I bake often in the summer, since I take treats to my Bible study group every week. This summer I tried several new recipes. Summer desserts include lots of light, fruity flavors, such as lemon and berry, and are best when topped with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Here are some of my favorite recipes from this past season:
One week we had leftover lemons and blueberries from another recipe, and I decided to make a delicious loaf of lemon blueberry bread. It was simple to make and most of the ingredients were normal. The only extra thing we had to pick up was greek yogurt. If you make this recipe, be sure to cook it long enough, because our bread was a bit too soft in the center.
Raspberry lemon mini-cheesecakes
This was a special one-time recipe for a fun family tea party one weekend. My mom, sister, and I all pitched in and they turned out great. Pro tip: serve them with fresh whipped cream and a little raspberry on top, but if it’s hot outside, eat them quick. Our whipped cream melted in the summer sun!
This was a super quick bake, and my little sister, age 9, did most of the work. Anyone can do it! We used this recipe, but instead of peanut butter we used a chocolate spread. The result was a delicious batch of muffins no one could turn down! These tasty treats are best when served warm– for those cool summer evenings.
Raspberry-almond thumbprint cookies
This recipe was, by far, a fan favorite. I made these cookies three times because they disappeared so quickly. If you make one recipe from this review, it should be these cookies! Our special ingredient was my Grandpa’s homemade raspberry jam. Using his delicious homemade jam made these cookies beyond amazing.
Though pretzels didn’t come to my mind right away, my mom suggested making this quick dessert for a backyard gathering we had this summer. I’m glad I did because everyone loved it! Fresh strawberries, sweet Jel-O, fluffy whipped cream, and crunchy, salty pretzels made a perfect flavor combination for the hot summer afternoon. This dessert involves very little baking, so it’s an easy treat for anyone to make. Great for outdoor parties and family gatherings!
Another summer classic! Lemon is just the perfect refreshing flavor for sunny days. These rich bars are satisfying after just one bite, but no one wants to stop there. If you love the tart flavor of lemon and want a simple treat on a summer day, whip up a batch of these delicious lemon bars!
Discussion Questions:
- Which of these recipes sounds the best to you? Which one would you eat first?
- Do you like baking? What kinds of things do you bake?
- Which season has the best desserts?
