Warmer weather is on the rise, so I’ve put together a few Perfect Dessert Recipes to Celebrate Spring Season! From fruit desserts to quick recipes to pack for picnics, to dinner recipes that highlight the fresh veggies, there’s plenty of ways to incorporate the flavors of spring!
What’s In Season?
Spring time is perfect for heading to your local market and stocking up on what’s fresh! Let’s go through a list of all the fresh and seasonal fruits and veggies to look for when you go
Berries – From cherries, to raspberries, to blueberries and more, be on the lookout for all sorts of fresh berries! This is when they will be so sweet and delicious, and perfect for pies, compotes, muffins, and more! Strawberries are also beginning to pop up around this time of year! I love adding some chopped fresh strawberries to yogurt, cottage cheese, or ice cream!
Citrus – Grapefruit, lemons, and limes are also in season now! I love grabbing a bunch of citrus whenever I can get my hands on it! I love adding a squeeze of lemon to pastas, chicken, fish, or even a glass of water! Limes are perfect to have on hand with avocados, tacos, or when a last minute margarita is needed! Not to mention all of the wonderful desserts and muffins that use citrus! Lemon poppyseed muffins are one of my all time favorites!
Tropical Fruit – Mangos, kiwi and pineapple are also in season! These are great for adding to juices and smoothies in the morning!
Vegetables – Carrots, peas, and broccoli are all in season now! Fresh peas are perfect for adding to pastas and pestos! I love the bright green snap of fresh peas! It’s a perfect crunch to add to salads as well!
Tools to Grab:
Because citrus is very popular this time of year, there’s a few tools that I recommend you have on hand to take full advantage of all the citrus flavor!
Zester – I use my zester basically every day! I love to grate my garlic instead of chopping, since chopping garlic can be a hassle since it’s so small! I grate my garlic into everything from tacos, to dips, to dressings; basically anytime I need to use garlic!
It’s great for getting all the citrus zest off! Just be careful to get any of the pith! The pith is the white layer of the citrus underneath the flavorful zest! The pith is pretty bitter, so whenever you’re zesting be sure to stop when you see the white!
My all time favorite tip for working with any kind of citrus zest is to zest the citrus directly into the sugar you are going to use for your baking! The oils from the citrus will absorb into the sugar and it just infuses the sugar with all that beautiful citrus flavor! It’s the best tip I have!
You can shop all my favorite tools here! This website uses Affiliate links which may earn commission at no extra cost to you. Each item is one I use or a similar item.
Fruit Recipes:
Raspberry Lemon Cookies
This Raspberry Lemon Cookie Recipe is full of all the bright flavors of spring! If you’re in an area where spring is taking a little bit longer to get to you, but you’re still craving all the bright joyful flavors of spring, these cookies are the best place to start! They use freeze-dried raspberries, so you don’t have to worry about getting fresh raspberries from the market! What brightens up these cookies is the use of the lemon zest in teh sugar! By using my favorite citrus hack (see above), you infuse these cookies with a bright lemon flavor! Still feels fresh and vibrant without having to worry about getting fresh berries!
You can really use any freeze-dried fruit in these cookies, like strawberries or blueberries! I think I’ve even seen freeze-fried mango which would add a fun tropical spin to these cookies!
Raspberry Galette
Galettes are one of my favorite treats to make! And this fresh Raspberry Galette is no exception! Using store-bought pie crust, you really just roll out the dough, mix the fruit with some sugar and the plop the fruit right in the middle of the pie crust! It’s everything you love about a pie, but with none of the stress and hassle! A galette is a free-form French pie that is supposed to look rustic and beautiful! You don’t need to make this pie look perfect; it shines in the rustic simplicity.
For this galette, you can sub in fresh or frozen fruit! It’s great for going to the farmer’s market and seeing what’s fresh and available! You can even add in multiple berries if you’d like!
Strawberry Brie Puff Pastry
Puff Pastry can elevate any recipe and this Strawberry Brie Puff Pastry really proves that point! I love how flakey and butter puff pastry is, but it’s really so easy to work with! It’s like everything you love about a croissant but you don’t have to deal with actually making croissant dough! This recipe starts with a little square of puff pastry, then a layer of jam, a piece of brie cheese, then topped with a strawberry! While it bakes, the puff pastry gets beautifully golden brown and flakey, while the brie gets nice and melty! The strawberry roasts every so gently in the oven which allows the natural sweetness of the strawberry to come out!
This is a great spring time appetizer because it’s everything you love about a charcuterie board but in one delicious serving! Feel free to change out any of the fruit and jam combinations you’d like! A drizzle of hot honey would even be extra delicious!
Protein Blueberry Smoothie Bowl
This Protein Smoothie Bowl is a perfect way to start off any spring day! It’s filling and nutritious but feels like a large bowl of ice cream for breakfast! This is another great recipe for adding whatever flavors you like to it! I like to use frozen blueberries but you could use fresh blueberries and add some ice to it!
