Mulberries grow in many climates and are often considered a nuisance. Put these tasty berries to use and treat your family to something they cannot get at the grocery store! These tasty mulberry recipes will help you get started.

What are Mulberries?
Mulberries are small, usually dark but sometimes white, berries that grow on a mulberry tree. Mulberry trees are fast growing trees that are often found in older neighborhoods and in areas that are not maintained.
All parts of the mulberry tree are edible and are used for food and herbal remedies. Fortunately, it’s very easy to grow mulberries and they make a nice edible tree in almost any landscape.
What To Do With Mulberries
One great thing about mulberries is that the harvest lasts for several weeks so you’ll have plenty of time to use mulberries in various recipes. One thing that I like to do is to just substitute mulberries for other berries in recipes such as fruit crisp or fresh strawberry muffins.
We’ll also toss some mulberries in our pancake mix to make mulberry pancakes. Mulberries are a great addition to smoothies or used to top yogurt or even ice cream.
What To Do With Mulberries - recipes that will delight everyone
Mulberries make a great substitute for most berries in recipes including pancakes, muffins, smoothies and cobblers. Here are some mulberry recipes to help you get started.
Canning Recipe: Dark Cherry Mulberry Jam
This mulberry jam recipe mixes fresh mulberries with dark cherries (or any berry you have on hand) for a rich flavor and unique splash on your morning toast.
Mulberry Syrup
Mulberry syrup is a delicious way to preserve fresh Mulberries, and it can be used in lots of recipes, such as drinks, pastries, and for breakfast recipes.
Mulberry Iced Tea
Cool off with a tall glass of refreshing Mulberry Iced Tea that can be made with fresh mulberries or mulberry syrup.
Mulberry Puff Pastry Danishes
Mulberry Puff Pastry Danishes are the perfect easy fun-size dessert made with cream cheese filling, fresh mulberries, and a naturally colored pink glaze.
Mulberry Mojitos
Cool off with a refreshing Mulberry Mojito! You'll love this twist on the classic mojito.
Mulberry Kombucha
Use mulberries to make a fruity kombucha that everyone will love!
Mulberry Lavender Jam with Honey
Mulberry Lavender Jam with Honey is not only a very healthy combination of ingredients, which marry perfectly together but also one of the most aromatic and delicious jams I have ever made.
Mulberry Spinach Salad ---------- The Primal Desire
Crisp and refreshing, sweet mulberries and a raspberry vinaigrette, this mulberry spinach salad screams spring.
Mulberry Fruit Leather
Mulberries make a great addition to homemade fruit leather and this mulberry lavender fruit leather is sure to please.
The Best Mulberry Pie Recipe!
Sometimes it's hard to pick enough mulberries at one time to make a pie, you know because the pickers are eating as they pick. But if you're able to bring enough mulberries into the kitchen you'll want to try this pie.
Mulberries – Frequently Asked Questions
What do mulberries taste like?
Most mulberries are very sweet and have a mild flavor, however, sometime they will have a sweet/tart flavor. Mulberries are not as big or flavorful as blackberries and I will often add a small amount of lemon juice to whatever mulberry recipe I’m making to enhance the mulberry flavor.
When are mulberries in season?
Mulberries are usually some of the first fruits that ripen in the spring. Unlike other fruits, the mulberry harvest can last a month or longer on one tree. And several months if you have several trees on your property that set fruit a different times.
Are mulberries safe to eat?
All varieties of ripe mulberries of all are perfectly safe to eat. There are no toxic look alikes so mulberries are a good place to start for beginner foragers.
Are mulberries toxic to humans?
Ripe mulberries are not toxic to humans. Unripe mulberries and the white sap found in the leaves and other parts of the tree have are mildly toxic to humans, according to Ohio State University. That being said, we will often pick berries that are not quite ripe because they have a more tart flavor and we’ve never had gastrointestinal problems because of it. I believe you would need to eat quite a lot of unripe berries for them to affect you.
Do all mulberries have worms?
Like all fruit, mulberries can have worms on them. However, the idea that there are tiny worms in every mulberry is just not true. Some believe this rumor was started to keep children, who were supposed to be picking berries to bring to mom, from eating the berries before they made it into the kitchen.
