35 Cheap and Easy Summer Dessert Recipes You’ll Love

With summer heat breathing down our necks, it’s refreshing to know that there are easy summer dessert recipes to cool us off. So many summer fruits are available this time of year to enjoy in desserts.

Seasonal fruit is abundant and often cheaper, making it the perfect ingredient for summer dishes. I’ve put together this roundup of cheap and easy dessert recipes for summer to enjoy at backyard BBQs, picnics, and potlucks.

1) Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Strawberry pretzel salad is a salty and sweet combo that is a real show-stopper at any party. This dessert features a crunchy pretzel crust, cream cheese filling, and fresh strawberries.

2) Smooth Blended Chocolate Chia Mousse

Chia seeds and chocolate make this mousse a healthy and delicious no-bake summer dessert. Add your favorite toppings, like blueberries or shredded coconut. Enjoy it for dessert, breakfast, or a snack.

3) Chocolate Covered Raspberries

Fresh berries and dark chocolate are perfectly paired. In about 25 minutes, you’ll have a fun, delicious snack.

4) No Bake Banana Pudding Cheesecake

You’ll love this creamy cheesecake with ripe bananas, a graham cracker crust, and vanilla wafers. It’s a delicious dessert that goes with any summer meal.

5) No-Bake Berry Cheesecake Parfait

Here’s a fancy, easy, no-bake berry dessert your guests will love. It uses strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries in a patriot-theme color scheme. Top with a big dollop of whipped cream.

Frozen Treats for Hot Days

Here are some frozen summer dessert recipes for those very hot days:

6) Easy Homemade Strawberry Sherbet

Strawberry sherbet is a perfect treat when the temperatures are sweltering. This sherbet is made with fresh strawberries, sugar, light Karo syrup, buttermilk, and lemon juice.

7) Strawberry Ice Cream Sundae

This ice cream dessert only uses five ingredients: whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, dark chocolate, strawberries, and ice cream. It comes together quickly.

8) Homemade Ice Cream Without a Machine

This ice cream recipe only requires two ingredients! Use condensed milk and heavy whipping cream to make a delicious summer dessert that doesn’t require a machine.

Fresh Fruit Desserts

Here are some summer dessert recipes that have fresh fruit:

9) Romanian Summer Fruit Salad

Here’s a summer dessert just for adults. It uses lots of fruits, such as blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, and grapes. Add rum and fold it into the cut-up fruit.

10) Easy Fruit Salad

Here’s another fruit salad option. It features many different fruits, such as watermelon, kiwi, and raspberries, and it is tossed in an orange and lemon juice base.

11) Hawaiian Cheesecake Salad

Hawaiian cheesecake salad is a cool and refreshing summer dessert featuring fresh fruit such as mangoes, pineapple, kiwi, and bananas. The fruit is mixed in a creamy whipped cream and cream cheese dressing.

12) Berrylicious Red, White, and Blue Trifle

This easy summer dessert comes together in just 10 minutes! This trifle has strawberries and blueberries layered with pound cake and whipped cream.

13) Mini Strawberry Shortcakes

Mini strawberry shortcakes are a perfect summer dessert for impressing your guests. The shortcakes are served in little glass containers that are a pretty addition to your meal.

Make-Ahead Desserts for Summer Entertaining

Make these summer dessert recipes ahead of time for your gatherings:

14) Strawberry Tiramisu

This decadent treat features strawberries layered with lady fingers and a whipped cream mascarpone mixture. It’s a delicious summer dessert for potlucks and picnics.

15) Creamy Lime Bars

Creamy lime bars have a brown sugar-sweetened crunchy pecan graham cracker crust. They make a perfect, easy dessert for backyard BBQs with friends and family.

16) Easy S’mores Rice Crispy Treats

S’mores rice crispy treats are a nice twist on the traditional recipe. This recipe variation uses mini chocolate chips and graham cracker bits. Kids and adults will love these chocolatey, gooey treats.

17) Lemon Eclair Cake

This no-bake recipe only takes 5 minutes to prepare. Chill for 8 hours, and you have a fun, lemony summer treat.

18) The Best Key Lime Pie

Satisfy your sweet tooth with this key lime pie with only five ingredients. The pie has a graham cracker pie crust. The recipe uses lime juice, butter, sweet and condensed milk, and eggs. Decorate it with optional whipped cream and lime slices.

