50 Light Summer Desserts That are Kind to Your Waistline

Old-Fashioned Whoopie Pies

Who can resist soft chocolate sandwich cookies filled with a layer of fluffy white frosting? Mom has made these light summer desserts for years. They never last very long with me and my two brothers around. —Maria Costello, Monroe, North Carolina

Go to Recipe

Star-Spangled Parfaits

The best time for this dessert is midsummer, when the blueberries are thick in our northern woods. Red raspberries can be added to the mixed berries, too, to brighten the patriotic colors.—Anne Theriault, Wellesley, Massachusetts

Try some of our favorite Memorial Day desserts!

Summer Squash Pound Cake

This golden brown, tender pound cake is the perfect light summer dessert to make when you have an abundance of summer squash in your garden. It’s not overly sweet, so it appeals to everyone. —Lisa Brockwell, Necedah, Wisconsin. Eating healthier doesn’t have to mean giving up sweets entirely. Try these delicious skinny desserts.

Peach Melba Trifle

This light summer dessert tastes extra good on a busy day, because you can make it ahead of time! If you don’t have fresh peaches handy, subbing three cups of the canned ones works, too. —Christina Moore, Casar, North Carolina

Quick Mango Sorbet

One summer I decided to try my hand at making a passion fruit and mango sorbet. But fresh fruits require more prep and are difficult to find ripened at the same time. So I experimented using frozen fruit and juice, and voila! Both are readily available and inexpensive too. —Carol Klein, Franklin Square, New York

Blueberry Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

We live in blueberry country, and this pie is a perfect way to showcase these luscious berries. A neighbor first made this pie for us when we had a death in the family several years ago. Our whole family enjoys it. —R. Ricks, Kalamazoo, Michigan

Yogurt-Ricotta Cheesecake

I have always liked Italian ricotta cheesecakes, but they have too much sugar for me. I made a light version, and my family couldn’t even tell the difference! I serve mine with sugar-free strawberry ice cream topping and fresh strawberries. —Diane Shipley, Mentor, Ohio

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love using zucchini in the summertime. This recipe reminds me of a zucchini bread my aunt makes, but I wanted to make cookies for a family get-together because they would be easier to grab and eat. This light summer dessert tastes better if you make it the day before. —Melissa Obernesser, Oriskany, New York

Apricot Dessert Bruschetta

Years ago, my mother took a trip to Italy, and this recipe reminds her of the sun-kissed fruits from the orchards there. It’s a lovely summer dessert that’s not overly sweet or heavy. —Deborah Biggs, Omaha, Nebraska

Very Blueberry Clafoutis

This blueberry clafouti is somewhere between a fruit-filled pancake and a fruity egg custard. Wrong season for fresh berries? Use frozen berries thawed in a colander and discard the juice. —Ken Hulme, Venice, Florida

Roasted Grape and Sweet Cheese Phyllo Galette

Faced with an abundant grape crop, I created this easy, impressive-looking dessert. I like to add a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of coarse sugar to finish it off. —Kallee Krong-McCreery, Escondido, California

Healthy Blackberry Cobbler

This tasty treat has helped my family stay healthy, lose weight and still be able to enjoy dessert! Other kinds of berries or even fresh peaches are just as delicious in this cobbler. —Leslie Browning of Lebanon, Kentucky

Strawberry Lemon Trifle

This refreshingly fruity dessert is one of our favorites. It looks so beautiful layered in a glass bowl that people will think it took ages to make. The secret is starting with a purchased angel food cake. —Lynn Marie Frucci, Pullman, Washington

Spiced Peach Cobbler

When you tuck into this warm and comforting fresh peach cobbler, you won’t miss the extra fat and calories a bit! —Mary E. Relyea, Canastota, New York

Lemonade Icebox Pie

You will detect a definite lemonade flavor in this refreshing lemon icebox pie. High and fluffy, this dessert has a creamy smooth consistency that we really appreciate. It’s the dessert that came to mind immediately when I put together my favorite summer meal. —Cheryl Wilt, Eglon, West Virginia

