Welcome to August, the month that marks the end of summer with beach trips and laid-back vibes. Embrace the season with lots of fruit-forward favorites — especially blueberries and peaches — plus some no-bake desserts for triple-digit weather. And if you’re currently drowning in garden-grown zucchini? We’ve got recipes for you, too.
1) Easy Peach Cobbler
The best peach cobbler has a perfectly thickened filling — juicy but not runny — with a tender, flavorful topping. And that’s exactly what this recipe delivers. A biscuit-style cobbler, it’s flexible enough to accommodate other stone fruits, berries, and even apples, all of which go beautifully with a crunchy, sugar-crusted topping lightly scented with almond extract.
Get the recipe: Easy Peach Cobbler
Shop the recipe: Pure Almond Extract and Sparkling Sugar
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Southern-Style Peach Cobbler, Spiced Peach Shortcakes
2) No-Bake Vegan Chocolate Pie
This pie is suitable for vegan bakers, but everyone will find it delicious. A creation of pie mastermind Nicole Rucker, the rich, chocolatey filling is made with both coconut cream and evaporated coconut milk and hides under a cooling cloud of whipped cream. It’s the kind of light, luscious pudding pie we crave in this summer heat.
Get the recipe: No-Bake Vegan Chocolate Pie
Shop the recipe: Guittard Bittersweet Onyx Chocolate Wafers
If you like this recipe, you may also like: No-Bake French Silk Pie, Easy Chocolate Pudding
3) Chocolate Zucchini Cake
When you've baked enough zucchini bread but are still looking for creative ways to use up a glut of this green vegetable, switch things up with this cake. It uses three whole cups of zucchini, yet you'd never know there was anything but chocolate in this ultra-moist, fudgy cake. The zucchini ensures a tender crumb — think banana bread meets carrot cake — while the cocoa powder and espresso powder guarantee robust chocolate flavor.
Get the recipe: Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Shop the recipe: Triple Cocoa Blend and Callebaut Semisweet Chocolate Chips
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread, Zucchini Brownies
4) Blueberry Oat Breakfast Muffins
If you need an on-the-go breakfast, try these blueberry oat muffins, which retain a delightfully tender texture from oat flour. More nutrition-dense than most muffins, they’re a great way to start the day while still enjoying a freshly baked treat, and the subtle flavor of the oat flour pairs well with blueberries.
Get the recipe: Blueberry Oat Breakfast Muffins
Shop the recipe: King Arthur Oat Flour and King Arthur Rolled Oats
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Miso Oatmeal Scotchies, Morning Glory Breakfast Bread
5) Mojito Scones
Craving a cold cocktail by the pool? The next best thing is these tropical scones, which take a mojito’s bright lime and mint combo and infuses it into a flaky, buttery snack. Bottoms up!
Get the recipe: Mojito Scones
Shop the recipe: Standard Scone Pan
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Lemon Blueberry Scones, Strawberries & Cream Scones
6) No-Bake Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce
This easy-to-make dessert combines the creamy richness of cheesecake with the bright acidity of raspberries. Because it’s no-bake, it’s perfect for those hot, muggy August afternoons when you want to stay cool. Whether enjoyed at a backyard cookout or a picnic in the park, this cheesecake is a hassle-free way to bake without turning on your oven.
Get the recipe: No-Bake Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce
Shop the recipe: Organic Lemon Emulsion
If you like this recipe, you may also like: No-Bake Fresh Strawberry Pie, Easy Cheesecake
7) Savory Spicy Corn Cake
This cheesy quick bread, inspired by French cake salé, has the tenderness of a muffin but the savory saltiness of a cheesy appetizer or spicy snack. Use fresh late-summer corn and high-quality sharp cheddar for the best flavor.
Get the recipe: Savory Spicy Corn Cake
Shop the recipe: Organic Masa Harina and Boyajian Garlic Oil
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Corn and Scallion Sourdough Pancakes, Triple Cornbread Loaf
8) Hot Summer Spoon Cake
This fruit-packed dessert is unlike any cake you’ve had: It has a gooey, custardy interior with nearly caramelized edges, all cradling juicy fresh fruit. It’s best served spooned instead of sliced (hence the name) and enjoyed alongside fresh whipped cream or a big dollop of vanilla ice cream. Looking for more easy, fruity summer desserts? Find them here.
Get the recipe: Hot Summer Spoon Cake
Shop the recipe: Almond Flour
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Super-Simple Strawberry Cake, Fresh Fruit Cobbler
9) Just Peachy Peach Muffins
Put your summer-ripe peaches to good use in these sugar-crusted muffins, which pair the fruit with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Mixed entirely by hand, these muffins require just two bowls, a whisk, and 20 minutes of prep time. This is what breezy summer baking is all about.
Get the recipe: Just Peachy Peach Muffins
Shop the recipe: Vietnamese Cinnamon, Allspice, and Nutmeg
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Peachberry Buckle, Caramel Peach Upside-Down Cake
10) Sweet Corn and Blueberry Coffee Cake
This variation of our 2023 Recipe of the Year features masa harina for its toasty corn flavor, plus sweet juicy blueberries, leaning into the classic combo of blueberries and corn. If you close your eyes, you might just taste a bowl of frosted cornflakes with pops of fresh blueberries.
Get the recipe: Sweet Corn and Blueberry Coffee Cake
Shop the recipe: Organic Masa Harina
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Masa Harina Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce, Blueberry Breakfast Cake
11) Tahini Praline-y Zucchini Cake
This fresh take on zucchini cake will add a “wow” factor to your summer. The walnut praline topping adds so much texture and flavor that Recipe Tester Lydia Fournier calls it “the best cake ever” and says that “everyone needs to make it.” This recipe may just be the best way to bake with zucchini this season — try it and find out for yourself.
Get the recipe: Tahini Praline-y Zucchini Cake
Shop the recipe: Golden Wheat Flour and Cloud Forest Ground Cardamom
If you like this recipe, you may also like: 100% Whole Wheat Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread, Simple Zucchini Bread
12) Grandma Pizza
Baked in a large, square pan at high heat after a relatively short final proofing time, this Grandma Pizza is wonderfully crispy, both denser and thinner than traditional Sicilian-style. Reversing the order of the toppings — cheese gets added first, then the sauce — ensures frico-like crunch and deeply browned edges. Watch Martin make it above, then get baking!
Master pizza making with our On-Demand Pizza Class, which teaches you multiple doughs and methods in videos you can watch anywhere, anytime.
Get the recipe: Grandma Pizza
Shop the recipe: Grandma-Style Pizza Pan
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Sicilian-Style Pizza, South Shore Bar Pizza
13) Fresh Blueberry Pie
This pie preserves the flavor of fresh blueberries by gently cooking a portion of them into blueberry sauce on the stovetop, then folding in fresh berries. The filling then gets spooned into a pre-baked crust for a fresh twist on classic blueberry pie.
Get the recipe: Fresh Blueberry Pie
Shop the recipe: King Arthur Pie Pan
If you like this recipe, you may also like: Blue Ribbon Blueberry Pie, Blueberry Pie with a Twist
If your August plans also include dreaming about traveling abroad (just us?!) take a virtual trip to France with our live online French Macarons class.
Cover photo by Rick Holbrook.