Recipes

47 Memorial Day Desserts to Get You Summer-Ready

What’s better than lazing in a lounge chair in the waning summer sun? Nothing—except coming inside to one of these awesome desserts.
An tiramisu ice box cake with a slice showing the layers
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni

Okay, so the actual first day of summer is a few weeks away, but we all know Memorial Day is the real start to the season. And these Memorial Day desserts are waiting to make it official. So pull out your best sunglasses, bury some beer in an ice-filled cooler, fire up the barbecue, and get ready to cozy up to all the sweet treats you’ve ignored since last August.

We’ve got chilly ice pops and no-churn ice cream to help you beat the (forthcoming) heat, lazy day galettes that make you look like the casually chic host you want your guests to believe you to be, and a few fun cakes in case you’re planning to go big.

  • Piece of tres leches cake on a floral plate sitting atop a blue checkered tablecloth.
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones
    3/47

    Tres Leches Cake

    Dry cake worries are a thing of the past when you make this Mexican classic, soaked through after baking with a dairy triumvirate (and a splash of rum).

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  • A square strawberry shortcake shot from above with bright red saucy berries a sugartopped biscuit and oozing whipped cream.
    4/47

    Simple Strawberry Shortcakes

    You can make this classic Memorial Day dessert recipe with whatever berries (or other soft fruits, for that matter) are calling your name.

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  • Three ginger lime cheesecake bars sitting on a picnic blanket.
    Photograph by Scott Semler, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie Yeh
    5/47

    Ginger-Lime No-Bake Cheesecake Bars

    These freezer bars can be made up to three days in advance, if you’d like to plan ahead. They set like soft-serve cream cheese ice cream topped with a chewy, gooey lime curd.

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  • Stack of three chipwiches on a plate against a yellow background.
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca
    6/47

    Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

    A clever combo of olive oil and agave syrup keep these cookies miraculously chewy and tender even straight out of the freezer.

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  • Bowl of blackberries and cream on green surface.
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Nicole Louie
    7/47

    Blackberries and Vanilla Cream With Crispy Puff Pastry

    Pile juicy blackberries and buttery pistachios over bowls of whipped mascarpone cream, then tuck shards of flat-baked puff pastry all around for massive crunch factor.

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  • Triple Chocolate Brownies stacked on a white plate with a glass of milk behind it.
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Gerri K. Williams
    8/47

    Triple-Chocolate Brownies

    These are the chocolatiest, densest, fudgiest brownies we’ve ever met. The whole family will swoon—if you can bring yourself to share.

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  • Root beer granita with a cherry on top of a red tray on a yellow lawn chair.
    Photograph by Scott Semler, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie Yeh
    11/47

    Root Beer Float Granita

    Creamy sweetened condensed milk stands in for vanilla ice cream in this icy and refreshing take on the classic soda shop flavor combination.

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  • A slice of guava pie on a plate next a larger pie with a slice removed on a pink background
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman
    12/47

    Guava and Goat Cheese Phyllo Pie

    Inspired by the classic flavors of guava and cheese pastelitos, this tart is made with scrunched phyllo, a silky goat cheese custard, and a jammy guava syrup.

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  • Pie plate filled with layers of mixed berries and lush vanilla whipped cream topped with shattered vanilla wafers.
    Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Caroline Hwang, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime.
    13/47

    Lush Vanilla Berry Pudding

    Attention banana pudding haters: Here’s your chance to prove that the dessert is actually better when the bananas are left out of the party.

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  • Image may contain Food Dish Meal and Plant
    Photo by Alex Lau
    14/47

    Rhubarb–Brown Butter Bars

    Think of your favorite granola packed full of nuts, surrounding a layer of sweet-tart rhubarb jam, and you’ve got these bars.

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  • Raspberry cream cream cake on a cake stand next to slices of cake on small plates
    Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Summer Moore 
    15/47

    Raspberry Cake With Whipped Cream Filling

    Layer light-as-air chiffon cake with a whipped cream infused with freeze-dried berries, then toss fresh raspberries in a little jam for a three-pronged approach to big fruit flavor.

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  • Strawberry Doughnut Muffin Recipe
    Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
    16/47

    Strawberry Doughnut Muffins

    We call these muffins, but let’s be honest: They’re cupcakes without the frosting. They make up for that though with a jammy filling and a crunchy sugar coating.

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  • An tiramisu ice box cake with a slice showing the layers
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni
    17/47

    Tiramisu-y Icebox Cake

    Instead of the usual shallow dish, this riff on classic tiramisu is built in a loaf pan so that you can cut it into beautifully layered slices. It’s the perfect summer recipe to close our your weekend BBQ.

