With the weather starting to heat up, check out these summer recipes to treat yourself to something sweet!
1. Make Your Own Popsicles!
- Grab a popsicle mold
- Pick out your favorites fruits, veggies, or yogurts
- Mix your ingredients and pour into the mold
- Freeze for about 4 hours and enjoy!!
Example: Berries and Cream Popsicles
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups fresh berries
- 2 tbsp honey or sugar
- 1 cup full-fat plain greek yogurt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
- Puree berries until smooth (add a touch of water or juice if needed to get things moving).
- Stir together yogurt, honey, and vanilla.
- Spoon berries and yogurt into molds in alternating layers.
- Insert popsicle sticks and freeze until hard.
https://www.liveeatlearn.com/how-to-make-homemade-popsicles/
2. S’mores Krispie Treats
Ingredients:
- 3 tbsp. butter (+ a little extra for the pan)
- 1 (12 oz.) package mini marshmallows
- 7 cups Golden Grahams cereal
- 3 Hershey’s milk chocolate bars, broken into pieces
Directions:
- Grease a 9"-x-13" pan with butter.
- In a large pot over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add all but 1 cup of mini marshmallows and stir until melted and smooth.
- Remove from heat and quickly stir in Golden Grahams until evenly coated.
- Press into pan and top with chocolate pieces and remaining 1 cup mini marshmallows.
- Heat broiler, and cook until marshmallows are toasted about 2 minutes.
- Let sit for 30 minutes, slice, and enjoy!
https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a47627/smores-bars-recipe/
3. Trash Brownies
These brownies are perfect for the indecisive snacker that can’t pick just one treat!
Ingredients:
- 1 box brownie mix (+ ingredients on box)
- 12 Oreos
- 1/2 cup chopped mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- 1/2 cup crushed pretzels
- 1/2 cup crushed potato chips
- 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
- 1/4 cup M&Ms
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 9"-x-13" baking pan with parchment paper and grease with cooking spray.
- Prepare brownie mix according to package directions, then pour into prepared pan.
- Top brownies with Oreos, Reese’s, pretzels, potato chips, marshmallows, and M&M's.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with few moist crumbs. Let cool before removing from the pan.
https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a26363572/trash-brownies-recipe/
4. No-Bake Pineapple Cheesecake
Ingredients:
For the Base:
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
For the Filling:
- 8-ounce block cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 8 ounces canned pineapple, crushed or finely diced and drained
- Extra pineapple slices, to garnish
- Maraschino Cherries, to garnish
Directions:
- Combine together the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and sugar. Set aside.
- In a larger bowl, beat the cream cheese, cream, and sugar with an electric mixer on a medium-high speed setting until smooth and creamy. Fold in the yogurt, pineapple, and vanilla and mix well to combine.
- Divide the crust mixture among 4 individual serving glasses and press into the base of each glass.
- Repeat with the cream cheese mixture; cover and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes to chill.
- To serve, garnish with the additional pineapple and a maraschino cherry in the center of the pineapple ring.
https://www.mybakingaddiction.com/no-bake-pineapple-cheesecakes/
5. Banana Split Icebox Cake
Ingredients:
- 16 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
- 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
- 24 whole graham crackers
- 2 medium bananas, sliced
- Toppings: Chocolate syrup, halved fresh strawberries, and additional banana slices
Directions:
- In a large bowl, mix whipped topping, sour cream, and pudding mix until blended; fold in pineapple. Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag. Transfer pudding mixture to bag.
- On a flat serving plate, arrange 4 crackers in a rectangle. Pipe about 1 cup pudding mixture over crackers; top with about 1/4 cup banana slices. Repeat layers 5 times. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.
- Just before serving, top with chocolate syrup, strawberries, and additional banana slices.
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/banana-split-icebox-cake/
6. Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
Ingredients:
For the Peanut Butter Layer:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
For the Chocolate Layer:
- 12-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
Directions:
For the Peanut Butter Layer:
- Line a 9x13 baking pan with foil or parchment paper, making sure to leave some overhang for easy removal, and set aside.
- Combine the melted butter and peanut butter in a large mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Add the powdered sugar and continue mixing until fully combined. Then, add the graham cracker crumbs, 1 cup at a time, and mix until fully combined.
- Scoop the peanut butter mixture into the prepared baking pan and press it down into one even layer. Set aside.
To make the Chocolate Topping
- Add the chocolate chips and 1/4 cup peanut butter to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20 to 30 increments, stirring well after each increment, until completely melted and smooth.
- Pour the melted chocolate mixture on top of the peanut butter layer and spread it around into one even layer.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 and 1/2 hours or until the bars are firm and the chocolate topping is set. Once the bars are firm, lift them out of the pan using the overhang from the foil or parchment paper, slice, and enjoy!
https://www.livewellbakeoften.com/no-bake-chocolate-peanut-butter-bars/
For more recipes, check out: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a26363572/trash-brownies-recipe/