18 easy summer desserts for sweet, long days

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Easy-to-make summer desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth

With the longer summer days, there’s more time for lingering at the table, whether at a family dinner, weekend potluck, or backyard barbecue. And when you serve delicious summer desserts, everyone sticks around.

These easy summer desserts showcase the best of the season, from fruity galettes and pies to decadent cheesecakes. They’re the perfect bookend to simple summer cocktails and effortless summer dinner recipes.

A juicy blueberry galette is one of the easiest summer recipes Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

Blueberry galette

Think of a galette as a much easier pie. A flaky, buttery crust filled with sweet, juicy, plump blueberries makes the ultimate summer dessert. Use fresh, in-season berries, but frozen work just as well. And no need to fuss with a rolling pin: A store-bought crust makes this one of the easiest recipes. This one is best topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Get this recipe: Blueberry galette

A moist cake with hints of orange and rosemary perfect for dessert or breakfast Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

Orange olive oil cake

Olive oil isn’t just for cooking savory dishes; you can also add it to baked goods! Many Mediterranean desserts feature fruity olive oil for its flavor and moisture, adding a terrific texture to this cake. A hint of orange juice, zest, and rosemary take this summer dessert recipe to another level. It’s wonderful after dinner but pretty darn good for breakfast too.

Get this recipe: Orange olive oil cake

Mini meringues topped with fresh whipped cream and fruit make an elegant summer dessert Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

Mini pavlova

These pillows of meringue, filled with whipped cream and topped with fresh, seasonal fruit, are one of our favorite summer dessert recipes. Perfect meringues with a soft marshmallow center and crispy outer layer take very little prep time. This simple and elegant dessert only looks like you worked in the kitchen all day — we won’t tell if you didn’t.

Get this recipe: Mini pavlova recipe

Pineapple pie puts a tropical spin on summer desserts Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

Pineapple pie

What do you get when you fill a pie shell with pineapple and coconut? One of the most delicious and easy summer desserts ever! This recipe requires only 10 minutes of prep and 30 minutes in the oven. The result: A tropical delight everyone will rave about for days.

Get this recipe: Pineapple pie

Layered Jell-O desserts delight everyone during summer holidays Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

Patriotic Jell-O parfaits

These colorful red, white, and blue layers stand out on any picnic table, making it the perfect summer dessert for the Fourth of July or Labor Day. Flavored Jell-O layered with whipped cream and topped with sprinkles will bring smiles to everyone’s faces.

Get this recipe: Patriotic jello parfaits

Creamy lemon cheesecake bars are a flavorful and easy-to-make summer dessert Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

Lemon cheesecake bars

Lemon cheesecake bars are one of the easiest summer desserts to pull together, and they taste like sunshine. We add a hint of ginger to the crust, which pairs perfectly with the creamy citrus topping. Cut them into small squares as mini bites for potlucks and parties.

Get this recipe: Lemon cheesecake bars

A red, white, and blue treat perfect for patriotic summer holidays Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

Patriotic s’mores brownies

No campfire is needed for these s’mores! This pretty summer dessert studded with marshmallows and red, white, and blue candies is perfect for patriotic holidays — or any time you want to show your love for the good ol’ USA.

Get this recipe: Patriotic s’mores brownies

Crunchy, creamy churro cheesecake bars will be your most requested summer dessert Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

Churro cheesecake bars

Like many foods, the origins of churros are still a bit of a mystery. Many say they came from Spain, while others say they started in China. Either way, we’ve used this simple fried dough as a crust to make the most incredible cheesecake bars. Once you make this crunchy and creamy treat, expect it to be one of your most requested summer desserts.

Get this recipe: Churro cheesecake bars

Key lime pie is quintessential tropical summer dessert Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

Key lime pie

Key lime pie is the quintessential summer dessert. We’ve made this one with a Linzer cookie-style crust, adding just a bit of raspberry jam for true Linzer flavor. This special treat is filled with creamy Key lime filling and topped with whipped cream and raspberries. Everyone will love it.

Get this recipe: Key lime pie

A perfect chocolate and raspberry pairing in cookie form Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

Raspberry and chocolate cookies

These homemade chocolate wafer sandwich cookies are best when raspberries are in season, making them one of the most delightful summer desserts. Of course, you can make them any time of year with frozen berries. This is the ultimate light treat when you want something sweet.

Get this recipe: Raspberry and chocolate cookies

Fruit and nut-filled biscotti is easy to make, low-calorie, and vegan Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

Easy biscotti

Combining walnuts and dried apricots gives these cookies amazing texture and flavor. This recipe is also vegan and low-calorie, which is a win all around.

Get this recipe: Easy biscotti

Copycat key lime Crumbl cookies top everyone's summer desserts list Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

Copycat key lime Crumbl cookies

How can anyone resist key lime pie in cookie form? These decadent gems are a take-off on the Crumbl Cookie that everyone raves about. A sweetened graham cracker cookie filled with a key lime cream cheese mixture will wow you and your guests. These delectable cookies are big enough to share but so good you may not want to!

Get this recipe: Key lime copycat Crumbl cookies

No-bake Oreo cookie balls are the perfect grab-and-go summer dessert Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

No-bake Oreo cookie balls

There is no need for forks or plates. These cookie balls are one of our top no-bake summer desserts for a crowd. With just four ingredients, you can whip up decadent, creamy Oreo bites in no time. Freeze the leftovers for later, as they’re so good frozen too.

Get this recipe: No-bake Oreo cookie balls

Dulce de leche adds rich toffee flavor to these no-bake cheesecake bars Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

No-bake dulce de leche cheesecake bars

When it’s hot out, turn to delicious no-bake summer desserts. For these cheesecake bars, swirls of rich dulce de leche and cheesecake sit on a buttery graham cracker crust. Make a big batch and freeze them — they’re wonderful frozen!

Get this recipe: Dulce de leche cheesecake bars

Key lime macarons make a wonderful summer treat Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

Key lime macarons

Cookies are a must on any list of sweets, and these key lime macarons will soon be one of your favorite summer dessert recipes. Almond flour gives these cookies a chewy texture, and the key lime curd adds a bright, citrusy flavor. Macarons are super easy to make and fun to serve at any gathering.

Get this recipe: Key lime macarons

Brownies are made even better with Nutella Photo courtesy of Kelly Stilwell

Nutella bars

It’s hard to believe Nutella was created in Italy in 1946 as a cheaper alternative to chocolate. We love the chocolate hazelnut spread, and combined with brownie mix, marshmallows, and cream cheese, it makes a delicious summer dessert for kids and adults alike.

Get this recipe: Nutella bars

About Kelly Stilwell

Kelly Stilwell is a food and travel writer who has visited 40 countries in the last 15 years. She writes for a number of publications and is the content creator at Food, Fun & Faraway Places, featuring recipes and vacation ideas.

Kelly’s first book, 100 Things To Do in Sarasota Before You Die, will be released on July 15th.

A former Marylander, Kelly traded cold winters for Florida sunshine 14 years ago and has never looked back.

When she’s not sitting in front of her computer, you’ll find Kelly sitting on a beach somewhere with a good book.