26 Labor Day Desserts That Make Summer's End A Little Sweeter
With Labor day on the horizon, the end of summer fun can be bittersweet. But here at Delish, we are all about focusing on maximizing the "sweet" aspect this Labor Day with as many desserts as possible. So in true Labor Day fashion, we rounded up 26 of our best, easy-breezy summery desserts like raspberry-peach upside down cake, fruit pops, and blackberry pie to take to your end of summer BBQs. Best of all? These low-effort desserts are not at all laborious to make. 😉
Send off summer in the tastiest way possible by highlighting summer produce all-stars, like peaches, blackberries, and watermelon. If you haven't tried our recipes for grilled peaches, no-bake blackberry Oreo tart, or bourbon peach pie, we highly suggest you jump on it ASAP while the farmers' markets are still stacked.
Feeling nostalgic for all your summer adventures already? If you're craving those tropical flavors of a summer vacation, you'll really love our recipes for pineapple coconut cake, coconut Key lime pie bars, and refreshing granita. Summer, to us, also means some pretty special camping trips, which require s'mores, of course. Try our s'mores cupcakes, s'mores board, and s'mores icebox cake to bring you right back to the campsite.
Not ready to let go of summer? We hear you. Try out all of our favorite summer dinners, summer desserts, no-bake desserts, and beach drinks to tote along in your favorite cooler.
And if you're fully ready to plunge into pumpkin-flavored everything, we have more than a few fall recipes to help you out. Check out all of our fall cookies, fall cocktails, fall appetizers, and fall dinners to help you usher in the season. We're also pretty sure all of our favorite pumpkin desserts will make the end of summer a bit sweeter.
Strawberry Upside Down Skillet Cake
Want to make a cake but aren’t confident in your baking skills? You’ve got to try an upside-down cake. They’re quick, easy, and pretty much decorate themselves. For this version, we kept it simple with strawberries, meaning you can make this for any summer soiree.
Get the Strawberry Upside Down Skillet Cake recipe.
Banana Pudding Lasagna
Bananas? All about 'em. Pudding? Love it. Lasagna… wait, what? Stay with us! It’s true that this isn’t a true Italian lasagna. Here we've swapped out pasta, sauce, and cheese with Nilla wafers, cheesecake filling, and bananas for the perfect no-bake dessert to make for a crowd.
Get the Banana Pudding Lasagna recipe.
How to Make a S'mores Board
We know what you're thinking: There's a board for everything nowadays. Brunch boards, hot cocoa boards, French fry boards (guilty), taco night boards—the limit does not exist. The latest summer trend we're totally on board with (had to 🙃)? S'mores boards! S'mores boards are super easy to assemble because essentially everything is store-bought.
Get the How to Make a S'mores Board recipe.
No-Bake Blackberry Oreo Tart
Blackberries are that “side” berry we kind of forget about. But when Oreos come knocking, there is something special to be said about their lovely pairing. And the title of “no-bake” anything should be relieving, especially in the summertime.
Get the No-Bake Blackberry Oreo Tart recipe.
S'mores Cupcakes
S'mores are one of our favorite outdoor snacks, but there's not always a fire pit or grill to be found. Now you can have everything you love about s'mores—buttery graham crackers, melty chocolate, and toasted marshmallow—in a portable, handheld cupcake!
Get the S'mores Cupcakes recipe.
Coconut Key Lime Cheesecake Bars
We love a dessert mashup (we see you, brookie), but what if you upped the ante and combined three sweets instead of just two? That’s exactly what we did with these bars, which combine the best of Key lime pie, coconut cream pie, and cheesecake into one next-level treat.
Get the Coconut Key Lime Cheesecake Bars recipe.
Chess Pie
Chess pie is a custard-y, Southern pie very reminiscent of buttermilk pie. For a fun upgrade, we add orange juice, coffee, or maple syrup to the filling.
Get the Chess Pie recipe.
Red Velvet Whoopie Pies with Blueberries
These patriotic beauties were inspired by classic red velvet cake, whoopie pies, and the need for an easy and fun Labor Day dessert. Red velvet cookies stuffed with fluffy, white whipped cream and cream cheese frosting and blueberries make for a fun twist on the classic whoopie pie that we didn't even know we needed.
Get the Red Velvet Whoopie Pies with Blueberries recipe.
Orange Creamsicle Bars
These triple-layered orange bars have us feeling all nostalgic for the classic frozen Popsicle treat that inspired them. But we won’t linger on it for too long because, just like their inspiration, these bars are irresistibly good. They’re creamy, dreamy, and the perfect blend of citrusy orange and vanilla bean flavor paired with a graham cracker crust.
Get the Orange Creamsicle Bars recipe.
Grilled Peaches
Nothing beats a ripe, sticky-sweet peach. And while you can just bite right in, cooking with peaches is also killer. For grilling, look for peaches that are a little firm. Too-ripe ones will caramelize too quickly on the grill and burn.
Get the Grilled Peaches recipe.
