Easy and refreshing, these 23 desserts are the perfect sweets for every summer cookout! From no bake trifles, to layered strawberry jello salad, ice cream confections and creamsicle poke cakes, these simple cookout desserts are just what summer parties are all about.
Every good cookout deserves to be capped off with the perfect summer dessert! Something cool, refreshing, easy to make and even easier to eat when it’s hot outside. Something that goes with a juicy hamburger or other favorites fresh from the grill. Something that just says summer!
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That’s what this week’s Saturday Seven is all about. Classic numbers like Buster Bar Ice Cream Dessert and Pecan Stuffed Grilled Peaches never disappoint! But tack on dreamy citrus refreshers like Coconut Pineapple Trifle and Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake and you’ve got simple desserts that check all the boxes for a good backyard BBQ and then some.
Perfect for Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day and every weekend in between, your complete summer dessert list is right here!
Summer Desserts To Bring To A Cookout
Red Velvet Trifle is made with luscious layers of red velvet cake, chocolate sauce, white chocolate cheesecake and whipped topping. It's one decadent dessert that anyone can make!
Loaded with salted peanuts and layer of vanilla ice cream on an easy homemade Oreo crust and topped with the best fudgey chocolate topping you’ve ever tasted, this homemade, family-sized take on Dairy Queen’s Buster Bar is one of those summer treats that is an absolute MUST-HAVE at every summer event!
What could be better than scooping up a delicious ray of sunshine? That’s just what you get when serve this dreamy Coconut Pineapple Trifle with it’s cool layers of crushed pineapple, tender yellow pineapple cake, rich cream cheese pudding filling, all piled high with whipped topping and toasted coconut. Get ready for a refreshing taste of paradise!
This recipes captures all of the wonderment of summer in one gorgeously golden, juicy, melty, ridiculously good grilled peach. Grilled just right to bring out the natural sweetness, then stuffed with a toasted pecan crumble, topped with vanilla ice cream, and drizzled with honey… You’re welcome, summer.
Cherry Coca-Cola Jello Salad is a sparkling dessert fruit salad with delightfully intense flavors of a cherry coke float. Punctuated with juicy, tart cherries, bright pineapple, crunchy pecans and light flakes of sweetened coconut with a pop of fizzy Coca-Cola & a cream cheese whipped topping, jiggly jello has never been so fun… or delicious!
Summer is all about enjoying time with family and friends. And while you still want those moments to be punctuated with all the special foods and drinks that draw people together, there is not a one of us who wants to spend their time in a hot kitchen putting that together. That’s why simple no-bake desserts like this Mason Jar Blueberry Lemon Lush are not just nice to be able to whip up, they are foundational elements of any Southerner’s summer cookout survival kit!
Creamy Toasted Coconut Lime Bars are like little key lime pies as a fun dessert bar! Tart and tangy lime, sweet shredded coconut and a buttery shortbread crust with macadamia nuts and lime zest make this tropical delight the perfect treat for summer cookouts.
Orange Creamsicle Poke Cake is a light & refreshing citrus dream! An easy sheet cake recipe made using a boxed cake mix and a few extra special ingredients just sings with sunshine-y orange flavor from orange soda, orange jello and and delightfully fluffy orange whipped topping!
A classic summer dessert, this easy no-bake Fresh Strawberry Pie is bursting with plump, ripe strawberries bathed in a simple sweet strawberry glaze all cradled in a flaky, buttery pie crust.
An easy Peaches and Cream Trifle is just what your cookouts, summer parties, showers and family gatherings have been asking for! Layers of fresh, ripe peaches, buttery pound cake and fluffy whipped vanilla cream, this simple peach dessert celebrates the best of summer with your southern favorites!
No ice cream maker? Or maybe you just don't want to fool with the ice and the salt and the stuff. No problem!  This easy recipe for homemade No Churn Lemon Ice Cream with a rich blueberry swirl comes together in a snap with condensed milk, whipping cream, instant pudding mix, lemon zest and blueberries. These cool flavors are what summer desserts are all about!
Homemade Southern Banana Pudding made from scratch uses simple ingredients to create a rich, creamy custard-like pudding layered with sweet, ripe bananas & addictive vanilla wafer cookies. It’s an easy, classic dessert perfect for holidays, potlucks and cookouts!
If you loved fudgesicles growing up, you’re going to flip over these rich & creamy Mocha Popsicles. Bold coffee marries smooth chocolate and celebrates summer on a stick. There’s nothing better than this cold & refreshing version of a chocolate-y coffee break on a hot afternoon or after dinner!
Layered Strawberry Jello Salad with its dreamy sour cream layer surrounded by crushed pineapple, bananas, pecans and, of course, loads of strawberries is a classic when it comes to cookouts, family get togethers and summer time. Always cool, light and not overly sweet, it's just pure refreshing goodness!
Calling all my lemon lovers! These light and lemony sweet, Lemon Drop Crinkle Cookies are just for you! These pretty little bites of sunshine are just bursting with that sweet tartness that puts the pucker in all good things lemon! Plus, with just 6 ingredients, these crinkled classics are so easy to bake, they’re sure to become your new favorite lemon dessert.
Golden and dreamy, this Old Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie has a rich custard filling loaded with coconut and is piled-high with a fluffy meringue.  A little bit of heaven in a pie crust, this classic dessert is as long on flavor as it is tradition.
Delicious southern blackberry cobbler doesn’t come any easier than with this simple recipe! With plump, juicy berries and an easy crisp, golden crust, this Skillet Blackberry Cobbler recipe uses the magic of cast iron to effortlessly bake up the perfect summer dessert!
Make the best Hello Dolly Magic Cookie Bars with this easy recipe that requires zero mixing or kitchen tools! Loaded with chewy browned coconut, crunchy pecans, oodles of melted chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk and a buttery graham cracker crust, these 7 layers of traditional southern goodness just happen to be the perfect indulgent dessert for any occasion.
If you love fruit pizza, then this beautiful, easy recipe is just for you! A dazzling cookout dessert, there’s really no time that’s a bad time for this colorful gem, with its fresh fruit, cream cheese lime filling, honey lime glaze and sugar cookie crust.
Light & refreshing, this Tropical Orange Jello Salad is loaded with mandarin oranges, pineapple, bananas and topped with a cloud of coconut flavored, sweetened sour cream. Sprinkle on a few sliced almonds and you have a delicious fruit salad or layered dessert that is perfect for cookouts!
Tart lemon and plump, round blueberries are the perfect sunny partners in this moist and buttery pound cake with a bright lemony glaze! Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake is a wonderful partner for coffee, a star at brunch and a delight for dessert.
Tart, lemony and oh-so-easy to make, these lemon squares are made with the classic lemon square recipe with a simple twist- a touch of basil! The result? A very light. refreshing dessert that is perfect for every summer gathering.
It’s official! S’mores aren’t just for campfires anymore! Not since these No Bake S’mores Bars.  Enjoy gooey, chocolatey S’mores all summer long with this easy no bake recipe using Golden Grahams (or any honey grahams cereal), chocolate chunks and mini marshmallows.
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