Life

25 summery sweets to make for dessert right now

Some are no-bake, some are ice cold, and all are perfect for afternoons with soaring temps.

Some are no-bake, some are ice cold, and all are perfect for afternoons with soaring temps

(Photography, left: Nassima Rothacker; right: CBC Life)

From park hangs to backyard BBQs, afternoons eating in the sun are synonymous with summer. And they wouldn't be complete without something sweet!

So we created a list of 25 desserts that simply scream summer. That means lots of ice cream, pies, popsicles, and seasonal selects, bursting with fresh berries and mango. Many are no-bake, some are ice cold, and all are perfect for soaring temps and pair well with the laid-back vibes only summer can bring.

Easy No-Bake Mini Doughnut Cake

Layers of strawberries, cream and soooo many doughnuts make this a true warm-weather dessert staple.

Flognarde with Plums or Berries or Pears

A custardy French dessert worthy of your fresh summer fruit.

Closeup on a cake in a shallow white dish on a wooden table. The cake is dotted with small plums and sprinkled with icing sugar.
(Photography by Ellen Silverman)

Strawberry Cobbler with Bourbon & Brown Sugar Sour Cream

We're calling it dessert, but no one said you can't serve this as a main dish at your next brunch.

(Photography by Michael Gozum)

Pink Margarita Popsicles

Tart with lemonade and topped up with tequila, to cool down underneath the summer sun.

overhead shot of 4 pink popsicles with strawberry slices in them. strawberry and orange slices lay next to them on a white marble surface.

Royal Icing Sugar Cookies

Creamy, from-scratch icing and playful packaging will keep these cookies at the top of your baking rotation.

Rainbow S'Mores

A campfire classic that's bursting with colour and ooey-gooey flavour.

Frozen Cheesecake Bites

Made from crushed graham crackers and rich, fluffy cream cheese, these teeny, candy-coated cheesecakes are creamy and indulgent.

Deep Dish Peach Pie

Peachy keen! An unforgettable pie perfect for summer.

Ice Box Lemon Squares

Lemon squares — with a tiny twist to make them a bit healthier but every bit as delicious.

Overhead shot of a marble cutting board with yellow, lemon squares on it.

Blueberry Cornmeal Scones with Homemade Jam and Maple Mascarpone

This is the kind of recipe that even self-proclaimed 'non-bakers' need not fear.

(Photo: David Bagosy; Styling: Melissa Direnzo)

Orange-Infused Blueberry Pie with Braided Top 

This event-worthy braided crust is actually easy to create — watch and see.

overhead shot of an unbaked blueberry pie on a marble surface. the pie crust is multiple braided pieces of dough. a box of blueberries sits next to the pie dish, with some berries scattered.

Strawberry "Shortcake" Drop Scones

With a simple scone and lightly flavoured cream as the backdrop, this dessert is the perfect way to celebrate fresh, local berries. 

Sliced strawberries and whipped cream in between a scone sliced in half, and topped with more whipped cream. The strawberry shortcake is sitting on a shallow pink bowl on a table with more scones and berries in the background.

Salted Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches

These chewy double-chocolate cookies stuffed with ice cream are going to go fast at any summer table they land on.

a stack of 3 ice cream sandwiches made with vanilla ice cream and chocolate chip cookies. another sandwich sits beside it and one sits behind it.
(Photography by Marcella DiLonardo)

Chocolate-Tahini Fudge Sundae with Grilled Peaches

Prepare to add this chocolate sauce to your repertoire of desserts.

Hot fudge being poured from a small blue dish into a sundae in a tall glass with layers of vanilla ice cream, fudge and peaches. A marble tray with peach slices and another sundae sit behind it. It all sits on a grey wood surface.
(Photography by Michael Gozum)

Cardamom Strawberry Country Slab Pie

Put all those fresh berries to use in this picnic-perfect pie.

Overhead shot of a rectangular pie on a red cooling rack. The pie crust design is latticed, and the filling is strawberry.
(Photography by Michael Gozum)

Berry Tiramisu

With its fresh berry topping, creamy filling and base of rum-soaked ladyfingers, this dessert promises to be nothing short of downright delicious.

overhead shot of a clear, rectangular baking dish filled with a tiramisu topped with sliced strawberries and blueberries. 2 bowls with slices of the tiramisu are sitting next to it. all of the dishes are sitting on a pale purple tablecloth.
(Photography by Steve Giralt)

Shikanji Granita with Lemon Crème Fraîche

A sweet 'n' salty, shaved ice delight full of surprising flavours.

overhead shot of a grey plate of shaved ice with lemon rind in it. 2 small glasses of the dessert topped with cream and pomegranate arils sit next to it, all on a dark grey surface.
(Photography by Martin Poole)

Banana Caramel & Walnut Fro-Yo Sandwiches

Bye for now, banana bread, these frozen treats are the new way to use up those overripe bananas.

Mango Vanilla Mousse

Made from fresh mango, coconut oil and real vanilla, it's a light and fruity dessert that only requires a few minutes of prep.

Coupe glasses filled with mango mousse on a countertop.
(Credit: Nassima Rothacker)

Strawberries and Cream Freezer Fudge

A vegan, super-chill, summer dessert.

(Photography by Walker Jordan)

No-Bake Orange, Honey & Pistachio Trifle

A delicious and easy dessert to whip up if you're just too hot to turn on the oven.

An orange-topped trifle in a clear trifle dish.
(The Goods)

Raspberry Mousse

Chef Bruno Feldeisen's mousse is the perfect recipe to highlight a seasonal fruit at its peak.

Closeup on a small glass bowl of pink mousse topped with a raspberry.
(Photography by Henry M. Wu)

Mixed Berry Galettes

The perfect kid-friendly pastry recipe. (And no, that's not an oxymoron!)

(Credit: Kyla Zanardi)

Triple Berry No-Bake Tart

With no gluten, no dairy and no refined sugar, go ahead and call this dessert from Joy McCarthy a triple threat.

overhead shot of 3 small tarts topped with fruit.
(The Goods)

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