89 Easy Summer Desserts to Devour from Now Until Labor Day
Hot days, long nights, all the barbecues and the year’s sweetest produce. These are a few of our favorite things, and they call for one more: dessert. Whether you’re having family lunch on the patio, attending a Memorial Day cookout, hosting a 4th of July party or sneaking around the kitchen at midnight, these 89 easy summer desserts are guaranteed to hit the spot. There’s something on this list for everyone, whether you’re team berry galette or broiler s’mores.
RELATED: 50 4th of July Desserts That Never Go Out of Style
1. Grilled Pineapple with Coconut Whipped Cream
Time Commitment: 20 minutes (plus chilling time)
Why We Love It: dairy free, vegan, crowd-pleaser
Charred fruit is a prime summer dessert and healthy to boot. (In our book, that means you should go for double of the homemade whip.)
2. Campfire Grilled S’more Calzones
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
The kids will love stuffing these little pockets of deliciousness with their favorite fillings before they get melty on the barbecue. Wow them with homemade vanilla marshmallows.
3. Ombré Ice-Cream Cake
Time Commitment: 4 hours
Why We Love It: no bake, <10 ingredients, one pan
We love an impressive no-bake dessert. This one has five layers of ice cream and sorbet separated by fluffy whipped topping. We went with raspberry, strawberry and vanilla for a decidedly pink effect, but you can choose any color scheme.
4. Peanut Butter Freezer Pie
Time Commitment: 4 hours
Why We Love It: no bake, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Graham cracker crust, meet easy PB filling (made with chunky peanut butter, sugar, cinnamon and heavy cream). Want to work in some chocolate? Top with chocolate syrup or curls.
5. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge
Time Commitment: 4 hours
Why We Love It: no bake, one pan, kid-friendly
Homemade cookie dough gets mixed into a decadent fudge batter of brown sugar, butter and half-and-half. After a few hours in the fridge, it’s ready to cut and devour.
6. No-Bake Cheesecake with Raspberry Compote
Time Commitment: 3 hours
Why We Love It: no bake, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Guess what? You don’t need an oven to reach cheesecake nirvana. Plus, it’s super easy to prepare, thanks to a press-in graham cracker crust and two-ingredient raspberry sauce.
7. Fresh Fruit Ice Pops
Time Commitment: 3 hours
Why We Love It: no bake, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, dairy free
You’re never too old for an ice pop on a hot summer day. You are, however, too old for ice pop-stained lips. Skip the fake dyes in favor of real fruit.
8. Lemon Meringue Cookies
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
These cookies are softer and cakier than most and bursting with tons of lemony brightness. How do we do it? By rubbing lemon zest into the sugar at the very start.
9. Vanilla Bourbon Cherry-Blueberry Pie
Time Commitment: 2 hours
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
You can never have too much seasonal fruit. Cherries and blueberries are peeking through the cutest star-studded crust that screams July 4th. Dig in while you and your family watch fireworks.
10. Easy Cherry Skillet Cake
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: one pan, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Your cast iron skillet is a secret weapon when it comes to dessert. We love cherries, but strawberries or blueberries will work beautifully too. Extra whipped cream, please.
11. Chocolate Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches
Time Commitment: 2 hours and 55 minutes (includes freezing)
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
We’re pretty sure serving these ice cream sandwiches at breakfast will win you the Number One Mom award. Skip the store-bought waffles and bring on the sprinkles.
12. Broiler S’mores
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: one pan, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
You don’t need to build a fire in the yard to indulge in this campout classic. Layer graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows in a skillet and pop that bad boy under the broiler for a few minutes. The marshmallows will be toasted and the chocolate melted just enough, without all the fuss.
13. Cheater’s Mini Rhubarb Galettes
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
In the world of baked goods, the galette is pie’s cool cousin who always shows up rocking seasonal fruit and an effortless golden-brown crust. Just roll out premade dough, pile rhubarb slices in the middle and fold up the edges to hold it all together. Ta-da.
14. Strawberry Pie with Strawberry Crust
Time Commitment: 2 hours and 45 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Food coloring is so ten years ago. That’s why this gorgeous strawberry pie with strawberry crust gets its vibrant pink hue from freeze-dried strawberries (which you can pick up at Trader Joe’s) instead.
15. Neapolitan Pie
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
The hardest decision we’ve ever had to make: chocolate, strawberry or vanilla? Thankfully, this treat makes it easy on us. Three layers of custard and a whole lot of whipped cream make for the ultimate nostalgic dessert.
