15 Best Summer Desserts That Won’t Melt on the Hottest Days
Use all that seasonal fruit to your advantage.
When you’re craving dessert in the summertime, those rising temperatures probably have you reaching for a frozen treat to cool you down. But here’s the thing: What if you are invited to a backyard cookout or a party where there isn’t anything to keep those summer desserts cold? Then what? Well, you need to rethink your strategy a little and make summer desserts that won’t melt in the hot summer sun.
Should you leave anything uncovered in the baking heat (no pun intended) for hours at a time? Well, no. But you can consider treats that have a fighting chance. Anything creamy, like cake fillings and frostings, is best served inside. Unfortunately, that goes for most chocolate desserts, too. Though there is a s’mores dip on this list that is a pure campfire delight. It’s supposed to be melty anyway, so have fun with it!
With that in mind, there are actually quite a few desserts that taste better warm. Think about all those fruit desserts like cobblers and grilled fruit. You’ll make the most of all that sweet seasonal produce without having to stress about the serving temperature. And if you are craving that scoop of ice cream or dollop of whipped cream, just wait until the very end to serve it on top. That way you can have your cake (or pie or cookies) and eat it, too.
Blackberry Cobbler
Ree’s cobbler uses just five easy ingredients: butter, sugar, self-rising flour, milk, and blackberries. You can also swap the fruit out for anything seasonal like blueberries, raspberries, peaches, or cherries.
Get Ree’s Blackberry Cobbler recipe.
Grilled Peaches
Yes, you can grill fruit! Peaches in particular taste even sweeter with a caramelized char. Serve them as is, sprinkled with chopped pecans, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Get the Grilled Peaches recipe.
Blueberry Pie
There are endless seasonal fruit pies to choose from. And because they’re baked and cooled ahead of time, they’ll set and have a good chance of holding up in the heat. And if the filling seeps out a bit when you slice it, no one will care!
Get the Blueberry Pie recipe.
Watermelon with Lime Sugar
There’s a lot you can do to gussy up fresh slices of watermelon. You can make a pizza, char it on the grill, or add a simple sprinkle of lime sugar for a simple yet elegant twist.
Get Ree’s Watermelon with Lime Sugar recipe.
Cherry Pie Cookies
How cute are these? A cookie version of pies makes them easier to serve and eat. Even better yet, you can use store-bought dough and cut down on prep time, too.
Get Ree’s Cherry Pie Cookies recipe.
S'mores Dip
You can make this ultimate campfire dessert right in your oven in just 15 minutes. And because the chocolate and marshmallows are supposed to be gooey, the hot weather outside won’t bother them at all.
Get the S'mores Dip recipe.
Key Lime Pound Cake
If you love key lime pie, you need to try the pound cake version. It’s so easy to slice up and won’t melt in the hot sun like a creamy pie would. There’s even a graham cracker streusel!
Get Ree’s Key Lime Pound Cake recipe.
Peach-Raspberry Crisp
You can absolutely make peach cobbler or peach pie all summer long. But if you’re looking for a new twist, add some raspberries and bake them right on a sheet pan to serve a crowd.
Get Ree’s Peach-Raspberry Crisp recipe.
Strawberry Spoon Cake
If you’re worried about slicing a cake, then don’t do it. True to its name, this sweet cake is served straight from the pan with a spoon. It tastes best warm and you can save the dollop of whipped cream until the very last second.
Get the Strawberry Spoon Cake recipe.
Doughnut Hole Kebabs
This sweet treat couldn’t be any easier, and it will delight both kids and adults alike. Take store-bought doughnut holes, slide them on skewers, and grill them up. Serve them warm, and they’ll disappear in no time.
Get Ree’s Doughnut Hole Kebabs recipe.
Tropical Fruit Galette
Get a taste of the tropics without leaving home! It’s easier to form than a regular pie and has a sweet filling of coconut, macadamia nuts, mango, pineapple, and kiwi. Then drizzle it with a coconut-lime glaze.
Get the Tropical Fruit Galette recipe.
Angel Food Cake
Angel food cake doesn’t need a frosting or glaze, so it’s a great cake to serve outside. Plus, it goes so well topped with seasonal berries. You can serve them over the top with whipped cream or just as is.
Get the Angel Food Cake recipe.
Cherry-Pineapple Dump Cake
Dump cakes are like cobblers and taste best warm. And because the ingredients are quite literally dumped into a pan with just one stir, your prep time is just 15 minutes.
Get Ree’s Cherry-Pineapple Dump Cake recipe.
Fried Fruit Hand Pies
A fun way to serve pie is to make handheld versions and fry them up. You can even use canned filling so it’s less prep. That means they’ll be in people’s hands and stomachs faster.
Get the Fried Fruit Hand Pies recipe.
Blueberry Bars
Another easy handheld idea is these seasonal treats. Let them rest and cut them when they’re cool, so when you serve them in the warm weather, you don’t have a sticky situation on your hands.
Get the Blueberry Bars recipe.
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