21 Tasty Treats Ideal for Summer
**Charming Summer Sweets to Savor the Season**
What could be more refreshing than a chilly or fruity dessert on a warm summer day? Not much! Here’s a selection of my top summer dessert recipes, featuring classics like French clafoutis and exciting surprise treats such as pineapple mint popsicles.
These sweets are all fresh and straightforward to prepare, guaranteed to please a gathering or enhance your dinner table. Many include fresh berries and peaches, encompassing fruity crisps, easy cakes, and frozen yogurt. Some recipes are enhanced by a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a swirl of whipped cream.
The days are extended, and the temperatures are inviting. Choose a favorite below, and let’s rejoice in the season. Enjoy!
1. **Clafoutis**
This clafoutis recipe is simply unmatched! You can create it with berries (my preferred choice), cherries (my daughter’s preferred), or any fruity variations listed in the post. Recipe yields one 10-inch clafoutis, sufficient for 8 slices.
2. **Lemon Posset**
Lemon posset is a rich, citrusy sweet treat—the ideal small indulgence. It provides a luscious texture and a well-balanced lemon taste that perfectly straddles the line between tart and sweet. Posset is incredibly simple to whip up! Allow 3 hours for chilling. Recipe yields 8 to 9 petite (2-ounce) servings.
3. **Gluten-Free Almond Cake with Berries on Top**
This delectable gluten-free almond cake recipe is easy to prepare and naturally sweet. Garnish it with yogurt and fresh berries for a cake worthy of any celebration! Recipe yields one 9-inch cake, enough for 8 slices.
4. **Peach Crisp (Gluten-Free)**
This healthier peach crisp boasts succulent summer peaches and a delightful oat and almond topping, which is gluten-free. Refer to recipe notes for dietary adjustments. Recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.
5. **Thumbprint Cookies**
These thumbprint cookies deliver classic shortbread flavor with stunning jam fillings. Almond flour allows them to be gluten-free and extra tasty! Recipe yields 22 to 24 small cookies.
6. **Simple Blueberry Cake**
Try this straightforward blueberry cake recipe! This blueberry cake is soft and delicious, packed with blueberries, and not overly sweet. It’s naturally sweetened and whole grain, as stated (check recipe notes for alternative flour options). Recipe yields one 9-inch round cake, enough for 8 slices.
7. **Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp**
This easy crisp recipe is overflowing with sweet, juicy strawberries and tangy rhubarb. Made with honey, oats, and yogurt, this crisp is healthier than many others. That said, do be sure to serve it with vanilla ice cream for dessert (or yogurt for breakfast)!
8. **Easy Pineapple Mint Popsicles**
Want a refreshing summer snack? Create these effortless pineapple-mint popsicles! You’ll need just two ingredients to whip up these all-natural ice pops. Popsicle molds vary in size; this recipe yields a total of 16 ounces, so adjust if needed.
9. **Mixed Berry Crisp (Gluten Free)**
Whip up this delightful berry crisp using any combination of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries. It’s the ideal simple and fruity summer dessert. Recipe yields one 9-inch crisp, about 8 servings.
10. **Pots de Crème**
This foolproof pots de crème recipe comes together swiftly in the blender and is delicious. Make it for dessert, and freeze any leftovers! Yields 36 ounces, sufficient for anywhere from 36 petite 1-ounce servings to 9 generous 4-ounce servings.
11. **Lemony Cheesecake Tart with Pistachio Crust**
This cheesecake tart recipe is outstanding! It’s straightforward to prepare and tastes gourmet. The homemade pistachio-oat crust is gluten-free. Recipe yields one 9-inch tart, adequate for 8 medium slices.
12. **Easy Fruit Compote**
Discover how to prepare fruit compote with this simple recipe! You can use fresh or frozen fruit. It’s delectable on ice cream, yogurt, toast, pancakes, waffles, and more! Recipe yields around 2 cups compote.
13. **No-Bake Greek Yogurt Tart**
This no-bake Greek yogurt tart recipe appears impressive but is very easy to make and nutritious as well! I topped mine with raspberries and strawberries, but feel free to use any fresh fruit of your choice. Recipe yields one 9-inch tart (6 slices).
