Twenty dessert recipes that work better in warm weather

End your meals with these light, refreshing treats.

By SAVEUR Editors | Published May 15, 2020 12:00 AM

These refreshing frozen treats come from pastry chef Jen Yee in New York City. Toss in your ingredients if you're feeling wild. Christina Holmes

This story originally featured on Saveur.

During winter we love rich, hearty desserts to pad our bellies and keep us warm. But once the weather starts to warm up—and with beach season looming on the horizon—we crave lighter and brighter flavors. Our current obsession? Rhubarb desserts are all the rage. But we love any light, seasonal treat that you can pack in your picnic basket. For something visually stunning, look no further than Pinterest. Our users have spoken by choosing these most-pinned spring dessert recipes. From pineapple tea cookie recipes to sweet cheese ice cream recipes and Meyer lemon shortbreads, here are the sugary treats to indulge in this spring.

Mascarpone Ice Cream with Apricots, Raspberries, and Honey Granola

Light in sweetness and in texture, this dessert can be dressed up with berries and dried fruits.

Pineapple Tea Cookies

These sandwich cookies, adapted from chef Frederico Ribeiro of New York’s Te Company, are an homage to the classic Taiwanese pineapple cake.

Meyer Lemon Sandwich Cookies

Fragrant Meyer lemon zest goes into these shortbread sandwich cookies from pastry chef and author Emily Luchetti.

Grand Marnier Strawberry Sundaes

Boozy, macerated strawberries top vanilla ice cream in this simple sundae.

Labneh Tart

Labneh, a thick strained yogurt, is the base for this vanilla-spiked tart.

Angel Food Cupcakes

These cupcakes are the perfect spring or summer treat—light, airy, and topped with a tangy lemon-mascarpone frosting and garnished with fresh berries.

Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake

Pastry chef Anna Posey blackens rhubarb in a wood-fired oven for the cheesecake’s compote topping.

Almond Cheesecake with Macerated Strawberries and Mint

Ground almonds add body and flavor to this creamy Swedish cheesecake, topped with clouds of whipped cream and ripe strawberries macerated with fresh mint.

Mezcal Chiffon Cake

Smoky mezcal and bright pomelo zest flavor this airy, eggy chiffon cake.

Pineapple and Pine Nut Torte

Portland pastry chef Kristen Murray layers sponge cake with buttercream and white chocolate ganache, then garnishes the torte with honeyed pineapple slices and candied pine nuts.

Rhubarb Tarte Tatin

In this unique style, rhubarb is caramelized until soft before being topped with batter and baked.

Lemon Custard Tart

Use leftover dough from the butter crust of this creamy lemon custard pastry to make decorative cookies.

Fermented Banana and Dark Chocolate Pudding

The fermented, sweet tang of bananas blends with bitter chocolate for a tropical spin on the classic pudding.

Strawberry Rhubarb Yogurt Pops

These refreshing frozen treats come from pastry chef Jen Yee in New York City. Toss in your ingredients if you’re feeling wild.

Strawberry Rhubarb Hand Pies

For these portable fruit pies, Georgia-based chef and restaurateur Hugh Acheson uses rice wine vinegar to make the flavors pop.

Raspberry Brûlée

This raspberry brûlée is a delightful combination of whipped cream and luscious ripe fruits covered with a crunchy sugar topping.

Ricotta and Coffee Mousse

Elegant and easy to prepare, this romantic mousse is flavored with espresso and topped with a dusting of chocolate.

Semolina-Coconut Cake with Orange and Rose Waters

This North African cake is baked with dried coconut and sweetened condensed milk and then soaked in a fragrant lemony syrup with orange blossom and rose waters.

Lemon Layer Cake

This layered masterpiece is infused with lemon in three ways: zested into the batter, drizzled as a tart syrup over the cakes, and frosted in a thick lemon curd.