New Summer Obsession: Sweet Mint Sugar with Strawberries & Cream

Give your berries the summer treatment they deserve.

Strawberries are already crushing it - Sweet, juicy, and basically sunshine in fruit form, they don’t really need improving. Grab a pint at the farmers market, rinse, and devour. Zero regrets.

But if you’ve been online recently (ahem, TikTok), you might’ve noticed that people are taking their berries up a notch—with almost no extra effort. Enter: sweet mint sugar. It’s the simple flavor glow-up you didn’t know you needed, and trust—it’s worth a spot in your summer snack rotation.

What’s the deal with mint sugar?

Think of it as a tiny upgrade with big flavor payoff. You mash fresh mint leaves with cane sugar and a pinch of salt. That’s it. The result? A fragrant, slightly crunchy sprinkle that adds just the right amount of herby freshness to your strawberries without stealing the spotlight.

TikTok creator @tessmadalyn showed us how it’s done:

• Fresh mint from the garden

• Coarse cane sugar (she likes it gritty—it helps crush the mint)

• A small pinch of salt. She grinds everything together with a mortar and pestle (so satisfying), then quarters some strawberries and tosses them in this minty-sweet mix. Bonus points: she finishes it off with a splash of local cream. Instant summer dessert. No baking. No stress. Just vibes.

Why does it work so well?

The mint brings out the floral, juicy side of strawberries, while the sugar highlights their sweetness and the salt sharpens everything. It’s balanced, breezy, and super refreshing—like strawberry season’s answer to a spritz.

Plus, it feels just fancy enough to serve at brunch without actually requiring effort. Win-win.

How to make it:

• A few sprigs of fresh mint

• 1–2 tablespoons of cane sugar

• A pinch of salt

Crush together (in a mortar and pestle if you’ve got one, or improvise with the back of a spoon and a bowl). Quarter your strawberries, sprinkle generously, and if you’re feeling indulgent, add a little cold cream or whipped topping.

___

This is your summer snack hack: low lift, high reward, maximum strawberry energy. Perfect for poolside nibbling, picnic flexing, or just spicing up your solo afternoon treat.

Try it once and you’ll wonder why you ever ate plain berries.