store-bought makes this recipe even easier.
Yes! You can make the dough up to 3 days ahead (refrigerated) or freeze it for up to 3 months. The jam keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks. You can also assemble and freeze the unbaked crostata - bake directly from frozen, adding 10-15 minutes to the baking time. Make the dough and jam before February 14th, then assemble and bake the day of for the freshest results.
Keep cooking! Jam thickens as the water evaporates. It can take 25-30 minutes of active boiling. Also, the jam will thicken significantly more as it cools. If it's still too thin after cooling, you can return it to the pot and cook a bit longer.
Yes! Frozen strawberries work wonderfully, especially for Valentine's Day when fresh local berries aren't in season. Add them directly to the pot without thawing, and expect to add about 5 extra minutes of cooking time. Frozen berries are picked at peak ripeness and often have great flavor.
After rolling out the dough for the lattice top, use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut 5-7 hearts from the scraps. Arrange them on top of the finished lattice, brush everything with beaten egg white, and sprinkle with homemade strawberry sugar or pink sanding sugar before baking. The hearts will bake right onto the lattice.
More Italian Crostata and Tart Recipes
If you love this strawberry crostata, explore more authentic Italian desserts:
More Easy Strawberry Recipes
If you love this strawberry as much as we do, here are some of our favorite ways to make the most of strawberry season:
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Strawberry Crostata Recipe (Italian Strawberry Jam Tart)
- Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 small servings (or 6 large servings)
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This simple and delicious Italian summer fruit strawberry crostata recipe is one of our favorite desserts to eat (or order from our local pasticceria). But it's so easy to make you don't have to live in Italy to enjoy this beloved dessert. There are two components of this strawberry jam tart: "pasta frolla" which is a very forgiving and easy-to-make Italian shortcrust pastry and a 30-minute homemade strawberry jam (or your favorite store-bought brand).
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups Italian 00 flour (or cake flour or all-purpose flour) (150g)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder (3g)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (1g)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (165g)
- ⅓ cup sugar (65g)
- ½ of one large egg whisked (25g)*
- 1 large egg yolk (20-25g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (4g)
- zest of ½ lemon
- ½ to ¾ cups of homemade strawberry jam (155 to 250g)*see note below
- sugar for sprinkling over the top before baking (optional but recommended)
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C & prepare a 9-inch (23) pie pan. If using a glass pie plate versus an aluminum pie plate, I recommend buttering the surface and adding about ¼ cup of flour, and tapping it around to coat the pie plate. Tap out any excess flour and set aside. *FYI, when I use an aluminum pie plate I don't have any issue with the tart sticking to the bottom of the pan so I don't butter or flour it, but feel free to do so if you like.
- Measure out the dry ingredients. In a medium-sized mixing bowl add the flour, salt, and baking powder and whisk well to combine.
- Make the pasta frolla shortcrust. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a handheld mixer or food processor), cream the butter, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla extract on medium speed until lighter in color and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the egg and 2 egg yolks one at a time making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next one (it shouldn't take longer than 15 seconds total to incorporate all of the eggs). Turn off the mixer, add the flour mixture, and gently stir it in using a rubber spatula until no flour streaks remain.
