Nothing says summer quite like the sizzling sounds and sweet smells of grilling. We love to cook outside this season to get that smoky char on our favorite foods. Bonus? Not using our oven means the house stays cooler and there are no smoky inside smells.
Grilling isn’t just for meats and kabobs. There are numerous grilled desserts that you can easily make for a perfect end to your meal. Read on for our stellar list of the best grilled desserts to truly step up your grill game.
Brown Sugar Grilled Pineapple
The naturally sweet pineapple is a solid choice for a grilled dessert. This easy recipe makes it as simple as 1-2-3, with only three delicious ingredients; butter, brown sugar, and pineapple combined is something we can surely get behind. This Brazilian twist on classic grilled pineapple will quickly become one of your go-to delicious dinner party desserts.
Grilled Banana Bread Ice Cream Sandwiches
There’s so much goodness going on in this recipe that we hardly know where to begin. We’ll start with the aromatic homemade banana bread base, then ramp up the flavor profile by grilling it for some delightful smoky action. Add classic vanilla bean ice cream for a traditional take, or channel your inner Martha Stewart and craft some ice cream from scratch. Play with different flavors and types of frozen amazing-ness, such as gelato or dairy-free varietals. You’ll want to make this dish again and again!
Grilled S’mores Calzones
The ultimate summer dessert is the campfire favorite: s’mores. Elevate this summertime delight with our favorite grilled version, featuring chocolate and marshmallow encased in a calzone-like dough and dusted with graham cracker crumbs. You can choose to go the easier route with store-bought dough, or make your own calzone from scratch. This recipe even links to a guide to making homemade marshmallows if you really want to get creative. S’mores will truly never be the same!
Grilled Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie
One of the all-time most heavenly desserts is the chocolate chip cookie. Make yours summer-friendly with this grilled cast iron skillet recipe. This would be excellent for a backyard BBQ or for a sweet break on a camping trip. Up the delectable factor by adding some ice cream and/or drizzling chocolate sauce on top. If you want to skip the grill and go the oven-route, we have a recipe for that, too.
Simple Grilled Strawberries
Enhance your strawberries with this amazing dessert option. Balsamic vinegar combines with brown sugar for a potent coating, while fresh rosemary brings more herby notes. Simply add a base of creamy vanilla ice cream and you’ll master this unique version of a strawberry sundae. Or, you could simply enjoy the grilled berries right off the kebob for a more rustic feel. We cannot wait to try this!
Grilled Peaches With Bourbon Butter Sauce
Peaches are a staple fruit for summer, so this recipe is a perfect addition to our list of grilled desserts. Plump, juicy, in-season peaches topped with a sweet and savory glaze is more than perfection; we especially love how the peaches caramelize on the lightly oiled grill. Cool vanilla ice cream offers a delicious base for this boozy final course.
Grilled Doughnuts With Mocha Coconut Ganache
This recipe is a gourmet way to grill dessert. The homemade doughnuts shine with espresso glaze, which is then tossed onto a smoky grill for rich flavoring. Add a warm mocha coconut ganache to elevate this dish even further. We seriously can’t get enough of this inventive flavor combination!
Foil Pack Grilled Banana
For a quick and easy grilled dessert, we recommend this banana concoction. Not only does it contain only three ingredients (bananas, chocolate chips, and marshmallows), but it’s simple to clean up because it’s contained in a foil packet. This recipe is almost like a fruity version of a s’more, and takes only five minutes to create — its’ a win-win!
Raspberry And Cake Campfire Cobbler
Our next awesome grilled dessert is a campfire take on berry cobbler. Using a Dutch oven on your grill really opens up the dish for more flavor possibilities. An extra bonus is that only five ingredients needed to create this culinary gem: raspberry pie filling, vanilla ice cream, water, yellow cake mix, and canola oil. It’s a simple, yet tasty, dessert that won’t take a ton of skill to make.
Grilled Apricots With Brioche
This recipe doubles the charred goodness by grilling both the brioche bread and the halved apricots. Sugar and honey are added to enhance the sweet factor, cool vanilla ice cream adds a frothy finish, and gooey butter rounds out this divine dessert. Plus, apricots are another fruit that are in season in the summertime, making this a delicious and fresh dessert to try.
Grilled Dessert Pizza
Pizza dough combined with homemade onion and strawberry jam make this grilled dessert pizza a hit. The jam is ramped up with red wine, balsamic vinegar, cinnamon, and citrus flavorings that serve as an excellent sauce. Icing consists of mascarpone cheese, orange zest, and sugar for a sweet success. Top with fresh berries and basil for a killer summer treat.
From fruity to chocolatey and everywhere in between, we know your summer is sure to be a great one with these delectable dishes.
