Many desserts are baked in some capacity, and that may not be what you want on a hot summer day. Here are five cold desserts.
Don’t let hot weather stop you from having a sweet treat. These recipes are served chilled or cold, so no cooking is necessary. The best part? All of these recipes feature either fruits or vegetables.
Pineapple banana Greek frozen yogurt
Frozen yogurt is a cool and refreshing treat that is perfect for summer. While you can always go to a frozen yogurt shop, you can make this low calorie version at home.
The base is made by blending frozen pineapple, Greek yogurt, bananas, maple syrup, and ginger. This mixture is transferred to a freezer-safe container and frozen in three 30-minute increments, stirring in between. It is then frozen for an additional hour before being topped with shredded coconut and served.
Pineapple is high in fiber and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It may also help support digestion.
If you like this recipe, you can double or triple the recipe and store it in the freezer for up to a month. This way, you’ll always have it on hand.
Spiced applesauce and cottage cheese parfaits with granola
While your immediate reaction may be that applesauce and cottage cheese would not go well together, give this recipe a chance. The cottage cheese acts as yogurt would in a yogurt parfait. Once the apple sauce is layered on top of the cottage cheese, each parfait is topped with honey, granola, and cinnamon.
Each serving has over 31 g of protein and is under 400 calories.
Cottage cheese may help regulate appetite and aid in weight loss. However, more high quality human research is needed to confirm these findings.
Creamy cherry yogurt smoothie
Smoothies can be a healthful and refreshing dessert option on warmer summer days. This particular smoothie has just five ingredients: cherries, Greek yogurt, rolled oats, vanilla, and ice.
Cherries contain polyphenols, which are compounds that may help reduce inflammation and promote overall health. A 2022 review suggests polyphenol-rich diets may also help protect against chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
Each serving contains over 26 g of protein and under 400 calories. This recipe is also high in fiber, with 5 g per serving.
Kefir fruit salad
A bowl of fruit is a classic sweet snack. This recipe adds textural interest and helps keep you full by adding kefir, chia seeds, and sliced almonds.
Consuming kefir is associated with health benefits such as supporting the immune system, reducing cholesterol, and improving digestion.
This recipe comes together in 15 minutes, and the only prep required is cutting the fruit. If you are prepping servings ahead of time, you may want to separate the kefir from the fruit so that it does not get soggy.
Carrot cake bites
The ingredients in these no-bake, bite-sized desserts come together in a blender to form a sticky dough before being rolled into balls. They are made with shredded carrots, cinnamon, almond flour, pitted dates, shredded coconut, and melted coconut oil.
Since almond flour is made from ground almonds, you typically do not need to bake it. However, you should still check the packaging to ensure this is the case.
This dessert should be chilled lightly in the refrigerator before serving. If desired, you can roll the balls in extra shredded coconut after forming.
Takeaway
There are a variety of cold desserts that are refreshing on a summer day. Smoothies, parfaits, frozen yogurt, and fruit salads are all great options.
You can make a smoothie, parfait, or fruit salad with any fruits you have on hand.