16. Puff-Pastry Plum and Thyme Galette
Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, one pan, crowd-pleaser
This galette can’t get any simpler. You don’t have to make pie dough; just crinkle store-bought puff pastry into a skillet, pile on the fresh fruit and your dessert will be ready in less than an hour.
17. Vegan and Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Ginger Tart
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes (plus chilling time)
Why We Love It: vegan, gluten free, dairy free, special occasion-worthy
Vegan and gluten-free can sometimes taste a little too healthy, if you get our drift. But not this dessert, thanks to its fudgy consistency and irresistible combination of dark chocolate and ginger.
18. Ultimate PB&J S’mores
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Quintessential lunch sandwich crossed with camping’s official mascot. Gooey marshmallows and blueberry jelly layered between peanut butter-graham cracker sandwiches are a match made in dessert heaven.
19. Sweet Corn Doughnut Holes
Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
If you want everyone to tilt their head back in bliss and say “wow,” make these sweet corn doughnut holes. Fresh corn kernels are whipped up into a light-as-clouds pastry cream that makes our mouth water just thinking about it.
20. Fourth of July Ice Cream Cake
Time Commitment: 4 hours
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, gluten free
Now that’s how you celebrate America’s birthday. It’s all about assembly—no complicated steps or baking required—so you’ll have more time to focus on the rest of your dishes. We recommend adding a few candles for a festive touch.
21. Blackberry Panna Cotta Tartlets
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
This Italian gelatin dessert is as easy as it is beautiful. Whip up a quick shortbread crust, make the blackberry filling and wait for it to set in the fridge.
22. No-Bake Berry Tiramisu
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 40 minutes
Why We Love It: no bake, one pan, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
A treat that has Fourth of July written all over it, thanks to vibrant fruit, raspberry jam and ricotta-cream cheese filling. These lady fingers won’t miss the coffee (and neither will you).
23. Four-Ingredient Ice Cream Pie with Peanut Butter Krispie Crust
Time Commitment: 15 minutes (plus chilling time)
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, no bake, kid-friendly
We know, it sounds impossible, but your favorite ice cream *can* get even better. Spruced up with a layer of peanut butter crisped rice and all your favorite toppings, it’s a ridiculously easy win.
24. Honey-Peach Semifreddo
Time Commitment: 8 hours and 20 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, no bake
We only ever see it on fancy dessert menus, but the luscious Italian treat is actually easy to pull off at home. Combine diced peaches, peach jam, egg yolks, sugar and almond extract in a loaf pan, pop it in the freezer overnight and blow everyone at the picnic away.
25. Coconut Cookies
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
What do you get when you combine sugar cookies and macaroons? You’ll find out in 30 minutes.
26. Snickers Dip
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, no bake, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Aside from using Snickers candy bars as a garnish, this dip incorporates everything you love about them—salty peanuts, gooey caramel and sweet milk chocolate—into one party-ready dip. Sign us up.
27. Vegan Spelt Plum Galette
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 45 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, dairy free, crowd-pleaser
Vegan butter holds the hearty crust together. Go all-out with a sweet glaze made from non-dairy milk, agave and demerara sugar.
28. Lemon-Berry Sheet Pan Trifle
Time Commitment: 3 hours and 45 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pan, gluten free
Looking for a red, white and blue dessert for your Memorial Day cookout? Meet our modern take on the old-school British dessert, served on a single baking sheet instead of in a fancy crystal-cut bowl.
29. Botanical Shortbread Cookies
Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, one bowl
Hello, garden party. Violets, pansies, roses and lavender are all edible, but if you’re looking for a fancier selection, order from a specialty store like Gourmet Sweet Botanicals. There’s no need to dry and press the flowers, either; just glue them to the cookies with egg wash and they’ll flatten in the oven.
30. Berry Galette
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Load up on fresh berries at the farmers market and this treat practically makes itself. Just pile the fruit in the center, fold the crust over and bake. Honestly, the hardest part is choosing whether to eat it with ice cream or whipped cream. (Go for both.)
31. Nectarine Blueberry Pie
Time Commitment: 2 hours
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Blame it on the juice, baby. This goodie is loaded with tangy nectarines and plump blueberries. The stars of golden-brown pie crust are a flag-inspired topper, too.
32. Churro Bites with Chocolate Sauce
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
These cuties can be summed up in one word: irresistible. The fried cinnamon-sugar dough is even more amazing when it’s bite-sized—and served with warm chocolate sauce for dipping.
