Summer desserts might be the best desserts of all because they often make the most of what’s in season. And there are A LOT of delicious summer fruits that are ripe, juicy, and ready to be the star of the dessert course. Peaches, melons, mangoes, berries galore… the possibilities are endless!
To help you savor the best of the season, we’ve compiled a list of summer fruit dessert recipes that are the perfect ending to any gathering. There’s feta with roasted peaches for those who aren’t into super-sweet desserts. And mango coconut pops and rocket pops for an icy cold treat during the hottest days. Or check out the various crumbles and cobblers we have with berries and stone fruit. Whether you feel like turning on the oven to bake or just want to pop things in the fridge and freezer and call it a day, we got you.
One Last Taste of Summer
1 of 25 Thomas J. Story
Feta with Roasted Peaches
This dish is a great alternative to super-sweet desserts. If you can’t find Turkish Urfa biber chiles, which have a lovely sweet and smoky flavor, substitute red chili flakes. Bonus: The leftover syrup makes the base for a peach cooler !
2 of 25 Thomas J. Story
Fresh Fruit Meringue
Subtle and ethereal meringue is an ideal way to feature seasonal fresh fruit. Chef Saehee Cho tops hers with lemon curd, edible flowers, and the first strawberries of the season, but any ripe seasonal fruit will do.
3 of 25 Iain Bagwell
Poached Peach Trifles
These luscious spiced trifles are just about the most indulgent summer dessert.
4 of 25 Iain Bagwell
Melon and Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta
Although as silky as the Italian classic, this version is lighter and more refreshing, with yogurt standing in for half of the cream—and diced fruit adding bursts of sweetness.
5 of 25 Erin Kunkel
Mango Coconut Pops
Velvety mango purée makes these popsicles seem extra-indulgent, although each has only a splash of coconut milk. You can use any mold you like for these popsicles, but you’ll get a different number of pops depending on the mold size.
6 of 25 Thomas J. Story
Sweet Summer Strawberry Tart
After finding a fly in her bottle of Mouton Cadet Rouge, chef and cookbook author Joanne Weir, then 24, had the gumption to mail the insect to the wine’s maker, Château Mouton Rothschild, one of the top wineries in the world. In response to her complaint, she received an invitation to lunch at the château. She booked a flight immediately. This recipe is her re-creation of the day’s finale—a tart “topped with a silky smooth kirsch pastry cream and crowned with perfectly glazed, ripe red strawberries.”
7 of 25 Sunset
Rocket Pops
Made with fresh fruit, these pops will be a revelation to anyone who grew up with the neon colors and artificial taste of the commercial version. To make them, you’ll need 8 (2 1/4 oz.) or 6 (3 oz.) rocket-pop molds. Freeze any leftover sorbet free-form and enjoy as a granita (scrape with a fork occasionally during freezing to keep it from becoming an icy block).
8 of 25 Iain Bagwell
Summer Berry Cobbler with Sour Cream Biscuits
After many tasty tests, we can say with certainty that a mix of three kinds of berries bakes up more juicy and flavorful than just one. The biscuits on top come out fluffy and tender, thanks to a little baking soda in addition to baking powder, and you can cut them round or square to match your dish.
9 of 25 Iain Bagwell
Grilled Strawberry Shortcake Kebabs
You’ll need 32 bamboo skewers (each 8 in.); there’s no need to soak them before they go on the grill, because they won’t char with such a short cooking time.
10 of 25 Thomas J. Story
Roasted Pineapple with Coconut Yogurt
Warm, richly spiced fruit served over a cool, creamy base makes a sweet ending to a brunch. And it’s simple: All you do is infuse the pineapple with seasonings and rum, then roast it in a hot oven until the juices are caramelized. Many markets sell precut pineapple spears, which makes the dish even easier.
11 of 25 Annabelle Breakey
Apricot Baklava Strudel
We decided to combine the flakiness and nutty flavors of baklava with the fruit of a strudel. If your apricots are very ripe, don’t let them sit in the honey syrup too long before you assemble the strudel—they’ll turn to jam. But if they’re a little firm or very tart, let them macerate a bit longer to soften and absorb the sweetness.
