10+ Mouthwatering Summer Desserts To Serve At Your Next Cook-Out

Looking for easy summer dessert recipes that don’t require you to fire up the oven on a hot summer day? No problem! These tasty treats are easy to make, whip up quickly, and will satisfy any sweet tooth, keeping you and your guests cool all summer long. 

One of my favorite things about summertime is the desserts. Warm sunny days are perfect for outdoor grilling, and in our family, we believe a cookout isn’t complete until dessert is served.

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To me, summertime desserts should be light and refreshing, unlike the dense baked goods we crave in the fall. With an abundance of fresh seasonal fruits like strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, and peaches, your summer dessert recipes can be taken to the next level of deliciousness.  

Some of my fondest summer memories are helping my children build their own custom s’mores while enjoying a bonfire. My oldest insists on smothering a thick layer of creamy peanut butter onto the graham crackers before adding a piece of dark chocolate and a warm, gooey marshmallow, while my youngest prefers his s’more plain and simple. 

Whether you are gathered around an evening campfire assembling s'mores or digging into an ice cream sundae, summer desserts are sure to become some of your favorite memories. To help you stay cool this summer, I am sharing 10 of the best summer dessert recipes for you to try at your next cookout or party. Many of these dessert recipes are easy enough that your kids can help make them too.

10+ Summer Dessert Recipes To Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

Prepare these cool ice cream treats ahead of time and serve them right after dinner. 

Ice Cream Desserts

1. Cookies & Creme Frozen Pudding Pops

This kid-friendly dessert recipe is perfect for all ages. Simple pantry staples combine to make a cool summer treat.

Mix crushed Oreo cookies, thawed Cool Whip whipped topping, and chocolate pudding together until blended. Spoon the mixture into small paper cups and insert a wooden popsicle stick or plastic spoon into the center. Freeze at least 6 hours or until firm. Remove the paper cup before serving. 

2. Ice Cream Cake

This cake is a great alternative to the traditional birthday cake if you are hosting a summer birthday party. 

Whisk together ½ cup fudge ice cream topping with 1 cup of cool whip and a package of chocolate-flavored instant pudding. Unwrap 4 ice cream sandwiches and place them side by side on a sheet of aluminum foil. Spread a layer of the chocolate pudding mixture. Repeat until you have three layers. Frost the top and sides with the remaining Cool Whip, then loosely cover with more aluminum foil. Freeze for 5 hours before serving.

3. Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

This recipe is a twist on the traditional ice cream sandwich. Keep a few extras in the freezer to serve to unexpected guests who pop in for a visit this summer. 

Spoon 2 tablespoons of softened vanilla ice cream onto one chocolate chip cookie. Place a second cookie on top of the ice cream. Roll the edges in chopped peanuts. Place them in the freezer until hardened (1-2 hours). 

4. Orange Creamsicle Layered Dessert

A refreshing and creamy dessert guaranteed to become one of your favorites.  Be warned, you will want to make it again and again!

Line a loaf pan with aluminum foil. Spread 2 cups of softened orange sherbet into the bottom of the pan. Beat 8 ounces of softened cream cheese with 1 can of sweetened condensed milk and ½ cup orange juice together. Sir, in 8 ounces of Cool Whip topping. Pour over the sherbet in the pan and freeze for 4 hours. To serve, invert the pan onto a plate, remove the foil, and slice into pieces. 

No-Bake Desserts

Easy no-bake pies come together quickly and are the perfect summer dessert to share.

5. Chocolate Mint Grasshopper Pie

The refreshing and classic cool mint flavor of this pie is hard for anyone to resist. 

Mix 1 ½ cups milk with one package of pistachio flavor instant pudding & pie filling until well blended. Fold in 1 ½ cups of cool whip topping. Spoon into prepared chocolate cookie pie crust, then spread 1/2c cup of cool whip over it. Drizzle chocolate syrup over the top and freeze for 2 hours until firm. 

6. Strawberry Lemonade Cheesecake Pie

Lemonade and strawberries are two popular summer flavors, and when combined in this pie, they become a real sweet treat. 

Beat 8 ounces of cream cheese with ½ cup thawed frozen lemonade concentrate. Whisk 2 cups of Cool Whip into the lemonade mixture. Spoon the lemonade mixture into a prepared graham cracker pie crust. Refrigerate for 4 hours until firm. Before serving, spread 1 cup of cool whip over the pie, then top with 1 ½ cups of fresh sliced strawberries.

Delicious Non-Traditional Summer Desserts

7. Gourmet S’mores

Let’s crank this dessert up a notch from the classic graham cracker + chocolate + marshmallow to a more edgy gourmet version. Try a strawberry shortcake s’more by using sugar cookies + white chocolate + sliced fresh strawberries + marshmallow. These delicious gourmet s’more combinations are addicting!

8. Pineapple Angel Lush Cake 

Tropical and light, this dessert will satisfy your sweet tooth on a hot summer day. 

Mix 1 package of dry vanilla instant pudding & pie filling with 1 can of crushed pineapple, undrained. Fold in 1 cup of cool whip topping. Cut a prepared round angel food cake horizontally into three layers. Place the bottom layer on a cake plate, then spread with one-third of the pineapple mixture. Repeat the layers two more times. Refrigerate for one hour. Before serving, top with fresh sliced strawberries and blueberries. 

9. Berry Cheesecake Parfaits

You worked hard to get your body swimsuit ready, but you still crave something sweet now and then. This dessert is a good compromise between healthy and sweet, so you can enjoy every bite. 

Add 1 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt, ¼ cup whipping cream, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons sugar, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy. Divide yogurt mixture evenly into 4 parfait glasses, top with fresh sliced fruit, and drizzle with honey.

10. Fruit Granita

A traditional Italian dessert, with a texture similar to a snow cone, granitas are loaded with fruity summer flavors that are easy to make and will keep you cool and refreshed on a hot summer day. 

For each of the flavored granitas below, add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a shallow baking pan, cover it with foil, and freeze for one hour. Scrape the mixture with a fork to make individual ice crystals and freeze for an additional 2 hours. Scrape the granita again, then break it up into chunks to serve. 

Watermelon Granita:

• 4 cups cubed watermelon chunks 

• ⅓ cup lime juice 

• ⅓ cup sugar 

Blueberry Granita:

• 4 cups fresh blueberries

• ½ cup grape juice 

• ⅓ cup sugar

 Lemon Granita:

• 4 cups water

• ⅔ cup lemon juice

• zest from one lemon

• ¾ cup sugar

Strawberry Granita:

• 4 cups sliced strawberries

• ⅓ cup sugar

• 1 cup water

• ½ teaspoon lemon juice

The best summer desserts are those you share with friends and family. Whether you are grilling out at a backyard cookout or gathering around a bonfire, make your summer memorable and extra special with one of these tasty dessert recipes.