It's finally summer, which means it's time to reacquaint yourself with the simple pleasures of warm-weather baking. These include ripe fruit, juicy to play with, recipes that require you to find themice cream maker, and some new picnic essentials. So put on your apron, grab yoursmixing bowland let's dive into some fun summer baking.
photography by Justin Cash; food styling by Liz Neily
1) Grilled Calzones
The best calzones are the ones you cook on the grill. The dough takes on a hint of smoke and char, the cheese melts beautifully and, most importantly, you don't have to turn on the oven and heat your house. Top them with spinach and cheese, but don't skip the garlic oil, which adds another layer of delicious flavor.
Get the recipe: Grilled Calzones
Buy the recipe: '00' Pizza Flour
Photography by Rick Holbrook; Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne; Prop styling by Brooke Deonarin
2) Blueberry Lemon Tart
This recipe is the perfect marriage of sweet and savory, with homemade cranberry jam sandwiched between layers of soft lemon tart. A lemon cake suck and lemon cream with blueberry stripes brings the citrus flavor to the max. If you're short on time, store-bought blueberry pie filling can be used as a 1:1 volume substitute for blueberry filling.
Get the recipe: Blueberry Lemon Tart
Buy the recipe: Blake Hill Blueberry Pie Filling
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
3) Finishing the rice with brown butter
We took a good thing (Rice Krispies Treats) and made them great. How? Well, we use more butter (and black it out for extra depth of flavor) and more marshmallows, plus we add powdered milk (per nut) and plenty of pure vanilla extract and salt. We then pack the marshmallow-coated cereal into a smaller pan, resulting in very thick bars. Maybe you've had Rice Krispies Treats before, but never like this.
Get the recipe: The ultimate Brown Butter Rice Krispies treat
Buy the recipe:Whole milk powder
Photography by Rick Holbrook; Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
4) Pretzel Cookies
It's a buttery, cracker with a twist: It's made into a pretzel. A baking soda solution brushed onto the cookies before baking (plus a generous shower of pretzel salt) bronzes the cookies and gives them that distinct pretzel flavor. Eat these cookies on their own like soft pretzels, or split them in half to spread with jam or fill with breakfast sandwich fillings.
Get the recipe: Pretzel cookies
Buy the recipe: Parlor knife
Photography by Rick Holbrook; Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
5) Persian date halva
Medjool dates replace sugar in this iconic Middle Eastern snack, adding caramel sweetness. There are many options for the shape and flavors depending on your mood. Roll into a log and then cut like cookies or shape into individual bite-sized pieces. Start with a sesame and toasted coconut base, or add cardamom and pistachios for a delicious and spicy version.
Get the recipe:Persian date halva
Buy the recipe: Cloud Forest Cardamom
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
6) Peach Cookies with Bourbon and Brown Butter
These specialty cookies from baker Lasheeda Perry are perfect for any June holiday. Each starts with a brown butter cookie base, then is dressed with bourbon-spiked cream cheese and a dollop of spiced, delicious peach compote. Lasheeda recommends Uncle Nearest Bourbon pays homage to Nathan “Nearest” Green, the first known African-American distiller.
Get the recipe: Peach Bourbon and Brown Butter Cookies
Buy the recipe: Tablespoon for cookies
Christina's dough
7) Cake with berry cream
This simple stunner brings out the best of summer fruit. The soft tart crust combined with the velvety pastry cream is the perfect vehicle for picking fresh berries straight from the U-pick farm.
Get the recipe: Cake with berry cream
Buy the recipe: Pan with circles
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
8) Easy Ice Cream Pie
Are you the type of person who ditches the oven when the weather hits 80 degrees? Enter Easy Ice Cream Pie. With its no-bake crust and no-fuss ice cream filling, this no-fuss bake is one you'll want to make all summer long. Start with the base vanilla flavor, then get creative with blends and extracts.
Get the recipe:Light pie with ice cream
Buy the recipe:Pie bread
Christina's dough
9) Shoes with fresh fruit
Fruit cobblers are the epitome of smooth summer baking. The batter for this cake-style cobbler is put together by hand in a mixing bowl and will complement any fruit you have on hand. A scoop of ice cream on top is non-negotiable.
Get the recipe: Fresh fruit cobbler
Buy the recipe: Square pan
Photography by John Sherman; food styling by Liz Neily
10) Strawberry cake
It's not really summer until you have a strawberry shortcake. This beloved roast is a classic for a reason. Mile high flaky cookies, homemade whipped creamand juicy strawberries at their peak will always be a winning trio.
Get the recipe: Small strawberry shortcake
Buy the recipe: Pure King Arthur Vanilla Extract
Photography by Danielle Sykes; Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
11) No Knead Cheese Burger Buns
Impress everyone cooking with homemade burger buns. This recipe goes beyond the regular burger bun format with the addition of cheese IN the dough. Plus, it only takes two minutes of mixing. Spend less time getting ready and more time outdoors!
Get the recipe: No Knead Cheese Burger Buns
Buy the recipe: Better Cheddar cheese powder
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
12) S'more Granola Bars
S'mores are the perfect campfire treat; S'more Granola Bars, on the other hand, are the ideal on-the-go way to enjoy the iconic combination of graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows. The rolled oats give the bar some weight, and a quick run under the broiler at the end of baking toasts the marshmallows to golden-brown perfection.
Get the recipe: S'more Granola Bars
Buy the recipe: Vietnamese cinnamon
Photo by Erica Adams
13) Strawberry ice cream
Look no further: This is the only strawberry ice cream recipe you need. (If you don't believe me, check out the reviewer who did this four times last summer.) Pro tip: Soaking strawberries in a high-proof liquor prevents them from becoming uncomfortably icy once frozen.
Get the recipe: Strawberry ice cream
Buy the recipe:Cuisinart ice cream and gelato maker
Gearing up for pie season this summer? Here is everything you need to know.
Cover picture (Pretzel cookies) by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne.
Additional contributions by Laura Scaduto.