14. **Blueberry Almond Crisp**
This remarkable blueberry crisp recipe is the ultimate summer dessert! It’s simple to prepare with blueberries, maple syrup, lemon, oats, and almonds. It’s gluten-free, too! Recipe yields 6 to 8 servings (a generous amount!).
Weekly Meal Schedule for the Week of June 23, 2025
### About the Author: Holly Nilsson
Holly Nilsson is the innovative mind behind Spend With Pennies, a culinary site focused on offering simple and comforting recipes tailored for everyday cooking. With a strong enthusiasm for nostalgic tastes and straightforward cooking methods, Holly enables busy home chefs to create delectable meals that are both appealing and feasible.
Her cooking philosophy highlights the significance of comfort food, ensuring it is within reach for everyone, no matter their cooking abilities. Holly’s recipes frequently take cues from classic dishes, reinventing them to suit the fast-paced lives of contemporary families.
Alongside her efforts on Spend With Pennies, Holly has penned “Everyday Comfort,” a cookbook meant to motivate readers with hearty, home-cooked dishes that bring forth feelings of warmth and nostalgia. Her knowledge and friendly approach have established her as a reliable source for individuals looking to enrich their culinary skills.
For additional insights and mouthwatering recipes, you can delve deeper into her work by checking out [Holly’s posts](https://www.spendwithpennies.com/author/holly/).
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Broccoli Slaw Cooking Instructions and Recipe Guide
Alex & Sonja: The Culinary Partners Behind A Couple Cooks
Introducing Alex and Sonja Overhiser, the energetic pair who have transformed their love for cooking into a flourishing online community. As the creators of two celebrated cookbooks and the pioneers of the well-known site A Couple Cooks, Alex and Sonja have been motivating home cooks since 2010 with their straightforward, seasonal dishes and contagious passion for the culinary arts.
What started as a personal endeavor to express their culinary affection has evolved into a comprehensive guide for food lovers globally. A Couple Cooks is more than merely a recipe blog; it celebrates the joy of cooking together as a family. Alex and Sonja, who are active parents, recognize the obstacles of meal planning and preparation, and aspire to make the experience as enjoyable and accessible as possible.
Their site showcases thousands of unique recipes, each made with precision and care. From speedy weeknight meals to extravagant weekend celebrations, Alex and Sonja provide a diverse array of choices for any event. Their recipes are not just tasty but also prioritize the use of fresh, seasonal produce, encouraging readers to adopt a healthier and more sustainable cooking style.
Alongside recipes, A Couple Cooks offers useful cooking advice and meal planning suggestions, all intended to help readers gain confidence in the kitchen. Alex and Sonja’s friendly tone and captivating photography render their content both educational and visually enticing, inviting readers into their culinary universe.
Outside the kitchen, Alex and Sonja are devoted to nurturing a sense of community among their readership. They actively interact with their audience via social media, providing support and motivation to fellow home cooks. Their sincere enthusiasm for cooking and commitment to their craft have garnered a dedicated following and solidified their reputation as reliable voices in the food blogging community.
Whether you are an experienced chef or a beginner cook, Alex and Sonja’s A Couple Cooks is a valuable tool for anyone aiming to delve into the pleasures of cooking. With their expert advice and inventive recipes, you’ll be inspired to roll up your sleeves and start cooking together with your cherished ones.
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How to Prepare Teriyaki Sauce at Home
This simple homemade teriyaki sauce recipe only takes 5 minutes to prepare and contains no refined sugar or preservatives! You’ll never want to purchase teriyaki sauce again.
Have you ever prepared teriyaki sauce from scratch? When Alex and I crafted this recipe years back, it transformed our lives. Our homemade teriyaki sauce requires just 5 minutes to create and is incredibly delicious. It surpasses store-bought teriyaki sauce in flavor, and has no added salt, sugar, or preservatives. Plus, there’s no refined sugar involved!
We broke down teriyaki sauce to its essential elements, yet the taste remains fantastic with just a few key ingredients. A friend of mine mentioned she whips it up weekly for beef and broccoli, and it’s equally fantastic for a tofu stir fry or teriyaki salmon!
Where did teriyaki sauce come from?
Teriyaki has its origins in Japan, but in Japan, it actually denotes a cooking technique: grilling foods in a combination of soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. A dish like chicken teriyaki is, in fact, more of an American innovation than a traditional Japanese one!
