17+ BBQ Desserts for a Crowd That Never Need the Oven

Hot days, long nights, dozens of barbecues, and the year’s sweetest produce mean you don’t need to turn on the oven or heat up your kitchen to satisfy your sweet tooth this summer.

Grab some juicy berries or stone fruit and try one of these 17+ luscious, light and refreshing desserts made with in-season fruit, or go with popsicles, ice creams, fruity treats, and more.

These easy, breezy barbecue desserts are the perfect sweet ending to summer meals and will steal the spotlight at any summer cookout.

Because if grilling and eating alfresco are two of the best parts of summer, why go back inside for dessert?

1. Grilled Pineapple With Lime-Mint Granita

Grilled pineapple is the dessert you make when the coals are still glowing and nobody wants cake.

The granita needs freezer time, so make that earlier and let the pineapple wait until after dinner.

Once the wedges hit the grill, the sugar catches, the edges darken, and the whole thing smells like vacation.

This is a grilled dessert, not a fridge dessert, so serve it while the pineapple is warm.

The cold lime-mint granita keeps it sharp instead of heavy after BBQ.

It sounds fancy, but honestly it is fruit, ice, and a little timing.

I like desserts that do not ask me to scrub another pan at 9 p.m.

Ingredients

• 1 pineapple, about 1 1/2 lb (750 g)
• 3 oz (75 g) palm sugar or dark brown sugar
• 8 oz (250 g) granulated sugar
• 2 cups (500 ml) cold water
• 4 strips lime zest
• 4 large mint sprigs, bruised
• 1 cup (250 ml) lime juice, from about 6 large limes
• 1/4 cup (50 ml) vodka

Directions

1. Place the granulated sugar, water, and lime zest in a saucepan.
2. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, stir in the mint, cool, and strain.
4. Stir in the lime juice and vodka, then freeze for about 4 hours.
5. Soften for 15 minutes, blend briefly, and freeze again if needed.
6. Trim, peel, quarter, core, and cut the pineapple into wedges.
7. Thread the wedges onto 6 metal skewers.
8. Dip in palm sugar or brown sugar and grill over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
9. Cool slightly and serve with the granita.

Prep: 10 mins, plus freezing  |  Cook: 12 to 14 mins  |  Serves: 6

2. Grilled Strawberry Kebabs With Ice Cream

Strawberries on skewers feel almost too easy, which is exactly why I like them after a cookout.

This is a grilled dessert, so thread the berries while dinner is cooking and toss them on once the grates are still hot.

They soften fast and get juicy, then you drop them over cold ice cream.

That warm-cold contrast does all the work.

Serve in bowls, not plates, unless you enjoy chasing melted ice cream across a picnic table.

It is sweet, quick, and done before anyone can restart the grill debate.

After a smoky meal, bright fruit or cold cream usually lands just right.

Ingredients

• 1 lb (500 g) strawberries, washed but unhulled
• 2 cups (500 ml) good-quality ice cream, such as vanilla, strawberry, or chocolate

Directions

1. Soak 8 bamboo skewers in cold water for 30 minutes.
2. Thread the strawberries onto the skewers.
3. Grill over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, turning often.
4. Spoon ice cream into 4 serving dishes.
5. Top the ice cream with the warm grilled strawberries and serve right away.

Prep: 5 mins  |  Cook: 3 to 4 mins  |  Serves: 4

3. Warm Grilled Fruit Salad With Honey Yogurt

Warm grilled fruit salad is what I serve when people want dessert but everyone is already full.

This is a grilled dessert, so prep the pineapple, mango, peach, nectarine, and apricots before dinner.

After the mains are off, the fruit only needs a few minutes to char and soften.

The yogurt and honey keep it cool and creamy without making the whole thing feel heavy.

It is great for guests who say they just want a little something sweet.

I never believe them fully, but I respect the attempt.

A cooler with dessert tucked inside is doing quiet hero work here.

Ingredients

• 1 small pineapple
• 1 mango
• 1 nectarine, quartered and pitted
• 1 peach, quartered and pitted
• 2 apricots, halved or quartered if large, pitted
• 4 tablespoons Greek yogurt
• Clear honey, for drizzling
• Few cardamom seeds, optional

Directions

1. Trim and peel the pineapple, then cut the flesh into chunks.
2. Peel the mango and cut the flesh away from the pit in slices.
3. Grill the mango and pineapple for 4 minutes per side.
4. Grill the nectarine, peach, and apricots for 3 minutes per side.
5. Arrange the grilled fruit in individual dishes.
6. Top each serving with Greek yogurt, honey, and cardamom seeds if using.

Prep: 15 mins  |  Cook: 8 mins  |  Serves: 4

4. Grilled Bananas With Maple Ice Cream

Bananas on the grill look chaotic at first, then they turn soft and sweet like they knew what they were doing.

This is a grilled dessert, so make or buy the maple ice cream ahead and cook the bananas after dinner.

The skins blacken, the inside gets warm and creamy, and serving takes almost no effort.

That is very nice when you have already fed a backyard full of people.

Put the bananas in bowls with ice cream and call it done.

Low stress, high comfort, very much my kind of summer dessert.

Dessert should feel like a reward, not a second catering shift.

