11 dessert recipes you can make without turning on the oven, because summer shouldn't get in the way of snacks
It’s been said a lot this summer, but man, it’s hot AF. When temps are this high, the absolute last thing you want to do is turn on the oven and make your place even hotter. But it’s also the season for casual dinners, weekend BBQs, and easy-sipping cocktails, and sharing something sweet with friends is never a bad idea. So if you’re looking to throw together some summer desserts for you and your besties, rest assured, you don’t have to make this heat any worse on yourself.
In fact whatever you do, don’t turn that oven on at all.
With all the different seasonal foods available, summer is one of the best times of the year to experiment with no-bake dessert recipes. You don’t even have to limit yourself to popsicles and ice cream sandwiches, either. If you’re willing to think outside of the box, there are a variety of delicious summer desserts you can make that don’t require any heat. More often than not, they’re really easy to make, too.
So from peanut butter cheesecake bars to coconut cake, chocolate pie to pistachio parfait, here are some quick, easy, and of course, super yummy summer no-bake dessert recipes you should try.
Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Cheesecake Bars
You’ll need: graham crackers, butter, cream cheese, peanut butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, chocolate chips, and heavy whipping cream.
Chocolate, peanut butter, and cheesecake. Enough said. If you want to try this layered dessert, check out Your Cup of Cake to get the full recipe.
No-Bake Peanut Butter S’more Bars
You’ll need: butter, peanut butter, vanilla extract, graham crackers, powdered sugar, chocolate chips, and mini marshmallows.
This is another great no-bake recipe for you peanut butter lovers out there. While an oven isn’t required, you can still broil the marshmallows to make the topping slightly brown and toasty, if you prefer. Check out Your Cup of Cake to get the full recipe. If peanut butter is not your thing, there’s also a No-Bake S’mores Fudge recipe that you might like instead.
No-Bake Coconut Icebox Cake
You’ll need: heavy cream, powdered sugar, coconut extract, vanilla extract, coconut milk, large shortbread cookies, and shredded coconut.
Baking a cake can take a lot of time and effort. When it’s too hot to bake, that effort can be exhausting. So if you want something quick, easy, and perfect for summer, this coconut icebox cake is a must-try. Check out the full recipe by Willow Bird Baking.
Chocolate Mascarpone Cherry Pie
You’ll need: graham cracker crumbs, milk powder, salt, butter, heavy cream, cherry jam, and fresh cherries.
This graham cracker pie crust is a perfect alternative when it’s 100 degrees out and you don’t want to turn your home into an oven. Check out the full recipe by Hummingbird High here.
Berry Pudding
You’ll need: cornstarch, salt, eggs, strawberries or mixed berries, raspberries, sugar, lemon, rosewater, and whipped cream.
This berry pudding makes for a really refreshing summer treat. Adding a teaspoon of rosewater makes it that much more unique. Check out the full recipe by The Messy Baker.
Watermelon Rice Krispie Treats
You’ll need: miniature marshmallows, butter, puffed rice cereal, red or pink frosting, green frosting, and miniature chocolate chips.
Nothing says summer quite like watermelons. Although this recipe doesn’t actually use watermelons, these rice krispie treats allow you to get creative and have some fun. Check out the full recipe by Something Swanky.
Pistachio Pudding Parfait
You’ll need: graham crackers, sugar, butter, instant pistachio pudding mix, milk, frozen whipped topping, and pistachios.
If you want quick and easy, this dessert is it. All it takes is layering the graham cracker crust, pistachio pudding, and frozen whipped topping and you’re done. Put it all together in mini parfait glasses and serve. To get more tips and tricks on how to put this tasty treat together, check out the recipe by My Baking Addiction.
Roasted Berry Napoleons
You’ll need: sugar, lemon, mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, vanilla extract, roasted berry sauce, and pizzelles.
This recipe calls for pre-made pizzelles, which are a traditional Italian waffle cookie that you can find at your local grocery store. Take the cheese, berry sauce, and the rest of the ingredients, sandwich it in between two cookies, and you’ll have your berry napoleon made in no time. To find the full recipe and the inspiration behind it, check out My Baking Addiction.
No-Bake Peach Cheesecake
You’ll need: graham crackers, pecans, cinnamon, butter, cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, frozen whipped topping, peaches, brown sugar, and water.
Cheesecakes are pretty great all year round, so it’s all about changing up your toppings to fit the season. This no-bake peach cheesecake is meant to be light and creamy with a little bit of a crunch. Check out My Baking Addiction for the full recipe.
No-Bake Cookies
You’ll need: sugar, milk, butter, cocoa powder, peanut butter, vanilla extract, and cooking oats.
Who hasn’t baked cookies for 15 minutes only to have your place feeling like a furnace for the rest of the day? Fortunately, this cookie recipe by My Baking Addiction can be made without turning on the oven.
Tiramisu Trifles
You’ll need: heavy whipping cream, sugar, ricotta cheese, cocoa powder, Kahlua, instant espresso granules, cookie crumbs, raspberries, and chocolate.
Everyone loves a good tiramisu. The best part is that this particular recipe shouldn’t take you more than 20 minutes to make. It’s perfect for last-minute get-togethers. To check out the full recipe, go to My Baking Addiction.