You can also swap out the blueberries for another kind of fruit! The fun part of this fruit smoothie is what you get to top it with! From shredded coconut, to extra fruit, to crunchy granola and nuts, it’s really like the breakfast version of chili!
Lemon Poppyseed Cake
I’m not the biggest fan of making tiered cakes, which is why I love this Lemon Poppyseed Cake so much! It’s everything you love about a cake, but in a much simpler version! You don’t need to worry about stacking cake layers, the cake gets to shine is a beautiful and delicate way! I like to top this cake with a few slices of lemons and sprinkle of poppyseeds!
Feel free to grab another type of citrus like grapefruit or oranges for this recipe! This cake is perfect for any springtime celebration, especially since Mother’s Day is right around the corner!
Perfect For Picnics:
Perfect for Picnics
These recipes are quick and easy recipes to throw together but are easy to transport! I love the idea of having a dessert that feels fancy but is perfect for the picnic blanket! Here are a few desserts that I would bring to a picnic!
Honey Almond Galette
If you’re looking for a quick and easy dessert to bring to a picnic, this Honey Almond Galette is perfect for that! This Peach galette would be the perfect addition for any picnic meal because it’s easy to make, but super easy to transport! Just pack it up and you’re ready to go! I love the addition of the sweet peaches with the drizzle of honey!
You can also sub out the peaches for sweet strawberries or another kind of fruit! Fresh or frozen works great with this recipe!
Carrot Cake Cookies
Want to celebrate with a classic recipe, but don’t feel like dealing with making a whole cake and cream cheese frosting!?! These Carrot Cake Cookies use a shortcut by using a boxed cake mix so they come together so fast! With a creamy cheesecake filling, it has all the flavors of a moist carrot cake, but in an easy to transport recipe!
Single Serve Sprinkle Cookies
If you’re looking for easy spring dessert recipes, these Single Serve Sprinkle Cookies have got to be on the list! They truly could not be easier to make and perfect for a dessert for two! Or just one and you don’t have to share!
Be sure to check out all of my other small-batch desserts here!
Chocolate Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats
Need some more strawberry inspiration ideas that aren’t just strawberry shortcake!? Try out these Chocolate Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats! They could not be easier to make and are perfect for packing together for a picnic!
The chocolate flavor with the tart freeze-dried strawberries is out of this world! Give this delightful spring dessert a try for your next picnic!
Dill Pickle Tuna Salad
This Dill Pickle Tuna Salad is a delicious spin on a classic recipe we all know and love! Adding fresh herbs to this recipe helps brighten up the flavor and turn this recipe into a spring time winner! It’s quick to assemble and you can really make it your own with whatever flavors you like best! Not to mention, it’s super easy to make this a vegan recipe!
I love to serve this recipe on bread, crackers, fresh vegetables or even in lettuce wraps! This is a great recipe to make ahead for lunches during a busy week!
Lemon Chicken Orzo
There’s still a few rainy days in spring and that means this Lemon Chicken Orzo is perfect for spring! Using sweet carrots, lemon and even some dill takes classic chicken noodle soup to the next level! This soup is hearty and filling while still being bright and zesty from the lemon!
Feel free to load this soup up with as many fresh vegetables as you can find!
Roasted Sweet Potato Tacos
These Roasted Sweet Potato Tacos have to be one of my all-time favorite recipes! I love adding fresh tomatoes, a squeeze of lime and a healthy pinch of cilantro to the top of these tacos! This is a great recipe for going through your local farmers market and grabbing as many fresh vegetables as you can! It’s filling but still feels light and fresh! It’s the perfect spring time dinner to celebrate warmer weather ahead!
Tacos are always a great way to use up fresh fruit and veggies, especially by turning them into salsas! If you’ve never tried fresh mango salsa, I highly recommend that! Adding fruit to any kind of salsa really adds a huge depth of flavor!
Tomato Soup
Okay, I know, we typically think of tomato soup for winter, but there’s so many fresh tomatoes popping up this time of year, I felt I had to add it! Not to mention the fact that tomato soup is delicious all throughout the year, let’s be honest here! This is a great recipe to use up all those fresh and juicy tomatoes! If you really wanted to make this feel like spring, you could always serve it cold like a gazpacho! I’m really here to eat tomato soup however I can get it!
These easy desserts are here to inspire you to dream of warm weather and fresh produce! After a long winter, I always love the start of spring! Remember it doesn’t take a lot to make a dessert fresh and vibrant for spring! All you really need is some fresh fruit, a fluffy angel food cake and some whipped cream and you have one of the best spring desserts ready to serve! The best part of spring is walking through your farmers market (possibly with a latte in hand) and scooping all of the fresh fruit! I hope you enjoy these spring dessert ideas and feel inspired to create your own springtime version of a classic dessert!
Cheers!
-Holly Michelle
