30 Homemade Summer Favorites to Bring to the Party or Eat Before It

The best kind of summer food is the kind that disappears without a lot of explaining. These homemade summer favorites are crowd-pleasers for good reason—they’re simple, reliable, and disappear quickly from any table. From casual porch hangs to full-on backyard parties, it helps to have a few go-to recipes that actually get eaten. This list skips the fluff and sticks to what works. You’ll probably want to make a little extra, just in case “bring to share” turns into “keep for later.”

Coconut Cupcakes With Cake Mix and Pudding

A partially eaten cupcake with white frosting on a white plate, accompanied by a fork. A green and white checkered napkin is underneath. — Coconut Cupcakes With Cake Mix and Pudding. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

These fluffy cupcakes keep things light, even when the heat won’t. With pudding for extra moisture and a tropical kick, they’re one of those homemade summer favorites that actually cool you off.
Get the Recipe: Coconut Cupcakes With Cake Mix and Pudding

Easy Blueberry Cobbler

Close-up of a spoon holding a piece of blueberry cobbler with a golden crust and visible blueberry filling. — Easy Blueberry Cobbler. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

When you’ve got fresh berries and no patience, this cobbler gets the job done. It’s crumbly, juicy, and hard to argue with on a hot day.
Get the Recipe: Easy Blueberry Cobbler

Strawberry Sheet Cake with Strawberry Sauce

Close-up of strawberry cake with visible chunks of strawberries and a golden-brown crust, sprinkled with powdered sugar. — Strawberry Sheet Cake with Strawberry Sauce. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

Sheet cakes aren’t glamorous, but they get the job done—especially this one. With double strawberry, it clearly belongs on the homemade summer favorites lineup.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Sheet Cake with Strawberry Sauce

Mango Custard

A small white ramekin filled with yellow custard, topped with diced kiwi, placed on a wooden surface. — Mango Custard. Photo credit: Honest And Truly.

Creamy, chilled, and just a little too easy to eat, this mango custard handles dessert duty like a pro. It’s a smart pick for homemade summer favorites that don’t need oven time.
Get the Recipe: Mango Custard

3-Ingredient Lemonade Popsicles

Lemon popsicles on ice, garnished with lemon zest and surrounded by sliced lemons. — 3-Ingredient Lemonade Popsicles. Photo credit: MOON and spoon and yum.

These popsicles go from freezer to face in under a minute. With only three ingredients, they’re the shortcut you’ll keep coming back to when homemade summer favorites are on the menu.
Get the Recipe: 3-Ingredient Lemonade Popsicles

Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream

A scoop of pink ice cream with sprinkles and a cherry on top in a waffle bowl, with a spoon and patterned napkin beside it on a white surface. — Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream. Photo credit: Baking Beauty.

This one throws it back to summer break with every bite. That orange-vanilla combo belongs on your list of homemade summer favorites, right next to flip-flops and sunburns.
Get the Recipe: Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream

Lemon Meltaway Cookies Recipe

Three lemon cookies with white icing and yellow zest on a metal plate. One cookie has a bite taken out of it. — Lemon Meltaway Cookies Recipe. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

These cookies don’t ask for much—just a place on your plate and a little breeze from an open window. Their soft texture and citrus snap make them a smart add to any list of homemade summer favorites.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Meltaway Cookies Recipe

Easy Peach Pandowdy Recipe

A freshly baked peach pie with a lattice crust in a white dish, placed on a marble surface next to whole peaches and a folded napkin. — Easy Peach Pandowdy Recipe. Photo credit: One Hot Oven.

Not too pretty, but very persuasive. This rustic peach dessert skips the pie crust stress and goes straight to the homemade summer favorites hall of fame.
Get the Recipe: Easy Peach Pandowdy Recipe

Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins

A tray of freshly baked muffins with a crumbly topping, resting on a cooling rack on a wooden table. — Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

Sweet meets tart without turning into a mess. They’re portable, practical, and right at home with other homemade summer favorites.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins

Homemade Ice Cream Bars

Chocolate-covered ice cream bars on sticks, topped with crushed nuts, are placed on a textured white plate. Additional bars and scattered nuts are around the plate on a pastel surface. — Homemade Ice Cream Bars. Photo credit: Fit as a Mama Bear.