19) Blueberry Lemon Oatmeal Cookies

Blueberry and lemon dress up this version of oatmeal cookies. These soft and chewy cookies will make a great addition to your picnic.

More Easy Summer Desserts

Here’s some more easy summer dessert recipes to enjoy:

20) Lemon Poke Cake

This lemon cake is super moist and easy to make. It uses convenient ingredients like Jell-O and cake mix.

21) Summer Sugar Cookies with Sour Cream and Cream Cheese Frosting

These sour cream sugar cookies will give your family a real treat. Make them in fun summer shapes and have fun decorating them!

22) Grilled Peaches with Ricotta

Be adventurous and try this grilled peaches and ricotta for a different dessert. The sweetness of the peaches and the creaminess of the ricotta are a winning combination.

23) Gluten-Free Blueberry Crisp (Vegan)

Here’s a vegan and gluten-free recipe version of blueberry crisp. Top it with ice cream or whipped cream for an extra indulgent treat.

24) Raspberry Blondies

Raspberry blondies will melt in your mouth with each delicious bite. Combining sweet raspberries and rich white chocolate chips makes for a perfect summer dessert.

25) S’mores Cupcakes

Want a s’mores dessert without the mess? Try these s’mores cupcakes! They have a graham cracker crust, fluff-filled center, and topped with buttercream frosting, marshmallows, and chocolate chips.

26) Lemon Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake

This cheesecake will be the hit of your party. It has raspberry jam swirled into it and is topped with lemon curd.

27) Irresistible Raspberry Oatmeal Bars

These raspberry oatmeal bars have a shortcake crust, jam in the center, and an oatmeal crumb topping. You’ll love every bite!

28) Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Mousse

This decadent dessert is a crowd-pleaser and will be a hit at your next gathering. Fluffy chocolate cake has a luscious strawberry mousse topping.

Summer peaches make this dessert a must-try. The oatmeal crumble topping adds the perfect crunch to complement the juicy peaches. Serve it with ice cream for an extra special treat.

30) Lemon Cupcakes

Try these lemon cupcakes at your next picnic or BBQ. They are infused with fresh raspberries and a zesty lemon flavor for a refreshing summer dessert.

31) Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

If you’re like me and have lots of rhubarb, here’s a recipe to use those stalks. This strawberry rhubarb crumble is the perfect balance of sweet and tart, with a buttery crumble topping sure to please any crowd. Serve it with ice cream for extra goodness.

32) Nutella Chocolate Cheesecake Mousse

In only 10 minutes, you’ll have a rich, creamy, and decadent dessert that will leave your guests begging for the recipe. This mousse is made with a blend of cream cheese, Nutella, and heavy cream.

33) Blueberry Heaven On Earth Cake

You won’t be disappointed with this summer dessert. It’s quick to make because it utilizes convenience ingredients such as vanilla pudding, canned blueberries, and Cool Whip. It has layers of angel food cake, blueberries, pudding, and Cool Whip.

34) Easy Strawberry Crumble

This crumble recipe only takes 10 minutes of prep time. Strawberries and just a touch of orange make this sweet and tangy crumble. Add vanilla or chocolate ice cream for an irresistible dessert.

35) Homemade Coffee Jello Recipe with Condensed Milk Cream

Coffee Jello? Yup! This unique dessert will surprise and delight your friends and family. Made with unflavored gelatin, sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, and, of course, coffee.

Enjoy the Season With Summer Dessert Recipes

Summertime is a great time to enjoy the season’s delicious and abundant fresh fruits in various summer dessert recipes. These recipes are great for parties, events, and family, friends, and neighbor gatherings.

You can save money by finding great deals on summer produce at your local farmer’s market or grocery store.

Experiment with local seasonal fruits to take advantage of their peak flavor and create unique summer desserts. Share your favorite summer dessert recipes in the comments section.

Short Bio

Catherine Kay

Catherine Kay (me) is a stay-at-home of nine children. I’m also a blogger who is passionate about making parenting a little easier, besides giving tips about living a frugal life. I love gardening and raising chickens and have and have over 35 years experience doing both. I raise both meat and egg chickens. My gardening skills have improved over the years and I can, freeze and dehydrate both fruits and vegetables. I love sharing practical tips that help parents to save money, like food processing tips. I also love to find great recipes, like summer dessert recipes, to feed my large family. Find out more about me on my About Page. Need more frugal food hacks? Check out my Meal Organization page for even more posts on saving money, recipes, and living frugally!