Summertime desserts

Has the host of the next potluck BBQ you’re attending asked you to bring dessert? Here are some ideas the crowd is sure to love.

Want to impress guests at the next summer BBQ you’re attending? Bring a delicious dessert you’ve made. With sweet finishes such as these below, it’ll be one of the most memorable courses of the meal that they’ll keep talking about well into the night. Be ready, though, to share your recipes, as everyone will surely be asking you for them.

Ice cream sandwiches

Bake a batch of your favourite cookies (such as chocolate chip or gingerbread), and bring them along with several pints of vanilla or chocolate ice cream — or bring both ice cream flavours! Guests can scoop the ice cream themselves onto a cookie and top it with another cookie for delicous homemade ice cream sandwiches.

Homemade popsicles

If you’re looking to bring a lighter, healthy dessert, pick up a few popsicle moulds from your grocery store, and prepare some fresh fruit popsicles. Guests may very well welcome the less heavy dessert after dining on heavy BBQ fare. Never made popsicles at home before? Check this article for a few tips.

S’mores ice cream pie

S’mores made by the campfire is a summertime tradition, so why not take the flavour everyone loves and use it to make a s’mores ice cream pie. You might want to make an extra pie or two, because we guarantee this is one dessert that will gobbled up right away.

Key lime pie

The tangy delicousness of a traditional key lime pie is a comforting taste, and its sweet-and-sour citrus flavour is the perfect palate cleanser after a rich, flavourful potluck BBQ meal.

Cupcakes

Rather than bring one large cake that needs to be sliced, offer everyone homemade cupcakes, as they’re easier to serve. If you have the time, prep a variety from these stellar cupcake recipes in advance so that everyone has a choice of flavour. And if you can, bring a tiered plate so you can display your delicious cupcakes in a pretty arrangement.

Grilled fruit

Bring pineapple and peaches, then get set to barbecue them as dinner is winding down. The grilling causes the sugars in the fruit to caramelize, so the flavours seem even more bold. Grilled fruit is delicious on its own, but you can bring a gallon of vanilla ice cream for those who’d prefer to eat the grilled fruit a la mode.

More on food

Healthy ways to get your ice cream fix
Healthy treats to help you stay cool this summer
Quick and easy dessert: Forgotten cookies