Looking for easy summer desserts? Try our summer pudding recipes for BBQs and alfresco meals. We have plenty of ideas for cheesecakes, make-ahead frozen desserts and more. For more seasonal inspiration, try our summer cake recipes and best ever summer recipes.
Easy summer dessert ideas
Strawberries and cream cheesecake
Combine two classic summer desserts in this no-bake cheesecake topped with a sweet strawberry sauce, ideal for al fresco entertaining.
Raspberry roulade
If you’re looking for a show-stopping dessert, give Ravneet Gill’s light and refreshing raspberry roulade a go – you can even keep for up to three days in the fridge.
Rum cake
This classic rum and ginger cake is best made a day before – it’ll get fudgy and hold together better when crisping up on the barbecue or under the grill.
Lemon curd trifle
If you’re after a show-stopping dessert that’s easy to assemble, look no further than our zesty lemon curd trifle.
Strawberry eton mess
Try this sophisticated take on a classic for a summery dessert bursting with berry-red colour, crispy meringue, white chocolate bark and elderflower cream. It’s a perfect sweet treat to enjoy out in the sun.
Griddled peach pavlova with mascarpone cream
Check out this classic summer dessert recipe. With just the right amount of crunch on the outside and chewy marshmallow filling this impressive foolproof recipe will make a show-stopping dessert.
Banoffee fridge cake
Too hot to bake? Make a fridge cake! Everyone knows banoffee pie tastes even better the day after making, when all the flavours have had a chance to meld. This easy, no-bake cake with banana and Carnation Caramel takes advantage of that as it’s left overnight to let the biscuits soften into sponge.
Banana split s’mores
This fruity summer dessert of cooked bananas, salty biscuits and dark chocolate makes for a brilliant sweet treat to enjoy around a campfire.
Neapolitan trifle
Want an easy family summer dessert? Check out this show-stopping trifle recipe. Inspired by those childhood blocks of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla ice cream, this trifle is a technicolour trip back in time. Check out our summer trifle recipes here.
Vanilla ice cream with warm chocolate sauce
Learn how to make this supremely creamy vanilla ice cream and you’ll be set for summer. We have plenty more ice cream recipes here.
Rhubarb and custard eton mess
Buying ready-made meringue and custard means you can whip up this summery dessert, packed with juicy rhubarb, in record time, for a fuss-free, sunshine-filled pud.
Salted honey cheesecake
An absolute treat of a cheesecake for summer with a gingery biscuit base, dreamy velvet filling and salted honey topping.
No-churn Vietnamese coffee ice cream
Coffee, cardamom and cinnamon add a fragrant edge to this quick ice cream idea. You only need 15 minutes to prepare before freezing – an easy pick-me-up to enjoy in the sunshine. Check out more of our best ice cream recipes here.
Limoncello tart
Add a zingy kick to your meal with our smooth and tangy limoncello tart, encased in homemade pastry. Make this impressive pudding for a light and moreish summer dessert. Try our zesty lemon dessert ideas here.
Boozy ice cream floats
Here are our boozy ice-cream float ideas for the summer. We’ve seen ice-cream floats popping up on menus for a while, but they’re fun and simple to make at home, too. Try our ice cream toppings to make these easy dessert recipes. We have plenty more ice cream and ice cream cake recipes here.
Panna cotta with cherry
Cherries are in season throughout the summer. Use them to add juicy flavour to the ultimate melt-in-the-mouth Italian dessert.
Perfect lemon meringue pie
A classic, impressive lemon meringue pie with crisp pastry, tart curd and fluffy meringue that’s easy to make. What more could you want?
Apricot cheesecake bars
Make this cheesecake bars ahead for an easy BBQ dessert recipe. We’ve used fresh seasonal apricots and crunchy amaretti biscuits. Get more summer cheesecake ideas here.
Elderflower and kiwi pavlova
Pavlova is an iconic summer dessert recipe – and this version especially so. Made with elderflower, kiwi and crunchy, chewy meringue, this dessert is sure to impress friends and family. We have more elderflower recipes here.
Frozen chocolate and hazelnut cheesecake
Another great summer dessert for a BBQ. Check out this frozen Nutella cheesecake with classic bourbon biscuits and crunchy roasted hazelnuts.
