40 Best Summer Desserts to Sweeten the Season
Bonus: They're easy to make on hot days!
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Though turning on the oven and baking, well, anything isn't the first thing that comes to mind during the dog days of summer, you can’t deny the feeling when you get a hankering for something sweet. That's why it's so important to have some easy summer desserts in your arsenal. Because whether you're hosting a cookout or simply craving refreshing frozen treats, sweet recipes are sure to come in handy throughout the season.
Here, you'll find tons of summer desserts for every occasion, like s'mores treats for your next camping trip and fruity summer pies for the perfect ending to a backyard dinner. There are also tons of no-bake desserts and ice cream recipes for the most sweltering hot days. Find out how to make homemade drumsticks, no-churn mango sorbet, and one of Ree Drummond's favorite summer desserts: key lime pie. There are also plenty of ice cream pies where you only need to use store-bought ingredients to create a masterpiece.
Looking to use seasonal produce? There are tons of blueberry desserts, strawberry recipes, and sweet peach treats on the list ahead. Or use a combination of all three in the show-stopping fruit pizza. No matter which recipe you choose, these light and bright treats will be a welcome addition to your backyard barbecue or even your 4th of July spread. But don't wait too long. Before you know it, the summer desserts will be replaced by pumpkin spice everything!
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Sandwiches
Yes, you can take a beloved summer dessert and turn it into a colder version! Combine soft, chewy white chocolate chip cookies with strawberry ice cream for the ultimate sweet flavor in every bite.
Pink Lemonade Pie
Brighten up any summer day when you whip together a vanilla cookie crust with a creamy, zesty filling made from pink lemonade mix, lemon zest, and whipped cream. It's as easy to make, too—no oven required!
Get Ree's Pink Lemonade Pie recipe.
Strawberry Poke Cake
This marbled dessert highlights the sweet flavor of strawberries paired with a fluffy frosting of strawberry-infused whipped cream. It's made effortlessly with boxed cake mix and strawberry Jell-O.
Get Ree's Strawberry Poke Cake recipe.
Blackberry Pie
Blackberries are at their sweetest and juiciest during the hottest days of summer, making it the ideal time to bake up a homemade pie. Full of fresh flavor, this dessert is as lovely to look at as it is delicious!
Get the Blackberry Pie recipe.
Strawberry Delight
The epitome of a delightful summer dessert, this no-bake recipe layers a buttery graham cracker crust, velvety cream cheese filling, and glossy strawberries for a tasty treat that's so simple to prepare.
Get the Strawberry Delight recipe.
Mango Sorbet
On a hot day, all you want is a cold and refreshing treat. Try mango sorbet! It's no churn, meaning you don't need an ice cream maker. All you need is a food processor.
Get the Mango Sorbet recipe.
Root Beer Float Pie
Picture yourself back in the day sipping on a root beer float. Ah, such memories! Well, that's exactly what the no-bake filling of this pie tastes like.
Get Ree's Root Beer Float Pie recipe.
Lemon-Blueberry Sheet Cake
Sheet cakes are so easy to transport to your summer celebrations. Here, moist lemon cake serves as the backdrop to an icing made with blueberry preserves and fresh lemon juice. Top it off with more blueberries to finish.
Get Ree's Lemon-Blueberry Sheet Cake recipe.
Red, White, and Blue Popsicles
While these popsicles look pure Americana, you don't have to wait for a holiday to make them. They have the sweet seasonal flavors of both strawberries and blueberries, perfect for any hot summer day.
Get Ree's Red, White, and Blue Popsicles recipe.
No-Bake Triple Chocolate Sundae Pie
Skip the oven and still get triple the flavor! It features a chocolate cereal crust, and ice cream filling, and a the shiny fudge topping. Don't forget the cherries!
Get Ree's No-Bake Triple Chocolate Sundae Pie recipe.
Peach Cobbler
Amazing news: There's no need to fuss with pie crust for this summer cobbler that features a sweet, golden biscuit topping. Just as delicious as pie, it’s even better when paired with a big scoop of ice cream on top.
Get the Peach Cobbler recipe.
Oreo Icebox Cake
Icebox cakes are actually a breeze to make. Seriously, this chocolaty treat comes together with a mere six items. You simply whip up the creamy filling, layer it with Oreos and fresh, juicy raspberries, then pop it in the fridge.
Get the Oreo Icebox Cake recipe.
Chocolate Milkshake
There's no better way to cool off this summer than with a frosty milkshake! And if you’re a fan of all things chocolate, then you’ll delight in this version that's brimming with chocolate ice cream, chocolate milk, chocolate syrup, and even chocolate whipped cream.
Get the Chocolate Milkshake recipe.
Homemade Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
It's surprisingly easy to make your own homemade version of this classic ice cream truck treat. It requires just five ingredients, plus wooden sticks and popsicle molds. So, you’ll have a nostalgic and delicious dessert in no time!
Get the Homemade Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars recipe.
Strawberry Ice Cream Pie
This pie is the ultimate ice cream sundae transformed into a treat fit for a crowd. It even has a waffle cone crust, strawberry ice cream filling, and whipped cream on top.
Get the Strawberry Ice Cream Pie recipe.
Fruit Pizza
This recipe will instanty brighten up any backyard cookout. It's a unique concept that starts with a cookie crust as the base, layered with creamy frosting and fresh fruits as the "toppings."
Get the Fruit Pizza recipe.
Grilled Peaches
You can use your grill for more than just burgers or hot dogs! It's also a great way to add a caramelized char to these seasonal peaches. Top them off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and dessert is served.
Get the Grilled Peaches recipe.
July 4th Ice Cream Sandwiches
Nothing says patriotism like a red, white, and blue dessert! But these easy ice cream sandwiches can really be made throughout the summer, too. Simply switch up the sprinkle colors to match the occasion.
Get the July 4th Ice Cream Sandwiches recipe.
S'mores Bars
There's no need to build a fire for this twist on a classic childhood favorite. The flavors of s'mores are layered into a scrumptious chocolate and marshmallow dessert.
Get the S'mores Bars recipe.
No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
This cool, creamy cheesecake has a filling that looks as delightful as it tastes. The trick is using strawberry Jell-O to help the cheesecake stand nice and tall. It also gives the dessert its pretty pink color.
Get the No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake recipe.
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