Last-Minute Desserts to Make for Your Memorial Day Cookout

By Grace Haynes
May 23, 2017
Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Memorial Day celebrations with family and friends should be all fun and no stress. Don’t sweat it if you’ve waited until the last minute to bake a dessert for a backyard barbecue or lakeside gathering. These quick and easy recipes come together in a breeze on the day of your patriotic celebration. From fruity pies to chocolaty bars, these summery desserts are sure to be crowd-pleasers. Looking for more inspiration? Check out this collection of no-bake desserts you’ll want to make all season long.
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Easy Blackberry Cobbler

John O'Hagan

Recipe: Easy Blackberry Cobbler

This delicious summer dessert comes together in less than hour and only calls for six ingredients. Watch the step-by-step how-to.

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Grilled Banana Splits with Chocolate Sauce

Beth Hontzas

Recipe: Grilled Banana Splits with Chocolate Sauce

If the grill is already fired up for dinner, you might as well use it for cooking this classic dessert too. Tip: Smaller ripe bananas will maintain their shape on the grill.

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Strawberry-Blueberry Shortcake Ice Cream Sandwiches

Van Chaplin

Recipe: Combine 1 lb. fresh strawberries, sliced, with 2 cups fresh blueberries; sprinkle with 3 Tbsp. sugar, and toss. Let stand 10 minutes. Spoon evenly over 10 vanilla or chocolate miniature ice-cream sandwiches; dollop with 1⁄2 (8-oz.) container thawed whipped topping.

Outdoor celebrations call for cool, kid-friendly desserts. Even better, these ice-cream sandwiches come together in 15 minutes.

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Peach-Blackberry-Yogurt Fruit Cups

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Peach-Blackberry-Yogurt Fruit Cups

Swap the ice cream for Greek yogurt in this healthier dessert that’s packed with fresh summer produce. You can also enjoy it as a snack.

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Berries with Tequila Cream

Ralph Anderson

Recipe: Berries with Tequila Cream

Top sweet summer berries with a rich-and-smoky tequila cream sauce.

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Icebox Cheesecake

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lisa Powell Bailey

Recipe: Icebox Cheesecake

Prep this classic cheesecake in the morning, let it chill all day, and pull it out after dinner for a refreshingly sweet treat.

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Strawberries-and-Cream Sheet Cake

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Strawberries-and-Cream Sheet Cake

This easy-to-make sheet cake delivers not only a pretty presentation but also enough servings to feed for a larger crowd.

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Lemon-Almond Bars

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Lemon-Almond Bars

These best-loved bars will fly off the dessert table.

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Blackberry-Peach Cobbler Bars

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Blackberry-Peach Cobbler Bars

Two of our favorite summer flavors come together in a grab-and-go version of a classic dessert.

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Chewy Peanut Bars

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Chewy Peanut Bars

All you need is a microwave to whip up these quick-fix chocolate-peanut butter bars.

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Mississippi Mud Brownies

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Mississippi Mud Brownies

Give traditional brownies an upgrade by adding chopped pecans and mini marshmallows.

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Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Southern Living

Recipe: Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

You can’t go wrong with a classic. Easily alter this original recipe to make Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies or Oatmeal-Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

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Peach Berry Crumble

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Peach Berry Crumble

Serve this colorful Southern cobbler with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

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Fried Blueberry-Ginger Hand Pies

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Fried Blueberry Ginger Hand Pies

Make these easy-to-eat hand pies a day in advance. Wrap them in wax paper, and bring them along to your Memorial Day party.

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Buttermilk Ice Cream

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Buttermilk Ice Cream

Looking for a fun activity the kids can enjoy? Make an old-fashioned batch of Buttermilk Ice Cream. You can make variations to the recipe for new flavors like Avocado-Key Lime Pie or Strawberry-Pretzel. Pick up soft-baked sugar cookies from you local bakery to make ice-cream sandwiches.

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By Grace Haynes