33. Peach Cobbler
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pan, beginner-friendly
Since stone fruit doesn’t need much help in the flavor department, we coat sliced peaches with just the essentials: a little butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Then we layer mounds of scrumptious biscuit dough on top to form a crust. All you need now is vanilla ice cream.
34. Peaches-and-Cream Ice Pops
Time Commitment: 2 hours and 40 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
When the weather goes above 70 degrees, you can pretty much guarantee we’re craving (or eating) an ice pop. And while you could wait around for the ice cream truck, making your own is way more fun. This one stars roasted peaches and Greek yogurt.
35. Mini Mason Jar Apple Pies
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
It doesn’t get more American than apple pie. The individual portions are just the right amount, and the mason jar look is way more impressive than a boring pie dish. Plus, they’re super easy to make, thanks to store-bought dough.
36. Glazed Doughnut Cookies
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 45 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
You love doughnuts, but heating up a giant vat of oil? Not so much. That’s why we’ve transformed the treat’s sweet icing and cinnamon-sugar flavors into a simple cookie that bakes in 15 minutes. Genius.
37. Red, White and Blue Ice Cream Floats
Time Commitment: 5 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, no bake, gluten free
Root beer who? This is a festive take on a vintage drink everyone can get behind. Combine fresh berries with strawberry and lemon-lime sodas. Finish it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and voilà.
38. Blueberry Lemon Icebox Cake
Time Commitment: 5 hours (includes chilling time)
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pan, <10 ingredients
This cake has a confession: It’s actually not a cake at all. Graham crackers and whipped cream make it a breeze to put together, but homemade blueberry sauce makes it deceptively simple. It’ll be our little secret.
39. Dessert Nachos
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Introducing dessert nachos. We repeat: dessert nachos. You already love starting a meal with the savory kind, so why not end one with a plateful of this sweet version, made with cinnamon-sugar tortilla chips and lots of toppings?
40. Strawberry-Mango Hawaiian Shave Ice
Time Commitment: 5 hours and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, one pot, special occasion-worthy
Cool off with a cup of Hawaii’s signature treat. This DIY version doesn’t even require a shave ice machine.
41. Coconut Choux Bites
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy
It’s snack time, so we’re heading to France. These traditional cream puffs have a few twists up their sleeves: sweetened coconut and crunchy pearl sugar.
42. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip
Time Commitment: 5 minutes
Why We Love It: no bake, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
Fact: Sometimes, our log of cookie dough never makes it into the oven. (Just us?) So, we embraced it and turned our favorite guilty pleasure into its own party-friendly dessert.
43. Lemon Pie with Blueberry Meringue
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
You’re looking for a baking project that’s impressive but attainable. Enter this striking, fluffy beauty. The light-as-air topping gets its lilac hue from—surprise—freeze-dried blueberries.
44. Cake Batter Dip
Time Commitment: 5 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, no bake, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
Once the kids try this, they’ll be asking for it for every year for their birthdays. That’s because it’s made with Funfetti cake mix, heavy cream, sour cream and confectioners’ sugar. Don’t be shy with the rainbow sprinkles.
45. Easy Key Lime Pie Bars
Time Commitment: 3 hours and 10 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
One bite and you’ll be transported to a sunny Florida beach. Think homemade graham cracker crust and condensed milk-lime filling with thin-sliced limes on top.
46. Summer Fruit Plate
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, no cook
No one’s turning down ice-cold fruit on a hot day. Substitute the pesto-rolled mozzarella for a sweet yogurt dip if you like to keep dessert strictly sweet.
47. Vegan Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, gluten free, dairy free, kid-friendly
Coconut-buttermilk whipped cream. Almond flour shortcake. Hulled strawberries. Yeah, we’re gonna need more napkins.
48. Raspberry Lemonade Cookies
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
The prettiest drink of the season just got sweeter. Freeze-dried raspberries turn the cookies pink. And don’t get us started on the lemon glaze (or the pièce de résistance, homemade candied lemon slices).
49. No-Bake Coconut Cream Pie
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: no bake, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Your oven can sit this one out. The fridge and freezer are all you need to pull this baby off. (Well, plus a can of cream of coconut, heavy cream, sugar and toasted shredded coconut.)
50. Ruby Red Grapefruit Panna Cotta
Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, gluten free
This dessert only requires six ingredients. It’s a great light option after you’ve spent all day eating hot dogs and hamburgers.
51. Skillet Peach Cobbler
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Why We Love It: one pan, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Skip all that kneading and rolling. With skillet peach cobbler, you can satisfy your craving in under an hour, minus all the heavy lifting. Pass the whipped cream.
