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35 Labor Day Desserts That Make Summer's End A Little Sweeter

Quick: Wear all the white and eat all your summer faves!

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strawberries with toasted marshmallow and graham crackers
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

As Labor Day approaches, reaching the end of summer fun can be bittersweet. But here at Delish, we are all about focusing on maximizing the "sweet" aspect this Labor Day with as many desserts as possible. So in true Labor Day fashion, we rounded up 35 of our best, easy-breezy summery desserts like blueberry cheesecake icebox cake, fruit pops, and blackberry pie to take to your end of summer BBQ. Best of all? These low-effort desserts are not at all laborious to make. 😉

Send off summer in the tastiest way possible by highlighting summer produce all-stars, like peaches, blackberries, and watermelon. If you haven't tried our recipes for grilled peaches, no-bake blackberry Oreo tart, or bourbon peach pie, we highly suggest you jump on it ASAP while the farmers' markets are still stacked.

Feeling nostalgic for all your summer adventures already? If you're craving those tropical flavors of a summer vacation, you'll really love our recipes for pineapple coconut cake, coconut Key lime pie bars, and refreshing granita. Summer, to us, also means some pretty special camping trips, which require s'mores, of course. Try our s'mores cupcakes, s'mores board, and campfire strawberries to bring you right back to the campsite.

Not ready to let go of summer? We hear you. Try out all of our favorite summer dinners, summer desserts, no-bake desserts, and beach drinks to tote along in your favorite cooler.

And if you're fully ready to plunge into pumpkin-flavored everything, we have more than a few fall recipes to help you out (like our bloomin' apples). Check out all of our fall cookies, fall cocktails, fall appetizers, and fall dinners to help you usher in the season. We're also pretty sure all of our favorite pumpkin desserts will make the end of summer a bit sweeter.

1

Brookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

ice cream sandwiches with brownies and chocolate chip cookies
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Introducing our irresistible dessert combination: the brookie ice cream sandwich, a trio that includes a delightful balance of rich, fudgy brownie, crisp chocolate chip cookie, and creamy vanilla ice cream. To make this treat, we start with baking a brookie—a dessert that’s half brownie and half cookie—then transform it into an ice cream sandwich. Perfect for summer BBQs and gatherings, these sandwiches are equally delightful as a sweet treat stored in the freezer ready to enjoy.

Get the Brookie Ice Cream Sandwiches recipe.

2

Peach Cobbler

peach cobbler
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Nothing says summer quite like a fruit cobbler, particularly one made with peaches right when they’re at their ripest and juiciest (~end of June through August). When baked, the sweet stone fruit becomes tender and jammy, the perfect foil for the biscuit topping that’s crisp on top and tender underneath. Serve it with a cold scoop of ice cream or homemade whipped cream for a bit of peak summer decadence.

Get the Peach Cobbler recipe.

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3

Green & Red Grape Sorbet

green and purple grape sorbet
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

If you’re looking for something sweet and light during the hot summer, look no further. This easy sorbet is the perfect treat when grapes are at the peak of their season. We also love this recipe because it’s so simple to make. You only need a few ingredients and a food processor to make this super refreshing dessert.

Get the Green & Red Grape Sorbet recipe.

4

Ice Cream In A Bag

ice cream in a bag with cherries, sprinkles, and toppings
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Yup, you can make delicious homemade ice cream without any special gadget or crazy ingredients. All you need is a plastic baggie and 15 minutes (no seriously, that's it!). Scoop directly out of the bag (or place it in an airtight container in the freezer before serving if you like yours a little firmer), and enjoy your favorite customizable homemade ice cream recipe in less time than it takes to run out and grab a pint.

Get the Ice Cream In A Bag recipe.

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5

Campfire Strawberries

strawberries with toasted marshmallow and graham crackers
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

If you're obsessed with s'mores, one reason you love them is for the toasted marshmallow flavor. These strawberries have that and so much more. They're dunked in melty marshmallow fluff, then torched over a campfire for a fruity treat that's the perfect end of any campfire dinner.

Get the Campfire Strawberries recipe.

6

Peanut Butter Cup Chess Pie

pie with a chocolate base, peanut butter filling, and chocolate top
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Here at Delish, we love a dessert mashup: some sweet things are just made to be together. Next up for us? This peanut butter-chocolate dream of a dessert takes two famous desserts—Reese’s peanut butter cups and the South’s chess pie—and makes something uniquely delicious.

Get the Peanut Butter Cup Chess Pie recipe.

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7

Piña Colada Mousseï»ż

pina colada mousse layered with coconut oat crunch in glass parfait cups topped with whipped cream and a cherry
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

If you love piña coladas (and getting caught in the rain), you’ve got to try these mousse cups. Crispy coconut crumble, pineapple mousse, and boozy whipped cream are layered for a cool and creamy dessert spin on everyone’s favorite beach cocktail.

Get the Piña Colada Mousse.

8

S'mores Cupcakes

chocolate cupcakes coated in melted chocolate, graham cracker crumbs, toasted meringue frosting, and a graham cracker square
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

S'mores are one of our favorite outdoor snacks, but there's not always a fire pit or grill to be found. Now you can have everything you love about s'mores—buttery graham crackers, melty chocolate, and toasted marshmallow—in a portable, handheld cupcake!

Get the S'mores Cupcakes recipe.

