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Easy Summer Desserts

Easy summer desserts featuring no-bake lemon cheesecake cups, layered strawberry shortcake jars, and mango coconut popsicles with quick no-oven methods. Chill and freeze for creamy, spoonable textures—plus a 3-minute peach cobbler mug cake.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

No-bake lemon cheesecake cups
  • 8 oz cream cheese Softened for easy mixing.
  • 1 lemon Use zest and juice.
  • 0.33 cup powdered sugar To sweeten and stabilize.
  • 0.5 cup whipped cream Fold in for a light texture.
  • 1 graham cracker crust Use crumble from the crust layer.
Strawberry shortcake jars
  • 2 cup macerated strawberries Chill after macerating for best flavor.
  • 6 oz pound cake Cube to layer in jars.
  • 0.5 cup whipped cream For the creamy layer.
Mango coconut popsicles
  • 1 cup mango puree Blend until smooth.
  • 0.75 cup coconut milk Stir well before mixing.
  • 2 tbsp honey Add to taste.
Watermelon sorbet
  • 4 cup frozen watermelon Frozen cubes for easy blending.
  • 1 lime Use lime juice.
  • 2 tbsp honey Sweeten to taste.
Peach cobbler mug cake
  • 0.5 can (15 oz) canned peaches Include the fruit juices.
  • 1 tbsp butter Dot on top for richness.
  • 0.5 box biscuit mix Use dry mix.
  • 1 tbsp sugar Adjust for sweetness.
  • 0.5 cup ice cream For topping.

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

No-bake lemon cheesecake cups
  1. Beat cream cheese, lemon, and powdered sugar until smooth and thick. Mix at medium speed so no lumps remain.
  2. Fold in whipped cream until the mixture turns light and uniform. Stop mixing as soon as no streaks show.
  3. Pipe or spoon the filling over graham cracker crust crumble. Press gently so the topping adheres.
  4. Chill for 2 hrs until set. The filling should hold shape when unmolded.
Strawberry shortcake jars
  1. Layer macerated strawberries, pound cake, and whipped cream into mason jars. Build in repeating layers so each bite includes fruit and cake.
  2. Refrigerate until serving. Chill at least 1 hour for cleaner layers.
Mango coconut popsicles
  1. Blend mango puree and coconut milk until smooth. Blend until the mixture looks creamy with no fruit chunks.
  2. Stir in honey until fully dissolved. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed.
  3. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds. Leave a small gap at the top for expansion.
  4. Freeze for 6+ hrs until solid. The center should be fully firm with no slushy spots.
Watermelon sorbet
  1. Freeze watermelon cubes overnight until solid. The cubes should be hard before blending.
  2. Blend frozen watermelon with lime juice and honey until smooth. Blend until the mixture turns pale and scoopable.
  3. Freeze briefly if needed to thicken. Stop when it reaches a soft-scoop texture.
Peach cobbler mug cake
  1. Mix canned peaches, butter, biscuit mix, and sugar in a microwave-safe mug. Stir until most dry pockets disappear.
  2. Microwave for 3 min until the top looks set and the center is hot. Watch for bubbling around the edges.
  3. Rest for 2 min so the texture settles. The mug cake should be easier to scoop.
  4. Top with ice cream and serve. Add immediately for contrast between warm cake and cold scoop.

Notes

Make the cheesecake cups and strawberry shortcake jars ahead so they’re fully chilled for cleaner layers and better texture. Store cheesecake cups and jars covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; popsicles keep in the freezer for up to 2 months and watermelon sorbet for up to 1 month. Freezing is best for the popsicles and sorbet; mug cake is best eaten the same day. For a dairy-free swap, use dairy-free cream cheese and coconut whipped topping in the cheesecake cups and shortcake jars.