Summer baking ideas to celebrate the season

Embrace the sweet flavours of summer with our easy summer baking and dessert ideas. From fluffy cakes to moreish cookies and no-bake treats for when it's too hot to turn the oven on, these recipes celebrate glorious summer fruit, ice cream and more.

Food Editor

Emily Lambe

Best summer baking and dessert recipes

With its abundance of seasonal fruit, the temperature (hopefully) warm enough to eat ice cream, and plenty of moments to celebrate outside together, summer is the perfect time to whip up something sweet. Discover our pick of baking and dessert ideas made to be eaten while the sun shines. Think easy cakes studded with summer berries and peaches, cookies to keep everyone entertained during the school holidays, and no-bake desserts for the hottest days.

Summer recipes

Summer cakes

Give your cakes a summer upgrade by using the best seasonal summer ingredients.

Our strawberry and custard cupcakes feature fresh and juicy Red Diamond Strawberries – a true summer star.
This easy citrus loaf cake is made with lemon and lime yogurt to keep the sponge super moist.
For something a bit lighter, this polenta cake isn’t too sweet and is gluten-free, too.
Hosting a dinner party? Our pistachio and white chocolate lava cake pairs rich pistachio crème with tangy raspberry sorbet.

Summer dessert recipes

Keep your summer sweet with a light and fruity pudding.

Jumping on the pistachio bandwagon? This easy pistachio cheesecake is made with pistachio and almond biscuits and a crunchy, nutty topping – it's a proper showstopper.
If you're entertaining, these elegant-but-easy apricot, honey and mascarpone tarts will go down a treat.
Our chocca mocha baked Alaska looks seriously impressive, but it's easier than it looks thanks to the ready-made sponge.

More baking ideas

No-bake treats

Keep your cool with dessert ideas that don’t require baking in the oven.

Nothing says summer quite like our strawberries and cream tiramisu with layers of crumbly biscuits, whipped mascarpone and fresh strawberries.
Pile scoops of rich ice cream with crunchy meringue nests with our Black Forest meringue stack, topped with plump cherries.
Keep things simple with an ice cream sandwich, featuring our Giant Custard Creams and Bourbon Biscuits.

More dessert recipes

Irresistible cookies

Keep everyone entertained during the summer holidays by baking a batch of cookies together.

These gluten-free chewy almond biscuits cleverly swap flour for ground almonds and use raspberry chocolate for a summery flavour twist.
Make a giant frying pan chocolate chip cookie and serve it warm from the oven, loaded with rich vanilla ice cream, for an indulgent summer treat.
Go all out with these loaded Percy Pig cookies, with a generous spread of pink icing, colourful sprinkles and a cherry Percy Pig on top.

More fruity recipes

We’re summer loving...

... the best seasonal fruit to upgrade your baking. Whether it’s our sweet and tart Red Diamond Strawberries or mighty King Cherries, we've got the pick of the crop at M&S. Expect to find plump raspberries and blueberries, and tree-ripened peaches and nectarines. A delicious dessert or baked treat is the perfect way to celebrate the season's harvest.

See wat’s in season

Published 4.30.2025