45 Light Summer Desserts That are Kind to Your Waistline

Updated on Sep. 12, 2024

A delicious, summery dessert for less than 350 calories per serving? You bet! These light summer desserts offer big taste and no guilt.

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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

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Star-Spangled Parfaits

Total Time 15 min
Servings 4 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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!

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Summer Squash Pound Cake

Total Time 1 hour 10 min
Servings 12 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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.
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Peach Melba Trifle

Total Time 20 min
Servings 12 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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

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Mango Sorbet

Total Time 25 min
Servings 6 servings
From the Recipe Creator: You'll love the sunny color and fruity flavor of this light dessert. If you can't find mangoes, substitute fresh peaches. To peal peaches, drop them into boiling water for a few seconds. Then you can easily slip the skins right off. —Test Kitchen

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Blueberry Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

Total Time 20 min
Servings 8 servings
From the Recipe Creator: We live in blueberry country and this pie is a perfect way to showcase the luscious berries. A neighbor 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

7/45

Ricotta Cheesecake

Total Time 1 hour 20 min
Servings 12 servings
From the Recipe Creator: I reconstructed this dessert based on an old recipe that had been in the family for years but was never written down. The subtle cinnamon flavor of the zwieback crust and the dense texture of the ricotta cheese are reminiscent of the cheesecake I enjoyed as a child. —Mary Beth Jung, Hendersonville, North Carolina

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Very Blueberry Clafoutis

Total Time 40 min
Servings 8 servings
From the Recipe Creator: This blueberry clafoutis 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
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Roasted Grape and Sweet Cheese Phyllo Galette

Total Time 1 hour
Servings 10 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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
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Healthy Blackberry Cobbler

Total Time 1 hour
Servings 10 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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
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Lemon Strawberry Trifle

Total Time 20 min
Servings 14 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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

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Peach Cobbler Recipe

Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12 servings
From the Recipe Creator: My mother received this peach cobbler recipe from a friend of hers many years ago, and fortunately she shared it with me. Boise is situated right between two large fruit-producing areas in our state, so peaches are plentiful in the summer. —Ruby Ewart, Boise, Idaho

13/45

Lemonade Icebox Pie

Total Time 15 min
Servings 8 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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

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Peach Upside-Down Cake

Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8 servings
From the Recipe Creator: Folks have been flipping over this peach upside-down cake for generations. This dessert is very popular with my family and guests. —Terri Kirschner, Carlisle, Indiana

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Mocha-Hazelnut Glazed Angel Food Cake

Total Time 55 min
Servings 16 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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
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Banana Pudding

Total Time 35 min
Servings 9 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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
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Fudge Sundae Pie

Total Time 20 min
Servings 8 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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
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Bread Pudding Pie

Total Time 1 hour 10 min
Servings 8 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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
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Fluffy Key Lime Pie

Total Time 20 min
Servings 8 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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
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Cherry Plum Slab Pie with Walnut Streusel

Total Time 1 hour 15 min
Servings 20 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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
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Buttermilk Peach Ice Cream

Total Time 45 min
Servings 16 servings (2 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator: My mother's family owned peach orchards in Missouri. I currently live in Tennessee, a top consumer of buttermilk. This summery ice cream combines my past and present. —Kim Higginbotham, Knoxville, Tennessee

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Cherry Cobbler

Total Time 40 min
Servings 3 servings
From the Recipe Creator: Berries, peaches or any fruit can be used for this simple cobbler recipe, but the cheery bright color of cherries makes it just right for gray winter days. —Eleanor Jacoby, Eureka, Kansas

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Contest-Winning Chocolate Angel Food Cake

Total Time 1 hour 5 min
Servings 12 servings
From the Recipe Creator: When I take this different kind of angel food cake to church bake sales, it goes before I can get it on the table!—Mary Ann Iverson, Woodville, Wisconsin

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Patriotic Frozen Delight

Total Time 10 min
Servings 12 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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

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Strawberry Shortcake

Total Time 45 min
Servings 9 servings
From the Recipe Creator: I grew up helping my mom make a lot in our farmhouse kitchen; strawberry shortcakes, roasts, soups and pies. This sunny strawberry shortcake recipe brings back memories of family summers on the farm. —Janet Becker, Anacortes, Washington

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Coconut Cookies

Total Time 35 min
Servings 9 dozen
From the Recipe Creator: This simple yet satisfying coconut cookie recipe has been around for generations. Pressing a fork into the top gives the look of an old-fashioned washboard. —Tommie Sue Shaw, McAlester, Oklahoma

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Lemon Berry Dump Cake

Total Time 55 min
Servings 15 servings (3 cups lemon topping)
From the Recipe Creator: 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
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Streuseled Zucchini Bundt Cake

Total Time 1 hour 20 min
Servings 14 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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
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Lemon Raspberry Buckle

Total Time 1 hour 15 min
Servings 15 servings
From the Recipe Creator: I've given a fresh summery twist to the classic blueberry buckle everyone loves by replacing 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!

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Coconut Nutella Brownies

Total Time 40 min
Servings 2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator: 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
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Tropical Crisp

Total Time 50 min
Servings 9 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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

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Angel Food Cake

Total Time 50 min
Servings 16 servings
From the Recipe Creator: For our daughter's wedding, a friend made this lovely, airy angel food cake from a recipe she's used for decades. It really is one of the best angel food cake recipes I've found. Serve slices plain or dress them up with fresh fruit. —Marilyn Niemeyer, Doon, Iowa

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Skillet Blueberry Slump

Total Time 45 min
Servings 6 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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

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Lemon Pound Cake

Total Time 1 hour 25 min
Servings 16 servings
From the Recipe Creator: Citrus trees grow abundantly in California, and I'm always looking for new recipes which use the fruit from the orange and lemon trees in my yard. This lemon pound cake is one of my favorites! My mother passed this recipe down to me. —Richard Killeaney, Spring Valley, California

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Sea Salt Mint White Mocha Cookies

Total Time 35 min
Servings 26 cookies
From the Recipe Creator: 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
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Raspberry Sorbet

Total Time 5 min
Servings 6 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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
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S’mores Brownies

Total Time 50 min
Servings 2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator: 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
38/45

Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes

Total Time 35 min
Servings 2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator: 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

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Watermelon Sorbet

Total Time 35 min
Servings 6 servings
From the Recipe Creator: No ice cream maker is needed to make this easy, 3-ingredient watermelon sorbet recipe. We couldn't keep enough watermelon in the house to keep up with the demand! —Kory Figura, Waverly, Iowa

40/45

Rhubarb Crisp

Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8 servings
From the Recipe Creator: I found this strawberry rhubarb crisp recipe on a box of Quaker Oats about 20 years ago. It's quick and easier to make than pie. It's versatile, too, because you can add strawberries in spring or apples in fall. I usually pop it into the oven shortly before we sit down to eat so it's still warm for dessert! —C.E. Adams, Charlestown, New Hampshire

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Pineapple Pretzel Fluff

Total Time 25 min
Servings 12 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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!

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake

Total Time 40 min
Servings 10 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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
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Pineapple Cherry Cake

Total Time 55 min
Servings 16 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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
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Cookies ‘n’ Cream Berry Desserts

Total Time 10 min
Servings 6 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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
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Orange Dream Angel Food Cake

Total Time 55 min
Servings 16 servings
From the Recipe Creator: 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