The 12 Best Summer Desserts, According to a Dietitian

Summer is one of my favorite times of year to be a foodie and registered dietitian. The variety of fresh, local produce available yields extra delicious dishes—both sweet and savory. But, because of local bioavailability, these seasonal fruits and veggies also tend to be extra nutritious, particularly if you buy them locally. This is because the nutrients in produce degrade over time after harvest, so the sooner we eat them after picking, the more nutrition we can receive.

And while dessert isn’t usually considered an especially necessary food category, there are plenty of desserts that are not only super tasty but boast plenty of nutritional benefits. Often, it’s easier to strike this balance in the summertime when plenty of fruits are seasonal and we generally want lighter bites amidst those hot midsummer evenings.

The Best Summer Desserts, According to a Dietitian

1. Easy Gluten-Free Baked Strawberry Donuts with Glaze

The most delicious strawberries spawn from the ground at the first inklings of summer, making them perfect summer dessert additions. This yummy baked strawberry donut recipe celebrates these vitamin C-rich fruits with a homemade strawberry glaze, and just so happens to be gluten-free. Plus, this recipe is very low in added sugar and utilizes baking instead of frying for a mess-free, delicious final product.

2. Watermelon Popsicles

Few things are as refreshing after a beach day, summer hike, or a festive dinner as an ice-cold popsicle pulled straight from the freezer. And while store-bought options are plenty tasty, they often don’t contain any real fruit. Well, this popsicle recipe is basically the complete opposite of those common tropes as it contains only two simple ingredients: Fresh watermelon and lime juice. Aside from tasting incredible, these popsicles also offer plenty of gut and metabolic health-boosting fiber as well as immune-supportive plant compounds and vitamins A and C.

3. Matcha Chia Pudding

Matcha couldn’t be more trendy these days. But this drink-forward ingredient isn’t just for brewing into a delicious caffeinated beverage—it’s also absolutely fantastic in a range of dessert recipes, like this chia pudding. I love pudding for dessert in the summer as it’s served cold. Plus, chia pudding is full of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, protein, and a range of micronutrients to support several elements of overall health. 

4. Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes

I, personally, am a sucker for anything mini or personal-sized, like these mini cheesecakes. While it does call for sugar-free strawberry jam, you could alternatively use homemade or local jam to further embrace seasonal strawberries.

5. Superfood Chocolate Bites

On the hottest summer evenings, all I can stomach after dinnertime is a small bite of something sweet. This is where options like these chocolate bites are nothing short of *chef’s kiss.* These are super simple to assemble, utilizing nut butter, honey, cocoa powder, dark chocolate, and a little bit of coconut oil—things you may already have in your pantry. Nut butter provides heart-healthy unsaturated fats while honey, cocoa, and dark chocolate offer a range of bioactive compounds and antioxidants. The nutrient-density of these poppable desserts can be elevated even more if you choose to add powdered dried fruit, beet powder, matcha, or finely diced nuts.

6. Homemade Berry Tart

To continue the celebration of seasonal berries, this tart features fresh blueberries, strawberries, and mixed berry jam—full of fiber and antioxidants. While this recipe does include a bit of butter—you can swap for a vegan butter option if that works better for your meal choices. 

7. Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt Bars

If, like many other chronically-online folks, you’re trying to up your protein intake, then this frozen dessert is for you. It features both Greek yogurt and cottage cheese for protein gains with small amounts of sweet ingredients like white chocolate chips and sweetened jam. This yields a pretty darn delicious final product.

8. Pavlova with Fresh Fruit

While pavlova might seem like an intimidating pursuit for new bakers, it’s actually quite easy. This egg white-based recipe lets a standing mixer do all the hard work and then the oven handles the rest. What results is a pillowy, crunchy dessert that serves as the perfect vehicle for fiber-rich seasonal berries, micronutrient-filled fruit, and a dollop of (maybe dairy-free) whipped cream.

9. Almond Thumbprint Cookies

Cookies are ideal during the busy summer months as you can make a big batch, portion them to smaller sizes, and enjoy them throughout the week (or month if you freeze them). These gluten-free almond thumbprint cookies are full of fiber (thanks to the almond flour they contain) and will help you work through all those homemade or locally-bought fruit preserves that many of us acquire throughout the summer.

10. Mango Smoothie

Though smoothies are often typecast as a quick breakfast or post-workout recipe, they can also serve a fantastic summertime dessert. I love this mango smoothie recipe as it features mango, Greek yogurt, and fresh lime for a sweet yet tart treat full of protein. It also recommends using mint or basil as a garnish, but I love adding these herbs directly into my smoothie for added phytonutrients and flavor.

11. Protein Ice Cream

Speaking of protein, this ice cream recipe is chock-full of the macronutrient, thanks to Greek yogurt—no protein powder (or cottage cheese) required. There’s also no cream to be found in this ice cream recipe whatsoever and it’s sweetened only by honey and a touch of vanilla extract. 

12. Mixed Berry Crisp

This gluten-free mixed berry crisp is a final homage to seasonal summer berries (for this round-up, that is). With minimal added sweeteners, this recipe really allows the flavor (and nutrition) of the fresh fruit to shine. When served warm out of the oven, it’s also the perfect vessel for ice cream (maybe even the aforementioned protein ice cream) after a long summer’s day.