Last-Minute Desserts to Make for Your Memorial Day Cookout

By Grace Haynes

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

Hector M. 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 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 M 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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