8 Fresh and Fruity Summer Dessert Recipes

Now that summer's almost here, it's time to start taking advantage of all the fresh, delicious fruit to be had. And what better way to enjoy it than in a dessert? From ice pops to cheesecake, these colorful new recipes are tasty, healthy, and refreshing.

Buy the best: Give cantaloupe and honeydew a whiff—ripe ones will taste sweet.

Ingredients: Watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, mint, limes, sugar, ginger

Calories: 139

Try this recipe: Melon Salad with Lime-Ginger Syrup

Red hot: Cherries are rich in anthocyanins, antioxidant pigments that help fight cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Ingredients: Cherries, lemon, cocoa, coffee, condensed milk, sugar, kirsch, vanilla extract, almond extract

Calories: 237

Try this recipe: Roasted Cherries with Cocoa-Mocha Granita

Take a shortcut: Prefer peaches sans skin? Strip it off with a serrated peeler.

Ingredients: Peaches, pecans, phyllo dough, butter, sugar, nutmeg

Calories: 265

Try this recipe: Mini Peach Tarts

Mango prep: Place mango on a board, stem end down. Using a sharp chef's knife, slice down about 1/4 inch from center. Rotate mango; cut other side. Cut into spears or in a crisscross pattern in the peel; scoop out flesh with a spoon.

Ingredients: Strawberries, mango, sugar, mango nectar

Calories: 52

Try this recipe: Strawberry-Mango Ice Pops

Ingredients:

Blueberries, Greek yogurt, meringue cookies, lemon, sugar, triple sec, vanilla extract

Calories: 172

Try this recipe: Lemon-Blueberry Eton Mess

Have it your way: The stone fruits in these recipes are interchangeable. Have peaches but no apricots? Use them (peeled) instead. Or try tossing in nectarines.

Ingredients: Apricots, almonds, Greek yogurt, honey, vanilla bean, Amaretto

Calories: 319

Try this recipe: Honey-Vanilla Poached Apricots

Ingredients:

Graham crackers, blackberries, raspberry preserves, cream cheese, all-purpose flour, eggs, lemon, Greek yogurt, sugar, vanilla extract

Calories: 226

Try this recipe: Blackberry Cheesecake Cups

Pineapple shopping: Choose one that's plump, with a firm body and fresh, green leaves. If you aren't going to use it right away, store it whole in the fridge.

Ingredients: Corn tortillas, pineapple, strawberries, shredded coconut, lime juice, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg

Calories: 258



Try this recipe: Spiced Tortillas with Tropical Fruit Salsa