You won’t need a fancy machine or a degree in dessert to pull these off. Cold, creamy, and dipped in chocolate—yep, that checks the boxes for homemade summer favorites.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Ice Cream Bars

Strawberry Pound Cake Mini Loaf

Two slices of strawberry bread on a white plate, with a strawberry in the background. — Strawberry Pound Cake Mini Loaf. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

It’s like picnic cake, but cuter. These little loaves sneak right into lunch baskets and count as solid contenders for homemade summer favorites.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Pound Cake Mini Loaf

Chocolate Covered Pineapple Dessert

A square piece of layered dessert with whipped topping and a chocolate-covered pineapple slice sits on a blue plate; the rest is in a glass dish in the background. — Chocolate Covered Pineapple Dessert. Photo credit: Ginger Casa.

Fruit plus chocolate and a freezer? That’s the summer math we actually like. These bites are low-effort but still manage to rank high as homemade summer favorites.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Covered Pineapple Dessert

Creamy Cherry Mango Popsicles

Three striped popsicles with yellow, orange, and purple layers rest on ice cubes, surrounded by fresh cherries. — Creamy Cherry Mango Popsicles. Photo credit: MOON and spoon and yum.

This duo’s got range—tangy, sweet, and ridiculously creamy. A freezer stash of these counts as solid homemade summer favorites prep.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Cherry Mango Popsicles

Yellow Plum Crumble Bars

Three lemon bars are arranged in a row on a black rectangular tray, beside a pastel-colored cloth and three whole lemons on a white surface. — Yellow Plum Crumble Bars. Photo credit: Bake What You Love.

These bars balance bright fruit with a buttery base that never sticks around long. They’ll sneak onto your list of homemade summer favorites before you know it.
Get the Recipe: Yellow Plum Crumble Bars

Strawberry Sugar Free Cake Recipe

A slice of cake with layers of yellow sponge, red filling, and white frosting, topped with red sprinkles, sits on a white plate beside a fork. More cake is visible in the background. — Strawberry Sugar Free Cake Recipe. Photo credit: Low Carb No Carb.

Sweet but sneaky—this one cuts the sugar but doesn’t skip the fun. If you’re into lighter homemade summer favorites, this fits the bill without being boring.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Sugar Free Cake Recipe

Protein Strawberry Cheesecake

A slice of cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, topped with strawberry sauce, halved strawberries, and a dollop of whipped cream, on a white plate. — Protein Strawberry Cheesecake. Photo credit: Food Plus Words.

Cheesecake with muscle? Sure, why not. It fits in with homemade summer favorites that try to feel a little less like dessert and a little more like logic.
Get the Recipe: Protein Strawberry Cheesecake

Triple Berry Hand Pies

A partially eaten berry hand pie on parchment paper, with visible filling and a fork in the background. — Triple Berry Hand Pies. Photo credit: All Ways Delicious .

These don’t require forks or manners. Grab one on the go and count it as one of your best homemade summer favorites—messy hands and all.
Get the Recipe: Triple Berry Hand Pies

Peach Cobbler For One

Oval dish with baked peach cobbler and a spoonful served, with two peaches and a bowl of whipped cream in the background. — Peach Cobbler For One. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

When you’re not in the mood to share, this cobbler understands. It nails the solo dessert vibe, which still totally counts toward homemade summer favorites.
Get the Recipe: Peach Cobbler For One

No Bake Smores Pie

A close-up of a slice of chocolate pie topped with toasted mini marshmallows and crumbled cookie pieces on a white plate. — No Bake Smores Pie. Photo credit: Baking Beauty.

