9 Essential Desserts to Make This Summer

You have one assignment before summer is over: Make at least one of these 9 desserts. Between pie, homemade ice cream, shortcake, and cobblers, there's plenty of treats that will make the warmer months that much sweeter. With all those berries and stone fruits that you can find in the grocery store and farmers market right now, it would be a waste not to take advantage of them all. Here's your 9 totally essential, totally delicious dessert recipes to choose from.

Blueberry Pie

There's nothing more perfect than a slice of homemade blueberry pie in the summer. This recipe is packed with fresh (or frozen) blueberries and includes a flakey, delicious crust. Serve it warm with one giant scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Easy Homemade Strawberry Shortcake

Homemade strawberry shortcake is one of the very best ways to enjoy juicy, seasonal strawberries. Simply cut the shortcakes in half, fill with macerated strawberries, and top with all the whipped cream your heart desires.

Fresh Peach Ice Cream

Take your ice cream maker off the shelf and make this delightfully refreshing treat. Fresh peach purr is added to the custard base, and chopped peaches are also added right after churning. It's a stone fruit bonanza!

Three-Berry Cobbler

If you want to be everyone's favorite party guest this summer, show up with this berry cobbler. A casserole dish filled with warm berries and a butter-y buttermilk topping is sure to make you many friends (just don't forget the ice cream!).

Roasted Strawberry Pops

Great for kids and adults alike, these roasted strawberry pops are made with Greek yogurt for a lighter treat. Roasting the strawberries draws out their flavor and makes the dessert a little more sophisticated.

Pavlova with Summer Berries

This airy dessert looks complicated to make, but it's actually quite easy. It's essentially a giant, messy meringue. Once cooked and cooled, fill with whipped cream and all the summer berries. Cut into neat wedges and serve.

Blackberry Lemon Galette

Galettes are the lazy man's pie. This essential dessert is super forgiving and packs a ton of summer fruit. You can make your galette with blackberries and lemon zest like in this recipe, or play around with any kind of fresh berry you find at the farmers market.

Watermelon-Basil Granita

This Italian-inspired treat is perfect for super hot days. To make, you combine watermelon, lime juice, and homemade basil syrup into a blender and then pour the resulting puree onto a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, you scoop into glasses and garnish with lime or fresh basil and serve.

Neapolitan Ice Cream Terrine

You might recognize this old-fashioned ice cream treat from childhood birthday parties. This modern take uses a loaf pan to get those signature ice cream and cookie layers (no need to make the ice cream!). Drizzle with hot fudge sauce before serving, if you dare.