Looking for easy summer desserts? Try our summer pudding recipes for BBQs and alfresco meals. We have plenty of ideas for cheesecakes, make-ahead frozen desserts and more. For more seasonal inspiration, try our summer cake recipes and best ever summer recipes.

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Easy summer dessert ideas

Turkish ice cream (dondurma)

Try Turkish ice cream this summer, made with goat's milk and vanilla. Finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

A bowl of ice cream with a scoop on the side

Peach melba

This classic French dessert can be prepped ahead of time, perfect for entertaining. You can also top with crushed meringue and whipped cream for an easy eton mess-style pudding.

A plate of peach melba on a table set with a white tablecloth

Summer pudding

This quintessential British pud makes the most of seasonal berries. Enjoy cut into thick wedges, with plenty of whipped cream on the side.

A whole summer pudding with one slice taken out of it

Cherry labneh summer pudding

Cherries simmered with orange zest, homemade labneh, sweet brioche and pomegranate sauce on top... this is our ultimate summer pudding recipe

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A round cherry pudding with sauce being spooned over the top

Strawberries and cream cheesecake

Combine two classic summer desserts in this no-bake cheesecake topped with a sweet strawberry sauce, ideal for al fresco entertaining.

A white cheesecake topped with red strawberries and whole strawberries on a white plate

Nectarine crumble

This vibrant nectarine crumble with amaretto and almonds won’t look out of place at your next summer get-together.

An oven dish of nectarine crumble on a blue cloth next to a small jug of custard

Lemon cream cheese pie

Bring sweet and zesty flavours to the table with our lemon cream cheese pie, cut into squares or fingers to serve.

Stack of lemon and cream cheese pies on a plate

Apricot Swiss roll

Vibrant apricot flavours make this swiss roll a great choice for any summer get-together. The apricot brandy in the syrup gives a boozy kick to this light dessert.

Four plates of apricot swiss roll slices

Raspberry roulade

If you’re looking for a show-stopping dessert, give Ravneet Gill's light and refreshing raspberry roulade a go – you can even keep for up to three days in the fridge.

A roulade on a white plate with a blue fabric background with a slice cut off the end and a knife to one side

Rum cake

This classic rum and ginger cake is best made a day before – it’ll get fudgy and hold together better when crisping up on the barbecue or under the grill.

A slice of ginger and rum cake topped with a scoop of ice cream and a wedge of pineapple, on a blue plate with an orange background

Lemon curd trifle

If you’re after a show-stopping dessert that’s easy to assemble, look no further than our zesty lemon curd trifle.

A large lemon trifle topped with cherries

Strawberry eton mess

Try this sophisticated take on a classic for a summery dessert bursting with berry-red colour, crispy meringue, white chocolate bark and elderflower cream. It’s a perfect sweet treat to enjoy out in the sun.

A big bowl of strawberry eton mess with white chocolate shards

10 minute berry dessert

Swap ice cream for this summery berry dessert which combines greek yogurt with sugar and double cream. Served with ginger biscuits, it’s an effortless way to cool off.

Four glasses filled with berry coulis and topped with yogurt and double cream on plates next to halved ginger biscuits.

Griddled peach pavlova with mascarpone cream

Check out this classic summer dessert recipe. With just the right amount of crunch on the outside and chewy marshmallow filling this impressive foolproof recipe will make a show-stopping dessert.

Peach Pavlova Recipe with Mascarpone Cream

Banoffee fridge cake

Too hot to bake? Make a fridge cake! Everyone knows banoffee pie tastes even better the day after making, when all the flavours have had a chance to meld. This easy, no-bake cake with banana and Carnation Caramel takes advantage of that as it's left overnight to let the biscuits soften into sponge.

Banoffee fridge cake

Banana split s’mores

This fruity summer dessert of cooked bananas, salty biscuits and dark chocolate makes for a brilliant sweet treat to enjoy around a campfire.

blackened banana split s'mores in foil parcels with a yellow background

Neapolitan trifle

Want an easy family summer dessert? Check out this show-stopping trifle recipe. Inspired by those childhood blocks of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla ice cream, this trifle is a technicolour trip back in time. Check out our summer trifle recipes here.

