40 Spring Desserts That Are Perfect for Entertaining

The start of spring always makes us feel recharged, ready to host friends and family — and start baking from scratch again. Inspired by the cheerful array of in-season produce (we’re looking at you, strawberries and rhubarb!) our desserts tend to lean in a brighter, sunnier direction. Whether we’re whipping up a few special fruit desserts for a tea party or putting all our decorating skills into a showstopper for a spring dinner party, we’re always looking to make these sweet treats fresh, flavorful and full of color.

If you can relate, you’ll love the recipes in this roundup — starting with this gorgeous tart. It uses a press-in crust so it’s easy for bakers of every skill level (no rolling required!). Filled with a sweet-and-tangy Meyer lemon curd, every bite is like a little burst of sunshine.

If you're looking for a simple-yet-impressive dessert for spring entertaining, this is it. Each individual element is a breeze to make and both the meringue shells and fruit topping can be made in advance, leaving you with little to do when your guests arrive.

Dress eclairs for a party with bright, colorful glazes that are tinted naturally with a variety of fruit juices.

Ina Garten's panna cotta is elegant and lusciously creamy — sure to earn rave reviews at any spring get-together. The hard part of making it? Waiting for it to chill overnight!

Impress your guests with this stunning fruit tart. The secret to it’s glossy shine? Valerie warms apricot preserves with a splash of water to create a glaze that she brushes over the fresh fruit.

This rustic cake is the perfect addition to any spring party. It’s easy to bake — and all it needs for a decoration is a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream.

Lemon, lime and orange zest perk up this ricotta-based cheesecake. A graham cracker crust provides crunch while a dusting of confectioners' sugar adds a pretty finish. Perfect with any spring fruit you have on-hand.

A light chiffon cake is flavored with fresh lemon zest and juice. Pureed strawberries naturally color the marshmallow cream frosting.

Host friends and family with as much elegance and ease as Ina. Her bright, lemony cheesecake bars are as sunny as a spring afternoon, making them the perfect dessert for any get-together.

Combining homemade lemon curd with a fresh strawberry puree gives this tart its beautiful pinky-orange hue and delicious flavor.

All you need is a little lemon extract to brighten up these sweet and airy cookies. They’re the perfect treat for any tea or garden party.

Macerated strawberries and a sweet cream cheese frosting are layered with a simple homemade cake for this strawberry shortcake-inspired dessert. It's a fantastic dessert when you're hosting but Ree admits that this cake is so delicious that she sometimes eats it for breakfast too!

A cute twist on a classic, these doughnuts are an easy treat to make and share. Their rich and buttery caramelized pineapple tops sit nicely on light, single-serving cakes.

Calling all lemon-lovers! You’ll adore Valerie’s elegant tart, which is bursting with bright, zingy citrus flavor.

Fresh grapefruit and orange add beautiful pops of color (and flavor!) to Valerie’s upside-down cake.

Strawberries, lime and sweetened condensed milk combine into a beautiful, silky-smooth dessert that’s ready in just 10 minutes. Don’t forget the cookies for serving!

This creamy, pudding-filled chocolate tart is topped with a fluffy cocoa whipped cream, making it feel light and airy enough for any spring party.

No need to thaw your frozen blueberries when making this pie. The sweet, thick filling comes together in just a few minutes. The flaky double crust is just as quick thanks to store-bought pie dough. Be sure to let the pie cool entirely before slicing -- the filling will with thicken up to make for neater cuts.

This 5-ingredient recipe is ready in less than an hour thanks to a simple homemade curd.

Olive oil adds savory, complex notes to boxed cake mix, making for a more grown-up, yet simple spring dessert.

For a beautiful dessert that screams “spring,” whip up a batch of Molly’s pastel sugar cookies. She uses just a pinch of lavender for delicate, flaky cookies that are just the right amount of sweet.

Fill graham cracker crust with homemade lavendar ice cream. Purple sugar adds a pop of color and alludes to the floral flavor.

Use store-bought lemon cake mix as the base and a lemon pudding mix as the frosting for this super easy, lemony cake.

Layer crushed graham cracker with Ree’s lemon pudding for an elegant dessert that’s sure to please.

The addition of lemon curd and a shortbread crust take this cheesecake to the next level.

This dessert wraps all the flavors of a traditional strawberry shortcake into one bite-size treat. Fresh strawberries, shortbread cookie crumbles and whipped cream come together in these delectable morsels.