15 5-Ingredient Summer Dessert Recipes to Sweeten Up the Season

From strawberry shortcake to a classic British sundae, these are just a few of our favorites.

I can eat desserts like it’s my full-time job. Whether it’s ice cream, pistachio baklava, or carrot cake, my day simply isn’t complete until I’ve had a dose of sweetness. Making dessert from scratch can be daunting, though, especially if there’s a long list of ingredients or special equipment involved. The good news? Not all homemade desserts require numerous ingredients. In fact, there are plenty of recipes that call for five ingredients or less.

With just a few staples like flour, sugar, butter, milk, and cream on hand, plus some fruit and a pint or two of ice cream, you can whip up impressive, delicious desserts without even having to dash to the grocery store. Fancy a chocolate mousse? How about a classic British sundae or a grandma-approved shortbread recipe? Below, we’ve rounded up our favorite sweet-as-can-be summer dessert recipes that require fewer than five ingredients. The only question left is: Which one will you be making on repeat?

Bakery-Worthy Meringue Cookies

With a little know-how, you can make spectacular meringue cookies that won’t break or weep on you.

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British Banoffee Pie

This low-effort dessert with gooey dulce de leche, sliced bananas, and whipped cream is a British classic—and one I bring to every dinner party.

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Avocado Chocolate Mousse

The secret to ultra-creamy and velvety smooth vegan chocolate mousse? Ripe avocados.

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Cornflake Marshmallow Treats

The naturally sweet and earthy flavor of Corn Flakes shines in this riff on classic Rice Krispies treats.

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Strawberry Shortcakes

Ten minutes and a few ingredients make an awesome dessert with minimal effort.

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Pengat Pisang (Malaysian Banana Coconut Soup)

This delightful Malaysian dessert with pleasantly chewy sago pearls, bananas, and coconut milk is the best kind of pick-me-up.

Get Recipe: Pengat Pisang (Malaysian Banana Coconut Soup)

Financiers (French Mini Almond Cakes)

Deeply satisfying to eat, these tender-crisp financiers benefit from nutty brown butter and ground toasted almonds.

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Fāloodeh (Persian Frozen Noodle and Rose Water Sorbet)

Delicate threads of frozen noodles are front-and-center in every scoop of this sumptuous rose water–flavored icy dessert.

Get Recipe: Fāloodeh (Persian Frozen Noodle and Rose Water Sorbet)

Shortbread Cookies

Each bite of these shortbread cookies is rich and buttery, with a tender, crumbly texture that melts in your mouth. Plus: The dough takes just five minutes to make.

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Knickerbocker Glory

Featuring vanilla ice cream, fresh strawberries, whipped cream, and a fan wafer, the knickerbocker glory is a summer staple across the United Kingdom.

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Roasted Strawberries

If you're dealing with summer strawberries plucked too soon, roasting will stain even the palest berries a ruby red.

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Berry and Kiwi Pan-African Flag Popsicles

Sarah Enelow-Snyder loves making these with her kids to teach them about the history of the Pan-African flag, Black liberation, and Black empowerment.

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Ultimate Strawberry Popsicles

With fresh strawberries, strawberry jam, and optional freeze-dried strawberry powder, these frozen pops are a cinch to make and are bursting with flavor.

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The Best Strawberry Ice Cream

This may be one of the the trickiest ice cream flavors to get right—until you use this recipe, that is.

Get Recipe: The Best Strawberry Ice Cream

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