Don’t Let Summer End Without Making These Treats

When people think of summer cooking, fresh produce, salads and no-cook recipes come to mind. But these new dessert recipes, all published in 2026, are worth every moment of the oven being on (and some don’t require an oven at all). We’ve got classic 9-by-13 baked goods, showstopping projects and quick little treats. All of them are great candidates for your next potluck or outdoor gathering — and a fantastic way to capture the joy of the season before September arrives.

“This was fabulous and a big hit with kids and adults.”

Remember Cosmic Brownies? Imagine them with a brown-butter blondie base and a kaleidoscopic white chocolate ganache, and you’ve got these. Vaughn Vreeland’s recipe leaves plenty of room for customization, so you can swirl the topping with whatever colors work for your celebration.

Recipe: Cosmic Blondies

“Really good and so pretty!”

Celebrate the season’s best strawberries with this tart from David Tanis, which features them atop a pastry shell filled with frangipane. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and a dollop of crème fraîche, and enjoy outside, preferably.

Recipe: Fresh Strawberry Tart

“This is an outstanding recipe and incredibly easy.”

This reader-favorite cake is easy, simple and incredibly satisfying. Chances are, if you have a pound of ricotta and some almond extract, you have all the ingredients in your pantry to make it right now. A light coat of apricot jam is responsible for the sunny yellow exterior, which alone should qualify this bake for your summer list.

Recipe: Lemon Ricotta Cake

“Beyond good, like should be illegal in all 50 states good.”

Vaughn Vreeland brilliantly combines brownies, chocolate chip cookies and Oreos in a serves-a-crowd dessert that’ll make everyone happy. After a quick cooling period, these brownies set firm, making them sliceable and shareable for any picnic or gathering.

Recipe: Triple Decker Brownies

“Easy and delish.”

Whether you have a surplus of fruit jam, hungry mouths to feed at brunch or both, Carolina Gelen’s easy, shareable treat is something you need to make. Use store-bought puff pastry to make the large-format Danish shell, bake it, then fill with a cream cheese mixture swirled with whatever jam you like.

Recipe: Big Jam Danish

“I made it for a party today and was the first dessert to be gone with tons of very positive comments.”

Adrianna Adarme’s layer cake is the definition of a showstopper, ideal for breezy summer birthdays or any occasion when you want to capture people’s attention. The vibrant pink color of the frosting comes from blueberry purée (no food coloring), and the batter is loaded with lemon juice and zest for a pleasant tang.

Recipe: Blueberry Lemon Layer Cake

“Whatever you do, do not — as I just did — make these for a potluck party. From beginning to end, ‘Who made these? They’re so gorgeous!’ ‘However were you so creative?’ ‘These are delicious!’ Really, gushing. It was embarrassing.”

Presentation is everything for these lemon possets, which are as easy to make as they are impressive to look at. You need just four ingredients — lemons, heavy cream, sugar and salt — with an optional mint garnish, to make these lovely, light “cups” of sweet-tart curd. Best of all, you can make these up to two days in advance.

Recipe: Lemon Possets

“Really surprised that so few ingredients could produce such a rustic yet complex cake with a symphony of texture and flavor.”

Yewande Komolafe adapted this recipe from Radio Bakery in Brooklyn. It’s simple, but lovely to have around for any occasion that calls for something sweet. It begins with a simple brown butter cornmeal batter, which is inspired by French financiers, and it’s scattered with fresh or frozen cherries before baking.

Recipe: Brown Butter Cornmeal Cake

“Made as written and truly delicious.”

For more experienced bakers or those seeking a challenge, Claire Saffitz’s bear claws begin with her Danish dough, which gets piped full of a not-too-sweet almond paste. Cutting four slits on the side before baking accounts for their distinctive shape, making these fun to eat and admire.

Recipe: Bear Claws

“Good recipe to keep in your back pocket for a fast and impressive dessert.”

True 15-minute desserts are hard to come by, but Carolina Gelen’s is true to its word. It’s similar to an old-fashioned raspberry spuma, but made with frozen strawberries blended with egg whites and sugar. Freeze-dried strawberry powder is an optional, but recommended, garnish that brings the ingredient count to just four.

Recipe: Frozen Strawberry Fluff

“I just made this lovely cake for two July birthdays! It came out deliciously!”

If you have any Anglophiles or midsummer birthday babies in your circle, Vaughn Vreeland’s majestic cake is just for them. The cake layers are soaked in a lemony peach tea, then filled with peach compote and glorious swoops of whipped cream.

Recipe: Peaches and Cream Victoria Sandwich

“Just the right balance between fussy enough to feel special and simple enough for a home cook to manage with a 6-year-old sous chef.”

A stack of crepes made with coconut milk is the center of this decadent but simple dessert from Genevieve Ko. Pandan extract, which you can buy online or in an Asian supermarket, infuses the whipped cream with a lovely green color and a tropical, vanilla-like flavor. Serve with summer strawberries.

Recipe: Coconut Crepes With Pandan Cream

“This is insanely good.”

If you’re going to make pie dough from scratch and turn on the oven in the middle of the summer, the results better be worth it. Genevieve Ko’s pie definitely is. To counteract the watery strawberries that can make your crust soggy, she roasts them in the oven until almost charred, then mixes them with the tart rhubarb.

Recipe: Rhubarb and Roasted Strawberry Pie

“Former STL gal who never liked gooey butter cake until I made this recipe.”

St. Louis-style gooey butter cake, which is made of moist yellow cake with a thick cream cheese and powdered sugar topping, gets a summery makeover in this recipe from Justine Doiron. The strawberry swirl, mellowed with a squeeze of lemon juice, cuts through the sugariness perfectly.

Recipe: Strawberry Gooey Butter Cake

“Fun to make, not especially difficult, and the finished pie was delicious.”

This pie from Yewande Komolafe takes inspiration from Nigerian frejon by blending black beans with coconut cream, sweetened condensed milk and spices to make a velvety purée that sits above a layer of frozen mango. It’s cold, creamy (but no dairy!) and the perfect project for a hot day.

Recipe: Frejon and Mango Cream Pie

“Awesome. Best cheesecake I have ever had.”

If you love a custardy center and the tartness of lemon, make this Basque cheesecake from Claire Saffitz. She incorporates lemon juice and zest into the batter, as well as into the glaze, for peak citrus vibes. A spectacularly burnished top lends a sophisticated bitterness that balances everything out.

Recipe: Lemon Basque Cheesecake

“Excellent result for little effort.”

Sometimes the best desserts are as simple as taking fresh rhubarb, throwing it in a baking dish with sugar and roasting until everything melds together, like Melissa Clark does here. The way you serve it makes the whole dish: Try it over yogurt, ice cream or a slice of pound cake.

Recipe: Roasted Rhubarb

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