Looking for easy summer desserts? Try our summer dessert recipes for BBQ desserts and al fresco meals, with plenty of ideas with strawberries and make-ahead frozen desserts, ideal for hassle-free entertaining.
Vegan eton mess
Treat vegan friends over the summer months 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 great vegan mess.
Panna cotta with cherry and ginger sauce
Learn how to get the perfect set for the ultimate melt-in-the-mouth Italian dessert.
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.
Vanilla ice cream with warm chocolate sauce
Learn how to make this supremely creamy vanilla ice cream and you’ll be set for summer. Plenty more ice cream recipes here.
PBJ cheesecake
Need a quick summer dessert to impress guests at your next dinner party? Make this simple no-bake cheesecake with smooth peanut butter and swirls of raspberry jam. More cheesecake recipes here.
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 for summer entertaining. Check out more of our best ice cream recipes here.
Amalfi lemon syllabub
Check out this refreshing lemon dessert from Italian restaurant Bancone in Covent Garden. Bancone’s easy recipe makes more lemony granita than you’ll need – store any leftovers in the freezer.
Limoncello tart
Add a bit of a kick to your lemon dessert with our smooth and zingy limoncello tart, encased in buttery homemade pastry. Make this impressive pudding for a light yet seriously moreish dinner party dessert. Try our zesty lemon dessert ideas here…
Griddled peach pavlova with mascarpone cream
Check out this classic family 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 at your next summer dinner party.
Neapolitan trifle
Want an easy 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…
Boozy ice cream floats
Here are our boozy ice-cream float ideas for the best summer entertaining. 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…
Perfect lemon meringue pie
Perfect for a garden party, this impressive dessert is an olive favourite. 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. Elderflower, kiwi and pavlova: three words we love. Put them all together in this meringue dinner-party dessert recipe, designed to impress friends and family.
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.
Rhubarb and custard bread and butter pudding
Check out this indulgent, creamy and super moreish rhubarb and custard bread and butter pudding. This recipe is a glorious mash-up of two classic British puds.
Peach and raspberry trifle
Want to whip up a quick and easy summer dessert last-minute? Peaches and raspberries make the best fruit trifles. Shop bought cake makes this classic pud so easy and individual desserts always look good.
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.
Caffè latte panna cotta with espresso syrup
Check out our recipe for silky smooth espresso panna cotta. This dessert is an ideal way to end any dinner party, it’s gluten-free and looks impressive.
Strawberry and cream donuts
We’ve taken the classic British combination, strawberries and cream and transformed it into a donut. These donuts 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 crowd pleaser.
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.
Coconut panna cotta with caramelised mango
This beautiful panna cotta is a twist on the traditional Italian version with the refreshing Asian flavours of coconut and mango. You can buy toasted coconut shavings at health food shops and large supermarkets. Alphonso mangoes have a sweet, vanilla-ish flavour. If they’re not in season, you can use any mango variety.
Pistachio and chocolate icebox cake
The icebox cake is a US staple for – 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
Strawberry and pistachio cake
A lovely summer pistachio cake with strawberry icing that’s worth the extra effort. When strawberries smell good, they should be at optimum ripeness and have flavour – perfect for this cake.
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.
