47 Summer Desserts That’ll Sweeten Even the Hottest Days
Open the summer desserts file, and you’ll find everything from best-of-season fresh fruit, simply cut and served on a platter, to a decadent icebox cake, to silky tofu pudding, to all manner of ice creams. This is a time for ease and delight—and ease and delight you shall have. There will be BBQ-friendly sheet cakes. There will be fresh peach pies. There will be chocolate weed brownies. (Ease and delight, remember?) Basically, there will be anything you want there to be, as long as it’s no-fuss and tempers that steamy summer heat. Here are our best summer desserts for your ease, delight, and pleasure.
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling ing by Pearl Jones1/47A Giant Panna Cotta
Since this large-format dessert is no-bake, make-ahead, feeds a crowd, and requires minimal equipment (and therefore minimal cleanup), we’ll go ahead and say it: A giant panna cotta is the ultimate summer dessert.
- Alex Lau2/47
Creamsicle-Inspired Orange Pops
Swirl sweetened vanilla Greek yogurt with citrusy orange curd for this updated take on a childhood favorite. No ice pop molds? Layer each element in parfait glasses and top with your favorite granola for an easy end to any summer party.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones3/47
Tres Leches Cake
If you’ve never made tres leches cake, the method might surprise you: Bake a beautiful cinnamon sheet cake, absolutely drench it in dairy and rum, swoon.
- Photograph by Scott Semler, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie Yeh4/47
Raspberry-Cardamom Yogurt Semifreddo
You don’t need an ice cream maker for this stunning fruity froyo. Just whip some cream, fold in the Greek yogurt and flavorings—including bitsy pieces of dark chocolate that shatter when you bite in—and freeze.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi5/47
Japanese Cheesecake
Not all cheesecakes lend themselves to summertime (too dense, too rich). This airy, positively poofy Japanese cheesecake is a wonderful exception—serve with tangy rhubarb compote for a wonderful contrast.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie6/47
Blackberries and Vanilla Cream With Crispy Puff Pastry
Baking off a sheet of puff pastry then breaking it into shards feels like some sort of illegal magic trick. Tuck those shards into a pillow of cannoli cream and saucy summer berries for the easiest—yet somehow most impressive—dessert you’ll make all season.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie7/47
Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats With Brown Butter
Summer calls for easy desserts; this is the one you want for beach days, picnics in the park, and potlucks under the stars. The secret to leveling up cereal bars? Peanut butter and toasted milk powder.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Sean Dooley, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua8/47
Mango Mess
Juicy fruit, a pillowy cloud of cream, and shards of crisp meringue come together for the tastiest take on Eton mess you will ever make.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley, Food Styling by Kendra Vaculin9/47
Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Cake
If cookies ‘n’ cream is your go-to at any new-to-you ice cream shop, let us introduce you to your new favorite dessert. Serve it as a birthday cake for all the summer babies.
- Photo by Peden + Munk, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Rebecca Bartoshesky10/47
Cinnamon-Oat Peach Crisp
This dead-simple oat topping can be repurposed for any stone fruit as it comes into season through the summer—or for pears and apples in the fall.
- Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Micah Morton11/47
Coconut Ice Cream Sandwiches With Salty Chocolate Shell
Tuck store-bought ice cream between two rummy coconut cookies, then dip in D.I.Y. Magic Shell for an ice cream sandwich that’ll satisfy any sweet tooth.
- Photograph by Rana Düzyol, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Beth Pakradooni12/47
Strawberry Galette
This easy summer fruit galette requires less fuss than a strawberry pie, but has all the same components, down to the burbling fruit filling and tender, flaky crust.
- Photo by Shay Harrington13/47
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Sometimes, after a heavy BBQ meal, you just want slices of fresh watermelon. Other times, after all of those smoky meats, your palate wants a slice of ultrarich, dark chocolate cake so dense it has to be called fudge cake. Here you go.
