When the temperature rises, the last thing you want to do is turn on the oven to bake a cake—but that doesn’t mean you have to deny your sweet tooth!

From creamy no-bake mini cheesecakes to ice pops that are bursting with fresh in-season berries, each of these refreshing desserts will sweeten your day and cool you down.

No-Bake Mini Cheesecake Blossoms
A chocolate cookie base, creamy cheesecake filling and tropical fruit topping make these no-bake treats a must for your next summer celebration. The best part? These adorable desserts take just 20 minutes of prep!

Photography by Jeff Coulson

Blueberry Cream Pops
These five-ingredient pops taste best when made with fresh local berries. Using a mix of whipping cream and milk makes them super-smooth and creamy without being overly rich.

Photography by Jeff Coulson

Watermelon Granita
No special equipment is needed to make this dairy-free alternative to ice cream. The Italian shaved ice is simply frozen in a cake pan and then shaved with a fork until light and flaky.


Photography by Ryan Brook

Strawberry Buttermilk Panna Cotta
A touch of crème de cassis (black currant liqueur) adds extra sweetness to these chilled puddings, which balances out the tanginess of the buttermilk. Make these elegant desserts up to three days ahead and simply invert onto plates before serving.


Photography by Jeff Coulson

Strawberry White Chocolate Sprinkle Ice Cream Sandwiches
For a crowd-pleasing party activity for kids and adults alike, set up an ice cream sandwich station with a variety of ice cream flavours and toppings so everyone can assemble their own. Get creative with the decorations—mini marshmallows, toffee bits, shredded coconut, crushed pretzels and dried fruit are great options!


Photography by Jeff Coulson

Fruity Rockets
Kids love these fun rocket-shaped pops, and you’ll love that the treats get their sweetness from fresh raspberries, blackberries and honey rather than artificial colours and flavours.


Photography by Jeff Coulson

Vanilla Plum Swirl Pudding Pops
Showcase summer-fresh plums with these colourful ice pops, which are layered with a luscious homemade vanilla pudding.


Photography by Jeff Coulson

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Pops
Bursting with fresh berries and crunchy graham crackers, these frozen treats are pretty enough for company.


Photography by Jeff Coulson

Maple Leaf Icebox Cake
Layers of golden pound cake, sweet berries and fluffy whipped mascarpone make this cool and creamy dessert the ultimate Canada Day cake.


Photography by Jeff Coulson

Chocolate and Salted Caramel Swirl Ice Cream
Sweet and salty caramel sauce is swirled into rich dark chocolate ice cream in this addictively delicious treat. It’s the perfect finish to a casual summer barbecue.


Photography by Edward Pond

Looking for more summer sweets? Find our favourite strawberry desserts here.