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9

Coconut Key Lime Cheesecake Bars

coconut key lime cheesecake bars with whipped cream, shredded toasted coconut, and lime
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

We love a dessert mashup (we see you, brookie), but what if you upped the ante and combined three sweets instead of just two? That’s exactly what we did with these bars, which combine the best of Key lime pie, coconut cream pie, and cheesecake into one next-level treat.

Get the Coconut Key Lime Cheesecake Bars recipe.

10

Blueberry Cheesecake Icebox Cake

slices of blueberry cheesecake icebox cake on a marble platter
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

When it’s hot outside, a no-bake dessert like this blueberry cheesecake icebox cake is an ace up your sleeve. Layers of blueberry jam, whipped cream cheese, and graham crackers are stacked together for a no-fuss cool and creamy masterpiece that looks like you spent hours crafting it—when all you did was shove it in the refrigerator to chill for a few hours. No oven required.

Get the Blueberry Cheesecake Icebox Cake recipe.

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11

Banana Pudding Lasagna

banana pudding lasagna
Andrew bui

Bananas? All about 'em. Pudding? Love it. Lasagna
 wait, what? Stay with us! It’s true that this isn’t a true Italian lasagna. Here we've swapped out pasta, sauce, and cheese with Nilla wafers, cheesecake filling, and bananas for the perfect no-bake dessert to make for a crowd.

Get the Banana Pudding Lasagna recipe.

12

No-Bake Blackberry Oreo Tart

no baked blackberry oreo tart with mascrapone whipped cream and blackberry filling and an oreo crust
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Blackberries are that “side” berry we kind of forget about. But when Oreos come knocking, there is something special to be said about their lovely pairing. And the title of “no-bake” anything should be relieving, especially in the summertime.

Get the No-Bake Blackberry Oreo Tart recipe.

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13

Baked Key Lime Pie Pudding

baked key lime pie pudding topped with whipped cream and lime zest
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

The perfect dessert for end-of-summer, this dreamy, creamy, citrus-packed baked Key lime pudding will definitely elicit all the "oohs" and "aahs" at your next get-together. Served warm from the oven with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, a dollop of homemade whipped cream, and toasty graham cracker crumbs, this decadent lime-infused pudding is incredibly impressive yet deceptively simple (we won't tell!).

Get the Baked Key Lime Pie Pudding recipe.

14

Strawberry Upside Down Skillet Cake

strawberry upside down skillet cake
Andrew bui

Want to make a cake but aren’t confident in your baking skills? You’ve got to try an upside-down cake. They’re quick, easy, and pretty much decorate themselves. For this version, we kept it simple with strawberries, meaning you can make this for any summer soiree.

Get the Strawberry Upside Down Skillet Cake recipe.

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15

How to Make a S'mores Board

how to make a s'mores board
Emily Hlavac Green

We know what you're thinking: There's a board for everything nowadays. Brunch boards, hot cocoa boards, French fry boards (guilty), taco night boards—the limit does not exist. The latest summer trend we're totally on board with (had to 🙃)? S'mores boards! S'mores boards are super easy to assemble because essentially everything is store-bought.

Get the How to Make a S'mores Board recipe.

16

Bloomin' Apples

apples cut and topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

One thing that's great about the end of summer? Going apple picking, and then quickly making these bloomin' apples. They might look crazy impressive, but they are actually quite easy to make. Once you get cutting them down (it's easier than you think—watch the video for help), all you need to do is fill with chewy caramel squares, brush with melted butter, and bake! Top with vanilla ice cream and a caramel drizzle, and you just might say goodbye to apple pie.

Get the Bloomin' Apples recipe.

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17

Cookies 'N' Cream Ice Cream Pie

cookies 'n' cream ice cream pie

Can't choose between a chocolaty pie, cake, or ice cream? This ice cream pie is the most delicious compromise: a buttery Oreo crust is filled with a cookies 'n' cream ice cream (and plenty of hot fudge sauce).

Get the Cookies 'N' Cream Ice Cream Pie recipe.

18

Chocolate Fluffernutter Pie

chocolate fluffernutter pie
Suzanne Clements

For all the chocolate peanut butter cup–obsessed, Fluffernutter-loving friends out there: We see you. This recipe is an upgrade of our no-bake peanut butter pie. Instead of topping it with traditional whipped cream (which would still be totally delicious), we made a very quick and easy marshmallow whipped cream. 😍

Get the Chocolate Fluffernutter Pie recipe.

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19

Orange Creamsicle Bars

orange creamsicle bars with a graham cracker crust
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

These triple-layered orange bars have us feeling all nostalgic for the classic frozen Popsicle treat that inspired them. But we won’t linger on it for too long because, just like their inspiration, these bars are irresistibly good. They’re creamy, dreamy, and the perfect blend of citrusy orange and vanilla bean flavor paired with a graham cracker crust.

Get the Orange Creamsicle Bars recipe.

20

Peach Melba

vanilla ice cream topped with peaches and raspberries
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

There is nothing better than seasonal fruit for dessert, especially when it’s paired with ice cream! This take on peach melba continues the tradition of pairing peaches with a fresh tart-and-sweet raspberry sauce and vanilla ice cream. In just half an hour, you’ll have a tasty, memorable, kid-friendly dessert that will make everyone smile.

Get the Peach Melba recipe.

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