21 Easy Summer Desserts

Summer desserts should be easy to make without heating up your kitchen too much. These 21 recipes are perfect for hot weather – many don’t require baking and they all feature fresh summer flavors. Most are simple enough to throw together quickly when you’ve got friends coming over or need something sweet after a backyard barbecue.

Mango Coconut Popsicles

These are so refreshing on hot days. You just blend ripe mangoes with coconut milk, a little sugar, and maybe some lime juice. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for a few hours. The coconut milk makes them creamy while the mango gives bright tropical flavor. No cooking needed – just a blender and freezer. Perfect for kids but grown-ups love them too. They taste way better than store-bought popsicles.

Blueberry Lemon Icebox Cake

This no-bake dessert is super easy. You just layer lemon pudding (the instant kind works fine), whipped cream, and blueberries with graham crackers. Let it sit in the fridge overnight and the crackers get soft and cake-like. The combo of tart lemon and sweet blueberries is perfect for summer. You can assemble this in like 15 minutes but it looks fancy when you cut it into slices. Great for when you need to make dessert ahead.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Don’t let the name fool you – this is definitely dessert not salad! It’s got a pretzel crust, a middle layer of cream cheese and whipped topping, and a top layer of strawberries in jello. The sweet-salty combo is so good. You do need to bake the crust for 10 minutes but that’s it. This is always a hit at potlucks and the pretzel crust doesn’t get soggy like graham crackers can. My aunt brings this to every summer gathering.

Churro Ice Cream Bowls

These look super impressive but aren’t hard. You wrap flour tortillas in foil shaped over the bottom of a muffin tin to make bowl shapes. Then bake until crisp, brush with butter, and coat in cinnamon sugar. Fill with ice cream and they taste like churros! Way easier than making actual churro dough and frying it. Kids love eating the ice cream and then munching on the cinnamon sugar bowls.

Mason Jar Banana Pudding

Individual banana puddings in little jars are perfect for picnics or backyard parties. Layer vanilla pudding, sliced bananas, and vanilla wafer cookies in small mason jars. Some recipes use instant pudding which makes this really quick. The cookies get soft as it sits which is how banana pudding should be. These are easy to transport and everyone gets their own portion. No fighting over the last serving!

White Chocolate Raspberry Parfaits

These are elegant but so simple. Layer white chocolate mousse (you can cheat with instant pudding mixed with whipped cream) with fresh raspberries. The tart berries cut through the sweet white chocolate. Some recipes add crumbled cookies or pound cake for texture. These look fancy in clear glasses where you can see the layers. Great for summer dinner parties when you want something light but special.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Squares

This old-fashioned dessert works great in summer. Instead of making a whole cake, bake it in a rectangular pan and cut into squares. The pineapple caramelizes on the bottom (which becomes the top) and looks pretty. You do have to turn on the oven but it bakes pretty quick. These squares are easier to serve to a crowd than slicing a round cake. The tropical pineapple flavor screams summer.

No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake Cups

These individual desserts need zero baking. Just crush Oreos for the bottom layer, then mix cream cheese, sugar, and whipped topping for the filling. Spoon into cups and refrigerate until firm. Some recipes add a splash of vanilla or fold in extra Oreo pieces. These are rich so small cups work fine. Kids can help make these and they’re ready in just a few hours. Perfect for chocolate lovers.

Grilled Watermelon with Honey Balsamic Glaze

If your already grilling for dinner, throw some watermelon slices on for a few minutes. The heat caramelizes the sugars and makes the flavor more intense. Drizzle with a mixture of honey and balsamic vinegar when done. Add a sprinkle of feta cheese and mint if you wanna get fancy. This is an unexpected dessert that people always talk about. Super easy but seems creative and different.

Peach Melba Shortcakes

This is a summer twist on strawberry shortcake. You use store-bought shortcakes (or biscuits) topped with fresh peach slices, raspberry sauce, and whipped cream. The classic Peach Melba flavor combo but way easier than the traditional French dessert. You can warm the peaches a bit if you want but it’s not necessary. The best part is you can assemble these right before serving – no advance prep needed.

