Fruit Dessert Recipes To Make All Summer Long

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pretzel Pie
Photo: Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Hadas Smirnoff

It's finally summer, which means the farmers' market is packed with gorgeous fresh fruit. We like to take advantage of in-season produce, so during the summer, we include fresh fruit wherever we can. We have to admit, though, these fruit dessert recipes might be our favorite way to taste the season's offerings. With easy desserts, like quick cobblers and no-bake icebox cakes, you're covered for every last-minute summer getaway and get-together. Whether you pick up peaches, blueberries, bananas, strawberries, or apples, we've got recipes for you. Put your name down for desserts at this year's Fourth of July and Labor Day gatherings because these recipes are perfect for feeding crowds. Dress up a luncheon with beautiful meringues, chill by the pool with fruit pops, or gift a fruity pound cake to a neighbor this summer. Stock up on fresh fruit at the farmers' market this week.

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Peach-Bourbon Upside-Down Bundt Cake

Peach-Bourbon Upside-Down Bundt Cake
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Peach-Bourbon Upside-Down Bundt Cake

Sweet summer peaches, butter, and bourbon cook down in the bottom of a Bundt pan for the most decadent Southern cake.

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Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
Micah Leal

Recipe: Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes

You won't find any artificial flavors or colors in this cupcake recipe that makes the most of fresh strawberries.

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Cherry-Nectarine Pandowdy

Cherry-Nectarine Pandowdy
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones

Recipe: Cherry-Nectarine Pandowdy

This vintage recipe that's similar to a cobbler was popular throughout the 1800s. Switch it up at your next summer event with this fruity treat, and feel free to sub whichever fruit you have on hand.

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Grand Marnier Cakes

Grand Marnier Cakes
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Ana Kelly

Recipe: Grand Marnier Cakes

This pound cake recipe first appeared in Tea-Time at the Masters in 1977. A bit of orange liqueur and orange juice keep these mini cakes moist.

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Berry Sonker with Dip

Berry Sonker with Dip
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones

Recipe: Berry Sonker with Dip

This dessert recipe hails from Surry County, North Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. You'll want to make "dip" to accompany every cobbler you bake this summer.

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Easy Peach Cobbler

Easy Peach Cobbler
Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Easy Peach Cobbler

This six-ingredient recipe only requires 10 minutes of hands-on time, so you can throw it together anytime you have a craving.

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Blueberry-Lemon Crunch Bars

Blueberry-Lemon Crunch Bars
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones

Recipe: Blueberry-Lemon Crunch Bars

These crunch bars are full of fruity, buttery, crumbly goodness. Be warned: You will need a fork to conquer this berry treat.

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Ginger-Plum Slump

Ginger-Plum Slump
Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones

Recipe: Ginger-Plum Slump

When it's too hot to turn on the oven this summer, a stovetop dessert like a fruity slump is the perfect recipe.

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Apple and Pear Crisp

Apple and Pear Crisp
Jennifer Davick; Food Styling: Vanessa Rocchio; Prop Styling: Missie Crawford

Recipe: Apple and Pear Crisp

Let the slow cooker take over dessert with this two-fruit crisp that's best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Apple crisps are a treat you can enjoy in the summer or fall.

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Easy Peach Pie

easy peach pie on a table with a bowl of ice cream and pie
Ann Taylor Pittman/Southern Living

Recipe: Easy Peach Pie

Gussy up store-bought pie crust to make peach pie the easiest fruit dessert you make all summer. Crunchy, glistening turbinado sugar turns the pie into a work of art that just happens to taste heavenly.

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Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars

Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars
Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Red, White, and Blue Cheesecake Bars

If you have a family gathering coming up, make a few batches of these cheesecake bars up to two days in advance for no-stress prep. Pre-cut bars make serving incredibly easy.

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Peach-Raspberry Buckle

Peach-Raspberry Buckle
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones

Recipe: Peach-Raspberry Buckle

This streusel-topped cake was popular in the '60s, and we're more than happy to bring it back. We'd enjoy this crumby, fruity cake any time of day.

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Florida Orange Grove Pie

Florida Orange Grove Pie
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Ana Kelly

Recipe: Florida Orange Grove Pie

The Junior League of Tampa's, The Gasparilla Cookbook, gave us this wonderful recipe in 1961, and it's still just as delicious. Instead of a traditional pastry pie crust, this pretty pie has a fluffy meringue crust that will wow guests.

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Strawberry Kuchen

Strawberry Kuchen
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones

Recipe: Strawberry Kuchen

German for "cake," kuchen might be your new favorite word. We'll take this berry dessert with an afternoon cup of coffee on the porch.

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Peach Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel

Peach Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel
Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Peach Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel

Bread pudding gets a summery makeover with fresh peaches and a caramel sauce that's to die for. Remember that this recipe requires a lot of chill time for the bread to soak up a cinnamon-y liquid.

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Peach Fried Pies

Peach Fried Pies
Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Peach Fried Pies

An easily portable recipe that's great for passing out at kids' parties, these hand pies come together easily with the help of canned biscuits.

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Hummingbird Cupcakes with Candied Pineapple Wedges

Hummingbird Cupcakes with Candied Pineapple Wedges
Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Hummingbird Cupcakes with Candied Pineapple Wedges

Although the classic Hummingbird Cake is our most popular recipe of all time, layer cakes aren't necessarily a snap to make. For easy serving and fun presentation, try this cupcake version instead.

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Blueberry-Cornmeal Cake

Blueberry-Cornmeal Cake
Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Blueberry-Cornmeal Cake

This Southern cake is filled with fresh blueberries, so stock up on your weekend trip to the farmers' market. Perfect for a summer cookout or casual gathering, this simple recipe will be a go-to.

