These Light Summer Desserts Are Seasonal Sweets You Can Feel Good About

Banana "nice" cream (pureed frozen bananas mixed with a bit of milk to achieve an ice cream-like consistency) is the sauce on this crispy rice cereal-crusted fruit pizza. Cool and crispy, it's a must-make dessert for hot weather. Tailor it to the season by loading it up with strawberries and mango slices in early summer or peaches and blackberries later in the season.

Stick with one crust instead of two crusts for this summer fruit pie to keep each slice under 300 calories. Not only does that save calories, but it allows the summer fruits—blueberries and peaches—to really shine. Because there’s no need to keep this recipe cold or hot for serving, it’s one of our go-to summer BBQ desserts when we want a sweet that’s not too rich.

We don’t want all our summer desserts to be frozen or chilled. Even in the heat of summer, we’re all in for this healthy summer dessert featuring loads of in-season berries. We call for frozen berries here so you can make the recipe any time of year and spend less on produce, but in summer months when berries are at their prime and you can find them on sale, fresh works just as well.

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Nope, there are no tomatoes in this bruschetta recipe, we’re going all sweet with this under-250-calorie dessert. Sprinkle bread slices with cinnamon and sugar, stir in fresh mint to your cream cheese spread, and top with fresh, slightly mashed summer berries for a fast dessert idea that fits your healthy eating plan.

Give the peaches and cream concept a healthy summer makeover! Two nutrition-boosting strategies make this shortcake a smart choice: the biscuits are made with half whole-wheat flour, while the decadent cream mixture is hiding a cup of protein-rich Greek yogurt.

Three ingredients and 10 minutes of prep are all it takes to get this healthy, make-ahead summer dessert in the freezer. Serve by the scoop for one of our best light summer desserts (only 71 calories!), in a glass with your favorite cola for a soda-shop treat, or make it a boozy frozen dessert by serving with sparkling wine.

Sometimes, simple is best. Like that time in summer when stone fruit is so naturally sweet, you don't need to add a hint of sugar. Stock up on nectarines, plums, peaches, apricots (or a mix) and combine with creamy burrata cheese, spicy chili oil, and refreshing fresh mint for a healthy summer dessert recipe that toes the sweet-heat line beautifully.

Related: The Simple Trick to Ripen Peaches Faster

Move over, summer salads. Zucchini-carrot bars are a more fun way to feature fresh summer produce. Top off the bars with a generous slather of our citrus-spiked cream cheese frosting all while keeping dessert under 150 calories.

Ricotta, a rich and creamy Italian cheese, only needs a bit of agave or honey and a dash of vanilla to taste a whole lot like cheesecake. Layer with fresh berries and mint for a healthy summer dessert that tastes way more decadent than its 159 calories and just happens to be gluten free.

The cobbler mixture in this healthy summer dessert only requires 2 tablespoons of butter keeping the 245-calorie sweet at just 4 grams of fat. With a full pound of peaches and two cups of berries as the base, this is a fruit-forward dessert that won't weigh you down.

Freeze fresh cherries and blueberries to toss in this smoothie bowl recipe to highlight the summer produce all-stars in a refreshing way. Each 180-calorie bowl is sweet, yet surprisingly low in sugar, since you're using the fruit at its peak ripeness. For a desserty touch, garnish with sliced almonds and dark chocolate chips.

Moist, cocoa-loaded, and secretly healthy, these single-serving cakes get their summer style via two cups of shredded zucchini. Everyone will be so distracted by the peanut butter cup-like flavors that they won't even notice the veggies hiding inside the cupcake batter.

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Chill out with an ice pop inspired by the crowd-pleasing cocktail. The strawberry dessert recipe calls for a cup of white wine (about one-third of a bottle). What you do with the other two-thirds is up to you—although we highly recommend sharing it with a friend while enjoying the weather on a patio.

Whether you drizzle or dip, you'll love our dreamy (and low-cal) dark chocolate fondue. Served with summery fruit kabobs and a splash of coffee, it's the perfect light summer dessert.

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Light and airy vanilla meringues make an ideal base for a healthy summer dessert—they look just like fluffy clouds in a sunny sky! Citrusy herbs and fresh blackberries take this warm-weather treat to new seasonal, fresh heights. Meringues can take a bit of time so we included make-ahead directions to give you up to a 2-week head-start.

You'll melt over this easy ice cream swap that requires just 15 minutes of prep time before freezing. Customize your own healthy frozen dessert recipe by using different yogurt flavors and summer fruits.

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Load a light, flaky crust with your favorite berries for the ultimate summer dessert. Frozen puff pastry simplifies the prep so you can enjoy your sweet (116-calorie) treat sooner.

Here’s one of our favorite desserts for hot weather during the summer months. The healthy ice pops feature fresh blended watermelon and kiwi for loads of nutrients in a small frozen package.

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Raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries are topped with a crumb topping for an impressive dessert that comes right out of your slow cooker. Get it going in the morning, and a healthy dessert recipe will be ready whenever you are.

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For an ice cream treat that's all grown up, turn to this rich mocha shake. Made with low-fat frozen yogurt, strong brewed coffee, and dark chocolate, this dessert recipe is healthy decadence at its best.

Keep the oven off and cook this peach and berry crisp recipe right on your stove. Use your creativity (and whatever looks best at the market) to make this 30-minute dessert recipe your own. Nectarines or plums make stellar peach stand-ins, while blueberries or raspberries work wonderfully in place of the blackberries.