When it comes to desserts, we're in love with all types: hot, gooey chocolate lava cakes; rich, indulgent flans; creamy, tart cheesecakes … we're seriously into each and every one. But when it comes to putting together a dessert for a Fourth of July party — or just a little at-home get-together with family — we cannot imagine anything worse than heating up the entire kitchen by turning on the oven. July is the month that we try to avoid baking anything at all — or even really looking too hard at the oven. This is the month for absolutely taking a chill pill when it comes to cooking anything, but especially when it comes to desserts. The produce is so fresh and seasonal, the berries are ripe and bursting, the watermelon is juicy is crisp… so why not just enjoy the bounty that Mother Nature provides us — and the cooling effects of these sweet treats, as well?
And that's not just true when it comes to desserts. Why heat up the kitchen when there are great savory mealtime options like easy Crock-Pot summer meals, which help us still provide hot, home-cooked meals to our families without making us sweat. Or go for quick cold dinners, which are equally delicious and perfect for those too-hot days when even cooking on the stove sounds like a heck of a chore. And for anyone specifically looking for something to bring to a Fourth of July party, consider make-ahead Crock-Pot recipes — crowd-pleasing party foods that we absolutely love.
And for dessert, stay cool with no-bake sweet treats to eat at home or take to that Independence Day cookout.
Frozen S'mores
How smart is this recipe for easy frozen s'mores sandwiches? It's all the fun of summer — s'mores are such a classic campfire treat! — without any of the stickiness or heat, which nobody really wants on a broiling-hot summer's day.
No-Bake Raspberry Icebox Cake With Almond & Hazelnut Crust
This no bake raspberry icebox cake with almond & hazelnut crust is so light and fresh-tasting, it's cooling for the summer heat. It's also naturally gluten-free and has no added sugar, so it's perfect for anyone with those sensitivities.
Cool Lemon Dessert
We love this cool lemon dessert because it only takes two ingredients and a couple of hours in the freezer — ideal for days when we need a sweet treat but can't fathom making anything fancy. Also a great recipe for kids to make themselves!
No-Bake Frozen Cheesecake
This no-bake frozen cheesecake works so well for summer. We love that the crust is a little bit salty and a little bit sweet (like a chocolate-covered pretzel!) and that it doesn't involve heating up the house by turning on the oven.
Frozen Strawberry Easy Dessert
Keep it simple with this frozen strawberry easy dessert, which tastes kind of like what would happen if cheesecake had a baby with ice cream, thanks to the Cool Whip and light cream cheese. For "chocolate baking crumbs," which the recipe calls for, we love crumbled-up chocolate cookies.
Frozen Caramel Toffee Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert
This frozen caramel toffee ice cream sandwich dessert sounds kind of complex, but it's really just a mash-up of different ready-made desserts (smashed-up candy bars, ice cream sandwiches). It's a go-to for when little ones want to help out!
5-Minute Very Berry Ice Cream (No Machine Needed)
This recipe for 5-minute very berry ice cream is absolutely amazing-tasting, doesn't need an ice cream maker, contains no added sugar, and takes basically no effort to whip up. We love it made fresh, when it has more of a soft-serve texture, or a few hours later, when it's more like ice cream.
Lemon Raspberry Semifreddo
This recipe for lemon raspberry semifreddo is more complex than some of the others on this list, but it's really elegant and gorgeous, so for anyone looking for something to impress the mother-in-law, check this one out.
Easy Frozen Oreo Dessert
Kids and adults will both go absolutely wild for this easy frozen Oreo dessert, which is light, fluffy, delicious, and requires little effort. It's a tasty family treat to share together — and make together, too, for kids who are old enough to help whip cream.
The Easiest Frozen Yogurt Cake Ever
We love how secretly healthy this recipe for the easiest frozen yogurt cake ever really is. Made with plain Greek yogurt, honey, lemon, berries, vanilla extract, and graham cracker crumbs, it's so easy, tasty, and almost good for us!
No-Bake Frozen Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Peanut butter is basically the most versatile ingredient in any dessert, right? We love this no-bake frozen peanut butter cheesecake, which is a fan favorite with people of all ages (and is really, really easy to make).
Coconut Cream Frozen Dessert
This coconut cream frozen dessert is so incredibly easy to make — and lasts for months in the freezer. It's delicious on its own, but it's also absolutely fantastic served with some fresh-cut pineapple for a little pina colada flavor.
Granola Berry Frozen Yogurt Bites
These granola berry frozen yogurt bites may be a little hard to pass off as dessert to older kids, but for little ones, the bright colors and cool, creamy flavor may convince them this healthy treat is far more indulgent than it is.
Mint Chip Brownie Ice Cream Squares
We love how cool and refreshing this recipe for mint chip brownie ice cream squares is — plus, between the chill of the mint flavor and the delicious chocolate, this is going to be a crowd-pleaser!
No-Bake Birthday Cake Ice Cream Cups
Celebrate America's birthday with these no-bake birthday cake ice cream cups — they're a super-tasty treat in everyone's favorite flavor: Birthday cake! Plus, they're incredibly easy to make, and even little ones can help make them.
No-Bake Key Lime Pie
We love Key lime pie, but who wants to heat up the oven (and consequently, the whole kitchen) in July? Nobody, that's who. Check out this recipe for frozen, no-bake Key lime pie, which is full of all the right flavors without any of the heat.
No-Bake Banana Pudding Icebox Bars
These no-bake banana pudding icebox bars are so incredibly simple to make, and taste absolutely fantastic — an easy sell to both kids and adults! We love the sweet, nostalgic flavor of this sweet treat.
Nutella Cool Whip Popsicle
This recipe for Nutella cool whip popsicles requires some special equipment (popsicle molds), but we think it's a worthwhile investment, especially since it's a super tasty, three-ingredient treat that everyone will love.
Chocolate Lasagna
This no-bake layered dessert is so easy and perfect for the summer — and it's a great project to make with kids,especially as there's no heating involved! We love this chocolate lasagna year-round, but especially in the summer heat.
Frozen No-Bake Lemonade Pie
What's more cooling and refreshing in the summertime than lemonade? Nothing we can think of! And for super sticky hot days, this frozen no-bake lemonade pie is the absolute best dessert for the exact same reasons.
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