All the campfire fun, none of the smoke in your face. This pie checks in early as one of those homemade summer favorites you won’t want to explain—just serve.
Get the Recipe: No Bake Smores Pie

Quick and Easy Peach Turnover Recipe Using Canned Biscuits

Close-up of a pastry filled with peach slices and cinnamon, topped with a light glaze. Other peach turnover pastries are visible in the background. — Quick and Easy Peach Turnover Recipe Using Canned Biscuits. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

Canned biscuits pull their weight here, no question. These turnovers sneak in just enough fruit to justify calling them homemade summer favorites.
Get the Recipe: Quick and Easy Peach Turnover Recipe Using Canned Biscuits

Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Recipe with Greek Yogurt

A cheesecake topped with glazed cherries and fresh mint leaves on a white plate. — Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Recipe with Greek Yogurt. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

Tangy, creamy, and not trying too hard, this cheesecake has its act together. It sneaks some summer brightness into the mix, which earns it a spot on your homemade summer favorites list.
Get the Recipe: Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Recipe with Greek Yogurt

Keto Coconut Ice Cream Recipe

Halved coconuts filled with ice cream, topped with mint leaves, surrounded by fresh strawberries. — Keto Coconut Ice Cream Recipe. Photo credit: Low Carb No Carb .

Low-carb but not low-flavor, this scoop still knows how to cool things off. It’s a quiet contender for homemade summer favorites if you’re dodging sugar.
Get the Recipe: Keto Coconut Ice Cream Recipe

Summer Cupcakes

Five cupcakes with toasted white frosting are arranged on a dark surface, with four in a wicker basket and one in front on a napkin. — Summer Cupcakes. Photo credit: Tiny Batch Cooking.

These are the backyard barbecue version of dessert—colorful, easygoing, and rarely leftover. That pretty much screams homemade summer favorites.
Get the Recipe: Summer Cupcakes

Keto Avocado Chocolate Mousse

Two glass cups of chocolate mousse topped with strawberries on a wooden surface. Additional strawberries and chocolate pieces are scattered around. — Keto Avocado Chocolate Mousse. Photo credit: Primal Edge Health.

This one sounds weird until it doesn’t. Once you try it, you’ll probably toss it in the rotation of homemade summer favorites just to confuse people.
Get the Recipe: Keto Avocado Chocolate Mousse

Peach Crumble

Juicy peaches and a crunchy topping? It doesn’t get much easier. This checks every box for homemade summer favorites without trying too hard.
Get the Recipe: Peach Crumble

Amish Lemon Sponge Pie

A fork cuts into a piece of cake with yellow filling and red sauce on a white plate, accompanied by a raspberry. — Amish Lemon Sponge Pie. Photo credit: One Hot Oven.

Light as air and slightly old-fashioned, this pie keeps things cool. It’s a smart pick when you need homemade summer favorites with a little charm.
Get the Recipe: Amish Lemon Sponge Pie

Chocolate Cherry Cobbler Cake

A pan of cherry chocolate dump cake being served with a spoon, topped with melted chocolate chips and visible cherries. — Chocolate Cherry Cobbler Cake. Photo credit: Call Me PMc.

Somewhere between a cake and a cobbler, this one leans into the fun side of summer baking. It’s the wildcard your homemade summer favorites list didn’t know it needed.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Cherry Cobbler Cake

Frosted Lemonade Ice Cream Cake Recipe

A slice of layered dessert with a yellow base, creamy middle, and whipped topping, served on a blue plastic plate. — Frosted Lemonade Ice Cream Cake Recipe. Photo credit: Ginger Casa.

This cake skips the hard parts and heads straight for freezer fun. Bright and cool, it’s the dessert version of sticking your feet in a kiddie pool—undeniably one of those homemade summer favorites.
Get the Recipe: Frosted Lemonade Ice Cream Cake Recipe

Strawberry Crisp Recipe with Oatmeal and Blackberries

A glass dish of fruit crumble topped with oats sits next to a white plate with a serving of the crumble, garnished with fresh berries. — Strawberry Crisp Recipe with Oatmeal and Blackberries. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

This crisp doesn’t care about fancy plating—it just wants to be eaten. Add it to your homemade summer favorites and call it good.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Crisp Recipe with Oatmeal and Blackberries

How to Make A Copycat Lemon Nothing Bundt Cake Recipe

Bundt cake with white icing and topped with sliced lemons arranged decoratively on one side. — How to Make A Copycat Lemon Nothing Bundt Cake Recipe. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

It’s a copycat, but it knows what it’s doing. That bright lemon flavor bumps it straight into homemade summer favorites territory without any drama.
Get the Recipe: How to Make A Copycat Lemon Nothing Bundt Cake Recipe