83 Easy Summer Desserts
Summer desserts don't have to be complicated. Case in point: Imagine the sweetest, juiciest peach. That right there is a pretty good summer dessert—and all you've got to do is bite into it. Add a scoop of ice cream and you've got a sweet treat that's even more agreeable, with little extra energy expended. Sprinkle some crushed-up cookies on top and you're golden. This is the time of year when good fruit can do a lot of the heavy lifting in a dessert, which means you don't have to spend a lot of time sweating away in the kitchen. Our favorite easy summer recipes lean heavily on the cool and the fruity—as well as the icy, the boozy, the creamy, and the toasty. Whether it's a simple peach parfait, a rustic galette, an icebox cake, or a rosé-spiked popsicle, you'll find it all below. But don't worry—here's still some chocolate in here, too. That stuff never goes out of season.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton1/83Hot Water Peach Cobbler
Eating a peach at its sun-soaked ripest is one of the joys of summertime. But just in case you can't eat all the abundant fresh fruit before it begins to bruise and wither, this peach cobbler recipe will take 10 large specimens off your hands—and then transform them into an deliciously easy summer dessert. (And if peaches aren't your jam, use your favorite summer fruit.)
Photo by JP Bevins, Food Styling by Molly Baz2/833-Ingredient Frozen Mud Pie
Did someone say “easy summer desserts”? It doesn't get any simpler than this no-bake ice cream cake. On a lazy, hot summer day, it's the ideal frozen dessert if you're feeling low-effort—but a boost of caffeine from coffee ice cream might perk you back up. While it's chilling out in the freezer, you can make some whipped cream for dolloping.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food styling by Anna Stockwell3/83Stone Fruit Clafoutis
This clafoutis calls for either cherries or apricots, but it's a summer dessert that rewards improvisation. Use fresh blueberries or fresh strawberries (or any summer berry, but fresh berries are best). Heck, even grapes would work. Finish with whipped Greek yogurt or vanilla ice cream. And since clafoutis comes together in under an hour, you can pull it together and impress at the summer potluck that slipped your mind.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams, Food Styling by Judy Haubert4/83Root Beer Float
Photo by Eva Kolenko5/83Blueberry and Corn Crisp
If you don't have a bounty of fresh blueberries on hand, frozen will work just as well for this simple crisp. The cornmeal topping comes together quickly, and fresh corn kernels add pops of sweetness. This easy recipe also provides the perfect foundation for some homemade ice cream—right on top.
Photo by Rick Martinez6/83Caramelized Plantain Parfait
Parfait is French for “perfect”—and you can probably guess why this easy dessert was bestowed with that designation. This gluten-free crowd-pleaser surprises with sweet, creamy plantains, but key lime parfaits are another unexpected seasonal option. And if you're feeling Italian, there's tiramisu parfait, too.
Photo and Styling by Joseph De Leo7/83Plátanos Horneados con Crema y Queso (Baked Banana With Crema and Cheese)
Plantains are endlessly versatile, and this easy recipe demonstrate only one of its many dimensions. A cousin of the banana split, and with just three ingredients, this is the most elegant of summer dessert recipes from one of Mexico's top chefs.
Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou8/83Peach and Sesame Crumble
Is there anything tahini can't do? Sesame is one of those flavors effortlessly plays with both savory and sweet dishes. Just find your favorite brand of tahini and hop to it. Of all our favorite sesame-imbued summer desserts, this simple crumble will get you off to a peachy start.
9/83Sour Cherry and Lemon Ice-Box Cake
Sour cherries and tangy, flavorful mascarpone are a dream pairing in this layered frozen dessert. Shortbread cookies (or graham crackers, or speculoos biscuits) provide a contrasting crunch. This summer treat is right up there with watermelon or s'mores, and will weave its way into your list of summer must-haves.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Prop Styling by Emily Eisen, Food Styling by Chris Morocco10/83Fresh Fruit Tart With Almond Press-In Crust
Looking for a summer berry dessert that's not strawberry shortcake and lighter than berry-topped cheesecake? Look no further. (Psst, it's also gluten-free—the crust is made with almond flour.)