52. Blueberry, Blackberry and Raspberry Soufflés
Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
When it comes to this light and airy dessert, intimidating is an understatement. But don’t worry: This version is quick, easy and foolproof, not to mention ridiculously impressive.
53. Gluten-Free Pistachio Apricot Tart
Time Commitment: 55 minutes
Why We Love It: gluten free, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Why should gluten eaters have all the fun? This GF pistachio apricot tart is just as sweet, tangy and satisfying as the real deal. (It’s pretty darn photogenic, too.)
54. Deep Dish French Silk Pie with Hazelnut Oreo Cookie Crust
Time Commitment: 10 minutes (plus chilling time)
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
Calling all chocolate stans: This is one decadent dessert you’ll never forget. Raw hazelnuts, Oreos and melted butter create the crust, which is filled with dark chocolate and whipped cream.
55. Red, White and Blue Icebox Cake
Time Commitment: 30 minutes (plus chilling time)
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, no bake
You’re only six ingredients away from the best dessert at the barbecue. Think graham crackers, homemade whipped cream, seasonal fruit and lots of powdered sugar.
56. Mini Strawberry Ice Cream Pies
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
Crumbly graham cracker crust, warm roasted strawberries, a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream. Sold yet? Sprinkle on some blueberries for a patriotic flourish.
57. Bite-Size Almond Raspberry Spoon Cakes
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, one bowl
Lightly sweet and bursting with almond flavor, these cake bites can be whipped up by hand using just a whisk and a single bowl. Go ahead, have one (or five).
58. Cookies-and-Cream Shortbread Cookies
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Don’t tell anyone, but Oreos are our secret obsession. Cookies-and-cream shortbread cookies have a classier vibe, but that same addictive flavor, snap and creaminess. Plus, they’re ready in just 40 minutes.
59. Grapefruit Meringue Stacks
Time Commitment: 3 hours
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, gluten free, <10 ingredients
This looker is part pavlova, part meringue pie. Start by making five-ingredient meringue cookies, then stack them between layers of grapefruit curd.
60. Homemade Milano Cookies
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
That 16-cookie bag disappears pretty quickly in our house. With this recipe in your back pocket, you’ll never run out again.
61. Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
We love cheesecake. We love cookies. Naturally, we had to combine them to make the greatest thumbprint cookie recipe ever. Let's waste no time and get right to baking (not that you’ll need a lot of it, since they're ready in half an hour).
62. Itty-Bitty Sandwich Cookies
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
These are so tiny that you can eat them by the handful, and that’s exactly what we intend to do. A glass of milk is optional, but encouraged.
63. Oreo-Stuffed Brownies
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, one pan, beginner-friendly
An impossible choice: cookies or brownies? Well, let us fill you in on a secret. You don't have to choose. These nine-ingredient handhelds are truly the best of both worlds.
64. Coconut Popsicles
Time Commitment: 4 hours
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Finding ways to keep cool is your top priority in the summertime. Luckily, you can have these raspberry jam-coconut milk masterpieces in the freezer in just a few minutes. No molds on hand? Go old-school by using ice-cube trays or paper cups.
65. Chocolate Kiss Powder Puff Cookies
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
Think Russian teacakes, except mind-blowingly easy to make. Like, three ingredients easy. Shake things up with peanut butter cups or caramels instead of Kisses.
66. No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, no bake
Pretzels. Peanut butter. Chocolate. Need we say more? We think not, but we will reiterate that these don’t spend a single second in the oven.
67. One-Ingredient Watermelon Sorbet
Time Commitment: 4 hours
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, dairy free, gluten free, beginner-friendly
Have you met the easiest dessert on the face of the earth yet? She’s pleased to make your acquaintance. Cool off with this genius treat made from twice-frozen watermelon purée. No one will ever guess that it’s pure fruit.
68. Dairy-Free Cheesecake with Blueberry Topping
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Why We Love It: dairy free, gluten free, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
You won’t believe how creamy this dessert is without any dairy. We have the coconut milk-cashew filling to thank.
69. Vegan Chocolate Fondue Dessert Party Platter
Time Commitment: 15 minutes
Why We Love It: vegan, dairy free, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
This dessert board has everything from fresh fruit to ice cream sandwiches. We’ll bring the wine.
70. Peaches and Meringue
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients, gluten free, <30 minutes
The broiler transforms these brown sugar-coated peaches into a bonafide treat. Even the kids will be all over them.
