I love making desserts in the summer, especially for parties.
There’s just something about mixing up something sweet while the windows are open and the kids are running wild outside!
Summer desserts feel lighter, brighter, and way more fun to decorate (peaches and berries make everything look cute).
These ones lean fruity, fluffy, and totally snackable, the kind of stuff you can slice or scoop without needing a degree in pastry.
If you’ve got a party coming up, or just want an excuse to bake something delicious, here’s a bunch of summery sweets everyone will grab seconds of.
Rhubarb Crisp
Start with chopped rhubarb tossed in sugar and a little flour, then spread it into a baking dish.
Mix up a topping with oats, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon (use your hands, it’s messy but worth it).
Sprinkle that all over the fruit and bake until it bubbles and the top gets golden and crisp.
Rhubarb crisp is one of those old-school desserts that looks simple but tastes like summer in a bowl.
Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you’ve got it.
Strawberry Crunch Poke Cake
Bake a white cake (box mix totally fine) in a 9×13 pan, then poke holes all over it while it’s still warm.
Pour strawberry gelatin over top and let it chill in the fridge until the cake soaks it up.
Spread on a whipped topping and finish with a crushed cookie crumble made from golden Oreos and freeze-dried strawberries.
This strawberry crunch poke cake reminds me of those ice cream bars from the corner store!
Let it chill for a couple hours so it slices clean.
Blackberry Pie
This is MY fan favorite recipe!
Roll out your pie crust (store-bought or homemade) and press it into your dish.
Toss fresh or frozen blackberries with sugar, cornstarch, and a splash of lemon juice, then dump them into the crust.
Dot with butter, top with a lattice or full crust, and bake until it’s bubbling and golden.
This blackberry pie smells amazing while it’s baking, but I always forget how juicy it gets!
Make sure to set the dish on a sheet pan just in case.
Let it cool before slicing so it doesn’t run all over the place.
Cherry Coffee Cake
Make a simple batter with butter, sugar, eggs, and sour cream, then spread half into a greased pan.
Spoon on some cherry pie filling, then the rest of the batter.
Top with a quick streusel made from flour, sugar, and butter crumbled together.
This cherry coffee cake is sweet but not too sweet, and I always pretend it counts as breakfast.
Bake until the middle springs back and the top is just barely golden.
Ambrosia Fruit Salad
Grab a big bowl and dump in drained mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks, mini marshmallows, coconut, and halved grapes.
Stir in sour cream or whipped topping, depending on what you like (personally, I mix both).
I always add maraschino cherries last so they don’t turn the whole thing pink too soon.
Ambrosia fruit salad looks a little chaotic but gets devoured every single time.
Chill it for at least an hour so everything sets up.
Pina Colada Cupcakes
Start with a vanilla or pineapple cupcake base.
Box mix works fine, just swap the water for canned coconut milk.
Once they’re baked and cooled, poke a few holes in the tops and drizzle with pineapple juice or rum if it’s an adults-only thing.
Frost with whipped cream or coconut frosting and sprinkle with toasted coconut.
These pina colada cupcakes taste like a beach vacation but without the sunburn.
Add a cherry on top if you’re feeling cute.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Melt butter and brown sugar in a round cake pan, then arrange pineapple rings and cherries on top.
Pour in a yellow cake batter, then bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
Flip it over while it’s still warm and let it sit for a minute before lifting the pan.
Pineapple upside down cake is kind of retro but still gets that wow moment when you serve it.
Use parchment on the bottom if you’re nervous about sticking.
Summer Berries and Peach Cheesecake
Crush graham crackers and mix with melted butter for the crust, then press into a springform pan.
Blend cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and whipped cream or Cool Whip for the filling.
Top with sliced peaches, blueberries, strawberries—whatever looks good at the store.
This summer berries and peach cheesecake feels fancier than it is, and it doesn’t need baking.
Chill it overnight if you want clean slices.
Lemon Icebox Bars
Mix crushed vanilla wafers or graham crackers with melted butter and press into a baking dish.
Whisk sweetened condensed milk with lemon juice and zest, then fold in whipped topping and pour over the crust.
Lemon icebox bars firm up in the fridge and taste super bright and creamy.
I always sneak a spoonful before it’s fully set!
Use parchment so you can lift and slice without wrecking it.
Coconut Cream Pie
Blind bake your crust and let it cool completely before filling.
Cook coconut milk, sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch on the stove until thick, then stir in shredded coconut and vanilla.
Pour the filling into the crust and let it chill in the fridge.
Coconut cream pie always makes me think I’m fancier than I am.
Just don’t skip the whipped cream topping!
Toast a little extra coconut to sprinkle over the top.
Key Lime Pudding Parfaits
Whisk together sweetened condensed milk, key lime juice, and a bit of sour cream or yogurt until smooth.
Layer it with crushed graham crackers and whipped cream in little cups or jars.
Key lime pudding parfaits are tart, creamy, and cute enough for a party tray.
I usually make them the night before so they’re extra cold and set.
Garnish with a tiny lime wedge if you want to look like you tried.
Peach Cobbler
Toss sliced peaches with sugar and a bit of flour, then spread into a buttered baking dish.
Mix up a quick batter with flour, sugar, baking powder, milk, and melted butter, then spoon it over the fruit.
Bake until the top is golden and the filling bubbles up around the edges.
This peach cobbler smells amazing and totally makes it look like you know what you’re doing.
Let it rest before scooping so the juice thickens a bit.
Strawberry Shortcake Bars
Make a simple vanilla sheet cake, then let it cool and cut into squares.
Spread whipped cream on top and add sliced strawberries to each piece.
You can bake the cake ahead and just decorate right before serving.
These strawberry shortcake bars are sweet, soft, and not too messy for little hands.
Keep them chilled until you’re ready to set them out.
Fruit Pizza
Roll out sugar cookie dough into a big circle and bake it like a crust.
Once it’s cool, spread a layer of sweetened cream cheese and top with sliced fruit like kiwis, berries, and mandarins.
Fruit pizza is so fun to decorate, and my youngest loves helping with the fruit part.
I let it chill a bit before slicing so the topping doesn’t slide.
Try cutting it with a pizza wheel for clean edges.
Plus, you can make a fruit salad with all the fruit you have too!
S’mores Cookie Bars
Make a graham cracker cookie dough with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips mixed right in.
Press half into a pan, layer chocolate bars and marshmallow fluff, then top with the rest of the dough.
Bake until the top is golden and the middle’s just a little gooey.
S’mores cookie bars are always a hit and you don’t have to light anything on fire!
Let them cool before cutting or they’ll fall apart.
Sweet and Simple Summer Desserts
Summer desserts don’t have to be complicated to be a hit. If it’s got fruit, cream, or some kind of crumble, it usually disappears before you can grab seconds.
Honestly, I just love having a reason to bake when there’s a party coming up!
So grab a pan, make a mess, and bring something yummy to the table.
