15 Sweet Treats That Define Summer

ByJD Alewine Published On Updated on

Summer’s not just about cookouts and cold drinks, it’s also prime time for desserts that keep things fun, fruity, and not too fussy. Whether it’s a chilled pudding, nostalgic snack, or something bright and citrusy, these are the sweet treats that show up when the weather gets warm and the good times roll. Here are 15 desserts that taste like pure summer.

1. Strawberry Pretzel Salad

A slice of Strawberry Pretzel Salad sits on a beige plate, topped with sliced strawberries and red gelatin, with a creamy layer and crunchy pretzel crust visible underneath.
Maddy Alewine / Them Bites

Crunchy, creamy, sweet, and a little salty; this retro favorite is always a hit at summer potlucks. It’s cool, easy, and loaded with strawberries. Here’s how to make it

2. Gooey Butter Cake

A single slice of Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, dusted with powdered sugar, rests on a brown plate, with a blue and white striped cloth peeking into the scene.
Maddy Alewine / Them Bites

Don’t let the name fool you, it’s light enough for summer but rich enough to feel like a treat. A buttery crust topped with a soft, sweet filling that barely sets. Try it yourself

3. Texas Sheet Cake

A close-up of a Texas Sheet Cake in a baking pan, with several rectangular pieces cut out, revealing its shiny, smooth chocolate frosting on top.
Maddy Alewine / Them Bites

Thin, moist, and slathered in warm chocolate frosting, this cake feeds a crowd without heating up your kitchen too long. It’s perfect for summer birthdays and backyard hangs. Get the recipe here

4. Oreo Blondies

Oreo Blondie close up shot.
Maddy Alewine / Them Bites

Think brownies, but lighter and studded with crunchy chunks of Oreo. Sweet, chewy, and always the first dessert to disappear. Bake a batch

5. Candy Grapes

Candy grapes
Maddy Alewine / Them Bites

These bright, glossy, candy-coated grapes are bite-sized sugar bombs. Toss them in the freezer and you’ve got the ultimate heatwave snack. Learn how to make them

6. Cinnamon Rolls

Glazed up cinnamon rolls.
Maddy Alewine / Them Bites

Soft, gooey, and covered in icing, cinnamon rolls might sound like a winter treat but they hit different when eaten cold on a summer morning. Make your own

7. Black and White Cookies

A close-up of a black and white cookie on an orange plate, perfect for anyone searching for a classic Black and White Cookies recipe. The cookie is half-covered in chocolate icing and half in white, with another partially visible nearby.
Maddy Alewine / Them Bites

These bakery-style cookies have a cake-like base and two-toned icing. They’re sweet, balanced, and taste just right with a scoop of ice cream. Try the recipe here

8. Cherry Toaster Strudel

Three golden-brown pastries with flaky crusts sit on parchment paper, one revealing a red filling, reminiscent of a Cherry Toaster Strudel or fruit hand pie, with tempting layers and a sweet jam center.
Maddy Alewine / Them Bites

Flaky, fruity, and full of cherry filling, these strudels are way better than the frozen kind. Drizzle with homemade icing and eat them warm or cold. See how it’s done

9. Shoofly Pie

A close-up of a Shoofly Pie with a golden-brown, slightly cracked crust and patches of dark fruit filling, dusted with powdered sugar, in a clear pie dish next to a blue-striped kitchen towel.
Maddy Alewine / Them Bites

Molasses may not scream summer, but this Pennsylvania Dutch pie has a sticky-sweet crumb that works well with fresh whipped cream and coffee. Bake one here

10. Broken Glass Cake

A close-up of a dessert slice featuring colorful gelatin cubes, white cream, and a crumbly base on a spatula—one of the 15 Sweet Treats That Define Summer—set against a blurred background.
Maddy Alewine / Them Bites

Colorful cubes of Jell-O suspended in whipped cream and sweetened milk; it’s weird, nostalgic, and surprisingly refreshing on a hot day. Make it here

11. Apple Snickers Salad

A bowl of Apple Snickers Salad Recipe features chopped green apples, diced chocolate candy bars, and a drizzle of caramel over a creamy white base. A metal spoon rests beside the bowl on a marble surface.
Maddy Alewine / Them Bites

Chopped apples, pudding, whipped topping, and chopped candy bars? It’s not a salad, but it is perfect for summer picnics. Try the full recipe

12. Sundrop Cake

A round bundt cake, inspired by a classic Sundrop Cake Recipe, with white icing partially covering the top, sits on a wire cooling rack.
Maddy Alewine / Them Bites

This Southern classic uses a regional citrus soda to create a bright, lemony cake with a zesty glaze. It’s sunshine in dessert form. Get the recipe

13. Tin Roof Sundae

A glass sundae dish filled with vanilla and chocolate ice cream is being topped with a stream of white sauce. In the background, hinting at a Tin Roof Sundae Recipe, are a can of Planters peanuts and a bowl of whipped cream on a wooden surface.
Maddy Alewine / Them Bites

Chocolate syrup, vanilla ice cream, and crunchy peanuts all layered up and topped with a cherry. No summer dessert list is complete without it. Learn how to make it

14. No-Bake Banana Pudding

A glass baking dish with ladyfinger cookies is being filled with creamy custard for a delicious No Bake Banana Pudding Recipe, poured from a bowl, while a metal whisk rests nearby on a wooden surface.
Maddy Alewine / Them Bites

You don’t even need an oven for this one. Just layer up some bananas, pudding, whipped topping, and vanilla wafers and chill. Get the step-by-step here

15. Dollywood Cinnamon Bread

Close-up of freshly baked cinnamon rolls in a skillet, topped with a drizzle of melted icing, showcasing their golden-brown, fluffy texture—reminiscent of the famous Dollywood Cinnamon Bread Recipe.
Maddy Alewine / Them Bites

Hot, pull-apart cinnamon bread that tastes like a trip to the theme park. It’s sweet, sticky, and just as good on a screened-in porch. Make it yourself

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