If you’re filling your berry bucket, now’s the time to try a new recipe from an Alaska cook

Pies, cakes, jams, cookies and even savory ribs, here are 10 of our favorite ways to use berries.

The kids are stealing Anchorage’s alley raspberries. Everybody is hiking the Chugach with berry buckets (and extra bear bells). On the Alaska Berry Pickers Facebook page, there’s an entire amazing thread devoted to berry-eating dogs. This so-far pretty sunny August, very decent berry season is a perfect time to try a new recipe from an Alaska cook.

We’ve collected a passel of wild berry recipes to try, including our favorite raspberry breakfast rolls from Kim Sunée, Maya Wilson’s crispy cornmeal blueberry waffles and savory berry-bourbon ribs, raspberry pan-bangin’ cookies, a couple classic pie recipes and the world’s easiest way to make raspberry jam.

Have a look:

Foolproof blueberry pie

Every Alaska cook should have a pie recipe up their sleeve and this one has a flaky crust and tapioca flour to provide a thick, juicy filling.

Blueberry bourbon ribs

Tender ribs shine with this blueberry bourbon barbecue sauce, which is nicely balanced with smoky, sweet, spicy, and acidic notes.

Sweet-sticky lemon raspberry rolls

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This classic roll recipe is a light, tart treat with the addition of fresh lemon juice and zest, and raspberries.

Fresh berry no-churn ice cream

Wild blueberries and black currants provide a burst of tartness and flavor to this easy treat that doesn’t need an ice cream maker.

Buttermilk cornmeal blueberry waffles

Blueberries and cornmeal are a natural pairing and these waffles are tangy with buttermilk, delightfully buttery and lightly sweetened.

Quick fresh berry pie

Topped with whipped cream, this recipe can use just about any kind of Alaska berry, from salmonberries to blueberries.

Easy raspberry jam

A great way to use some of those neighborhood raspberries, this recipe is easy and pectin-free.

Blueberry sour cream pancakes

Nothing beats a simple, well-made fluffy pancake with fresh berries and a hit of lemon and sour cream adds tang and tenderness.

Chocolate-raspberry pan-bangin’ cookies

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Wildberry cookies are a great summer treat, and these have chunks of dark chocolate and flatten out in the pan as they bake.

Blueberry cream cheese Bundt cake

This cake is both dense and tender and is great with a quick drizzle with powdered sugar and milk or fresh-squeezed citrus.

Julia O'Malley

Anchorage-based Julia O'Malley is a former ADN reporter, columnist and editor. She received James Beard national food writing awards in 2024 and 2018, and a collection of her work, "The Whale and the Cupcake: Stories of Subsistence, Longing, and Community in Alaska," was published in 2019. She's currently a guest curator at the Anchorage Museum.

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