Summertime brings warmer temperatures, sunshine, new swimsuits, pools, and a whole world of desserts to enjoy. You can make any day feel special with a little bit of summer on your menu. Desserts made from ripe summer fruits offer a deliciously simple take on enjoying fresh ingredients outdoors, while classics such as ice cream and sorbet are perfect for enjoying by the pool. If you're planning on an outdoor get-together, these summer desserts are just the thing to make a splash at your fun pool party. Grab your favorite sunhat and shades; here are some easy summertime desserts that you can whip up to enjoy by the pool.

Affogato

On a hot day, sometimes you just need your coffee and ice cream. An affogato is a perfect way to cool off while you relax in your tankini. An affogato is an Italian ice cream sundae that combines a scoop of gelato or ice cream with a shot of espresso. This simple yet wonderful dessert can be served in many ways. The traditional affogato consists of espresso and a little bit of liqueur poured over your ice cream, but here's where the fun comes in. You can mix it up any way you'd like and add delicious toppings such as chocolate shavings, chopped hazelnuts, crumbled Oreo cookies, salted caramel, or whatever your heart desires. Here's an easy recipe to follow:

Ingredients

2 scoops of vanilla custard ice cream

1 shot of espresso

2 tablespoons of hazelnut liqueur

Directions

Scoop ice cream into a cold bowl or glass and pour the shot of espresso and hazelnut liqueur of the ice cream.

Sorbet

There's nothing better than a refreshing cold dessert on a summer day. Sorbet is one treat that you can enjoy any time of year. It's a light and sweet dessert without being rich or heavy and can be made with fruit or juices. Sorbet is perfect for any occasion, whether you have a backyard barbecue or just want a cold dessert to enjoy while you lounge in your bikini. If you have some leftover fruit lying around, try making a sorbet this summer with a simple recipe. Here's a quick and easy recipe for watermelon mint sorbet. 

Watermelon Mint Sorbet

Ingredients

4 cups of frozen watermelon, small chunks

½ cup of watermelon juice

¼ cup of freshly squeezed lime juice

¼ cup of sugar

2 tablespoons of mint

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar with the freshly squeezed lime juice, mint, and watermelon juice. Heat the saucepan over low-medium heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Strain out seeds and mint leaves from the mixture. Set aside to cool. 

Blend the 4 cups of frozen watermelon with the sugar mixture in a food processor until the texture is smooth and soft. Set mixture into a shallow ceramic container and freeze for an hour before serving.

Ice Cream Sandwich 

No other dessert is as iconic and classic as the ice cream sandwich. Sometimes there's nothing like a creamy scoop of vanilla ice cream on an ice-cold chocolate chip cookie, or if you’re a fan of toppings, an ice cream sandwich perfectly enrobed in rich nuts and sprinkles. The best part about ice cream sandwiches is that the possibilities are endless. Whatever your preference is when it comes to ice cream sandwiches, we can all agree that they are a go-to summer dessert. Easy enough to make while still in your tropical one piece swimsuit, here’s a simple recipe for a classic ice cream sandwich to take with you to the pool:

Ingredients

12 soft cookies (sugar, chocolate, chocolate chip, or whichever preferred)

32 ounces of your favorite ice cream

Toppings: 

Sprinkles

Chopped Nuts

Chocolate chips

Directions

Place soft cookies on a flat surface such as a baking sheet. Using an ice cream scooper, scoop slightly softened ice cheese onto the cookie. Take another cookie and press onto the ice cream until ice cream fills out to the edges of the cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies. Dip each cookie sandwich into your preferred toppings, such as chopped nuts, sprinkles, and chocolate chips.

Popsicles

Popsicles are a staple in the hot summer months. A refreshing treat frozen on a stick, kids love them, but we grown-ups like them too. And if you want to make them just for the adults, you can always spike your popsicle mixture. Popsicles are fun and simple treats for the warm summer months. With the abundance of summer fruit available, you can indulge your sweet tooth by making popsicles in a variety of bursting flavors. We love pops using only natural ingredients to create the perfect blend of fruit and creamy yogurt. A cool blast of natural flavors and no-fuss fun, they're great snacks in their own right and make an easy treat for kids. Here's the recipe for homemade fruit popsicles we're sure you’ll love.