Lemon Bars with Fresh Berries

Ok, you do need to bake these but they’re worth turning on the oven for. Make regular lemon bars (many recipes are pretty simple) and top with fresh berries right before serving. The tart lemon and sweet berries are perfect together. You can make the bars a day ahead and just add the fruit when ready to serve. These look pretty on a platter with different berries on top. Great for summer parties.

Ice Cream Cookie Cups

Press cookie dough into muffin tins to create little cups, bake until done, then fill with ice cream. You can use store-bought dough to make it super easy. The warm cookie with cold ice cream is so good. Some recipes add chocolate chips or M&Ms to the cookie dough. These are fun for kids to customize with different ice cream flavors and toppings. Like an ice cream shop but at home.

Angel Food Cake with Macerated Berries

Store-bought angel food cake is your friend here. Cut it into slices or cubes and top with berries that have been sitting in a little sugar to make their juices come out (that’s what macerated means). Add a dollop of whipped cream and you’re done. The cake soaks up all the berry juice and it’s light and not too sweet. This takes like 5 minutes to put together if you buy the cake. Perfect after a heavy summer meal.

Chocolate Dipped Frozen Banana Bites

Slice bananas into chunks, insert toothpicks, dip in melted chocolate, add toppings like nuts or sprinkles, and freeze. These taste like ice cream but are way healthier. You can use dark, milk, or white chocolate depending what you like. It’s a good activity for kids to help with too. These keep well in the freezer for weeks so you can make a big batch. Great for after-school snacks or late night cravings.

Blackberry Fool

This old-fashioned English dessert is just mashed blackberries (or any berry) swirled with whipped cream. That’s it! Some recipes add a little sugar to the berries if they’re tart. The purple streaks through the white cream look beautiful. You can make it look fancy in wine glasses but it only takes minutes to prepare. This is the dessert to make when it’s too hot to even think about cooking.

Individual Strawberry Shortcakes

Using store-bought shortcakes or biscuits makes this classic summer dessert super easy. Just slice them in half, pile on fresh strawberries (mixed with a little sugar so they get juicy), and top with whipped cream. The biscuits soak up all the strawberry juice which is the best part. These are always popular and you can set up a “bar” so everyone builds their own with as many strawberries and cream as they want.

Peach and Blueberry Crumble

This is easier than pie but has the same flavors. Toss peach slices and blueberries with sugar and a little flour, top with a simple crumb mixture, and bake until bubbly. The combo of these summer fruits is perfect together. You can make this in individual ramekins or one big dish. It’s best warm with ice cream melting on top. Worth turning on the oven for when peaches are at their peak.

Piña Colada Cupcakes

Starting with a box of white cake mix makes these super easy. Add crushed pineapple and coconut to the batter, then top the baked cupcakes with coconut frosting. Some recipes include a little rum extract for that true piña colada flavor. These taste like vacation even if your just in your backyard. The tropical flavors are perfect for summer parties or beach-themed events.

Lime Coconut Bars

These are like lemon bars but with lime juice and zest plus shredded coconut in the filling. The lime makes them super refreshing for summer. The buttery crust and tart-sweet topping is a perfect combo. You do need to bake these but they’re pretty simple to make. The green flecks of lime zest look pretty against the pale filling. Great for picnics or any summer gathering.

Fresh Fruit Pizza with Sugar Cookie Crust

Use store-bought sugar cookie dough pressed into a round pan for the “crust.” Bake it, cool it, then spread with a mixture of cream cheese and marshmallow fluff. Arrange fresh fruit on top in pretty patterns – berries, kiwi, peaches, whatever looks good. Brush with a little apple jelly to make it shiny. This looks way more complicated than it is. Great for summer parties because it’s so colorful and impressive looking.

Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies

For those times when you need serious dessert, these brownies with cheesecake swirl and fresh raspberries pushed into the top are amazing. You can use a box brownie mix to make it easier. The tart raspberries balance the rich chocolate and creamy cheesecake. These do require baking but they’re worth it. They’re good cold from the fridge on hot days and the raspberries make them feel summery.