Chocolate Fluffernutter Pie
For all the chocolate peanut butter cup–obsessed, Fluffernutter-loving friends out there: We see you. This recipe is an upgrade of our no-bake peanut butter pie. Instead of topping it with traditional whipped cream (which would still be totally delicious), we made a very quick and easy marshmallow whipped cream. 😍
Get the Chocolate Fluffernutter Pie recipe.
Lemon Blueberry Shortcakes
Strawberry shortcake is one of those quintessential summer desserts we can't get enough of—so we made this extra fruity version with blueberries! The buttery, flaky biscuits here are crowned with homemade lemon curd (store-bought is fine, though!), sweetened blueberries, and an easy whipped cream. It’s tart and sweet—and incredibly good.
Get the Lemon Blueberry Shortcakes recipe.
Cookies 'N' Cream Ice Cream Pie
Can't choose between a chocolaty pie, cake, or ice cream? This ice cream pie is the most delicious compromise: a buttery Oreo crust is filled with a cookies 'n' cream ice cream (and plenty of hot fudge sauce).
Get the Cookies 'N' Cream Ice Cream Pie recipe.
Fruit Popsicles
In the heat of summer, nothing satisfies quite like a fruit Popsicle. This classic strawberry version is big on fruit flavor and not too sweet.
Get the Fruit Popsicles recipe.
Lemon Icebox Pie
Extra buttery graham crackers meet a sweet, zesty lemon curd-esque filling in this amazing icebox pie. If you’re still looking for a truly no-bake lemon option, check out our lemon icebox cake.
Get the Lemon Icebox Pie recipe.
Bourbon Peach Pie
Let this pie be the first thing you make to celebrate peach season. It has a flaky buttery crust that comes together easily, while the tempting filling is rich with spices and a hint of bourbon. Peaches too firm? Baking them into this pie turns them perfectly jammy.
Get the Bourbon Peach Pie recipe.
Easy Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
Strawberry shortcake is THE go-to low-lift summer dessert. We used a shortcake that's lightly sweetened so that the sweet-tart flavor of the macerated strawberries can shine through, but if you prefer this dessert on the sweeter side, try this sour cream pound cake or super easy sponge cake.
Get the Easy Strawberry Shortcake Recipe recipe.
Brown Sugar Peach Cake
This is really a peach cobbler in soft and buttery cake form, with sweet peaches studded throughout. The frosting is a brown sugar boiled icing, much like you would find on a Texas sheet cake. Pour it on while the cake is still warm. It soaks in as it cools, then hardens into a delicious, sweet topping.
Get the Brown Sugar Peach Cake recipe.
Blackberry Pie
Fresh fruit pies are some of our all-time favorite desserts, and highlight all our favorite seasonal fruits like blackberries. We promise that making our easy buttery, flaky pie crust is worth the extra time. Peep our pie crust recipe for a step-by-step tutorial on how to make an easy lattice top. Looking for more pie ideas? You can never go wrong with a blueberry pie.
Get the Blackberry Pie recipe.
Granita
Hailing from Sicily, classic granita ranks among the most refreshing desserts ever, right up there with snow cones and Popsicles. This pineapple version is big on tropical flavors, with heavy notes of vanilla and toffee thanks to a splash of rum and a scoop of dark brown sugar.
Get the Granita recipe.
No Churn Strawberry Shortcake Vegan Ice Cream
Plant-based, dairy-free, vegan… no matter what you want to call it, this ice cream is as good as—if not better—than any dairy counterpart. Thanks to the no-churn method, this recipe is also easy to make without an ice cream maker. The only equipment needed is a blender to whip up the base, then the freezer does the rest!
Get the No Churn Strawberry Shortcake Vegan Ice Cream recipe.
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Cake
Smart kids know that best treat from the ice cream truck is the strawberry shortcake novelty bar, with its combination of strawberry and vanilla ice cream coated in shortcake crumbs. A blend of golden sandwich cookies and freeze-dried strawberries are the secret to the irresistibly crunchy topping in this frozen spin on strawberry shortcake.
Get the Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Cake recipe.
Pineapple Coconut Cake
This fluffy coconut cake is filled with an easy pineapple curd and finished with a cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut flakes. We love the bigger, unsweetened flakes, but if you prefer sweetened coconut for the outside, it works just as well. The cake calls on coconut milk for extra rich flavor.
Get the Pineapple Coconut Cake recipe.
Pink Lemonade Pound Cake
When you need a sweet treat that brings some sass too, this pink lemonade pound cake is just right. Shot-through with a stripe of hot pink, the cake is plenty citrusy, thanks to a whopping two tablespoons of lemon zest, plus lemon juice in both the batter and glaze. Perfect for baby showers and bridal showers, and afternoon tea parties, this is the sort of statement dessert that stands out without much work.
Get the Pink Lemonade Pound Cake recipe.
Raspberry Peach Upside-Down Cake
The secret to this sweet stunner is sour cream, which lends a moist, tender crumb to this spin on an upside-down cake.
Get the Raspberry Peach Upside-Down Cake recipe.
Cherry Clafoutis
Super creamy and custardy, this clafoutis is like the lovechild of flan and cake. You'll wish all desserts had healthy doses of amaretto in them.
Get the Cherry Clafoutis recipe.
You Might Also Like
