5-Ingredient (or Less) Summer Desserts

When summer heat waves hit and the kitchen feels like an oven before you’ve even turned it on, the last thing anyone wants is a complicated dessert recipe with a shopping list longer than your arm.

Imagine biting into a perfectly grilled peach, still warm and caramelized, topped with a melting scoop of vanilla ice cream that pools around the fruit like a sweet summer storm.

No complicated techniques. No endless ingredients. Just pure, simple pleasure.

Summer desserts should be like summer itself—uncomplicated, bright, and something to be savored.

These ten treats require just five ingredients or fewer, meaning less time shopping and more time enjoying those long evening sunsets with something sweet in hand.

From juicy fruits transformed by heat to icy treats that cool you down from the inside out, these recipes prove that sometimes less truly is more.

1. Grilled Peaches with Honey and Ice Cream

Nothing celebrates summer quite like perfectly ripe peaches. When you introduce them to a hot grill, something wonderful happens—their natural sugars caramelize, their flesh softens, and their flavor intensifies.

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe peaches, halved and pitted
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon honey, plus more for drizzling
• 1 pint vanilla ice cream
• Optional: fresh mint leaves

Instructions:

1. Heat your grill to medium-high heat.
2. Brush peach halves with melted butter.
3. Place peaches cut-side down on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes until grill marks appear and peaches soften.
4. Transfer to serving plates, drizzle with honey, and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
5. Garnish with mint if desired.

The warm fruit against the cold ice cream creates a temperature contrast that makes every bite interesting, while the honey adds just enough sweetness to tie everything together.

2. Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles

These bright red treats are as beautiful to look at as they are delicious to eat. Made with real fruit and yogurt, they’re practically breakfast on a stick.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Blend strawberries, yogurt, honey, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
2. Pour into popsicle molds.
3. Freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.
4. Run molds briefly under warm water to release popsicles.

These popsicles strike the perfect balance between creamy and fruity, with the yogurt providing a tangy counterpoint to the sweet strawberries.

3. Watermelon Granita

A granita is like snow’s sophisticated Italian cousin—light, refreshing, and impossibly easy to make. This watermelon version captures summer in each spoonful.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cubed seedless watermelon
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch of salt
• Optional: mint leaves for garnish

Instructions:

1. Blend watermelon, lime juice, sugar, and salt until smooth.
2. Pour into a shallow metal pan.
3. Freeze for 1 hour, then scrape with a fork.
4. Return to freezer and scrape every 30 minutes until completely frozen and fluffy, about 3 hours total.
5. Serve in chilled glasses.

The icy crystals melt on your tongue, releasing pure watermelon flavor brightened by lime. It’s summer refreshment at its finest.

4. No-Churn Mango Ice Cream

This silky smooth ice cream requires no special equipment yet tastes like it came from an artisanal ice cream shop.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups mango puree (from about 2 large, ripe mangoes)
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
2. In another bowl, combine condensed milk, mango puree, lime juice, and vanilla.
3. Fold whipped cream into mango mixture until fully incorporated.
4. Pour into a loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for at least 6 hours.

The result is a creamy, tropical dream that will transport you to an island paradise with each spoonful.

5. Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Light, tender, and bright with lemon flavor, these cookies practically float off the plate.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cups self-rising flour

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Mix ricotta, sugar, egg, and lemon zest and juice until smooth.
3. Fold in flour until just combined.
4. Drop rounded tablespoons onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes until edges are just turning golden.

These cookies have a delightful cakey texture and a subtle lemon flavor that doesn’t overwhelm—perfect with afternoon tea or as a light dessert.

6. Berry Shortcakes

These individual desserts let the berries shine while giving you the perfect vehicle for serving them.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups self-rising flour
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
• 3/4 cup cold milk
• 4 cups mixed berries
• 1/4 cup sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Stir in milk until dough forms.
4. Pat dough to 1-inch thickness and cut into rounds.
5. Bake 12-15 minutes until golden.
6. Meanwhile, mix berries with sugar and let sit.
7. Split warm shortcakes, fill with berries, and serve.

The contrast between the buttery, flaky shortcake and the juicy, sweet berries makes this dessert a summer classic for good reason.

7. Coconut Lime Sorbet

This dairy-free frozen treat combines tropical coconut with zippy lime for a refreshing dessert that cleanses the palate.

Ingredients:

• 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 teaspoons lime zest
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Whisk all ingredients together until sugar dissolves.
2. Pour into a shallow dish and freeze for 1 hour.
3. Stir thoroughly, breaking up any frozen edges.
4. Freeze for another 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
5. Once frozen, scoop and serve.

The creamy coconut milk gives this sorbet a richer texture than most water-based versions, while the lime cuts through with bright acidity.

8. Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas

These treats are as fun to make as they are to eat—a perfect project for kids and adults alike on hot summer days.

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe but firm bananas
• 8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 8 popsicle sticks
• Optional toppings: chopped nuts, sprinkles, shredded coconut

Instructions:

1. Peel bananas, cut in half, and insert popsicle sticks.
2. Freeze bananas for at least 2 hours.
3. Melt chocolate and coconut oil together.
4. Dip frozen bananas in chocolate and quickly add toppings.
5. Place on parchment paper and freeze until chocolate sets.

The contrast between the smooth, cold banana and the crisp chocolate shell creates a satisfying treat that’s secretly healthy too.

9. Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Cups

Individual portions make these classic cakes perfect for summer gatherings.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 can (20 oz) pineapple rings in juice
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• Eggs, oil, and water as called for on cake mix box

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Melt butter and divide among 8 ramekins.
3. Sprinkle brown sugar over butter.
4. Place pineapple ring in each ramekin.
5. Prepare cake mix according to package directions.
6. Pour batter over pineapple, filling each ramekin 2/3 full.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
8. Let cool 5 minutes, then invert onto plates.

The caramelized pineapple and brown sugar topping makes these individual cakes special enough for any occasion.

10. Easy Blueberry Cobbler

This rustic dessert showcases summer berries in their glory with minimal fuss.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Toss blueberries with 1/4 cup sugar and spread in a buttered 2-quart baking dish.
3. Whisk together flour, remaining sugar, milk, and melted butter.
4. Pour batter over berries.
5. Bake 40-45 minutes until golden and bubbly.

The batter rises to the top while baking, creating a golden crust over bubbling berries. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it’s summer comfort in a bowl.

These desserts prove that with just a handful of ingredients, you can create sweets that celebrate summer’s bounty without spending hours in the kitchen.

Which means more time enjoying those precious summer moments—and less time washing dishes.