Summer-Fresh Cherry and Berry Desserts

By By the editors of MidwestLiving.com
Enjoy the Midwest's bounty of berries in these sweet treats, from cobblers to bar cookies to pies.
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Ozark Blackberry Cobbler

A sugared crispy pastry covers sweet juicy berries in this traditional dessert from the Monte Ne Inn near Rogers, Arkansas.Ozark Blackberry Cobbler

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Triple Red Berry Dessert Sauce

This easy blender sauce tops ice cream or angel food cake with a gorgeous red berry punch. Look for spreadable fruit in the jam/jelly section of your supermarket. The sauce has just 37 calories for a two-tablespoon serving.Triple Red Berry Dessert Sauce

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Pink Lemonade Strawberry Shortcake

Pink lemonade concentrate gives a summery twist to classic strawberry shortcake. Pink Lemonade Strawberry Shortcake

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Mixed Berry Slab Pie

Floral notes from lemon zest, thyme and honey round out the sweet-tart punch of ripe berries in this creation from Shelly Cross and Jill Long of Madison's Humble Sweet and Savory Pies bake shop. Shelly and Jill have some mad pastry skills; amateurs can get creative, too, with the extra dough.  Mixed Berry Slab Pie

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Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

Layers of cheesecake, raspberry filling, almonds and coconut form dessert bars perfect for summer picnics and potlucks.Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

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Double Berry Cobbler

Handy shortcuts make this recipe a breeze. Cooking the fruit in an oven-safe skillet cuts the bake time (and the number of dirty dishes). Refrigerated biscuits form the simple topper.Double Berry Cobbler

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Triple-Berry Angel Food Cake

This simple, make-ahead dessert is light and colorful. If you're preparing it for a party, save time by using store-bought angel food cake and making the berry fruit spread the day before. You can substitute some of your other favorite fruits in the sauce, if you like.Triple-Berry Angel Food Cake

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Cherry-Berry Smoothie

This quick-and-easy blender drink, from the Michigan Cherry Committee, combines cherries, milk, yogurt, blueberries or raspberries, juice concentrate, honey and vanilla.Cool tip Blender freeze-ups happen when there's not enough liquid around frozen ingredients. To solve the problem, pour liquids and soft ingredients into the blender first, then add the frozen stuff on top and blend. Still stuck? Pour in some juice or milk, then cover and blend again.Cherry-Berry Smoothie

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Very Berry Triple Fruit Pie

More than 4 cups of berries make this pie extra juicy. Be sure to let it cool completely before you slice it. And don't forget the vanilla ice cream! The recipe comes from Covered Bridge Farm in Forest Lake, Minnesota. Very Berry Triple Fruit Pie

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Pistachio Pavlova with Fresh Berries

Mildly nutty meringue cradles fresh berries in this classic dessert named for a ballerina. Use your favorite nut to flavor the meringue. Our Test Kitchen recommends pistachios, almonds or pecans. Any fruit works: blueberries, kiwi, bananas.Pistachio Pavlova with Fresh Berries

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Custard Parfaits with Granola

This recipe makes an easy, fun layered dessert or breakfast . Use fat-free products for rich taste without extra calories. Layer most ingredients ahead, then add the granola and serve.Custard Parfaits with Granola

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Chocolate-Raspberry Mousse Cake

Combine raspberries with cake mix and mousse mix for this taste-tempting (and easy) chocolate delight from a Chaska, Minnesota, reader.Chocolate-Raspberry Mousse Cake

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Berry Easy Cobbler

This warm, crunch-topped cobbler calls for 3 cups of blueberries, but if you'd like a double-fruit version, reduce the blueberries to 2 cups and add 2 cups fresh or frozen tart cherries.Berry Easy Cobbler

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Strawberry "Cool Brûlée"

This deceptively good, weeknight-easy dessert has a topping of yogurt and whipped cream with raw sugar that looks like creme brulee, but requires no cooking.Strawberry "Cool Brûlée" 

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Cherry-Berry Rich Shortcakes

Michigan's fruit belt inspired our Cherry-Berry Rich Shortcakes. We played up the sweet cherries grown in the Great Lakes State, along with blueberries and raspberries. A shortcake biscuit base and sweetened whipped cream complete the dessert.Cherry-Berry Rich Shortcakes

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Lemon-Blueberry Biscuits

Lemon yogurt is the secret ingredient in these pretty biscuits. The recipe comes from Natura Farms in Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota. Lemon-Blueberry Biscuits

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Blackberry-Pecan Streusel Pie

Precook the juicy, tart blackberry filling before pouring it in the crust. The streusel topping becomes a crunchy sugar-pecan crown.Blackberry-Pecan Streusel Pie

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Berry Pudding Cake

Vanilla cake bakes over fresh blueberries and strawberries for a light, lower-calorie summer dessert. Berry Pudding Cake

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Double Chocolate-Cherry Cookies

Carol Schneider of Wausau, Wisconsin, brought home a blue ribbon when she entered these cookies at the Wisconsin State Fair. The recipe combines white and semisweet chocolate with dried cherries and walnuts.Double Chocolate-Cherry Cookies

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Blueberry Almond Bars

This recipe earned the title of Grand Champion at the Marshall County Fair's annual Bake-A-Rama in Plymouth, Indiana. It looks great on a serving platter sprinkled with fresh blueberries.Blueberry Almond Bars

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Michigan Tart Cherry Pie

If you're a fan of classic, not-too-sweet cherry pie, look no further. This is our best one.Michigan Tart Cherry Pie

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Cheesecake-Sauced Fruit Parfaits

Blend just four ingredients to create this easy sauce from a Wausau, Wisconsin, reader. Serve over fresh fruit such as raspberries, blueberries or strawberries.Cheesecake-Sauced Fruit Parfaits

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Strawberry-Walnut Shortcakes

Nuts and orange zest give a crunchy and flavorful twist to this summer classic.Strawberry-Walnut Shortcakes

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Blueberry Sour Cream Dessert

Use fresh blueberries when in season to make this rich dessert, a cross between a pie and a cheesecake. Blueberry Sour Cream Dessert 

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