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Has the warm weather got you craving fruit desserts? From berry-packed tarts to peach crisp and cherry pie, these are 20 fruit dessert recipes you’ll be making and taking to cookouts and potlucks all summer long.
As soon as the first hints of spring start to pop up, I immediately start craving all of the fruit desserts.
It starts with a need to make all of the fresh strawberry recipes and eventually I’m branching out to every fruit I can get my hands on. Bananas, cherries, lemons, pineapple…I want ’em all.
I figured I can’t be the only one, so I’ve pulled together 20 of my favorite fruit dessert recipes that are perfect for summer. Make these for a weekend treat, take them to your next cookout, share them with a neighbor…they’re perfect for all of it.
Baking with fresh vs frozen fruit
Many recipes, such as my berry crisp, are great for using fresh or frozen fruit. But when is the best time to use each kind?
Use fresh fruit when the texture of the fruit really matters. The freezing and thawing process can make fruit mushy after thawing. Even though the flavor is great, the texture won’t be the same as fresh. Recipes like my strawberry tart need the fruit to have some structure to it, so frozen fruit just won’t cut it.
Use frozen fruit in recipes where the texture doesn’t matter as much. This is usually true for baked goods or cooked recipes, since cooking the fruit breaks down the texture anyway. If you’re making raspberry sauce, for example, it doesn’t really matter if you use fresh or frozen berries!
If you’re using frozen fruit, just be sure to pay attention to whether or not you need to thaw and/or drain the fruit before using it in the recipe.
My favorite summery fruit dessert recipes
Summer is obviously the perfect time to bake with fresh fruit since so much of it is season. But there are some recipes that I love making with canned or frozen fruit!
I’ve rounded up some of both for you here. We’ve got recipes that use fresh seasonal fruit, as well as recipes that make the most of canned fruit or frozen fruit, perfect for those times when you’re short on time or want a taste of summer during the fall or winter months.
Desserts using fresh fruit
Fruit Pizza
One of the ultimate summer desserts! This fan favorite has a sugar cookie crust and a fluffy filling made with cream cheese and whipped topping. You can use any of your favorite fresh fruits for the topping—berries, kiwi, grapes, and stone fruits are my favorites.
Peach Crisp
Blueberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
These light, tender cupcakes are bursting with plump, juicy blueberries and topped with cream cheese frosting for the perfect finish.
Mini Fruit Tarts
I’m obsessed with mini desserts and these fruit tarts are one of my favorite recipes. The press-in tart shells are easy to make and then fill with vanilla pudding and your favorite fresh fruits.
Easy Blackberry Cobbler
The very best way to eat blackberries is right after picking them when they’re still warm from the summer sun. The second best way? In this super easy blackberry cobbler recipe. (You can use frozen blackberries when fresh aren’t in season, though!)
Strawberry Popsicles
I make my strawberry popsicles with fresh berries, Greek yogurt, and a bit of honey. They’re simple to make, ultra refreshing, and loved by kids and adults alike!
Homemade Lemon Bars
I can’t go to a summer gathering without a batch of these lemon bars. They’re sweet and tangy, with just the right amount of lip-puckering tartness from the lemon. I think they may just be my very favorite lemon dessert!
Banana Cream Bars
These banana cream bars are like a more portable version of banana pudding. They’ve got a shortbread crust, custard filling, slices of banana, and layer of whipped topping.
Grilled Peaches
Recipes using frozen or canned fruit
Raspberry Pretzel Salad
Easy Cherry Cheesecake Cake
Cherry pie filling, a cheesecake layer, and cake mix make this easy cake recipe a summery favorite!
No-Bake Banana Split Cake
If you love a classic banana split, this banana split cake is going to be a big hit. This no-bake, make-ahead dessert has a graham cracker crust, fluffy cream cheese layer, pineapple, bananas, maraschino cherries, and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.
Pineapple Cake
I know that upside-down cake is the most popular pineapple cake option, but this one is a stunner, too! The cream cheese frosting really is the perfect finish for this moist, perfectly sweet cake.
Cherry Crisp
Cherry crisp is my favorite option when I don’t have time for a pie. Use your favorite store-bought pie filling or make your own to pair with the oat-filled crisp topping.
Ambrosia Salad
My favorite no-bake dessert recipe! I make ambrosia at every holiday, but it’s extra perfect during the summer months.
Pineapple Fluff
My family loves this pineapple fluff. It’s super quick to throw together, requires zero cooking or baking time, and is great when you need a make-ahead recipe!
Lemon Icebox Cake
This icebox cake layers graham crackers with pudding and lemon curd. Let everything set up in the refrigerator and then slice into it. I like to top each piece with fresh berries for a bright and delicious sweet treat!