Fruit Trifle Recipe

Vanilla ice cream with warm chocolate sauce

Learn how to make this supremely creamy vanilla ice cream and you’ll be set for summer. We have plenty more ice cream recipes here.

Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe with Chocolate Sauce

Rhubarb and custard eton mess

Buying ready-made meringue and custard means you can whip up this summery dessert, packed with juicy rhubarb, in record time, for a fuss-free, sunshine-filled pud.

Rhubarb and custard eton mess

Salted honey cheesecake

An absolute treat of a cheesecake for summer with a gingery biscuit base, dreamy velvet filling and salted honey topping.

Newsletter Salted Honey Cheesecake

No-churn Vietnamese coffee ice cream

Coffee, cardamom and cinnamon add a fragrant edge to this quick ice cream idea. You only need 15 minutes to prepare before freezing – an easy pick-me-up to enjoy in the sunshine. Check out more of our best ice cream recipes here.

Coffee Ice Cream Recipe

Limoncello tart

Add a zingy kick to your meal with our smooth and tangy limoncello tart, encased in homemade pastry. Make this impressive pudding for a light and moreish summer dessert. Try our zesty lemon dessert ideas here.

Limoncello Tart Recipe

Boozy ice cream floats

Here are our boozy ice-cream float ideas for the summer. We’ve seen ice-cream floats popping up on menus for a while, but they’re fun and simple to make at home, too. Try our ice cream toppings to make these easy dessert recipes. We have plenty more ice cream and ice cream cake recipes here.

Three Ice Cream Float Cocktails

Panna cotta with cherry

Cherries are in season throughout the summer. Use them to add juicy flavour to the ultimate melt-in-the-mouth Italian dessert.

Panna Cotta Dessert Recipe with Cherry Sauce

Perfect lemon meringue pie

A classic, impressive lemon meringue pie with crisp pastry, tart curd and fluffy meringue that's easy to make. What more could you want?

Lemon meringue pie

Apricot cheesecake bars

Make this cheesecake bars ahead for an easy BBQ dessert recipe. We've used fresh seasonal apricots and crunchy amaretti biscuits. Get more summer cheesecake ideas here.

Apricot Cheesecake recipe

Nougat and pistachio ice cream

Elevate your dinner party effortlessly with this no-churn ice cream. Amp up the fancy factor with chocolate-dipped ice cream cones.

Chocolate-dipped cones of pistachio ice cream topped with nougat pieces

Elderflower and kiwi pavlova

Pavlova is an iconic summer dessert recipe – and this version especially so. Made with elderflower, kiwi and crunchy, chewy meringue, this dessert is sure to impress friends and family. We have more elderflower recipes here.

Elderflower and Kiwi Pavlova Recipe

Frozen chocolate and hazelnut cheesecake

Another great summer dessert for a BBQ. Check out this frozen Nutella cheesecake with classic bourbon biscuits and crunchy roasted hazelnuts.

No Bake Nutella Cheesecake

Vegan eton mess

Treat vegan friends to our quick and easy eton mess. Who'd have thought aquafaba (the liquid found in a tin of chickpeas) could make such glossy, chewy meringue? Pair it with coconut yogurt and lots of berries for a really summery dessert.

Vegan Eton Mess Recipe

Strawberry éclairs

Put a summery twist on chocolate éclairs with these light and airy strawberry ones. They're a little effort, but look stunning – they'll be a hit with adults and kids alike. You can get strawberries all year round now, but they're at their best from June until August, so make the most of them. For more summer desserts using strawberries, click here.

Strawberry éclairs

Matcha mille crepe cake

This matcha mille crêpe cake looks really impressive but is also easy to make. Create this beautiful green tea inspired cake using layers of crepes and custard cream and dust with some matcha powder to finish.

