Phoebe Lawless of Scratch Bakery in Durham, North Carolina makes cream pies all summer long that incorporate different fruits as they become available. This recipe works just as well with strawberries, peaches, cherries, or whatever is in peak season. It's also a great way to use fruit that is just beyond its usability, whether bruised or overly ripe. Farideh Sadeghin
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Whether you crave sweet summer fruit baked into a buttery, flaky pie dough, the refreshing tang of lemon icebox pie, or the cool creaminess of a chocolate cream pie, we’ve got dessert recipes perfect for summer. Whatever the filling, there’s one thing everyone can agree on—one slice just isn’t enough. Check out our favorite summer pie recipes.
Pies are wonderfully seasonal. Summer provides an abundance of fruits to use as fillings. It’s hard to pick a favorite—try our blackberry pie with lemon and nutmeg, boysenberry with cinnamon, or concord grape with tapioca.
Fruit pies are great, but sometimes you want the richness of a cream pie. To lighten them up for the summer, tart lemon and lime is the way to go. Lemon meringue pie is always a winner, with a layer of lemon curd topped with a cloud of meringue. We’ve got a basic key lime pie recipe if you’re feeling traditional, you should also try our coconut lime custard pie. Coconut milk provides a rich sweetness that is balanced by the zing of lime zest and juice.
Regardless of the season, sometimes decadence is the way to go. Chocolate pies are rich, sweet, and perfect any time of year. Our chocolate pudding pie is pure nostalgia. The simple homemade pudding and whipped cream is everything we wanted as children. Chocolate chess pie is a more grown-up version—a chocolate custard is spooned into a crust studded with cacao nibs and topped with a nutty cornbread crumble.
Find these recipes and more in our collection of great summer pie recipes.
Inspired by his neighbor Olivia Pattison’s recipe, chef Chris Fischer uses tapioca in the filling of this pie because it thickens the juicy berry mixture without imparting its own flavor or becoming gummy. Minute tapioca pearls are easy to find in grocery stores, but if you like, substitute an equal amount of cornstarch. Get the recipe for Black and Blue Berry Pie »
This unusual Santa Claus melon tart makes for the perfect summer dessert. A bright melon curd fills an almond crust, topped with fresh slices of the fruit. Get the recipe for Santa Claus Melon Tart »
My mom, Ellendean, would occasionally surprise me with this creamy chocolate pie when I came home from school, then watch as I devoured a quarter of it while watching “M*A*S*H” reruns. —Keith PandolfiGet the recipe for Chocolate Pudding Pie »
Phoebe Lawless of Scratch Bakery in Durham, North Carolina makes cream pies all summer long that incorporate different fruits as they become available. This recipe works just as well with strawberries, peaches, cherries, or whatever is in peak season. It’s also a great way to use fruit that is just beyond its usability, whether bruised or overly ripe.
When Jon Rowley was a child, his grandmother used to make juice from fresh-picked blackberries. In it, he says, “you could taste and smell the briar.” In this recipe, Rowley’s wife, Kate McDermott, has combined that flavor from his youth with a tender, flaky pie crust to create an exemplar of the Pacific Northwest’s cuisine. Get the recipe for Blackberry Pie »
A combination of all-purpose and potato flours gives this simple summer tart a delicate, crumbly crust. Plums, peaches, or berries can be substituted for apricots.
Make this pie with fresh rhubarb when in season, although frozen will do when not in season. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Get the recipe for Rhubarb Pie »
A cloud of meringue is piled sky-high over lemon-curd filling in this recipe inspired by a diner classic served at the Modern Snack Bar in Aquebogue, New York. Get the recipe for Lemon Meringue Pie »
This banana-filled, caramel pie is a traditional English treat—topped with grated chocolate, it’s perfect for tea time. Get the recipe for Banoffee Pie »
Parisian chef Paule Caillat melts butter in the oven for a fast, versatile tart crust with intense nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with pastry cream and fresh berries.
Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries are brightened with lemon juice and zest to make the filling for this juicy pie. Get the recipe for Razzleberry Pie »