Photo by David Loftus13/83Pista Kesar Kulfi (Pistachio and Saffron Kulfi)
Falling somewhere between ice cream and a popsicle, kulfi gets its richness from a double dose of dairy: heavy cream and evaporated milk. While you can and totally should eat kulfi on it its own—this pistachio and saffron version keeps it classic and needs nothing more—feel free to top chewy brownies with it, or layer it between a couple of cardamom-spiced cookies, or even some honey-vanilla sablés.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton15/83Microwave Coconut Sticky Rice With Mango
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Christopher Barsch17/83Peanut Butter Coconut Cream Cookie Sandwiches
Photo by Peden + Munk, Prop Styling by Rebecca Bartoshesky, Food Styling by Sue Li20/83Cinnamon-Oat Peach Crisp
With a cinnamon-oat layer that will remind you of the best oatmeal cookies, this easy dessert makes fine use of ripe summer peaches—but you can return to it all year long with pears, apples, or whatever happens to be in season. For a lighter, nondairy topper, use your favorite sorbet instead of ice cream.
Photo by Catherine McCord21/83Graham Cracker Chocolate Dipped Ice Cream Sandwiches
The recipe here is basically a template: Take any kind of ice cream you want, then sandwich it between store-bought graham crackers spread with a generous helping of melted chocolate. Repeat all summer long.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Simon Andrews23/83Frozen Margarita Pie
This is your favorite summer cocktail in pie form. It asks for only a few ingredients, but requires a bit of time: Plan to freeze it up to eight hours, or overnight.
Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou24/83Peach-Plum Galette
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks25/833-Ingredient Creamy Coconut-Lime Ice Pops
These refreshing pops blend two kinds of coconut—coconut milk and cream of coconut—for an extra rich, creamy flavor, while lime zest lends a lovely floral note. These keep in the freezer up to three months.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson26/833-Ingredient Ginger-Peach Ice Cream Floats
Photo by Galdones Photography27/83Chocolate Peanut Butter-Covered Cheez-It S'mores
Sometimes the simplest truths are the most profound: If you coat Cheez-Its in peanut butter and milk chocolate, it tastes like a homemade Butterfinger candy bar. That wisdom comes courtesy of Chicago chef Stephanie Izard, who also discovered that if you add a toasted marshmallow to the aforementioned candy bar, you get an easy summer dessert that is shockingly good.
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich28/83Mix-and-Match Fools
Photo by Marcus Nilsson, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich29/83Peach Lassi Sorbet With Crushed Blackberries
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell31/83Southern Peach Cobbler
One cup of sugar, one cup of flour, one cup of milk—do the math and you'll find that it adds up to a Southern classic that's gooey on the bottom and cakey on top.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Molly Baz32/833-Ingredient Seared Dates with Vanilla Ice Cream and Mint
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson35/83No-Bake Pistachio–White Chocolate Cookies
Want cookies you can make in less than an hour without having to run out to buy perishable ingredients—or even turn on your oven? These no-bake cookies rely on nut butter and white chocolate for their creamy, chewy texture, and a combination of oats, pistachio, and cranberries adds a nice, sweet crunch.
Photo by Beatriz Da Costa37/83Icebox Lemon Pie With Meringue
Chef Alexander Smalls, claims it's impossible to mess up this easy dessert recipe. Which is great, since it's ideal to have on hand after a spicy meal from the grill.
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich38/83Peak-Season Slushies
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson39/83Meringue Sundae With Peppery Berry Sauce
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell40/83Mochi Cake, Any Way You Want It
Sweet rice flour makes this super-adaptable cake gooey-bouncy on the inside and crispy-chewy on the outside. Even better, this particular recipe can go in any flavor direction you want: Add cocoa, matcha, or malt powder; throw in some cinnamon, cardamom, or turmeric.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou41/83Strawberry-Granola Crisp
The filling is barely sweetened—taking advantage of in-season berries—and the oat topping channels granola, with olive oil, almonds, and maple syrup. Meaning that this easy summer “dessert” would also be a heck of a breakfast.
Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Andy Baraghani42/83Italian Sundaes with Nutella
This recipe calls for fior di latte gelato, which is made without egg yolks so that the pure flavor of the sweet cream can shine. But feel free to use plain old vanilla ice cream if you prefer—with a dollop of Nutella and a shower of crunchy toppings, you really can't go wrong.
