Sublime Summer Picnic Dessert Recipes

Bring two of summers most plentiful harvests together in this gorgeous summer zucchini and berry cake. Bake it with or without berries or switch it up with the berries of your choice. This is a quick, easy and versatile recipe perfect for a summer picnic hamper.

If lemon and lavender don't make you think of summer I don't know what will. This lavender lemon loaf recipe is sweet and refreshing and perfectly picnic portable.

If you like lemon drizzle cake, you'll love this light and breezy summer loaf.

Brownies make fantastic picnic sweets any time of year. We’ve rounded up 6 unique brownie recipes that will appeal to all kinds of brownie aficionados.

Whether you like your brownies fudgy, crackly, chewy, gooey, cakey, or even crispy, I'm confident we have the best brownie recipe for you.

We've even got vegan brownies and gluten-free brownies for those on a brownie budget and brownies that meet all the allergen requirements.

Cookies are another no-fail picnic sweet idea. A picnic worthy cookie is easy to transport, keeps well without needing refrigeration, and is the perfect sweet treat at the end of the day.  We've come up with an array of picnic cookie ideas that cover off on the sweet but also interesting vegan and gluten-free options.

Chocolate chip lovers have been well catered to with some interesting takes on the classic, and there's even a few cookies that are decadently healthy, so feel free to pack a few extra.

Light, fresh, and tart, these easy Lemon Shortbread Squares are a delicious summer picnic dessert. Gorgeous on their own, they also make a lovely summer statement topped with some seasonal berries or sliced fresh strawberries. 

Light and fluffy vanilla cupcakes piped with sweet vanilla whipped cream topped with a strawberry. These Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberries & Whipped Cream are such an adorable addition to any summer picnic spread.

Take whoopee pies next level with these very portable Peanut Butter Whoopee Pies.

A spin on the traditional chocolate chip cookie with shortening cream filling style of whoopee pie, these fluffy nutty lovelies are soft peanut butter cookies filled with peanut butter frosting and marshmallow fluff.

Naturally sweetened with dates, these vanilla coconut bliss balls are a perfectly healthy sweet treat. Serve them as a snack or as a sweet side to an after picnic cuppa.

Another great sweet contender for summer hiking picnics.

Turn a favourite dessert into a very portable summer picnic sweet treat. Handheld servings of strawberry and rhubarb crisp encased in delicious pastry are a deliciously clever and convenient way to transport the classic dessert.

Pack a little bit of Paris in your picnic basket with these dainty Honey Pumpkin Madeleines. Gorgeously spongy and springy, hard-on-the-top and moist in the middle, these lovelies make a delightful summer picnic dessert.

These adorable little summer sweets will brighten any summer picnic spread.

Flaky puff pastry bases with crisp apple slices, sweet creme patisserie custard and juicy blackberries. They may be the cutest, tastiest blackberry tartlets you can make in under an hour.

5 ingredients and 15 minutes is all you need for these delicious, and healthy no bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars. They make a great healthy picnic snack (perfect for summer hiking picnics) or picnic sweet treat.

Juicy blueberries with tangy notes of lemon, these Lemon Blueberry Muffins, fluffy and moist with a lemon-sugar crusted topping are a summer favourite. Whip these lovelies up in around 30 minutes.

Why make fruit salad when you can make Watermelon Pizza? Fresh fruit for a picnic with yoghurt is such a wonderful finish to any picnic but why not jazz it up a little with this gorgeous take on fruit salad.

An easy no-bake summer picnic dessert that’s bursting with fresh summer fruits, mint and lime Greek yoghurt served in adorable slices.

Another take on the traditional fruit salad and fruit platters is fruit sticks with a creamy coconut dip. Fruit makes the perfect summer dessert especially when you get a little creative.

Fresh berries and cheesecake are a summer dessert made in heaven. Make it a no-bake cheesecake in a jar and it becomes a super easy and very portable summer picnic dessert.

Bursting with fresh citrus flavours, this one-bowl made from scratch bundt cake takes just 15 minutes to prep and less than an hour to cook. Sometimes it is the simplest dishes that taste the best.

There is nothing more summery than a Piña Colada, so why not channel that tropical vibe into a very compact and portable picnic dessert?

The summery flavours of pineapple, coconut and rum will transform your picnic into a tropical paradise no matter where you lay your picnic blanket.

I love it when sweet and spice come together – think dark chilli chocolate, ground pepper on strawberries. Grilled pineapple, a summer favourite just got better with a jalapeno honey glaze with a fresh zest of lime.

It's delicious and healthy with just enough Jalapeno that even non spice lovers will enjoy.

Wrap all the things we love about apple pie into a super portable sweet snack to go. These traditional Amish Apple Fry Pies have the apple filling with a hint of spice we all love, a tender flaky crust sealed with a crackly sweet glaze.

Perfectly portable picnic apple pies.

A typically English picnic dessert (originating from Eaton College), is traditionally made using fresh cut strawberries, strawberry puree, crushed meringues and thick, whipped cream. Essentially a pavlova but in a jar, which makes it perfectly portable for summer picnics.

Typically made with strawberries, use whatever summer fruits tickle your fancy.

Pineapple makes wonderful summer desserts like these sweet bite-size bundles of tropical paradise topped with whipped cream, toasted coconut and pineapple. Perfect for a summer picnic.

Free from refined sugar and vegan friendly, these Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Balls are deliciously healthy and guilt-free. The perfect mix of sweet and salty, soft and crunchy, pack them as a snack or as a sweet side for picnic tea or coffee. Another perfect snack for summer hiking picnics.

Need more picnic dessert inspiration? We've got loads of delicious and incredible portable desserts for any picnic situation.