Get ready for your next outdoor get-together. These summer dessert bars will satisfy everyone's sweet cravings with seasonal ingredients and tasty twists.
48 Summer Dessert Bars to Bring to the Barbecue
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Rhubarb Cheesecake Squares
Early summer is rhubarb season and the time to try this rich and tangy cheese bar. It’s bound to be a hit with the rhubarb lovers you know. —Sharon Schmidt, Mandan, North Dakota
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Audrey’s Lemon Meringue Bars
We have a prolific lemon tree in our backyard and are forever trying to find new ways to incorporate lemons into our culinary endeavors. My daughter, Audrey, knows my love of all things sweet and decided to test her baking skill by combining two of my lemony favorites: lemon bars and lemon meringue pie. After hours in the kitchen, these delicious lemon meringue bars were born. —Monica Fearnside, Rancho Palos Verdes, California
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Raspberry Crumble Bars
To give these fresh, fruity bars even more crunch, add a sprinkling of nuts to the yummy crumb topping. Everyone will want to indulge. —Leanna M. Thorne, Lakewood, Colorado
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Mango Getaway Bars
I’ve always enjoyed the flavor of mango, so I created this recipe to feature the sweet tropical fruit. —Patricia Harmon, Baden, Pennsylvania
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Key Lime Blondie Bars
Here’s my tropical take on a beloved treat. These Key lime bars combine the taste of the classic pie with a blondie batter and cream cheese frosting. You can make a thicker crust if desired. —Kristin LaBoon, Austin, Texas
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Peach Bars
These tasty, crumbly peach bars are somewhere between a pastry and a natural energy bar, and they're a treat you'll be glad you made during peach season.
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Almond-Coconut Lemon Bars
Give traditional lemon bars a tasty twist with the addition of almonds and coconut. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Strawberry and Peach Lime Custard Bars
After I baked, my dad would always find his way to the kitchen and ask if he could try what I made. I enjoyed asking him to taste test different creations, like these bars. He was always ready with a compliment. Other fruits can be arranged over the custard, depending on what’s in season. —Carlin Tou, Chandler, Arizona
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Vegan Tropical Magic Bars
Magic bars are one of the easiest treats you can make and I decided to give them a couple of twists. By using a plant-based butter and condensed coconut milk, I made them completely vegan. I also added some macadamia nuts and dried pineapple and mango to give them a tropical spin. —James Schend, Dairy Freed
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Macadamia Sunshine Bars
Your guests will be delighted with my bars. They are packed with nuts and dried fruit. I think that when you take a bite of this treat it’s like a mini-vacation to a Polynesian paradise. —Jeanne Holt, Mendota Heights, Minnesota
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Humble Bumble Crumble Bars
While developing a treat for my bingo group, I asked my husband for ideas. He suggested a fruity bar. This berry bar is lightly sweet and so easy. —Nancy Phillips, Portland, Maine
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Lavender Lemon Bars
Hints of lavender and lemon zest in the crust make these treats a favorite. —Judith Hilinski, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
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Chocolate Chunk Walnut Blondies
Put a stack of these beauties out at a potluck and you'll find only crumbs on your platter when it's time to head home. Everyone will be asking who made those scrumptious blondies, so be sure to bring copies of the recipe! —Peggy Woodward, Taste of Home Senior Food Editor
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Macaroon Bars
Guests will never recognize the refrigerated crescent roll dough that goes into these almond-flavored bars. You can assemble the chewy coconut treats in no time. —Carolyn Kyzer, Alexander, Arkansas
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Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars
These cheesecake bars layer a buttery pecan shortbread crust with a rich and creamy filling and sweet-tart strawberry rhubarb jam. For larger squares, cut into nine bars instead of 16. —Amanda Scarlati, Sandy, Utah
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Peach Crumble Bars
My favorite way to enjoy these bars is to eat one while sitting on the porch with an iced tea in hand. Make them for any occasion; they will be gobbled up quickly. —Ally Billhorn, Wilton, Iowa
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Chocolate Peanut Treats
When I was in high school, I took these sweet and crunchy squares to bake sales— and they were the first to sell out. I still make them for family and friends who love the classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter. —Christy Asher, Colorado Springs, Colorado
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Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Need to bring a dish to pass this weekend? This make-ahead strawberry pretzel salad will disappear quickly at any potluck. —Aldene Belch, Flint, Michigan
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Lemon-Lime Bars
This easy lime bar recipe is a dessert that will wow your guests. I baked these bars for a luncheon on a hot summer day. A gentleman made his way to the kitchen to compliment the cook who made them. —Holly Wilkins, Lake Elmore, Vermont
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Chocolate-Raspberry Rice Krispies Treats
Move over, chocolate and strawberries! Dried raspberries paired with chocolate may become your new favorite flavor combo. Watch them shine in this Rice Krispies Treat. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Gooey Chocolate-Peanut Bars
These are so easy to make and take no time at all. They’re great to package up for those college kids looking for something from home. Everyone will want this recipe. —Elaine Grimme, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
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Fried Ice Cream Dessert Bars
Fried ice cream is such a delicious treat, but it can be a hassle to make individual servings. This recipe gives you the same fabulous flavor in an easy and convenient bar form. —Andrea Price, Grafton, Wisconsin
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Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
I make these banana bars with cream cheese frosting whenever I have ripe bananas on hand, then store them in the freezer to share later. With creamy frosting and big banana flavor, this treat is a real crowd-pleaser. —Debbie Knight, Marion, Iowa
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Banana-Split Blondies
These banana blondies combine all the beloved flavors of your favorite sundae with a warm, gooey bar. —James Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Editor
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Lemon Coconut Bites
The tangy lemon flavor of this no-fuss dessert is especially delicious on a warm day. It gives me delightful flashbacks of selling lemonade on the sidewalk as a little girl. —Donna Biddle, Elmira, New York
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No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
I have to be super careful when cooking for my daughter because of food sensitivities, so I make these no-bake peanut butter oatmeal bars with certified gluten-free oats. Everyone loves these bars when we go to picnics or potlucks, and I know there will be a dessert for my daughter! —Angela Lively, Conroe, Texas
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Strawberry Oatmeal Bars
Made from a few simple ingredients, these sweet and buttery strawberry oatmeal bars are a cinch to make.