Vegan eton mess
Treat vegan friends to our quick and easy eton mess. Who’d have thought aquafaba (the liquid found in a tin of chickpeas) could make such glossy, chewy meringue? Pair it with coconut yogurt and lots of berries for a really summery dessert.
Strawberry éclairs
Put a summery twist on chocolate éclairs with these light and airy strawberry ones. They’re a little effort, but look stunning – they’ll be a hit with adults and kids alike. You can get strawberries all year round now, but they’re at their best from June until August, so make the most of them. For more summer desserts using strawberries, click here.
Matcha mille crepe cake
This matcha mille crêpe cake looks really impressive but is also easy to make. Create this beautiful green tea inspired cake using layers of crepes and custard cream and dust with some matcha powder to finish.
Coconut, mango and turmeric fool
A vibrant dairy-free summer pudding, this recipe is really refreshing and you don’t even notice it’s dairy-free because of the creaminess of the coconut cream. Also the addition of turmeric, which has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, adds a zingy flavour to the dessert.
Strawberry and cream donuts
We’ve taken the classic British combination, strawberries and cream, and transformed it into a donut. These are not only incredibly moreish and easy to make, they’re a perfect summertime treat.
Almond and Amalfi lemon cake
Give our Italian almond and Amalfi lemon cake a go. The Amalfi lemons have a strong intense lemony aroma, and are slightly sweeter. This light summery cake is seriously moreish, a real crowdpleaser.
Eton mess cheesecake
We’ve combined two classic British summertime favourites into one seriously indulgent dessert. This fresh and creamy eton mess cheesecake is the perfect pudding to impress your friends and family with this weekend.
Smacked peach melba crumble
Check out our vibrant and crunchy crumble recipe with succulent peaches and tart raspberries. Smacking the peaches for this crumble starts to release some of the sweet juices and provides you with some rough, raggedy chunks for extra texture. For more crumble ideas, click here.
Black cherry granita
Try our black cherry granita, it’s a perfect summer palate cleanser. This recipe is super quick and easy to make, and it’s great for a big crowd.
Pistachio and chocolate icebox cake
The icebox cake is a US staple – the biscuits become pleasantly softened by the ice cream and the whole thing holds together so you can cut it into wedges for a decadent summer dessert.
Baked rhubarb and custard cheesecake
We’ve jazzed up this classic combination and baked it in the style of a cheesecake. This creamy recipe isn’t just easy to make, it looks super impressive, too. Just check out those swirls.
Passion fruit panna cotta
Check out this super creamy passion fruit panna cotta. This quick and simple panna cotta recipe can be made easily in advance, plus it looks impressive too.
Strawberry shortcake ice cream sandwiches
These strawberry shortcake ice cream sandwiches are an easy but impressive summer treat. If you’re planning on making these a day or so ahead, just dunk the sides of the sandwiches into the freeze-dried strawberries before serving.
Blackberry ripple ice cream sandwiches
The coolest, most irresistible ice cream sandwiches in existence. They’re surprisingly quick to make and the ice cream part requires no churning whatsoever!
Loukoumades (Greek donuts)
One of the pleasures of a Greek holiday comes in those moments after dark (and after dinner) when everyone moves to the tables in a local square to drink coffee and eat plates of tiny cinnamon-scented doughnuts. Whether your preference is for the sugar-dusted variety or those soaked in honey, try making them at home for a crowd-pleasing dessert with a difference.
Boozy knickerbocker glory
Nothing says summer quite like our boozy knickerbocker glory with Pimm’s jelly. This will be a hit with adults and kids. Dip the wafer in icing or melted chocolate, then in sprinkles, if you like
Strawberry tart
This classic strawberry tart recipe comes from Noble Rot in Bloomsbury and makes for a great prep-ahead dessert for entertaining.
Thyme, elderflower & lemon ice lollies
These thyme, elderflower and lemon ice lollies are a great grown-up treat to help you cool down in the warmer months. You can make this into a cordial too, just reduce the water to 750ml and strain into sterilised jars
Peach melba ice cream
Peach melba is a classic British dessert created to honour the Australian soprano Nellie Melba. Try the great combination of peaches and raspberries in our peach melba ice cream for a sweet and tart frozen dessert for summer.