71. No-Bake, Gluten-Free Rose Petal Brownies
Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
Why We Love It: no bake, gluten free, vegan, special occasion-worthy
Normally, we don’t like to play favorites, but we’re pretty obsessed with these gorgeous fudgy brownies. Buried under all that chocolate are macadamia nuts and dried cherries.
72. Vegan Mint Chip Ice Cream
Time Commitment: 15 minutes (plus chilling time)
Why We Love It: vegan, dairy free, crowd-pleaser, gluten free
Just combine cashews, coconut milk, coconut cream and a few pantry staples, and boom: You've got an uncanny, dairy-free ice cream alternative.
73. Glazed Blueberry Cake
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
The cake's moist, tender crumb means you can scarf down two slices without feeling totally weighed down. With all those berries (and icing) on top, it's practically a fruit salad, right?
74. No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecake
Time Commitment: 8 hours and 30 minutes (includes chilling time)
Why We Love It: no bake, crowd-pleaser
Does it get any simpler than a press-in graham cracker crust and a citrusy, no-bake filling? Didn't think so. It tastes just as decadent as standard cheesecake, and you won't even need to fuss with the oven or a water bath.
75. Grilled Pineapple Split Sundae with Cherry Sauce
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, gluten free
Keep the coals nice and hot after your steak dinner. Grilling the pineapple before assembling the sundaes makes the treat a million times summerier. The homemade cherry sauce is just...um, the cherry on top.
76. Cherry Slab Pie
Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pan, <10 ingredients
Cherries aren't at peak deliciousness for long, so we take every chance we get to bake with them. All this easy-to-slice pie is missing is fresh whipped cream and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
77. Grilled Angel Food Cake with Blueberry Sauce
Time Commitment: 45 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Consider this the easiest way to upgrade a store-bought dessert. Just char a few slices of cake on the grill for a touch of smokiness, then drizzle with three-ingredient blueberry sauce.
78. Cantaloupe-Mint Sorbet
Time Commitment: 2 hours and 40 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, dairy free, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
Four ingredients + a stint in the freezer = the most refreshing summer dessert you've ever made. Might we suggest dropping a scoop in a flute of Champagne?
79. Pink Lemonade Bars
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
Warning: Bring these to a picnic once and your friends will request them for every summer shindig you ever attend. The secret to the dessert's pink hue is raspberry purée.
80. Berry-Coconut Rocket Pops
Time Commitment: 3 hours
Why We Love It: gluten free, dairy free <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
Your favorite ice cream truck treat—only without the weird dyes and sweeteners. These are made from nothing but fruit, sugar and coconut milk.
81. Mini Apricot Meringue Pies
Time Commitment: 2 hours
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Coconut shortbread crust. Simple sugared apricots. Toasty swoops of meringue. Are you drooling yet or is it just us?
82. 3-Ingredient Strawberry Ice Cream Shell
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, dairy free, gluten free, kid-friendly, make ahead
If you have ten minutes, this wow-worthy ice cream topper is within reach. Freeze-dried strawberries are the key to the shell's vibrant color and fruity flavor.
83. Strawberry Upside-Down Cake
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, one pan
Who needs frosting when berries and brown sugar alone can do all this? Slather on the whipped cream to your heart's content.
84. Mini Key Lime Pies
Time Commitment: 40 minutes (plus chilling time)
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
Aka our favorite way to utilize a muffin tin. Use regular limes if you can't find key limes—just be sure to squeeze them by hand for the best flavor.
85. Clementine Meltaway Cookies
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Cornstarch is the secret to the cookies' melt-in-your-mouth texture. Swap clementines for any type of citrus you'd prefer, like Meyer lemon or blood orange.
86. No-Churn Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream
Time Commitment: 12 hours (includes freezing time)
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, no cook, kid-friendly
It's only one of the bajillion reasons we love canned sweetened condensed milk. Thanks to that shortcut, you can pull this off *without* a fancy ice cream machine.
87. Banana Pudding Cups
Time Commitment: 4 hours and 20 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
There's no better end to a barbecue feast than banana pudding. Bonus points for serving it Southern-style with a pitcher of sweet tea and mini pecan pies.
88. Mini Strawberry-Rhubarb Shortcakes
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
They may look fancy, but they're really just teeny-tiny biscuits layered with jam and whipped cream. Even your kids can help you make the dough.
89. Upside-Down Mini Lemon Meringue Pies
Time Commitment: 4 hours
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Instead of fussy pie crust, the lemon curd and springy meringue are assembled in cups. You can also opt for bowls or mason jars instead.
RELATED: 45 Memorial Day Desserts That Aren't Just Flag Cake
For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.