Makeover Peach Upside-Down Cake

This peachy delight has charmed folks for years. Our lightened version is even better with less fat and calories than other similar recipes.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Mocha-Hazelnut Glazed Angel Food Cake

I love this recipe because it combines three of my favorite flavors: coffee, hazelnuts and cherries. It’s the perfect light summer dessert! —Joan Pecsek, Chesapeake, Virginia

Banana Pudding

I didn’t see my son, Lance Corporal Eric Harris, for more than two years after he enlisted in the Marines after high school. And when I saw him arrive at the airport, I just grabbed hold of him and burst out crying. When we got home, the first thing he ate was two bowls of my easy banana pudding recipe. He’s a true southern boy! It’s a light dessert, but you can have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. —Stephanie Harris, Montpelier, Virginia

Fudge Sundae Pie

My son always asks for this guilt-free frozen yogurt pie for his birthday. Complete with peanut butter, fudge topping and nuts, it tastes ice cream parlor–good … but it's healthier. —Margaret Hanson-Maddox, Montpelier, Indiana

Bread Pudding Pie

This unique dessert is a bread pudding-pie combo. It was created by my paternal grandmother’s family. They had a farm and made their own bread, which made this a low-cost dessert. — Kelly Barnes, Lexington, Indiana

This sorbet is just one of the all-American Memorial Day cookout recipes you should make this summer.

Fluffy Key Lime Pie

For a taste of paradise, try this no-bake Key lime pie recipe. It’s low in fat, sugar and fuss. It truly is the best light summer dessert! —Frances VanFossan, Warren, Michigan

Cherry Plum Slab Pie with Walnut Streusel

I love to make desserts with fruit all summer! You can use store-bought crusts or make your own. I recommend stacking your two pie crusts on top of each other and then rolling them to the correct size. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah

Makeover Fruit Pizza

There’s nothing better than a light summer dessert, especially when it’s topped with refreshing and colorful fruit. We skimmed the calories and fat from a traditional fruit pizza to create one with about half the calories, fat and cholesterol. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Buttermilk Peach Ice Cream

My mother's family owned peach orchards in Missouri. I live in Tennessee, a top consumer of buttermilk. This summery ice cream combines my past and present. —Kim Higginbotham, Knoxville, Tennessee

Almond Cherry Cobbler

This bubbling cherry cobbler is one of my favorite dishes. Serve the light summer dessert warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. —Melissa Wagner, Eden Prairie, Minnesota

Glazed Chocolate Angel Food Cake

A drizzling of rich chocolate glaze lends an elegant touch and will keep guests wanting more. With only 3g of fat per slice, this is one treat you'll want to see year after year! —Mary Relyea, Canastota, New York

Rhu-berry Pie

I cook in a coffee shop, so I'm always looking for new and unique pies to serve my customers. The combination of blueberries and rhubarb in this recipe caught my eye and it was an instant best-seller. —Karen Dougherty, Freeport, Illinois

Patriotic Frozen Delight

My husband and I pick lots of fruit at berry farms in the area and freeze it to enjoy all year long. This light summer dessert showcases both blueberries and strawberries and has a refreshing lemon flavor. —Bernice Russ, Bladenboro, North Carolina

Picnic Berry Shortcakes

You can make the berry sauce ahead of time and chill it. Then assemble the entire dessert right before the picnic or party. —Frieda Bliesner, McAllen, Texas

Coconut Orange Slice Cookies

This is a family recipe that was handed down to me. The coconut and orange combination gives them a distinctive taste unlike any other cookie I’ve had. They’re perfect for summer! —Patricia Ann Stickler, Durand, Michigan

Lemon Berry Dump Cake

This sweet-tart cake recipe is so much fun to make with my grandkids. They love just “dumping it all in” and watching it magically become a pretty, delicious dessert. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada

Streuseled Zucchini Bundt Cake

Inspired by an abundance of zucchini, I found a new way to use it up in this spiced and lightly sweet summer dessert. It even won a blue ribbon at our county fair! —Regina Stock, Topeka, Kansas

Lemon Raspberry Buckle

I've given a fresh summery twist to the classic blueberry buckle everyone loves by swapping out the blueberries for raspberries (my favorite) and adding sweet and tart lemon curd. This berry buckle cake recipe tastes great with vanilla ice cream! —Jenna Fleming, Lowville, New York

Spice up your summer BBQ with some of our best recipes!

