7 Summer Desserts Starring the Season's Best Produce
Grab some juicy berries or stone fruit and make one of these easy, delicious summer desserts.
Kelsey Hansen
Cobblers, crisps, crumbles, and buckles are classic summer desserts. And while they may be slightly different in their own little ways, all of these desserts generally follow the same playbook, says Abra Berens, a chef in Three Oaks, Michigan, and the author of Pulp: A Practical Guide to Cooking with Fruit. “Fruit gets tossed with sugar, goes into a baking dish or pot, and gets covered with something that bakes up crunchy on top and soft underneath. They’re all so simple, but much more than the sum of their parts.”
They’re even better when you use summer’s peak-season bounty, says Jocelyn Delk Adams, the baking expert behind the brand Grandbaby Cakes and author of Everyday Grand: Soulful Recipes for Celebrating Life’s Big and Small Moments. “Fresh fruit—instead of frozen—will elevate the overall flavor in a way that’s unbeatable.” Try one of these recipes to taste the difference for yourself.
Related: 14 Summer Fruits—and How to Cook With Them
Mixed Berry Biscuit Cobbler
Use a mix of blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries–or any of them on their own–for this gem of a dessert. The biscuit topping only requires five ingredients!
Pluot Crumble
Heami Lee
Pluots are a cross between plums and apricots, and they're widely available at farmer's markets and some grocery stores in the summer months. But if you can't find them, feel free to use regular plums or apricots, or a combo.
Peach Cobbler Trifle
You don't need to turn on the oven for this stunner of a dessert. Just slice some peaches, whip some cream, and layer them with store-bought pound cake. Then let the trifle chill for a few hours in the fridge. It's the perfect sweet ending to a summer cookout.
Related: How to Store Peaches So They Don't Bruise
Strawberry Buckle With Pecan Streusel
A buckle is basically a coffee cake with fruit mixed into or strewn on top of the batter before baking. It gets its name thanks to the cake's uneven, or buckled, appearance. Serve this fruity goodie for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
Sheet Pan Apple Crisp
In many parts of the country, fresh apples start appearing at the farmer's market in late August. Snap them up for this crowd-pleasing dessert. Since it's made on a sheet pan, the ratio of crumbly topping to juicy fruit is higher than usual. That's a win in our book.
Berry-Oat Crumble
Unlike many crisps and crumbles, this one starts with steel-cut, not rolled, oats. You'll blitz them in the food processor and then mix them with brown sugar, walnuts, eggs, and allspice for a unique and delicious topping that complements the jammy blueberries perfectly.
Related: 4 Five-Ingredient Desserts Anyone Can Make
Peach and Blueberry Buckle
It doesn't get much better than tender cake studded with sweet peaches and blueberries. But sliced almonds and powdered sugar on top make this baked treat even more scrumptious. It's okay to use frozen blueberries if you don't have any fresh ones on hand, but be sure to stick with ripe, fresh peaches for maximum flavor.
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