In college, my friend Drew and I used to do this fun thing where we’d travel to a local town and spend the day exploring. We’d start off with appetizers at one restaurant, continue with lunch at another, and finish with dessert at yet another, strolling through antique stores, record shops, bookstores, and little foreign marketplaces. One restaurant had a dessert that definitely always hit the spot– a small Asian place that served banana egg rolls. They’d wrap bits of banana in fried pastry with nuts, and they’d drizzle caramel on top, serving it with ice cream. It was so mouthwatering! But honestly? I thought it was missing one thing… fresh strawberries!
My son and I recently took a trip to a local orchard to pick strawberries with our church group. It was SO much fun, but it meant we had an abundance of strawberries to use, and when brainstorming ways to use those strawberries, I remembered those great egg rolls and how good I always thought they’d be with fresh strawberries inside. So, I gathered ingredients– fresh bananas, of course, just like the original egg rolls, but also fresh strawberries from our berry picking and fresh locally grown peaches. And because everything is better with chocolate, I picked up my favorite chocolate spread, too.
We really did have a blast picking strawberries at Gieringer’s Orchard in Edgerton, Kansas. I definitely hope you check out the video above of our berry picking adventure. In under an hour, we got more than enough strawberries to freeze a couple of pounds, plus eat plenty fresh and also make these egg rolls (and the prices at orchards are often cheaper than at the grocery store, so check with your local U-Pick farm and see what their prices are! We paid only $2.69 per pound for these beauties, and they tasted far better than the ones we pay $2.99 for at the grocery store). I love having the opportunity to eat local, and picking berries together isn’t just cheaper– it’s a great bonding activity. Though, I’m fairly certain my son got more in his mouth than in our basket (isn’t that half the fun anyway?)
Aren’t these berries just gorgeous? For a package of egg roll wrappers, you’ll need about 2 pounds of strawberries (but of course, there’s no need to make the full package of egg rolls if you don’t need or want to use them, and you can always use more or fewer strawberries to taste!)
The brand that I buy has 15 wrappers in it, so my recipe is written for 15 servings. If your package has more wrappers or fewer, or you just want to make more or fewer, adjust the recipe accordingly. I also picked up wonton wrappers because they make a fun little treat, too– you can usually find them in the same section, and they’re typically much smaller than the egg roll wraps (about 1/4 the size).
The first step is to dice your fruit– what’s pictured here is about half of what I ended up using. For the egg rolls, I used 1 1/2 lbs of strawberries and 2 bananas (for 15 egg rolls!), and for the wontons, I used 3 small peaches and half a pound of strawberries (for 20 wontons).
On each egg roll wrapper, spread roughly 1 teaspoon of chocolate spread. You can use more or less to taste, but much more than 2 teaspoons tends to overpower the fruit, so I’d not go too crazy.
Top the chocolate with fresh fruit of your choice– I used about a tablespoon each of strawberries and bananas.
The packaging is usually good about reminding you how to wrap an egg roll, but in case you need a reminder, you roll the bottom tightly around the filling first.
Next, you tightly fold the sides in until they overlap just slightly.
Roll the egg roll up tightly, but not so tightly as to tear it, as it’s fairly delicate. Stop just short of the final corner, moistening it with a fingertip dipped in water.
Then, seal the egg roll.
When you fry it, you’ll want to fry it with this side down to begin with! You’ll turn the egg roll after a minute or two, ensuring each side gets golden brown. When the entire egg roll is golden, move it to a paper towel-lined plate or a cooling rack with a paper towel underneath so they can drain and cool slightly before you eat.
The wontons are a little more bite-sized, but because of that, you use a lot less filling! About 1 combined tablespoon is more than enough (and is sometimes even too much)– I use peaches and strawberries here, without any chocolate.
Moisten the edge with a touch of water, fold over, and you’ve got a wonton ready for frying! Fry using the same technique as the egg rolls, but since these are smaller, they’ll require slightly less frying time.
Your finished product will be worthy of a party, but they’re easy enough to just enjoy with the family for a night in.
And with only 4 ingredients, you’ll be making these again… and again… and again!
You can dust them with powdered sugar, serve them with ice cream, eat them with whipped topping, or enjoy them plain– there’s no wrong way to enjoy these!
- 1 Pkg Egg Roll Wrappers
- 15 teaspoons Chocolate Spread
- 1.5 lbs Strawberries, diced finely
- 2 bananas
- Other fruit, as desired
- Spread 1 tsp chocolate spread on each wrapper.
- Top with a tablespoon each of fresh fruit, up to 2 tablespoons total.
- Wrap according to package directions.
- Fry in hot oil on each side until golden brown.
- Drain on paper towels or cooling rack and cool until just warm.
- Try substituing wonton wrappers for bite sized dessert treats. View mamaplusone.com for full instructions on wontons.
- Not a fan of strawberries or bananas? Other fruits work well, too!
- Try serving with a sprinkling of powdered sugar, vanilla ice cream, or whipped topping!
Trust me, you will love these for dessert anytime– they’re really that easy!
Have you ever had a restaurant treat that inspired you to create your own version at home? Let me know in the comments below!
Check out my Freddy’s Fry Sauce copycat or my Almost Starbucks Lemon Cake Pops for other versions of restaurant favorites, or try my strawberry pretzel dessert or strawberry peach pie if you’re a major strawberry fan!
If you’re in the Kansas City area, I definitely recommend Gieringer’s Orchard for berry picking– they’re conveniently located, affordable, and have tons of fun for kids of all ages (including bales to jump on!) We had such a blast visiting the orchard, and my son enjoyed all of the fresh berries he could find there. Check their website for their picking schedule so you make sure there are plenty of berries available, or visit their Facebook page.
Zach and I picked berries as part of our Summer of Fun 2015… what other activities should we try this summer? Comment with your ideas in the comments below, too, and help us decide what to do!
Love the video. Looks like lots of fun. Great idea for a fun little snack with the family or as a party appetizer. Thanks again for the great tips.