Coconut Nutella Brownies

My parents were coming over for dinner, and I wanted to create a fast go-to brownie. My mom loves coconut and chocolate, so I thought these Nutella brownies would be the perfect treat. —Danielle Lee, West Palm Beach, Florida

Tropical Crisp

One bite of this sweet, juicy, crunchy crisp, and you just might hear the crash of the ocean and feel warm sand under your toes! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Vanilla Bean Angel Food Cake

Angel food cake is everyone’s favorite blank slate for making awesome desserts. Serve it with a simple glaze or pile on fresh fruit, chocolate sauce or nutty sprinkles. —Leah Rekau, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Skillet Blueberry Slump

My mother-in-law made a slump of wild blueberries with dumplings and served it warm with a pitcher of farm cream. We’ve been enjoying slump desserts for 60 years. —Eleanore Ebeling, Brewster, Minnesota

Makeover Lemon Pound Cake

For this lovely golden cake, I use fat-free yogurt to trim the calories. It’s a light summer dessert for days when you can dine outside. —Lauren Gilmore, Pennington, New Jersey

Sea Salt Mint White Mocha Cookies

This recipe came from my mom’s Grandma Alice, who taught her how to bake. Grandma Alice always had a fresh plate of warm cookies on her counter. I learned some of her recipes by heart as a child, and I’ve been making these since high school. They taste like summer. —Kristin Bowers, Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Raspberry Sorbet

With an abundant crop of fresh raspberries from the backyard, it's no wonder why I rely on this dessert for a tasty, no-fuss frozen dessert. —Karen Bailey, Golden, Colorado

S’mores Brownies

My family simply adores my daughter’s fudgy s’mores brownies. The cinnamon graham cracker crust and the dark chocolate brownies bring our passion for s’mores to a whole new level! —Jennifer Gilbert, Brighton, Michigan

Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes

My granddaughter Sydney has acquired a love of baking. While I was visiting her in Tampa, we made these light summer desserts. She’s a natural—they turned out fantastic! —Lonnie Hartstack, Clarinda, Iowa

Watermelon Vodka Sorbet

This icy granita is a cooling delight on a hot summer day. This is an adults only goody. You can use watermelon vodka for plain vodka if you like. —Rebekah Beyer, Sabetha, Kansas

Rhubarb Mandarin Crisp

An attractive dessert, this crisp is also a popular breakfast dish at our house, served with a glass of milk rather than topped with ice cream. Because it calls for lots of rhubarb, it’s a great use for the bounty you harvest. —Rachael Vandendool, Barry’s Bay, Ontario

Pineapple Pretzel Fluff

I often bring this light summer dessert salad to potlucks, and everyone goes crazy for the sweet and crunchy combination. Be sure to add the pretzel mixture right before serving to keep it crispy. —Beth Olby, Ashland, Wisconsin

Check out some of our other summer side dishes!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake

Years ago, I added some zucchini to a peanut butter bar I had created, and this time I wanted to try adding it to a cake. The zucchini makes the cake super moist but doesn’t get in the way of the chocolate and peanut butter goodness. —Marilyn Blankschien, Clintonville, Wisconsin

Pineapple Cherry Cake

When our granddaughter visits on weekends, I try to find something fun for her to do. This light summer dessert is super simple for her to fix. —Melissa Defauw, Auburn Hills, Michigan

Cookies ‘n’ Cream Berry Desserts

This light dessert makes an especially pretty final course in the summer. With berries, a creamy topping and a sprinkle of meringue cookies, it always earns praise. —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia

Orange Dream Angel Food Cake

A basic angel food cake becomes a heavenly indulgence, thanks to a hint of orange flavor swirled into every bite. The orange color makes slices of the cake look so pretty when arranged on individual dessert plates.—Lauren Osborne, Holtwood, Pennsylvania