Low-Calorie Summer Dessert Recipes

This incredibly refreshing icy dessert is made without using an ice cream maker.

The tropical flavors of a piña colada make for one delicious ice pop. Be sure to reach for ripe bananas to get the perfect sweetness (without any added sugar!) for this clean-eating-friendly frozen treat.

In this quick dessert recipe, fresh strawberries top nondairy chocolate “ice cream” for a cooling treat.

This no-sugar-added fruit snack is a healthy treat kids and adults will both love. It's perfect for packing in a lunchbox for school or work or just enjoying as a snack or better-for-you dessert at home.

Fresh squeezed lemons blended with sweet berries creates a perfectly refreshing treat.

For a sweet and easy diabetes-friendly dessert, enjoy this lemony ice cream cake with blueberries.

Blending vanilla yogurt and reduced-fat cream cheese creates a topping that's as virtuous as it is delicious. Any fresh berry can be used in this recipe.

Here's your new cookie jar staple. This recipe for classic oatmeal chocolate chip cookies gets a healthy boost with whole-wheat flour and uses less sugar and butter than traditional recipes. Don't hesitate to make a double batch--they're so satisfying they'll be gone fast.

Cheesecake mix, graham crackers, and strawberries make this truly a cheesecake popsicle.

Make sure to reserve a portion of the peaches as you puree the mixture so the pops will be packed with icy cold, chunky bits of fruit. For a grown-up twist, try adding 1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint, lemon verbena or basil.

This is a healthier version of a traditional cobbler, with canola oil in place of some of the butter and whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. Unlike more classic biscuit-topped cobblers, the peaches and blueberries are nestled into a tender batter that swells around the fruit as it bakes. Other fruits may be substituted. It's especially beautiful when baked in and served right from a cast-iron skillet.

This rice pudding is dairy-free, but the bananas and rice milk make it so creamy and rich-tasting, no one will know the difference.

These adorable strawberry shortcakes are made with mini angel food cakes. These single-serve desserts are perfect for a picnic or party on a warm summer day.

This ultra-chocolaty, dairy-free Sicilian-style gelato--made without eggs or cream--is relatively lean but still creamy-smooth and flavorful. The coconut milk used for the base gives it a silky, rich mouthfeel and a subtle coconut flavor.

Antioxidant-rich cherries and chocolate chips are folded into creamy frozen yogurt and layered on top of a crunchy cookie crust in your muffin tin for this twist on the classic Black Forest cake.

Baked instead of deep-fried, these funnel cakes are a healthier option than the ones typically sold at carnivals and fairs. You can skip the powdered sugar and substitute fresh fruit if you'd like.

Skip the granola bar options at the grocery store--they're easy to make at home! You can vary the add-ins to your taste, swapping 2 cups of any combination of small (or chopped) dried fruit, nuts and/or seeds for the chocolate, cherries and coconut in this version. We tested several sticky sweeteners, including maple syrup and honey, but found brown rice syrup held the bars together the best.

Grapefruit for dessert? Why not! In this broiled grapefruit recipe, grapefruit halves are topped with spiced brown sugar, caramelized under the broiler then topped with a dollop of vanilla-infused whipped cream.

Try this Mini Berry Cream Pies recipe the next time you want to whip up a quick healthy dessert. For this red-white-and-blue dessert, frozen mini phyllo cups work the best. Keep them nestled in their tray for easy transport to a picnic or potluck.

Kids will love dipping bananas in melted chocolate and rolling them in coconut to make this tasty frozen treat.

Our classic oatmeal cookie recipe gets a flavor twist with coconut, white chocolate chips (which have a more delicate flavor than milk or dark chocolate) and tart dried cranberries. The result is a chewy, sweet treat that's sure to leave you coming back for more.

Coconut extract gives these homemade granola bars tropical-inspired flavor. Feel free to swap the blueberries, cashews and flaxseeds for any combination of your favorite dried fruit, nuts or seeds. We tested several sticky sweeteners, including maple syrup and honey, but found brown rice syrup held the bars together the best.

Broiling fruit brings out its inherent sweetness. A squeeze of tart lime juice balances it out. Try this technique with pineapple as well.

These healthy, homemade granola bars are reminiscent of peanut butter-and-banana sandwiches. Be sure to look for dried banana, not banana chips. The chips are cooked in oil and, if not stored properly, can have an off taste. We tested several sticky sweeteners, including maple syrup and honey, but found brown rice syrup held the bars together the best.