Matcha Mille Crepe Cake Recipe (Plus How To Video)

Coconut, mango and turmeric fool

A vibrant dairy-free summer pudding, this recipe is really refreshing and you don't even notice it's dairy-free because of the creaminess of the coconut cream. Also the addition of turmeric, which has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, adds a zingy flavour to the dessert.

turmeric fool - superfood 2017

Strawberry and cream donuts

We've taken the classic British combination, strawberries and cream, and transformed it into a donut. These are not only incredibly moreish and easy to make, they're a perfect summertime treat.

Small doughnuts topped with white chocolate and freeze-fried stawberries

Almond and Amalfi lemon cake

Give our Italian almond and Amalfi lemon cake a go. The Amalfi lemons have a strong intense lemony aroma, and are slightly sweeter. This light summery cake is seriously moreish, a real crowdpleaser.

Almond and Amalfi lemon cake

Eton mess cheesecake

We've combined two classic British summertime favourites into one seriously indulgent dessert. This fresh and creamy eton mess cheesecake is the perfect pudding to impress your friends and family with this weekend.

Eton Mess Cheesecake Recipe

Smacked peach melba crumble

Check out our vibrant and crunchy crumble recipe with succulent peaches and tart raspberries. Smacking the peaches for this crumble starts to release some of the sweet juices and provides you with some rough, raggedy chunks for extra texture. For more crumble ideas, click here.

Peach Melba Crumble

Black cherry granita

Try our black cherry granita, it's a perfect summer palate cleanser. This recipe is super quick and easy to make, and it's great for a big crowd.

Black Cherry Granita Recipe

Pistachio and chocolate icebox cake

The icebox cake is a US staple – the biscuits become pleasantly softened by the ice cream and the whole thing holds together so you can cut it into wedges for a decadent summer dessert.

Pistachio and Chocolate Ice Box Cake

Baked rhubarb and custard cheesecake

We've jazzed up this classic combination and baked it in the style of a cheesecake. This creamy recipe isn't just easy to make, it looks super impressive, too. Just check out those swirls.

Baked Cheesecake with Rhubarb and Custard cut into slices

Passion fruit panna cotta

Check out this super creamy passion fruit panna cotta. This quick and simple panna cotta recipe can be made easily in advance, plus it looks impressive too.

Passion Fruit Panna Cotta Recipe

Strawberry shortcake ice cream sandwiches

These strawberry shortcake ice cream sandwiches are an easy but impressive summer treat. If you're planning on making these a day or so ahead, just dunk the sides of the sandwiches into the freeze-dried strawberries before serving.

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe

Blackberry ripple ice cream sandwiches

The coolest, most irresistible ice cream sandwiches in existence. They're surprisingly quick to make and the ice cream part requires no churning whatsoever!

Ice cream Sandwich Recipe with Blackberry

Loukoumades (Greek donuts)

One of the pleasures of a Greek holiday comes in those moments after dark (and after dinner) when everyone moves to the tables in a local square to drink coffee and eat plates of tiny cinnamon-scented doughnuts. Whether your preference is for the sugar-dusted variety or those soaked in honey, try making them at home for a crowd-pleasing dessert with a difference.

loukoumades greek donuts

Boozy knickerbocker glory

Nothing says summer quite like our boozy knickerbocker glory with Pimm's jelly. This will be a hit with adults and kids. Dip the wafer in icing or melted chocolate, then in sprinkles, if you like

Boozy knickerbocker glory

Strawberry tart

This classic strawberry tart recipe comes from Noble Rot in Bloomsbury and makes for a great prep-ahead dessert for entertaining.

Strawberry Tart Recipe

Thyme, elderflower & lemon ice lollies

These thyme, elderflower and lemon ice lollies are a great grown-up treat to help you cool down in the warmer months. You can make this into a cordial too, just reduce the water to 750ml and strain into sterilised jars

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Lemon Ice Lolly Recipe With Thyme and Elderflower

Peach melba ice cream

Peach melba is a classic British dessert created to honour the Australian soprano Nellie Melba. Try the great combination of peaches and raspberries in our peach melba ice cream for a sweet and tart frozen dessert for summer.

Peach Melba Ice Cream Recipe

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