16 Healthy Summer Dessert Recipes That Use In-Season Fruit

Whip up a dessert using fresh berries, peaches, and more.

Carrot and Zucchini Bars
Photo: Andy Lyons

Take advantage of fresh, in-season produce and enjoy our best healthy summer desserts at your next gathering or after a weeknight dinner. These light summer desserts are so delicious and satisfying you won't even notice they're under 300 calories with beneficial nutrients from fruit, whole grains, and/or naturally sweet ingredients.

01 of 16

Dessert Pizza with Banana Ice Cream

Dessert Pizza with Banana Ice Cream
Blaine Moats

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.

02 of 16

Blueberry and Peach Slab Pie

metal baking sheet of Peach and Blueberry Slab Pie
Andy Lyons

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 also 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.

03 of 16

Fresh Berry Bruschetta

Fresh Berry Bruschetta
Karla Conrad

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.

04 of 16

Sour Cherry Sorbet

Sour Cherry Sorbet
Blaine Moats

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 70 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.

05 of 16

Burrata and Stone Fruit

Burrata & Stone Fruit
Andy Lyons

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.

06 of 16

Carrot and Zucchini Bars

Carrot and Zucchini Bars
Andy Lyons

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.

07 of 16

Peach-Berry Slump

Peach-Berry Slump
Blain Moats

The cobbler mixture in this healthy summer dessert only requires two tablespoons of butter keeping the 245-calorie sweet at just four 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.

08 of 16

Choco-Zucchini Cupcakes

Choco-Zucchini Cupcakes
Jay Wilde

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.

09 of 16

Dark Chocolate Fondue with Fruit Kabobs

Dark Chocolate Fondue Fruit Kabobs
Karla Conrad

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.

10 of 16

Berry Slab Pie

Berry Slab Pie
Andy Lyons

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.

11 of 16

Watermelon-Kiwi Pops

Watermelon-Kiwi Pops
Karla Conrad

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.

12 of 16

Triple-Berry Cobbler

Triple Berry Cobbler
Jason Donnelly

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.

13 of 16

Mocha Cream Shake

Mocha Cream Shake
Jason Donnelly

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.

14 of 16

Stovetop Peach-Blackberry Crisp

Stove-Top Peach-Blackberry Crisp
Blaine Moats

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.

15 of 16

Peach Crisp with Cornbread Topper

Peach Crisp with Cornbread Topper
Jason Donnelly

Grab a package of corn muffin mix and you're halfway to making this delicious summer dessert idea. Make a bubbly brown sugar peach mixture and top it with spoonfuls of corn batter. Drizzle it with honey right out of the oven and serve it warm with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

16 of 16

Blueberry Lemonade Poke Cake

Blueberry Lemonade Poke Cake
Jacob Fox

A homemade blueberry sauce infuses this summer cake recipe with sweet berry flavor. Before you spread it over the cake, drizzle on lemonade concentrate to echo the flavor of the classic warm weather drink. Finish with a fluffy lemon curd whipped cream.

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