Should you wash mulberries?
Yes, you *should* wash the mulberries before eating them to remove any pests or dirt on the berries. But sometimes the temptation to each a mulberry or two right off the tree is just too much to resist. Eating an unwashed berry or two is fine.

Where can I find mulberries?
The best place to find mulberries is on your own property by growing mulberries for yourself. If you can’t grow mulberries then look for them in areas that are not maintained such as near river beds or wooded parks. Many times birds will drop seeds that will then sprout and grow a mulberry tree.
Red mulberries are native to North America and can be found in the wild in in most of the eastern half of the US. White mulberries are from Southern Asia, but have been introduced into much North American, South America, Europe, and South Africa.
If you can’t find mulberries in the wild, check with your local farmer’s market and see if any of the farmers have mulberries for sale.
Why are mulberries not sold in stores?
Mulberries do not store or ship well so you’ll probably not be able to find mulberries in stores. Mulberries are best used or preserved within a day of picking them.
Do you have to destem mulberries?
The short answer is…no, you don’t need to destem mulberries before eating them. If you wan to destem them you can either pinch the stem off with your fingernails or use a clean pair of nail clippers. We usually leave it attached because it’s a lot of work to pick mulberries and then to destem them adds more work. The stems are completely edible so there’s no safety reason to remove the stems.
Are mulberry leaves edible?
Yes, mulberry leaves are edible but it’s recommended that they be cooked or dried first. The immature leaves are more tender than the mature leaves. The stems can have the white sap that is mildly toxic in them but you would have to eat handfuls of fresh leaves to get an upset stomach.
Do mulberries get you high?
Unripe mulberries and the white sap in the other parts of the mulberry tree are mildly toxic and mildly hallucinogenic according to this Ohio State University paper. I’ve done quite a bit of research looking for studies or other papers that might give more information on the hallucinogenic effects of mulberries. Most of what I’ve found is just the statement that unripe mulberries and the white sap are mildly hallucinogenic with no reference to actual studies. In my opinion, you would have to eat fairly large quantities in order to get high from eating unripe mulberries, which of course would also give you an upset stomach. I do not believe you can “accidentally” get high from eating mulberries.

Angi,
A cautionary tale about a mulberry tree.
Once upon a time, we had a mulberry tree on the property of my old homestead. While I miss the fruit, I don’t the mess it made each year with the berries. Our tree was abut 50′ tall and mature. At harvest time we laid plastic sheets down under the tree. This way the children (5 of them) could pick them up. That first year, I made jams, juice, jellies, syrups, and every sweet stuff I could think of and then some. That’s a lot because I was a chef. It is delicious with pork! I also froze qt bags of them for less crushing of the whole berries. I couldn’t give them away fast enough too. Each day there were 5- gallon bags full. Even my kids were complaining, “Mulberries again?” and, the harvest wasn’t halfway through! After two years, I’d put up enough mulberries to last eight years for a family of seven!
Most of the rest of the mulberries fell to the ground into pulp by dogs and kids. Everything had mulberry stains and I was mopping the floor six times a day to keep it from being sticky. My yard was full of ants, flies, bees. With that, came the critters that feasted upon them. The third year we chopped it down.
If you plant a mulberry tree, lop off the center about 10′. It will reduce the size and the harvest, but you won’t be swamped with fruit.
Thanks for sharing your cautionary tale. Our trees are all in our backyard and the berries that drop provide treats for our hens so I’ve not experienced the downside of mulberry ownership.
Weice on 54 acres in east Texas. A man from Texas Parks & Wildlife gave us a mulberry tree in a pot in 2011, along eirh a few other assorted trees. This spring was the first rime it produced berries…. just a handful. We are looking forward to next year.
That’s super exciting! I hope you get a great harvest next year.
It was really fun to read! I don’t have mulberry tree but my neighbor does and I was thinking what recipe can I make if I have mulberry tree? Im so glad I found your article! ❤
Glad you liked it!
Yeah there is a mulberry tree in our neighborhood park, and no one ever rats from it. We just wonders what to do with the berries. Thanks!
