25 Juicy Stone Fruit Desserts That Taste Just Like Summer

When summer stone fruit comes into season, it’s a mad dash to enjoy as many of these limited-time bites as possible. But what are stone fruits? Peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, and cherries fall into this juicy category, named for the hard pit (or “stone”) located at the center of all that tender flesh. Stone fruits shine in everything from quick cherry recipes to elegant peach desserts, making them a go-to for easy summer fruit desserts that feel impressive without the fuss. Whether you’re grilling them, baking them into a cobbler or eating them straight over the sink with juice dripping down your arms, stone fruits are the undeniable star of the summer season and one of the best reasons to whip up a new recipe.

Nothing says summer quite like a double-layer cherry pie. Ree Drummond’s sweet pie crust uses a mix of butter and shortening for the perfect texture plus a few eggs and a dash of white vinegar for extra tenderization. Simmer the fruit with sugar and a splash of balsamic vinegar until thickened, then spread between layers of pie crust and bake.

Sweet summer corn can be used for desserts as well as savory dishes, like in this peach and corn cobbler. A gooey corn cobbler batter bakes atop a sweet fresh peach filling. Feel free to mix and match stone fruits in this recipe to create new versions, like blueberry-apricot.

Nothing says summer quite like a double-layer cherry pie. Ree Drummond’s sweet pie crust uses a mix of butter and shortening for the perfect texture plus a few eggs and a dash of white vinegar for extra tenderization. Simmer the fruit with sugar and a splash of balsamic vinegar until thickened, then spread between layers of pie crust and bake.

Take the cozy comfort of a classic pound cake and give it a sunny twist with fresh peaches and a buttery streusel topping. The peaches bake down into soft, jammy consistency that weaves tart fruit flavor into every bite. The final touch is serving each golden brown slice with fresh macerated peach slices and a dollop of homemade whipped cream.

This juicy plum galette is the best of both dessert worlds: tangy sun-ripened fruit meets rich, tangy cheesecake. The plums are tossed with brown sugar and baked into a soft, jammy layer that sits atop vanilla cream cheese. Wrap all that in a handmade flaky pie crust and sprinkle with coarse sugar before baking.

Break out the slow cooker to help make a juicy baked stone fruit dessert without ever turning on the oven. Fresh plums and sugar form the simple base that gets layered under a quick hand-rubbed biscuit topping. Drop spoonfuls of the dough onto the plum mixture and let the dessert cook for a few hours while you relax and enjoy the day.

Flaky, buttery crepes can come in clutch for a late-minute dessert that requires no baking. The flambéed peaches add a show-stopping flair of drama to the dish, but don’t be intimidated. Once you add the rum, remove the pan from the burner and light it with a long stick lighter to create a dazzling, but completely safe, display.

Granitas are the genius make-ahead dessert for when it’s just too hot to turn on the stove. Sugar, citrus zest, fresh peaches and just a touch of booze combine to create a frozen treat that melts the instant it touches your tongue. The Manzanilla sherry is worth the splurge for the slight layer of floral aroma it adds.

It’s hard to imagine a dessert that tastes more like summer than a country peach pie. The peaches are tossed in warm spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and allspice, plus a generous squeeze of lemon juice to temper the sweetness with tangy citrus. Pile the fruit into homemade pie crust and top with a gorgeous lattice to give this pie the stunning finish it deserves.

Quickly roasting stone fruit in the oven at a high temperature is a wonderful way to concentrate the sweetness and flavor. Combine the fruit with a couple of cinnamon sticks and a pour of ruby red port to temper the sweet flavor and add a deep complexity. After letting the fruit cool slightly, serve with a few scoops of vanilla ice cream.

Toasted chopped pecans and a touch of spicy ginger give warmth and depth to this sweet peach crumble. Juicy peaches bubble beneath a golden, butter topping that’s equal parts crisp and tender. Serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream for a summer dessert that’s nostalgic and delicious.