It is believed that teriyaki sauce was developed by Japanese immigrants who settled in Hawaii. They crafted a marinade with local ingredients, such as pineapple juice mixed with soy sauce. This gradually evolved into what we recognize today as teriyaki sauce. So, to summarize: teriyaki sauce has Japanese origins, but it is primarily an American invention rather than an authentic Japanese recipe.
How to create homemade teriyaki sauce
Crafting homemade teriyaki sauce is genuinely simple: and in this recipe, we made it even easier by focusing on its primary components. Our recipe calls for only soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and maple syrup.
Using maple syrup ensures that it is free of refined sugar and has a natural sweetness, which is a great advantage! The quantity of soy sauce is also spot on: it’s just salty enough without being overly salty.
You’ll warm the ingredients and then stir in a cornstarch slurry to give it thickness and shine. The sauce can be prepared in around 5 minutes, so we’re officially done with buying teriyaki sauce!
As mentioned in the recipe, as it cools, the sauce thickens significantly. You may find it necessary to add a tiny amount of warm water to achieve a slightly thinner texture.
Dietary notes
This straightforward homemade teriyaki sauce recipe is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free (if using tamari), plant-based, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and naturally sweet.
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
This simple homemade teriyaki sauce recipe only takes 5 minutes to prepare and contains no refined sugar or preservatives! You’ll never want to purchase teriyaki sauce again.
Author: Sonja
Prep Time: 1 minute
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: About 1 cup
Category: Sauce
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Japanese American
Ingredients
– ¼ cup regular soy sauce (or substitute tamari or coconut aminos)
– ¼ cup maple syrup
– 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
– 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
– ½ cup water
Instructions
1. For the homemade teriyaki sauce: Mix the soy sauce, maple syrup, and rice wine vinegar in a medium saucepan and place it over medium heat.
2. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with water and whisk until it’s dissolved. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan.
3. Heat the sauce for a few minutes, whisking continuously, until it becomes thick, smooth, and glossy. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and let it cool while you finish the rest of the recipe. (You can also prepare the teriyaki ahead of time and refrigerate it until needed.) If the sauce gets too thick after cooling, add a tiny amount of warm water gradually to return it to the desired consistency.
Other homemade sauce recipes to try
Homemade sauces are the best! Here are a few more of our essential sauce recipes:
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Iced Espresso with Water
Alex & Sonja Overhiser: Culinary Innovators and Cookbook Writers
Introducing Alex and Sonja Overhiser, the creative pair behind the beloved culinary platform, A Couple Cooks. As the authors of two celebrated cookbooks, busy parents, and a genuine couple who share a fervor for cooking, Alex and Sonja have profoundly influenced the realm of home cooking. Their adventure commenced in 2010 when they launched A Couple Cooks to spread their enthusiasm for straightforward, seasonal recipes and the happiness that cooking brings to daily life.
Throughout the years, A Couple Cooks has evolved into a thorough resource for home chefs, providing thousands of unique recipes, culinary tips, and meal planning suggestions. Each recipe is carefully developed, penned, and photographed by Alex and Sonja themselves, ensuring their personal flair shines through in every dish. Their recipes are crafted to be both delectable and accessible, making them ideal for bustling families and individuals seeking to savor wholesome, home-prepared meals.
Alex and Sonja’s cooking philosophy highlights the importance of fresh, seasonal ingredients, which not only elevate the taste of their dishes but also encourage sustainability and healthy eating practices. Their dedication to these principles is shown in the extensive assortment of recipes found on their website, ranging from quick weekday meals to sumptuous weekend celebrations.
Beyond their digital influence, Alex and Sonja have penned two cookbooks that further exhibit their culinary skills and imagination. These cookbooks are brimming with recipes that embody their approach to simple, yet flavorful cooking, and aim to motivate home chefs to explore and enjoy the art of meal preparation.
Aside from their professional milestones, Alex and Sonja are also committed parents who recognize the difficulties of juggling family life with a passion for cooking. They frequently test their recipes on their own children, ensuring their dishes are not only approved by adults but are also appealing to kids.
Through A Couple Cooks, Alex and Sonja Overhiser persist in inspiring and empowering home cooks across the globe, demonstrating that cooking together can be a delightful and fulfilling journey. Whether you are a skilled chef or a kitchen beginner, their recipes and advice provide something for everyone, making the craft of cooking approachable and enjoyable for all.
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