30 Summer Dessert Recipes That Beat The Heat Without Breaking A Sweat

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When it’s too hot to bother with the oven, smart shortcuts matter. The right summer dessert recipes let you skip the heat and still pull off something worth serving. No complicated steps, no long prep time—just desserts that actually make sense when the temperature climbs. These recipes lean on fresh ingredients, chilled textures, and clever pairings that hold up in the heat. If you want to keep dessert easy without dialing back the appeal, these summer dessert recipes are worth a look.

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 little pockets of flaky joy are packed with berries and way too easy to snack on. They earn their spot in summer dessert recipes because they’re grab-and-go without the mess.
Get the Recipe: Triple Berry Hand Pies

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.

These popsicles show up with bright flavor and serious freezer cool points. Add them to your summer dessert recipes list when the heat’s being rude.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Cherry Mango Popsicles

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.

Sweet, cold pineapple in a chocolate coat? Yeah, it works. This one belongs with your summer dessert recipes when the goal is fresh and chill with zero stress.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Covered Pineapple Dessert

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.

It’s light, tangy, and basically summer in a pie plate. Perfect for your summer dessert recipes when lemonade feels too basic.
Get the Recipe: Amish Lemon Sponge Pie

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 creamy mousse skips the sugar but doesn’t skip the richness. It fits into summer dessert recipes when you want something cool that also kind of behaves like a snack.
Get the Recipe: Keto Avocado Chocolate Mousse

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 .

This one’s all coconut, no churn, and definitely not interested in being boring. A great addition to summer dessert recipes when you need dairy-free that still hits the mark.
Get the Recipe: Keto Coconut Ice Cream Recipe

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.

Cherries and chocolate teamed up for this gooey, lazy-day wonder. Throw it into your summer dessert recipes when fruit’s in season and patience is not.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Cherry Cobbler Cake

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.

These bars are sweet, creamy, and way too easy to customize. Add them to your summer dessert recipes lineup for a freezer treat that actually sticks around (but not for long).
Get the Recipe: Homemade Ice Cream Bars

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.

Hot peach, warm topping, and no sharing required. It slides into summer dessert recipes for solo nights when fruit and carbs just need to hang out.
Get the Recipe: Peach Cobbler For One

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 one brings berries, crunch, and zero hard work. It’s what summer dessert recipes need when you’re running low on energy but still want something homemade.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Crisp Recipe with Oatmeal and Blackberries

Peach Crumble

A close-up of a serving of peach crumble on a white plate, showing golden peaches and a crumbly oat topping.
Peach Crumble. Photo credit: Baking Beauty.

Soft peaches and buttery topping mean this one’s in heavy rotation. Add it to your summer dessert recipes before the fruit flies get any ideas.
Get the Recipe: Peach Crumble

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.

It’s creamy, chilled, and showing off some sneaky protein. Use it in your summer dessert recipes when you’re trying to balance cravings with pretending to be healthy.
Get the Recipe: Protein Strawberry Cheesecake

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 bright, fluffy, and way too cute to ignore. They land perfectly in summer dessert recipes for birthdays, barbecues, or bribes.
Get the Recipe: Summer Cupcakes

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.

Juicy blueberries under a golden lid—what else do you want? A staple for summer dessert recipes, especially when guests show up uninvited.
Get the Recipe: Easy Blueberry Cobbler

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.

This one’s tart, sweet, and doesn’t need frosting drama to show off. Works great in summer dessert recipes when lemon is calling and cake is the answer.
Get the Recipe: How to Make A Copycat Lemon Nothing Bundt Cake Recipe

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.

Cold, creamy, and completely unnecessary—just how dessert should be. Add it to your summer dessert recipes when lemonade won’t cut it on its own.
Get the Recipe: Frosted Lemonade Ice Cream Cake Recipe

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 raspberries and lemon team up for something that actually feels refreshing. This one belongs in summer dessert recipes that pretend to be a little classy.
Get the Recipe: Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Recipe with Greek Yogurt

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.

These muffins bring fruity chaos in the best way. Toss them into your summer dessert recipes when breakfast accidentally turns into dessert.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins

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.

It’s smooth, cool, and tastes like a vacation without the flight. A no-brainer for summer dessert recipes when mangos are actually affordable.
Get the Recipe: Mango Custard

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 soft little cookies vanish before the tray cools down. They’re a perfect fit for summer dessert recipes that lean citrusy without being complicated.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Meltaway Cookies Recipe

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.

Sour, sweet, and impossible to mess up. A summer dessert recipe hero when the AC isn’t cutting it and nobody wants to bake.
Get the Recipe: 3-Ingredient Lemonade Popsicles

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.

This one brings serious strawberry vibes and the best kind of crumb. Fits right into summer dessert recipes when you’re not trying to share.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Pound Cake Mini Loaf

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.

It’s half cobbler, half pie, and all easy. Great for summer dessert recipes when peaches are practically begging to be used.
Get the Recipe: Easy Peach Pandowdy Recipe

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.

This pie is all gooey nostalgia, minus the campfire smoke. Keep it in your summer dessert recipes stash when it’s too hot for actual fire.
Get the Recipe: No Bake Smores Pie

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.

Double the strawberry, none of the stress. It crashes any summer dessert recipes list where potluck heroes are needed.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Sheet Cake with Strawberry Sauce

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 know how to handle stone fruit season without showing off. They slot into summer dessert recipes with zero complaints.
Get the Recipe: Yellow Plum Crumble Bars

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.

Sweet, creamy, and built like an orange dream from the 90s. Stick it on your summer dessert recipes board and let nostalgia handle the rest.
Get the Recipe: Orange Creamsicle Ice Cream

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.

It skips the sugar but still knows how to throw a party. A go-to for summer dessert recipes when you want chill vibes without the crash.
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Sugar Free Cake Recipe

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 coconut cuties are low-effort but taste like you tried. Ideal for summer dessert recipes when boxed mix is all you’ve got left.
Get the Recipe: Coconut Cupcakes With Cake Mix and Pudding

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.

These turnovers cheat with canned dough, but who’s judging? Pop them into your summer dessert recipes and enjoy not sweating it.
Get the Recipe: Quick and Easy Peach Turnover Recipe Using Canned Biscuits

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Sarita Harbour has been stretching her food dollars to feed her family for over 30 years. As a former banker and current freelance writer, she's written boatloads of articles about budgeting, homesteading, gardening, personal finance and more. Her food-related articles have been widely syndicated through AP and MSN. Look for her food features at NBC, The Seattle Times, Yahoo! Life, Chowhound, Tasting Table and MSN.