Blueberry Yogurt Swirl Popsicles

Ingredients

2 ½ cup of blueberries

2 cups of vanilla Greek yogurt

1 cup of milk or plant-based milk

2 tablespoons of honey or choice of sweetener

Directions

Place blueberries, milk, and honey in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Sweeten to taste depending on preference. In a separate bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt until smooth. Add ¼ of the blueberry mixture and swirl into the yogurt mixture. 

In the popsicle mold, layer the blueberry and greek yogurt mixture, alternating one mixture for each layer. After filling popsicle molds, take a butter knife and lightly swirl the layers for each popsicle. 

Freeze popsicle molds overnight until popsicles are solid. When popsicles are ready, remove each popsicle by leaving the mold in a bowl of room temperature water for a few minutes until popsicles are easy to remove.

Lemon Bars

If you're in the mood to bake, lemon bars are a bright dessert with a light and fresh taste to perfectly complement the season. You can start on your summer book or make yourself a summer cocktail while you wait for your lemon bars to bake. Lemon bars have a crumbly, buttery base made with shortbread crumbs, butter, and sugar. Once it bakes into a firm, crisp base, it pairs well with the soft, tangy, and sweet lemon filling. Lemon bars are also simple to make, making them an addictive summer treat. 

Ingredients

Crust

1 ½ sticks of butter

1 ¾ cup of flour

⅓ cup of sugar

Lemon Filling

4 eggs 

1 egg yolk

3/4 cup of lemon juice

1 tsp of vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup of sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper. To prepare crust, melt sticks of butter. Then combine flour and sugar in a food processor. Pour melted butter into the flour sugar mixture, then blend in the processor until the mixture resembles a crumbly or soft texture. Transfer dough into the baking pan lined with parchment paper and press down to form an even bottom crust.

To prepare the filling, whisk together sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, eggs, and extra egg yolk. Pour filling over the crust in the baking pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until filling is set. Once bars are done baking, set them aside to cool. Cut into even square pieces and serve.

Frozen Banana Pops

Simple, sweet, and healthy, frozen banana pops are a fun way to celebrate the summer. Frozen bananas may be more nutritious than ice cream, but by no means does it need to be boring. Choose from chocolate, caramel, or yogurt dips and drizzles; add a variety of toppings such as chopped hazelnuts, pistachios, or crumbled graham crackers to make your frozen banana a gourmet treat. Not a fan of bananas? Try a different fruit such as strawberries or blueberries. Get creative with your treats this summer. Here's a quick and fun way to make frozen banana pops.

Ingredients

5 bananas

Popsicle sticks

5 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips

Chopped nuts or other toppings

Directions

Peel bananas and chop each banana into halves crosswise. Next, take a popsicle stick and stick it into each banana half, leaving room for the handle. Place bananas and popsicle sticks on a sheet tray, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2-3 hours. 

When bananas are frozen, prepare the chocolate dip. Pour toppings such as chopped nuts into a bowl. Pour chocolate chips into a bowl. Fill a saucepan halfway with water and bring to a simmering boil. Melt chocolate chips by placing the bowl of chocolate over the simmering saucepan and bring the heat to low. Whisk chocolate chips until smooth.

Take out frozen banana popsicles and dip them into melted chocolate, coating it evenly on each side. Next, dip the banana into the toppings bowl and set it aside on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Serve after chocolate and toppings are set.

Summer Sweets, Swimsuits, and Swimming Pools

Summer is here, and there are many opportunities to show off that new swim dress by the pool while enjoying desserts with family and friends. So whether you're a sorbet or popsicle fan, these cool and refreshing treats will have you ready to enjoy a summer day in and out of the water. 

Looking for other ways to make this summer memorable? Plan a beach vacation getaway or find inspiration for your next travel adventure by looking at the most beautiful hotels and pools in the world. On the other hand, if you're more interested in visiting unique beaches and natural pools, this article won't disappoint. With so many opportunities to show off your new floral bikini, you'll be ready for a sizzling summer!