Photo by Heidi's Bridge46/83Blackberry Icebox Cake
Icebox cakes are famously easy, but this summer dessert recipe goes one step further by using a mixing bowl as a mold. Plus, it can be assembled up to two days ahead.
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Aneta Florczyk, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou47/83Salted Pistachio Crumbles With Berries and Ice Cream
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Molly Baz48/833-Ingredient Peach Crisp With Granola Topping
Store-bought granola makes an instant crisp topping in this lickety-split version of the classic summer dessert. You can use your favorite cereal, but it works best with a granola that holds together in crunchy clusters (which is the best kind of granola anyway, right?).
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone49/83Boozy Piña Colada Ice Cream
Store-bought coconut ice cream gets a sunny, boozy kick from a pineapple and rum swirl in this easy ice cream, which was inspired by our favorite beach-side cocktail. It keeps in the freezer up to three months.
Photo by Christopher Testani51/83Instant Pot Lemon Vanilla Rice Pudding With Whipped Cream
Using a vanilla bean will give you the best flavor, but feel free to use vanilla extract as a substitute—and serve this super-creamy dessert with fresh sliced summer fruits, like peaches or strawberries.
Photo by Juco52/83Sorbet in Grapefruit Cups
This summer dessert looks cute, couldn't be easier, and is endlessly adaptable. Uuse whatever kind of sorbet you prefer, and feel free to use orange rather than grapefruit for the cups. (And don't throw away that fruit juice! We've got an idea for how to use that, too.)
Photo by Con Poulos54/83Pistachio-Cherry Crumble
With fresh cherries and a fabulous crumble topping—which features not just pistachios but oats, walnuts, and the slightest hint of ground cardamom—this easy dessert is a perfectly light way to cap off a summer meal.
Christopher Testani56/83Phyllo Flowers With Sorbet and Blueberries
Why make pie crust when you could pick up a pack of phyllo dough? In this effortless summer dessert recipe, it provides a shatteringly crisp base for bright-tasting raspberry sorbet and fresh berries.
Roland Bello58/83Frozen Yogurt With Poached Peaches
No ice cream maker, no problem—store-bought fro-yo works great, as does sweetened Greek yogurt. Anything would taste good with peaches poached in an Italian aperitivo and fresh lemon verbena, and topped with crunchy chopped pistachios.
Photo by Alex Lau65/83Grill-Roasted Pineapple
That's it, that's the whole recipe: grill-roasted pineapple. The smoky and sweet flesh it yields would be absolutely sublime spooned over shortcakes or ice cream, or just with a shot of rum or mezcal.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks67/83Easy Fruit Tart With Pecan Cookie Crust
The fruit topping on this summer dessert recipe can be as simple or complex as you like: Sprinkle fresh berries over everything and call it a day, or go full art project by arranging strawberry or mango slices into a whimsical pattern. Here are some decorating ideas.
Photo by John Kernick68/83Lemon Buttermilk Ice
A cooling dessert for a hot summer day, this easy granita—no ice cream maker required—is great by itself, but it'd also be the perfect complement to a buttery pastry. Say, a blueberry pie.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton72/83Chocolate-Dipped Ice Cream Cones With Peanuts
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Katherine Sacks73/83Homemade Dump Cake With Peaches, Blueberries, and Pecans
Just dump, shake, and bake this super-tasty dessert, Epi's version of an internet favorite. It's even better when made with our Homemade Yellow Cake Mix (though it's totally fine if you use store-bought mix!).
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Dawn Perry75/83Slow Cooker Amaretto-Poached Peaches
Put them in the slow cooker right before dinner, and these boozy peaches will be ready just in time for dessert. (This recipe works just as well on the stove top.) Serve this fragrant dessert with vanilla ice cream and torn basil leaves.
Photo by Alex Lau78/83Campari Affogato With Lemon Sorbet
Not that there is anything wrong with traditional affogato—it is, after all, ice cream drowned in espresso—but this recipe offers a refreshing summer twist, combining tart lemon sorbet with the bitter, fascinating flavors of Campari.
80/83Plum Clafoutis
Marcus Nilsson82/83Blackberry Granita
A metal baking pan will chill the granita faster than a glass one (that's just science!), but either will work for this splendid summer dessert: The granita gets a boozy (optional) kick from black currant liqueur, and is served with a light-as-air lemon cream.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton83/83No-Churn Salted Caramel Ice Cream