- Photograph by Doaa Elkady, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker14/47
Lemon-Poppy Seed Tart
Sometimes, the simplest things are the most perfect. Case in point: this tangy party-worthy tart, featuring a tender press-in crust and bright custard filling.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Jesse Szewczyk, prop styling by Hazel Zavala and Caroline Newton15/47
S’mores Sandwich Cookies
Layered with chocolate ganache and burnt marshmallow, these playful crème pies cram all of the flavors of s’mores into chewy, mess-free sandwich cookies.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Caroline Hwang, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime.16/47
Lush Vanilla Berry Pudding
We love banana pudding, but when fresh berries gleam bright at the farmers’ market, this is the custardy, fruity, wafer-y dessert we’re putting on the menu.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Caroline Hwang, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime.17/47
Apricot Tart With Whiskey-Pecan Frangipane
Celebrate brief (but wondrous!) apricot season with this simple summer dessert recipe. Both the crust and filling come together in a food processor, so clean up’s a breeze.
- Photograph by Rana Düzyol, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Beth Pakradooni18/47
Diner-Style Strawberry Milkshakes
How do you pump up the flavor of a classic milkshake without watering it down with too many fresh berries? Toss some freeze-dried fruit in too. This simple addition has the bonus reaction of thickening the shake to an ultra-creamy consistency.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Kat Boystova19/47
Peach Pie
Is there anything better than a warm slice of peach pie crowned with a dripping scoop of vanilla ice cream in July? We’re pretty sure the answer is “no.”
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Caroline Hwang, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime.20/47
Milky Shaved Ice With Strawberries
We love the strawberries and cream vibe here, but you shouldn’t stop making this dessert when berry season ends; swap in frozen cherries, plums, or any other juicy summer fruit you can get your hands on.
- Photograph by Rana Düzyol, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Beth Pakradooni21/47
Sour Cherry Crumb Cake
When sour cherry season rolls around: run, don’t walk. Those ruby-red orbs won’t last long. Bake a handful of them into this summery coffee cake, then freeze another handful to make it again in a few months.
- Alex Lau22/47
BA’s Best Key Lime Pie
If you need to spread the labor of making this summer dessert over a couple of days, you can: The pie crust can be baked up to two days in advance.
- Photograph by Chris Bernabeo, food styling by Lauren Stanek23/47
Turon (Banana Lumpia)
Crispy on the outside, caramelly and soft within, you’ll find these plantain-stuffed fritters disappear in an instant. (And, yes, we said plantain, not banana; click through to understand why.)
- Photograph by Jessica Pettway, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie Yeh24/47
Plum and Lime Upside-Down Cake
You’ll brighten deeply sweet late-summer plums with a buttery lime caramel glaze in this showstopping cake recipe.
- Photograph by Scott Semler, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie Yeh25/47
Dark Chocolate-Espresso Ice Pops
We’ll take our fudge pops with a jolt of coffee, thank you very much. That means we can have this sweet treat for breakfast, right?
- Photo by Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Christina Allen, Food Styling by Drew Aichele26/47
Triple Strawberry Cheesecake
You’ll find strawberries in fresh, frozen, and jam forms, but the cheese part is simple: This no-bake cheesecake recipe is all about full-fat cream cheese, no exceptions.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by D'mytrek Brown27/47
Peach Sorbet With Crushed Blackberries
Lemon-blueberry? Classic, but we’re feeling partial to peach-blackberry this summer. Turn peaches into creamy sorbet (without an ice cream maker) and top it with a no-cook sauce of fresh berries.
- 28/47
Simple Strawberry Shortcakes
Secret’s out: We add a secret ingredient to our whipped cream to make it a little more tangy (and worthy of being eaten on its own). That ingredient is sour cream.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Maya Rossi29/47
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
This pie recipe gives Reese’s vibes with its peanut butter mousse topping and fudgy chocolate base all layered into a graham cracker crust.
- Photograph by Scott Semler, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie Yeh30/47
Root Beer Float Granita
Root beer float, you’ve been replaced. This icy, creamy, 2-ingredient concoction is all we need to close out the summer cookout.