Perfectly creamy peach ice cream is just the thing to cool down a hot summer night. The peaches marinate in a mixture of sugar, lemon juice and peach brandy overnight to soften to just the right consistency to fold into the almost-frozen ice cream base. An easy variation is to swap the peach for plums, raspberries or any other fresh summer fruit combination you can dream up.

Everyone will love this plant-based fresh cherry cobbler that emerges from the oven bubbling over with juicy sweetness. The cherries thicken as they bake thanks to a helping hand from a bit of cornstarch so that they form a sturdy base for a fluffy biscuit topping. Once the cherries have softened some, the biscuits are spooned on top and baked until golden brown.

A galette is the rustic, freeform cousin of the pie, using just a single layer of crust that gets topped with fruit and baked until crisp and brown. This crust uses whole wheat flour to give it a more toothsome chew as well as sour cream to balance the sweet fruit with a bit of tang. After rolling it out, top with sugar-tossed peach and plum slices and fold the edges in and bake until bubbling.

These nectarine tarts are almost too beautiful to eat—but don’t let that stop you from digging in. Use store-bought puff pastry to line a standard muffin tin, then simmer a simple lemony syrup to soften slices of ripe nectarine. Arrange slice of nectarine in overlapping circles and bake until this fruity bouquet of deliciousness is ready to serve.

A thick layer of fudgy chocolate ganache hides beneath the tart cherry topping to set this galette apart. The buttery crust wraps around the filling like a hug, topped with a shower of turbinado sugar to add a golden crunch. It’s part pie, part pastry, 100% delicious.

If you’re not very experienced in the art of the pie crust dough try this easy slab pie that’s a press-in, instead of a roll-out. The filling is a mixture of fresh peaches, vanilla, spices and brown sugar spread over the crust and baked until juicy and bubbling. A quick almond topping gets sprinkled on halfway through to add a nice visual contrast.

This refreshing frozen dessert has layers of tangy peach puree, pecan graham crumble, and vanilla ice cream. The cake is covered in a fluffy whipped cream before returning to the freezer to ensure mess-free slicing. Top with slices of fresh peach and additional pecan crumble to decorate this edible work of art.

A crostata is the Italian version of the French galette, both rustic fruit tarts that showcase summer’s bounty. This recipe combines ripe peaches and plums with fresh blueberries to give each slice equal parts tart and sweet flavor. A crumbly topping adds just the right amount of crunch to finish this gorgeous dessert.

These peach crisps are dished up in ramekins and baked individually to make serving easy. The fresh peach filling is tossed with brown sugar and studded with golden raisins to give it a superior texture. If you don’t need to serve 6, freeze any extra ramekins before baking to have a quick dessert on the fly.

Save this fruit crisp recipe for a day when you need a dessert that doesn’t require a rolling pin. The dish comes together in a snap, with chunks of nectarines and blueberries tossed in a quick mix of sugar, cornstarch and lemon. Blitz oats, flour, sugar and butter in a food processor and top the fruit before throwing it in the oven and relaxing until the timer dings.

Sweet peach and tangy goat cheese come together to make this simple dessert that requires no baking. Simmer dried peaches with butter and cardamom to soften them or swap in slices of fresh peach. Layer the fruit with orange zest-scented goat cheese and top with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of pistachios to finish this light and simple treat.

Grilling halves of ripe fresh summer peaches gives them a smoky, caramel flavor that’s not overly sweet. Top each half with a dollop of fluffy cinnamon sour cream whipped cream and fish with a sprinkle of chopped candied pecans to serve. It’s the ideal ending to a grilled summer dinner eaten in the backyard.

Ina Garten bakes this cake “upside-down” to combine the concept of a classic French tarte tatin with an airy sour cream cake. Fresh purple plums form the gorgeous top, which bakes under a layer of caramel and cake batter. Once the cake is cooled slightly, invert to reveal the colorful plums.