40+ Must-Make Summer Dessert Recipes

Fourth of July, birthdays, cookouts, baby showers — everyone may come for the burgers and pasta salads, but give them a reason to stay with over 40 crowd-pleasing summer dessert recipes.

Let these recipes be your sign to put down the premade, red white and blue grocery store cake and whip up a fudgy skillet cookie, maybe a berry-filled crisp, or even a beautiful layered cake. Many of these desserts are so much easier to make than you think, and I even included a whole no bake section if you’re short on time (or want to skip the oven!)

These summer desserts are broken down into:

• Bars
• Cookies
• Crisps & crumbles
• Cakes, pies & rolls
• And no bake treats

So you can find exactly what you’re craving. Add them to your cookout menu or bring them to a friend’s house and watch guests devour.

*Be sure to check the notes section of each recipe to easily make these desserts vegan, gluten-free, and/or dairy-free.

Make sure you have the right tools

• 8×8-inch pan for bars and square cakes
• Baking sheet for cookies
• Skillet for crisps and cookie skillets
• Pie pan for beautiful pies
• 6-inch cake pans for layered cakes

Get more of my fav kitchen tools here!

Bars

1. Cherry Pie Bars with Oatmeal Crumble
2. Vibrant Lime Bars
3. Strawberry Crumble Bars
4. Ooey-Gooey Tahini S’mores Bars
5. Raspberry Bars with Oatmeal Cookie Crumble
6. Blueberry Pie Bars with Oatmeal Crumble
7. The Best Zucchini Brownies You’ll Ever Eat
8. Healthy Lemon Bars

Cookies

1. S’mores Peanut Butter Cookie Skillet (or bars!)
2. Soft Lime Sugar Cookies
3. Scoopable Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
4. Salted Tahini Butterscotch Cookie Skillet
5. Lemon Cookies with Lovely Lemon Glaze
6. White Chocolate Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

Crisps & crumbles

1. Gluten Free Peach Crisp with Salted Coconut Milk Caramel
2. Mixed Berry Cobbler with Lemon-Pistachio Biscuits
3. Fresh Cherry Crisp with Almond Oatmeal Crumble
4. Strawberry Crisp with Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Crumble

Cakes, pies & rolls

1. Strawberry Snacking Cake with Strawberry Buttercream
2. World’s Best Banana Cream Pie (with peanut butter cookie crust!)
3. Brown Butter Strawberry Coffee Cake with Lovely Strawberry Icing
4. Lemon Cream Pie with Pecan Gingersnap Crust
5. Lemon Pistachio Cake with Lovely Lemon Frosting
6. Strawberry Sweet Rolls with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
7. Salted Butterscotch Zucchini Coffee Cake
8. Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake with Lemon Frosting
9. Chocolate Zucchini Cake (healthy + gluten free)
10. Brown Butter Blueberry Coffee Cake
11. Orange Zucchini Cake with Orange Frosting
12. Almond Lemon Raspberry Poppy Seed Cake
13. Lemon Lover’s Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls
14. Almond Flour Strawberry Shortcake Cake with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
15. The Best Tart Cherry Pie You’ll Ever Eat

No bake treats

1. Healthy Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
2. Salted Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Cups
3. Birthday Cake Rice Krispie Treats
4. Sweet and Salty Chocolate Tahini Rice Krispie Treats
5. Grilled Peaches (+6 different topping ideas!)
6. Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
7. 2-Ingredient Blueberry Nice Cream
8. Healthy 4 Ingredient Reese’s Eggs
9. Vegan Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Bars
10. Homemade Healthy Peanut Butter Cups (low carb, vegan, gluten free)
11. Rainbow Fruit Skewers
12. Salted Tahini Caramel Millionaire Bars (vegan + paleo)
13. Peanut Butter Cup Freezer Fudge
14. Crispy Toasted Quinoa Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles
15. No Bake Chocolate Caramel Tahini Chex Bars (allergy-friendly!)

If you make any of these summer desserts, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it!