During the hot, supposed-to-be-lazy days of summer, the thought of laboring over elaborate cakes and pies isn’t all that appealing. Maximize your time playing outside and finish your meal with one of the quick and simple—yet guest-worthy—desserts below. Feel free to tweak the recipes to make them your own and tailor them to what you have in your pantry. For example, all of the recipes that call for chocolate can be made with whatever high-quality chocolate you have on hand, be it milk, semisweet, or bittersweet.
1. Raspberry Ice Box Cake
This cool classic is nearly effortless to assemble and can be made up to two days in advance—or at the very last minute. You’ll need a 9-ounce box of chocolate wafer cookies (such as Famous Chocolate Wafers), about 3 cups of sweetened whipped cream (1 1/2 cups heavy cream whipped with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract), and 2 pints of raspberries. Cover the bottom of a 9 x 13" glass baking dish with a single layer of wafer cookies, top with a layer of whipped cream, then a layer of raspberries. Repeat the layers until the dish is full. Let your guests dig in right away, or loosely cover the dessert with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. (The texture will be softer but the cake will be no less delicious—and some might say even more so!)
2. Sweet and Sticky Tortilla Sandwiches
This two-ingredient dessert is simple but crowd-pleasing. Heat a flour tortilla or prepared crêpe in a sauté pan over medium heat until warm. Remove from the pan and spread with dulce de leche, caramel, melted chocolate, or a chocolate-nut spread such as Nutella. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, such as Maldon, if you’d like (this is especially nice with bittersweet chocolate), then top with a second warmed tortilla or crêpe and cut into four pieces. The warm, soft tortillas and sweet, gooey fillings will have everyone reaching for seconds.
3. Maple-Grilled Pineapple
Grilling brings out pineapple’s natural sweetness and adds a light smoky flavor to the tropical treat. Slice one pineapple into 10 to 12 slices, about a half inch thick each. Mix 1/2 cup maple syrup with 3 tablespoons water and brush over slices of fresh pineapple (you will have enough glaze for one whole pineapple). Lightly oil the grill grates and cook the pineapple slices over medium-high heat until lightly charred and fully heated through, turning once (about two minutes per side). Serve over your favorite ice cream or sorbet—we recommend coconut, passion fruit, mango, or another tropical flavor. This recipe is great for an evening outside by the grill, though it works just as well indoors on a stovetop grill pan. Stone fruits like peaches and plums are also excellent on the grill and can be prepared the same way.
4. Chocolate Fondue
Need a sophisticated, restaurant-style dessert that can be ready in only a few minutes? Solved! Finely chop about 6 to 7 ounces chocolate and transfer to a medium bowl. Heat 1 cup of heavy cream in a saucepan until bubbles just begin to form around the edges of the pan. Pour the heated cream over the chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir until fully combined and smooth. Serve with your favorite berries and other fruits for dipping in the rich ganache. (You can rewarm the mixture in the microwave in 30-second increments if it begins to cool.)
5. Fried Chocolate Dumplings
Ready in a flash and gone even quicker, these crispy, chocolaty pockets will blow your guests away. Lay wonton wrappers (thawed, if frozen) on a lightly floured surface, and place 1 to 2 teaspoons of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate in the center of each, repeating this step until you have as many dumplings as you’d like (we suggest budgeting for about four per person). Make an egg wash by beating one egg with 2 tablespoons of water. Using a small pastry brush, spread a thin layer of the egg wash around the edges of the wonton wrapper. Fold the wonton over so all the egg-washed sides meet, and press firmly. Then press the edges with the tines of a fork to ensure a tight seal. Gently place them into a pot two thirds full of 365° vegetable oil and fry until the dumplings are golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a wire rack over paper towels. Dust the dumplings with confectioners’ sugar and serve while they’re still warm and melty inside.
6. Bananas Foster
Have some ripe bananas hanging around? Skip the banana bread, which can take an hour to bake, and try this dazzler instead. Slice 4 bananas in half lengthwise and set aside. Melt 3/4 stick unsalted butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 cup of brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the bananas and let cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Gently flip them over to fully coat them in the sugar mixture. Pour 1/3 cup of banana or orange liqueur or dark rum into the center of the pan, being careful not to let it splash. Stand back a bit and tilt the edge of the pan gently toward the flame. The contents will ignite and flambé the bananas. Serve the bananas and sauce over vanilla ice cream.
7. Avocado Chocolate Pudding
Rich avocado gives this pudding the creamy texture of a gelatin-based dessert, with the bonus that it can be vegan-friendly. In a blender, combine half an avocado, 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, and 1/3 cup cocoa powder. Purée until fully incorporated, about one to two minutes. Add approximately 1/4 cup milk (1 or 2L works well), in increments, blending until mixture is smooth yet still thick. For a vegan version, substitute rice milk, soy milk, or almond milk. Serve with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt, such as Maldon, over the top.
8. Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches
If you had a few hours free, you could bake your own cookies and make your own ice cream to create completely homemade ice cream sandwiches. But if you’re pressed for time, don’t hesitate to use store-bought ice cream and cookies or pizzelles (thin Italian waffle cookies). For the simplest ice cream sandwich, just place a scoop of softened ice cream on one cookie and top it with a second; to jazz things up, use a variety of different kinds of cookies or roll the edges of the sandwiches in chopped nuts, sprinkles, crushed candy bits, or any of your favorite ice cream toppings. Chill on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet in the freezer until the ice cream has hardened (about 20 to 30 minutes). The sandwiches will keep in a resealable plastic freezer bag for about 1 week.
9. Super Sundaes
Take your sundaes to the next level by garnishing your favorite ice cream with unusual toppings such as toasted bread crumbs, toasted pepitas, sunflower seeds, coffee liqueur, warmed fruit preserves, rum or tequila, toasted coconut flakes, warm coffee or espresso, or cinnamon and raw (turbinado) sugar. You can also substitute sorbet, which pairs well with warm chocolate or caramel sauce. Chances are your pantry is already stocked with several sundae-ready toppings, so it’s easy to set out an impromptu sundae bar any night of the week.
10. Whipped Pudding Pie
This pie is easy as…well…pie! Start with a store-bought graham cracker pie crust and a batch of homemade pudding or pudding from a mix (any flavor will work). What could transform such a basic dessert foundation into something special? Three words: flavored whipped cream. Whip 1/2 cup heavy cream (this will yield 1 cup whipped) with 2 tablespoons of your flavoring of choice and whisk the mixture until it holds stiff peaks. Some great mix-ins include pure vanilla extract, crème de menthe, fruit-flavored liqueurs, coffee or espresso, cocoa powder, or citrus zest. In a large bowl, gently fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into 1 cup of the pudding. Repeat until all the whipped cream is fully incorporated, then spoon the mixture into the pie crust. This dessert will be light and airy, not too sweet, and have subtle highlights of your favorite flavors. If you’d like, whip a little extra flavored cream to add a decorative dollop on top.
Kendra Vizcaino is an associate editor at Gourmet Live and Epicurious.com. Her recent contributions include Ten Minute Appetizer Recipes and 10 Unexpected Food Fees.