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Raspberry White Chocolate Bars
A co-worker's mother gave me this gem of a recipe a few years back. I can never decide what's more appealing—the attractive look of the bars or their incredible aroma while they're baking! Everyone who tries these asks for the recipe. —Mimi Priesman, Pace, Florida
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Lemon Angel Cake Bars
A neighbor gave me this recipe years ago and it's been in flavor rotation ever since. It can be made ahead and serves a bunch, so it's perfect for parties and potlucks. —Marina Castle, Canyon Country, California
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Broadway Brownie Bars
I named these dessert bars for Broadway because they're a hit every time I serve them. I especially like to make them as a gift for anyone with a sweet tooth! —Anne Frederick, New Hartford, New York
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars
My twist on rice crispy bars includes crunchy crushed pretzels. Then I top them with a creamy peanut butter coating and rich chocolate topping. Garnished with peanuts and even more pretzels, I don’t think I'd ever go back to plain old bars again. —Sherri Melotik, Oak Creek, Wisconsin
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Easy Cake Mix Bars
I take this dessert to work for Friday pick-me-ups. It's one of my favorite yellow cake bar recipes. I love to share them because they're so easy to eat, easy to make and easy on the wallet. —Amy Rose, Ballwin, Missouri
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Crispy Pretzel Bars
I often make a big batch of these peanut butter-flavored cereal bars on days that I don't want to heat up the kitchen. Kids especially love them, so they're great for picnics, potlucks and school bake sales. —Jane Thompson, Eureka, Illinois
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Cherry Walnut Bars
Post holiday cheer with these nutty little fruit bars that travel extremely well. Since our cookie-loving son joined the Air Force, I’ve shipped them as far away as England and Italy.
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Butterfinger Cookie Bars
My boys went through a phase where they loved Butterfingers. We made Butterfinger shakes, muffins, cookies and experimented with different bars; this one was voted the best of the bunch. Make sure you have an extra candy bar on hand because it’s hard to resist a nibble or two while you’re chopping. —Barbara Leighty, Simi Valley, California
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Banana Split Cake Bars
Summer isn’t summer without a banana split or two, and these fun bars bring that same delicious flavor in potluck-perfect form. —Jasey McBurnett, Rock Springs, Wyoming
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Watermelon Rice Krispies Treats
Not only do these watermelon Rice Krispies Treats look like your favorite summery fruit, they taste like ’em, too! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Blueberry Lattice Bars
Since our area has an annual blueberry festival, my daughters and I are always looking for amazing new recipes to enter in the cooking contest. These lovely bars won a blue ribbon one year. —Debbie Ayers, Baileyville, Maine
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Toffee Pecan Bars
Curl up with a hot cup of coffee and one of these treats. The golden topping and flaky crust give way to the heartwarming taste of old-fashioned pecan pie. —Dianna Croskey, Gibsonia, Pennsylvania
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Chocolaty Nanaimo Bars
If a pastry could be a friend, the Nanaimo bar would be my BFF. This version won Cookie of the Fair at the 2006 Iowa State Fair. —Kelly McCulley, Des Moines, Iowa
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Chewy Salted Peanut Bars
My rich bars are studded with the all-American peanut. I like to think famed peanut farmer Jimmy Carter would approve. —Ann Marie Heinz, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
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Fudgy Macaroon Bars
Anyone with a sweet tooth will make a beeline for my dessert tray when these rich squares show up. They're attractive on the platter and delectable with fudge and coconut. —Beverly Zdurne, East Lansing, Michigan
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Chocolate Chip Bars
People are always surprised when I tell them these chocolate chip bars come from the microwave. Chockfull of chocolate chips, the bars are especially good served with a big glass of cold milk. —Shirley A. Glaab, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
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Chewy Chocolate-Cherry Bars
Colorful dried cherries and pistachios star in this take on seven-layer bars. To switch it up even more, try cinnamon or chocolate graham cracker crumbs instead of plain, and substitute pecans or walnuts for the pistachios. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Coconut-Pineapple Rhubarb Bars
I make this crunchy, buttery dessert bar with homegrown rhubarb. For an added attraction, serve it warm with frozen yogurt or ice cream. —Raymonde Bourgeois, Swastika, Ontario
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Kahlua Dream Bars
I always double this recipe so everyone gets a piece. For a glaze with deeper flavor, use 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate and 2 ounces semisweet.—Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario
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