Isn’t that crazy that no one eats from it? We substitute them for pretty much any other berry in any recipe. So if you already have a favorite recipe that uses fresh berries, just substitute mulberries for the other berries.
Hi Angi,
I’ve lived around mulberry trees for several years of my life & as a kid we used to eat a few. When I found some tiny worms a time or two, that kind of cured me from eating right off the tree…actually never really ate ’em much after that. After reading your article I’ve gone online & found stories about how this is very common. Several people say they just eat ’em anyway & never suffer ill effects. I’d rather not knowingly eat the little critters so I found on eHow where soaking them in saltwater will draw the worms out of the berries.
After looking at your recipes I’m encouraged to give it another try. We’ve had a white mulberry tree on our 3 acres since we moved here & I’ve planted several red ones thru the years ’cause I like how fast they grow & that they’re great shade trees. I knew from being around ’em not to plant the trees close to the house or you end up tracking purple indoors (as someone else has mentioned). I was noticing today how the ground under several trees is turning black with berries but when you look up in the tree there’s still even more that haven’t dropped. I guess we’ve been wasting an enormous amount of food over the years! But now that I’ve been re-educated, I’m excited to gather up some & get started.
Thanks for sharing your ideas!
I’m so glad I’ve helped redeem the lowly mulberry for you…lol! Yes, mulberries have a very long harvest season, we can pick daily for 4-6 weeks and still have enough drop for the hens to enjoy.
Thanks for publishing so many good ideas for using mulberries.
I had never heard of white mulberries until one sprang up in our chicken pen. Between our black mulberry tree and the white one, they produce so much fruit that the chickens pretty much ignore them.
As soon as we get a dry day, I’ll go out and pick a bucket full and try some of your recipes.
You’re so welcome! That’s so fun about the white mulberry just springing up….that’s what ours did too…lol. I hope you enjoy the recipes!
We have mulberry trees all over our property. Glad to get the recipes to utilize them better. Can you freeze the syrup into cubes to use later? We have more than enough to make a lot of jams, syrups and whatever else may be possible.
Yep, the syrup freezes just fine.
Awesome info, thank you very much.
Just moved to this new property and I’ve got a big mulberry tree in the corner. Collecting the berries each night, rinse, dry, freeze. Will be making plenty of syrup.
How fun!!!
Absolutely love mulberry jam and cobblers. Does anyone ever have trouble with little tiny bugs(not worms)
like a mite, maybe, being all over the fruit? I rinse and rinse the berries until I feel I’ve gotten them all off, but I am never too sure I do get them all 100% off. I would love to get rid of them, so I could feel better about the berries. I froze a dozen sandwich sized bags of berries this year and would like to harvest even more next year, but getting rid of the bugs is so annoying and takes up alot of time. Anyone with suggestions?
You can add a little vinegar to the water and soak them for a few minutes before rinsing them.
Thank you for your article. I picked a large crop of mulberries from my bush for the first time this season. I tried them in a cobbler, but found it unpleasant because of the tough, almost spongy fiber in the center of each fruit. I resorted to cooking the rest down and straining to purée. I froze that and have enjoyed as toppings for French toast, ice cream and other berries, and in a savory sauce. Am I alone with this berry experience?
Probably not. The texture is definitely a different than blackberries or raspberries. Not all of my family love mulberries for this reason. I’m glad you found several other yummy things to do with them.
Useful information, thanks for sharing. We have four small mulberry trees in our back garden, two of which are fruiting for the first time this year. Now we know what kind of yield to expect, it looks like we’ll be busy!
I have a beautiful mulberry tree that gives tons of fruit that my chickens and local birds love.
The mess is horrible and my white chickens are stained purple foe about 2 months.
My yellow lab is banned from that area as well.
Thanks for the recipes. Will give the jam a go.
I’ve loved mulberries since childhood and my wonderful grandmother who made us jelly is gone. I’ve found a young mulberry tree in the backyard and I am very grateful for your recipes thank you you’ve given me back a part I missed so badly.
Thank you for sharing! I’m so glad you found a mulberry tree!