- Photo by Laura Murray, Styling by Anna Billingskog31/47
BA’s Best Blueberry Pie
This blueberry pie recipe is all about showcasing perfect summer-fresh blueberries (though, TBH, even ho-hum out-of-season blueberries can shine here) and achieving the right crust-to-filling ratio.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca32/47
Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
When your summer dessert is portable, like these ice cream sandwiches are—plus, the cookies stay miraculously chewy and tender even straight out of the freezer—you can easily take them poolside.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca33/47
Any-Berry Lemon Ricotta Cake
The match of lemon and ricotta makes a great base for highlighting summer fruit. Use blackberries, raspberries, currants, or even pitted cherries here. End of summer? Seedless grapes are another fun option.
- Photograph by Rana Düzyol, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Beth Pakradooni34/47
Fresh Strawberry Tart With Almond Crust
For berries that are just too good to bake, this fuss-free tart simply piles the raw fruit into a crisp almondy crust. Don’t forget the whipped cream.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Sean Dooley, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua35/47
Blueberry Fool With Toasted Coconut
So easy even a...well, you know who could do it. This no-bake dessert is low-key and laid-back while keeping it creamy, tangy, crunchy, and jammy.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley36/47
Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cream Puffs
If it’s summer and you’re baking choux buns, we say you’ve done enough, but if you want to make homemade strawberry ice cream too, we’re not going to stop you.
- Photo by Scott Semler, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness37/47
Fudgy Weed Brownies
If chilling out for you this summer means really chilling out, these revamped THC brownies might be the easy summer dessert you need. We’ll walk you through each step, from cannabutter to dosing.
- Photographs by Mamadi Doumbouya, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Shannon Maldonado38/47
Brown Butter Peach Cobbler
In the heart of summer, fresh peaches require no accompaniment—but using them to make peach cobbler is undoubtedly welcome. So is a side of vanilla ice cream.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley, Food Styling by Kendra Vaculin39/47
Cherry Lemonade Beach Pie
Give us a Ritz cracker and saltine crust, a chilled and creamy lemon filling, and some sunshine, and we’re happy—oh, and there are literal cherries on top.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi40/47
Grandma Weesie’s Fried Peach Pies
What says it’s summertime more than a fresh peach pie? We actually have an answer for that: Fried, handheld, individual peach pies you can take to the beach.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Kendra Vaculin, prop styling by Gözde Eker41/47
Baked Alaska With Pistachio Brittle and Raspberry Curd
This showstopper is for when you’ve got time for a project (and plenty of freezer space). As you can see from the photo, there’s a lot going on—but, oh, it’s worth it when you see your guests’ eyes light up.
- Photo by Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski42/47
Peach-Plum Galette
You can use any combo of stone fruit in this galette, so dream big. Apricots and cherries would be divine. Peaches and nectarines make good friends too.
- Elizabeth Cecil43/47
Meringue Clouds With Peach Curd
Not all curds are lemon curd. This peachy version, topped with crisp-chewy meringues and macerated fruit, is positively dreamy.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime44/47
Rum-Soaked Fruit and Coconut Crisp Sundaes
It only takes a few minutes to turn ripe, in-season berries into a syrupy topping for a rum-soaked summer sundae. (It would also be good on poundcake. Just saying.)
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Kat Boytsova45/47
Swirled No-Churn Thai Tea Ice Cream
The hardest part of this recipe is tracking down Thai tea mix (or waiting for it to arrive in the mail)—but it’s worth it. Tantalizingly vanilla-y and deeply spiced, it dials back the sweetness of the ice cream.
- Laura Murray46/47
BA’s Best Coconut Cream Pie
Think of this coconut cream pie recipe like a Samoa cookie in pie form, complete with a coconut graham cracker crust and caramel layer.
- Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott47/47
Cinnamon Swirl Vanilla Ice Cream Bars
A simple mixture of coconut oil, salt, almond butter, and brown sugar turns into the nutty-sweet take on Magic Shell you’ll use to coat this snacky summer dessert.