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  • Image may contain Soil Food and Pork
    Photographs by Laura Murray, food styling by Simon Andrews, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
    18/47

    Fresh Mint and Chocolate Ice Cream

    This subtly minty ice cream has a chocolate ripple running through it; but you could stir in some chopped-up Thin Mints or Andes if you prefer.

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  • Pieces of blueberry muffin cake on a pink stone.
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca
    19/47

    Blueberry Muffin Cake

    This cake recipe is so easy, you can even pull it off from that ill-equipped vacation rental. Scattering store-bought granola over the top of the berry-loaded batter adds big crunch.

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  • A pink PBJflavored dome cake with decorative flowers and frosting squiggles sits on a blue glass cake stand
    Photograph by Joe Lingeman, food styling by Shilpa Uskokovic, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua
    20/47

    PB&J Dome Cake

    The challenge: Peanut butter and jelly, but make it dessert. The result: This rotund masterpiece made from sponge cake, a salty-sweet peanut butter filling, and a pretty pink strawberry cream frosting.

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  • Image may contain Food Dessert Creme Icing Cake Cream Confectionery Sweets Dish and Meal
    Eva Kolenko
    27/47

    Blueberry-Lemon Icebox Cake

    The more particular you are when building the layers in the loaf pan, the more neat and tidy this will look when sliced. But if it’s a little uneven and the layers blend together, so be it!

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  • Three ice pops with the sticks stuck into a holder Each one is peachy yellow with a bright raspberryred top blending in...
    Alex Lau
    28/47

    Raspberry-Peach Bellini Ice Pops

    Prosecco adds a little bit of a kick to these fruity pops. Avoid the urge to add any more than the recipe calls for—too much alcohol and the pops won’t freeze solid.

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  • stack of Coconut Ice Cream Sandwiches With Salty Chocolate Shell
    Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Micah Morton
    29/47

    Coconut Ice Cream Sandwiches With Salty Chocolate Shell

    No need to chase down the ice cream truck when you have coconut ice cream–stuffed, chocolate-dipped coconut cookie sandwiches waiting in your freezer.

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  • a cup of shaved milk with strawberries on a blue background
    Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Caroline Hwang, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime.
    30/47

    Milky Shaved Ice With Strawberries

    You don’t need any special equipment to make this “shaved ice” granita. You can even make it with frozen berries in case you can’t find good in season one just yet.

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  • Blueberry pecan galette with a scoop of white ice cream
    Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
    35/47

    Blueberry-Pecan Galette

    The great thing about a galette? The more rustic (read messed up) it looks, the better. Novice bakers, this one’s for you.

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  • Image may contain Plant Food Dessert Fruit Blueberry Dish Meal Cream Creme and Ice Cream
    Ditte Isager
    36/47

    Pavlovas With Fresh Berries

    Heating the sugar before beating it into the egg whites creates an extra-glossy, stable meringue. Top with whatever ripe, fresh fruit you love.

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  • Image may contain Wheel and Machine
    Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
    39/47

    Chocolate Grasshopper Ice Cream Tart

    It’s crucial that this tart be frozen solid before slicing. If you are in and out of your freezer a lot, that may take longer than one day; err on the safe side!

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  • Image may contain Creme Cream Food Dessert Ice Cream and Burger
    Alex Lau
    40/47

    Horchata Semifreddo

    Normally served cold as a sweet cinnamon-and-rice drink, horchata translates seamlessly to this creamy dessert.

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  • Strawberry galette pastry recipe
    Photo by Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski
    43/47

    Any Berry Galette

    Fresh strawberries? Check. Currants? Check. Eggplant? While technically it is a berry, maybe not. Any other berries you see at the farmstand though are fair game.

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  • Image may contain Drink Juice Beverage Smoothie Milk Milkshake Food Dessert Creme Cream Confectionery and Sweets
    Alex Lau
    44/47

    Malted Black and White Milkshake

    With chilled hot fudge lining the parfait glass and malted milk powder blitzed into the (shhhh) ½ pint of ice cream per serving, there’s no denying this dessert is rich. It’s also very, very—and we do mean very—good.

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  • Image may contain Plant Food Dish Meal Fruit Bowl Confectionery Sweets and Strawberry
    Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Alison Attenborough, prop styling by Heather Greene
    47/47

    Coconut-Strawberry Ice Cream Pie

    This Memorial Day dessert is a swirled beauty of coconut and strawberry ice creams with a salted press-in graham cracker crust.

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Joe joined the Bon Appétit team in 2022 after climbing the editorial ranks for a few years at Condé Nast’s other food publication, Epicurious. As the senior SEO editor, he works to make sure Google loves all of BA’s cooking stories just as much as you do. Look for his ... Read More
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