12 of 25 Iain Bagwell
Nectarine Rose Gelato
Rose water brings out the floral quality in nectarines (who knew they’re in the same botanical family?). For the creamiest texture, serve this the same day it’s made.
13 of 25 Iain Bagwell
Raspberry Pluot Crisp with Coconut Streusel
We couldn’t resist loading up on multiple kinds of seeds—plus nuts and coconut —to create this crunchy, addictive streusel. For the filling, Flavor King pluots, which ripen in late summer, are one of our favorites, rich, floral, and musky. To keep the juicy filling from spilling into the oven as it bubbles and thickens, set a baking sheet on the rack below (not directly underneath the crisp, or it won’t bake evenly).
14 of 25 Annabelle Breakey
Roasted Berry Sundaes
A sundae is the perfect treat at the end of a delicious meal.
15 of 25 Thomas J. Story
Fresh Apricot Crisp
A crunchy topping sets off apricots which are so flavorful you do not have to add much to them. If using supermarket apricots, cut each into quarters, increase lemon juice to 2 tbsp. and granulated sugar to 1/2 cup, and mix a pinch each of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg into the fruit before baking.
16 of 25 Thomas J. Story
Raspberry, Lime, and Coconut Pie
Sweet and tangy, crunchy and creamy—this recipe delivers a perfect combination of flavors and textures in each bite. A touch of gelatin in the lime curd helps it set enough to slice cleanly.
17 of 25 Annabelle Breakey
Boysenberry Mousse with Cookie Crumble
This vanilla mousse, with ribbons of tart-sweet boysenberry sauce, has a delicate, cloudlike texture. If you’re substituting raspberries and blackberries, start with more berries for the sauce, as they’re not as juicy as boysenberries.
18 of 25 Time Inc. Food Studios
Stone Fruit Cobbler with Almond Spoon Cake
For those times when you just can’t limit yourself to one kind of fruit, we created this variation on our Peach and Bourbon Cobbler with Almond Spoon Cake recipe. As a bonus, the nectarines and pluots don’t require any peeling, and the cherries in syrup come already pitted.
19 of 25 Thomas J. Story
Mango Royale
American ice box cake meets Filipino crema de fruta (a layered cake often made with canned fruit cocktail) in Isa Fabro’s fresh, creamy dessert. “It’s American and Filipino at the same time—like me!” says the chef. You’ll need a 9-in. springform pan, and a small offset spatula is helpful for spreading. Mangoes may need a few days to ripen in a paper bag.
20 of 25 Iain Bagwell
Watermelon Jello
Watermelon and mint make a classic salad combo; here we’ve paired them in a sleek, refreshing dessert.
21 of 25 Iain Bagwell
Peach and Bourbon Cobbler with Almond Spoon Cake
You know those sweet, drippy peaches you dream about all year? When you’ve had your fill standing over the sink, bake up the rest with dark brown sugar, booze, and a tender topping. And if you see them in late summer, try the recipe with O’Henry peaches: Firm yet satiny, they have a perfect sweet-acid balance and freestone flesh, meaning they’re a cinch to pit.
22 of 25 Sunset
Triple-Berry Popsicles
We couldn’t believe how simple it was to make these frozen treats. You can strain out the seeds if you like, but we love the texture they lend to the popsicles. Feel free to use boysenberries, pitted cherries, or other favorites instead of the combination of fruits here.
23 of 25
Warm Berry-Thyme Compote
Dress up vanilla ice cream with a berry delicious fruit-and-sugar topping. The chunky syrup gets a punch of flavor from lemon juice and fresh thyme. Simply cook the berries for about four minutes in a saucepan and serve warm.
24 of 25 Annabelle Breakey
Blueberry Sorbet
This bright-tasting sorbet gains an exquisite aroma from a small amount of lavender.
25 of 25 Iain Bagwell
Fig Crisps with Buttery Nut Streusel
The secret ingredient here is saba, an Italian-style syrup made from wine-grape juice cooked down to a concentrate. It underscores and lifts the flavor of figs . So do lemon zest and a spoonful of crème fraîche . As for the figs, our favorite is Black Mission, a purple-black, richly flavored variety.
Search All of Sunset’s Recipes
Chilled Corn Soup By
Nicole Clausing North Star Close By
Nicole Clausing Del Mar By
Nicole Clausing 
Most Popular
Comments / 0