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.