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Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies
Courtesy of Damaris Phillips

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies

Chef and cookbook author Damaris Phillips let us showcase this sweet cookie recipe, which reminds her of her first love. We hear these are good enough to mend a broken heart.

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Strawberry-Rhubarb Pretzel Pie

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pretzel Pie
Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Hadas Smirnoff

Recipe: Strawberry-Rhubarb Pretzel Pie

Strawberry-pretzel salad is one of the most nostalgic Southern dishes. We transformed the dish into a salty and sweet pie that's elevated with fresh rhubarb, and the payoff was big.

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Blackberry-Oat Crumble Bars

Blackberry-Oat Crumble Bars
Helen Norman; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns

Recipe: Blackberry-Oat Crumble Bars

These buttery oat bars are filled with a simple blackberry jam that's both sweet and tart. Bars are the best portable treats to take on summer picnics and road trips.

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Lemon-Orange Pound Cake

Lemon-Orange Pound Cake
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Ana Kelly

Recipe: Lemon-Orange Pound Cake

You can thank the Junior League of Houston for this company-worthy pound cake recipe. Two kinds of icing mean double the deliciousness.

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Mary's Mango Cake

Mary's Mango Cake
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe:Mary's Mango Cake

Made with fresh oranges, limes, and mangos, this cake is bursting with the flavors of Florida.

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Berry Cobbler

Berry Cobbler

Recipe: Berry Cobbler

This four-berry cobbler is the ultimate summer dessert. Put it in the slow-cooker before a dinner party and it's ready to go after the meal.

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Pineapple-Ginger Upside-Down Cake

Pineapple-Ginger Upside-Down Cake
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Pineapple-Ginger Upside-Down Cake

This summery dessert has a wow-worthy presentation for showing off at potlucks and cookouts.

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Mixed Berry Slab Pie

Mixed Berry Slab Pie
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen

Recipe: Mixed Berry Slab Pie

With raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries, there's no shortage of fresh summer flavor in this slab pie recipe.

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Strawberry-Banana Pudding Icebox Cake

Strawberry-Banana Pudding Icebox Cake
Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Hadas Smirnoff

Recipe: Strawberry-Banana Pudding Icebox Cake

One of our most popular recipes, this icebox cake truly is the best of both worlds. With sweet summer strawberries and comforting banana pudding combined, we couldn't ask for more in a dessert.

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Black-and-Blue Buttermilk Tart

Black-and-Blue Buttermilk Tart
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Black-and-Blue Buttermilk Tart

Fresh berries are a must for this buttermilk tart, so grab a basket at the farmers' market.

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Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
Photographer: Jennifer Causey; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars

These creamy berry treats make the perfect chilly summer sweet. You'll need to allow 10 hours for this recipe to set, but only 40 minutes of that time will be active.

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Strawberry Dream Cake

Strawberries-and-Cream Sheet Cake
Strawberry Ice-Cream Sandwiches

Recipe: Strawberry Dream Cake

There's nothing like a layer cake simply dressed in white frosting with a smattering of strawberries acting as the only decoration. It's perfectly festive for summer's patriotic celebrations and the average Sunday afternoon in June.

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Strawberry Cheesecake Salad

Strawberry Cheesecake Salad
Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Melissa Gray Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Recipe: Strawberry Cheesecake Salad

All you need is 15 minutes for this no-frills cheesecake-inspired confection. Top each serving with a few sliced strawberries and crushed graham crackers.

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Peach Custard Pie

Peach Custard Pie
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Peach Custard Pie

Let this stunning pie act as the centerpiece on your summer supper table. A creamy custard filling and perfectly ripened but firm peaches create the ideal pair.

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Strawberry Vanilla Cake

Strawberry Vanilla Cake
Sarah Epperson

Recipe: Strawberry Vanilla Cake

This strawberry cake will convince you to skip the boxed mix, once and for all. And don't even think about swapping the homemade Vanilla Buttercream for a tub of the pre-made stuff.

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Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

Is it dessert or is it breakfast? You decide. The glaze is a simple mixture of fresh blueberries, lemon juice, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, and water. Really, it couldn't be easier to throw together.

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Peach-Plum Crumble Slab Pie

Peach-Plum Crumble Slab Pie
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen

Recipe: Peach-Plum Crumble Slab Pie

There's nothing like a big old slab pie to satisfy your summertime crowd. This one calls for ripe peaches and red plums for a perfectly fresh filling.

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Deep Dish Berry Cobbler

Deep-Dish Berry Cobbler
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Deep Dish Berry Cobbler

What to do with all those u-pick berries? We found the perfect treat. Our Deep Dish Berry Cobbler calls for a whopping eight cups of berries. Just make sure you have a deep pie dish ready for filling.

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Blueberry-Orange Blossom Honey Slab Pie

Blueberry-Orange Blossom Honey Slab Pie
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen

Recipe: Blueberry-Orange Blossom Honey Slab Pie

Now we went a little summertime overboard with the pie crust floral cutouts, but you can do a regular trellis or any other pattern you choose to give it a little flair.

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Raspberry-Rhubarb Bars

Raspberry-Rhubarb Bars
Cedric Angeles; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Raspberry-Rhubarb Bars

You can bake these bars a day in advance. Simply wrap in aluminum foil and store at room temperature.

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Mini Strawberry Chiffon Pies

Mini Strawberry Chiffon Pies
Cedric Angeles; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Mini Strawberry Chiffon Pies

Now aren't these sweet? Everyone will squeal with delight when they're served their very own petite chiffon pie, topped off with a dollop of whipped cream and a sliced strawberry for good measure.

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