These 7 Desserts Are Peak Summer

Summer has a way of making dessert feel essential. Maybe it’s the long, golden evenings or the way fruit tastes better when your skin’s still warm from the sun. But whatever the reason, there’s no better time to end your day with something sweet.

These seven desserts are our ode to the magic of the season. Some lean into summer produce, like grilled peaches drizzled with basil-infused rosé syrup, or juicy strawberries tucked into a bubbling crumble. Others channel pure nostalgia. (Think: skillet-sized chocolate chip cookie or peanut butter brownies crowned with ice cream). Best of all, many of these recipes come together right in your Hybrid Fry Pan or Deep Sauté Pan.

1. Skillet Strawberry and Brown Butter Crumble

There’s something about the smell of strawberries and brown butter that feels like summer deciding to show off. A pinch of ground coriander coaxes out the berries’ brightness, while the brown butter crumble bakes into a nutty layer with a touch of crunch. It’s excellent with ice cream: strawberry if you’re going for harmony, butter pecan if you want to play off the topping. Leftovers hold up beautifully for breakfast with a dollop of Greek yogurt. Make it in your Hybrid Fry Pan and serve it warm directly on the table.

2. S’mores Skillet

You don’t need a bonfire to get the full s’mores experience—just your oven and a 10"/25 cm Hybrid Fry Pan. This version layers broken graham crackers under a rich brownie batter, then piles on melted chocolate, more grahams and a crown of toasted marshmallows. It’s gooey, golden and like the campfire classic, but with better structure and way more chocolate. Serve with an ice-cold glass of milk.

3. Grilled Summer Peaches

Peaches get the star treatment in this easy, gluten-free dessert. After grilling the oiled and sugared halves until caramelized and just charred, you’ll top them with scoops of vanilla gelato, crumbled waffle cone and chopped roasted almonds. A drizzle of basil-infused rosé syrup—brightened with brandy and tangerine—pulls it all together. It tastes like something you’d eat barefoot at a dusky dinner party, under twinkle lights, with frogs croaking somewhere in the distance. 

4. Red, White, & Blue Mixed Berry Skillet Shortcake

This skillet shortcake is built for summer evenings and shared forks. After baking a single biscuit in your 4.5 QT Deep Sauté Pan, you’ll top it with sour cream –enhanced whipped cream and lightly sugared berries. It’s easy to make and hard to forget; just right for a sun-drenched day. If you prefer another seasonal fruit, don’t be afraid to swap it in. Peaches would be delightful here, as would lightly smashed raspberries and blackberries.

5. Peanut Butter Swirl Skillet Brownies  à La Mode

Peanut butter brownies work any time of year, but a warm skillet version topped with melting ice cream feels tailor-made for summer. These are extra gooey, thanks to three-quarters of a pound of bittersweet chocolate and a hefty scoop of cocoa powder. The peanut butter swirl brings a welcome hit of salt and richness. Serve it straight from the pan with spoons and a few big scoops of vanilla on top. It’s decadent, slightly unruly and likely to vanish faster than the last days of August.

6. Peach Skillet Cobbler

A cobbler delivers the best of both worlds: juicy fruit and a tender, cake-like topping. This version bakes up in your skillet with a cinnamon-scented batter and plenty of ripe peach slices tucked throughout. Serve it with ice cream, whipped cream or a spoonful of crème fraîche—whatever you’ve got cold and ready. It’s easy to adapt with whatever fruit is in your kitchen, too. Consider this your one-batter-fits-all cobbler, ready to meet the moment.

7. Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

Part of grown-up summer is chasing the same joy you felt as a kid. Few things deliver like a chocolate chip cookie with a gooey center, baked just how you like it. This skillet version channels peak nostalgia, minus the braces and awkward dock-side camp crushes. It’s caramelized at the edges, soft in the middle and meant to be eaten right from the pan, ideally with friends and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Whether you're hungry for a taste of summers past or peak produce, there's something here to carry you through the best months of the year.