- Form the pastry into a disc & refrigerate it. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to a non-stick Silpat or other surface and spread it out just slightly. Add the pasta frolla and gently start forming a disc incorporating the flour as needed in order to form a ball that doesn't stick to your hands when pressed. If you need just a bit more or less flour that's ok as long as you can form it into a soft disc without it sticking to the surface or your hands. Flatten it slightly and wrap it well with sustainable cling film and place it into the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
- Make the Strawberry Jam. (If using store-bought strawberry jam, skip straight to step # (6) below.) In a medium heavy-bottomed pot, add the chopped strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and orange juice and stir well to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat and cook stirring frequently to avoid scorching for 25 to 27 minutes, or until the strawberries are mostly broken down and the mixture coats the back of a spoon (see photos). Remove from the heat and ladle the jam into a heatproof glass canning jar (Mason/Ball/Kerr/Weck/Quattro Stagione) and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Assemble the crostata. Remove the chilled dough disc from the fridge and divide it into two pieces (with one piece being slightly larger than the other). Place the smaller piece of dough back into the fridge while you roll out the bottom crust. Place the disc onto a lightly floured surface and press down on it to flatten it and shape it into a round. Roll it out to 1/16 of an inch (4mm) using more flour as needed to keep it from sticking to the surface. Gently roll the dough onto the rolling pin and support the bottom of the rolling pin as you transfer the dough to the pie plate (or tart pan). Unroll it into the pan and press the dough into and around the pan making sure that there are no gaps between the pan and the dough (or it will shrink as it bakes). Use the knife to trim the excess dough off of the edges and add this dough to the other dough in the fridge. Prick holes all over the entire bottom crust to prevent it from puffing up as it bakes. Add the jam to the tart and refrigerate while you make the lattice top.
- Make the lattice top (and cutouts if desired). Remove the smaller piece of dough from the fridge and roll it out as you did the first piece. Cut out 3 to 5 small scallops or other shapes and set them aside. Next, cut long strips as evenly as possible using a pizza cutter or knife. You will need at least 4 or 5 strips for the bottom layer and 5 strips for the top layer.
- Decorate the crostata. Decorate the top of the filled crostata by placing 4 to 5 dough strips equal distances apart from each other at an angle going from one side to the other and removing the excess dough from the edges. Turn the crostata slightly and add 4 or 5 dough strips going in the opposite direction at an angle to create the diamond (or argyle) pattern. Place any cutouts on top, brush with egg white (optional), and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake the crostata. Bake the crostata at 350°F/180°C for 10 minutes on the middle rack of the oven. Reduce the heat to 345°F/175°C and continue baking for 25 to 30 more minutes, or until just golden brown on top. Remove from the oven to a cooling rack and wait at least 2 hours before cutting into it. Once cooled, you may cover and refrigerate or freeze the crostata, or leave it covered at room temperature for up to 2 or 3 days in a cooler environment (or 1 day in a warmer environment, Enjoy!
Notes
Make sure the dough is completely chilled before rolling it out or it will be difficult because this is a soft dough. If you're new to making pastry, you can cheat it and just press in the dough if you want (it won't be as light, but it's still really good!)
If you have kids who are small but want to help, let them press in the dough instead of rolling it out, just be sure to chill the filled tart pan for at least 2 hours before filling it and baking it.
If you want a perfect-looking crostata, place the fully assembled crostata back into the fridge for at least 20 minutes before baking (and even up to 6 hours). This will make sure the edges of the lattice top stay "clean" while baking. I baked my crostata immediately after assembling, and while it doesn't have perfectly "clean-cut" edges, it's still pretty. You decide based on your schedule and desired look.
Do not be tempted to add more than the amount of jam called for. You can add less, and it will still taste great, but adding more can result in the jam bubbling up and out of the tart like lava (believe me, I've done it).
For authentic Italian crostata taste, don't be tempted to skip using the lemon zest in the pasta frolla. This is part of what gives crostata its authentic flavor (it's so good). The dough is delicious without the zest, but it won't be a real Italian crostata without it.
If the dough gets too soft as you're rolling it out, pop it back into the fridge for 20 minutes or so to help firm it back up, and then continue.
Don't be afraid to use extra flour on the work surface and the rolling pin as needed to help keep the pastry from sticking to the rolling pin or countertop as you roll.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Refrigerating Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Pies + Cobblers + Crostate
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅛ of the crostata
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 21g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 58mg
Food Safety
- Wash strawberries thoroughly before use
- Use clean, sterilized jars for storing homemade jam
- Refrigerate leftover crostata containing eggs within 2 hours of cutting
- When in doubt about freshness, discard - jam should smell fruity, not fermented
Kelly says
Buttery, flaky crust filled with homemade strawberry jam is simple easy baking that makes you look like a pro. No fancy techniques, no stress, just a gorgeous rustic tart that tastes like summer. It's my go-to when I need a quick dessert that tastes even better than it looks.