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August 18, 2023

30+ Best Summer Berry Desserts

posted by Julie in Desserts, Fruit Desserts, Recipe Round-Ups, Recipes

Love fresh summer berries? Celebrate the best part of summer with this collection of 30+ Best Summer Berry Desserts highlighting ripe, juicy, sweet berries! From dozens of berry-centric recipes to tips on selecting the juiciest ones, here’s a collection of everything from cakes and brownies to ice cream and cheesecake!

collage of photos of desserts made with fresh summer berries

Summer is rapidly winding down. But before we jump right into apples and pumpkin, let’s take a little more time to enjoy what I consider to be the absolute best part of summer: all the fresh berries!

We still have a few weeks left for glorious fresh berries, and I’m going to take full advantage. If you love berry desserts as much as I do, here are some of my favorites that you’ll want to make while the best summer berries are still available!

The best part of these desserts? The berries are interchangeable in most of the recipes! Want to make a bundt cake with blackberries instead of blueberries? Swap away! Brownies on the brain but have more strawberries than raspberries? Easy swap!

pavlova covered with a pile of fresh berries

While not technically a berry, I’m also going to include cherries in the list, too. Chopped or halved pitted cherries are a perfect swap for berries in most recipes and bring so much flavor (and vibrant color!) to baked goods.

Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out on your culinary journey, there is a recipe in this collection for you! And if you’re craving fresh berries but it’s the middle of winter, don’t worry – many of these recipes also include instructions for how to use frozen berries instead of fresh ones.

side view of raspberry pie bars decorated with fresh raspberries

Speaking of fresh berries, let’s start with a little rundown on how to select the best berries:

Color: Look for berries that have a bright, vibrant, consistent color. Avoid berries that are dull, discolored, or look blotchy.
Texture: Oft for berries that are slightly firm and plump, not those that are overly soft or mushy.
Aroma: Berries should smell slightly sweet – if they lack any fragrance they may be underripe, but if they smell overly sweet, they’re rapidly approaching being overripe.
No Excess Moisture: If you’re buying pre-packed berries, inspect the container for any moisture or signs of mold.
Doesn’t Stick to Container: Flip the berry container upside down. If any of the fruit sticks to the bottom of the container, don’t buy it – these berries are too soft and will spoil quicker.

So get ready to dive on into the best summer berry desserts that will have you reaching for seconds (And maybe even thirds!).

30+ Best Summer Berry Desserts

Bars and Brownies

Fresh summer berries are perfect for pie bars with golden brown crumble toppings, or folded into fudgy, chocolatey brownies!

Raspberry Pie Bars

These easy Raspberry Pie Bars are made with a fresh raspberry custard filling and a buttery oatmeal crust and crumb topping for the perfect summertime treat!

Cherry Pie Bars

These quick and easy Cherry Pie Bars, made with fresh (or frozen!) cherries and covered with an easy crumb topping, are easy to make and perfect to share!

Blackberry Pie Bars

Everything you love about blackberry pie, in an easy-to-make, easy-to-share, bar form.

Raspberry Brownies

These easy one-bowl raspberry brownies are a classic fudgy, gooey brownie made even better with fresh or frozen raspberries baked inside!

Berry Oatmeal Crumble Bars

Berry oatmeal crumble bars are the perfect use for fresh summer berries! A crispy oatmeal shell surrounding a sweet homemade berry jam – delicious with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or strawberries.

Cakes

Layer cakes, bundt cakes, coffee cakes, and pound cakes are all perfect for summer with the addition of ripe fresh berries!

Vanilla Blueberry Cake with Blueberry Cardamom Curd

A three-layer blueberry vanilla cake filled with blueberry cardamom curd and covered with whipped cream. Simple flavors combine to make a spectacular dessert!

Chocolate Chip Cherry Pound Cake

The very best chocolate chip cherry pound cake – a slightly dense, buttery pound cake that melts in your mouth, filled with chopped cherries and chocolate chips, topped with a cherry fudge frosting.

Chocolate Raspberry Cake

With three thick layers of moist chocolate cake, melted chocolate buttercream, and a raspberry curd filling, this Chocolate Raspberry Cake is the perfect way to celebrate any occasion.

Three Layer Chocolate Cherry Cake

Whether you use fresh or frozen cherries, this three-layer Chocolate Cherry Cake is packed full of delicious cherry flavor!

Blueberry Swirl Pound Cake

Take your pound cake game to the next level with Blueberry Swirl Pound Cake! Featuring a classic lemon pound cake base with swirls of blueberry sauce topped off with a dreamy blueberry glaze!

Lemon Curd Cake with Blackberry Buttercream Frosting

Covered with blackberry frosting and filled with homemade lemon curd, this triple-layer lemon curd cake is the ultimate delight for lemon lovers!

Chocolate Chip Cherry Upside Down Cake

An easy one bowl sour cream coffee cake filled with chocolate chips and fresh cherries, this chocolate chip cherry upside down cake is perfect for breakfast, dessert, or anytime in between.

Blueberry Peach Coffee Cake

Perfectly ripe peaches and juicy blueberries top a delicious vanilla coffee cake. Breakfast? Dessert? Mid-afternoon snack? Yes, yes, and yes!

Raspberry Crumb Cake

Made with a light and fluffy buttermilk cake, a layer of homemade raspberry jam, and a raspberry streusel topping, this easy raspberry crumb cake is perfect for dessert.. or breakfast!

Blueberry Almond Coffee Cake

A light buttermilk blueberry cake with an almond streusel topping, perfect for breakfast or as a not-so-sweet dessert.

Strawberry Layer Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting

Perfect for all your summer celebrations, this strawberry layer cake with whipped cream frosting is made entirely with real strawberries and filled with thick layers of homemade strawberry puree.

Pies

Is there a more classic fruit dessert than a freshly baked pie? Try these berry-filled varieties for your summer pie baking!

Chocolate Strawberry Pie

This Chocolate Strawberry Pie combines the rich, sweet flavor of chocolate with the tangy, fresh flavor of strawberries for a tasty and decadent dessert. Creating this masterpiece is worth every second!

Blueberry Rhubarb Pie (Bluebarb Pie)

Move over, strawberries -- blueberries are the new perfect pairing for rhubarb. This Blueberry Rhubarb pie will be your new favorite!

Cherry Almond Pie

Skip the canned filling and make this cherry almond pie entirely from scratch with fresh summer cherries.

Almond Crumble Blueberry Pie

Flaky crust, fresh blueberries, and an almond paste crumble topping. The perfect pie has arrived, just in time for blueberry season.

Blackberry Peach Galette

Fresh summer fruits shine in this easy rustic Blackberry Peach Galette, made with a thick, flaky homemade crust.

Muffins and Quick Breads

The best berry recipes can be appropriate for breakfast, too!

Low Sugar Blueberry Muffins

Trade in your special occasion supersized bakery muffin for one of these everyday-appropriate Low Sugar Blueberry Muffins bursting with blueberries.

Lemon Raspberry Muffins

Bursting with lemon and perfectly ripe raspberries, these glazed Lemon Raspberry Muffins are the ideal treat any time of day! An easy mix-by-hand recipe, the muffins are delicious whether they are standard, jumbo, or mini-sized.