Ingredients

• 4 large bananas
• 2 cups (500 ml) milk
• 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
• 2 star anise, lightly crushed
• 5 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) maple syrup

Directions

1. Heat the milk, cream, and star anise in a saucepan until almost boiling.
2. Remove from heat and infuse for 20 minutes.
3. Beat the egg yolks with the maple syrup.
4. Strain in the warm milk mixture and return everything to the pan.
5. Heat gently, stirring, until the custard coats the back of a spoon.
6. Cool completely and freeze in an ice cream maker.
7. Place the bananas in their skins on the grill.
8. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, turning halfway, until the skins blacken.
9. Peel and serve with the ice cream.

Prep: 5 mins, plus infusing and freezing  |  Cook: 10 mins  |  Serves: 4

5. Grilled Fruit Foil Parcels With Caramel Sauce

Foil fruit parcels are the dessert version of minding your business.

Fill them ahead with figs, peaches, and blueberries, then grill them after dinner while the caramel sauce warms nearby.

This is a grilled dessert, but it does not need much attention once the packets are sealed.

Guests get warm fruit and sauce without you scrubbing another baking dish later.

I would open the packets carefully because steam is sneaky.

Serve with spoons, bowls, and maybe ice cream if the crowd is feeling extra.

Grilled fruit works best when the fire has calmed down but still has heat.

Small servings make sense after smoky mains, especially when everyone already ate twice.

Ingredients

• 6 figs, quartered
• 2 peaches, pitted and quartered
• 6 oz (175 g) blueberries
• 2 oz (50 g) unsalted butter
• 6 oz (175 g) light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/3 cup (75 ml) heavy cream
• Few drops vanilla extract

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the brown sugar and syrup and cook gently until the sugar dissolves.
3. Stir in the cream and vanilla and bring slowly to a boil.
4. Remove from heat while you cook the fruit.
5. Lay 4 pieces of foil on the work surface.
6. Divide the figs, peaches, and blueberries between the foil pieces.
7. Seal the parcels and grill over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Open carefully and serve the fruit with the caramel sauce.

Prep: 10 mins  |  Cook: 15 mins  |  Serves: 4

6. Chilled Raspberry Cheesecake

Raspberry cheesecake is the dessert you make before the party so future-you can relax.

This is a chilled dessert, so it stays in the fridge while the grill handles the noisy part of dinner.

The crust firms up, the filling sets, and the raspberries make it feel fresh after smoky food.

I would slice it small because cheesecake after ribs is not the moment for giant wedges.

Bring it out once the table is cleared and everyone has stopped pretending they are not having dessert.

Cold, creamy, and already done is a beautiful thing.

Small servings make sense after smoky mains, especially when everyone already ate twice.

Ingredients

• 2 oz (50 g) butter, melted
• 4 oz (125 g) graham crackers, crushed
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 3 teaspoons powdered gelatin or 1 sachet
• 12 oz (375 g) farmer cheese
• 2 oz (50 g) superfine sugar
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream, whipped, to decorate
• 8 oz (250 g) raspberries, to decorate

Directions

1. Mix the melted butter into the graham cracker crumbs.
2. Press into the base of a lightly oiled 8-inch (20 cm) springform pan and chill for 20 minutes.
3. Sprinkle the gelatin over the orange juice in a small saucepan and let it soak for 5 minutes.
4. Heat gently until the gelatin dissolves.
5. Beat the cheese and sugar until smooth, then beat in the egg yolks.
6. Stir 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture into the gelatin, then stir that back into the main bowl.
7. Whip the cream until firm and fold it into the cheese mixture.
8. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold them in.
9. Spoon over the crust, level the top, and chill for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
10. Decorate with whipped cream and raspberries before slicing.

Prep: 20 mins, plus chilling  |  Cook: 5 mins  |  Serves: 6 to 8

7. Summer Berry Roulade

Summer berry roulade looks like a lot, but it is really a make-ahead flex.

This is a chilled dessert, so bake and fill it before the BBQ starts, then keep it cool until serving.

The sponge rolls around creamy filling and berries, which feels light enough after grilled food.

I would slice it with a sharp knife and set it out once the grill is off.

It is not the dessert to leave in direct sun while everyone chats.

Keep it cold, serve it pretty, and let somebody else refill the drinks.

If ice cream is involved, bowls beat plates every single time.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 4 oz (125 g) superfine sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 4 oz (125 g) all-purpose flour
• 8 oz (250 g) full-fat Greek yogurt
• 4 oz (125 g) farmer cheese
• 1 tablespoon superfine sugar
• 4 oz (125 g) blueberries
• 5 oz (150 g) raspberries

Directions

1. Line a 12 x 9-inch (30 x 23 cm) jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
2. Place the eggs, sugar, and lemon zest in a bowl set over simmering water.
3. Beat with an electric mixer for 10 minutes, until thick and ribbon-like.
4. Remove from heat and gently fold in the flour.
5. Pour into the pan and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 8 to 10 minutes.
6. Turn the sponge onto sugared parchment, peel off the lining paper, cover with another sheet, and roll loosely from the short edge.
7. Cool wrapped in the sugared paper.
8. Mix the Greek yogurt, farmer cheese, and sugar.
9. Unroll the sponge, spread with the filling, and scatter over most of the berries.
10. Roll again, transfer to a plate, and decorate with the remaining berries.

Prep: 30 mins  |  Cook: 20 mins  |  Serves: 8

8. Honeyed Strawberry Mousse Cups

Strawberry mousse cups are the cold little rescue after a smoky, hot meal.

This is a chilled dessert, so make the layers ahead and let the freezer or fridge do the quiet work.

The honeyed strawberry flavor feels fresh, and the passion fruit on top keeps it from tasting flat.

Bring them out when people want dessert but not a heavy slice of something.

Individual servings also stop the whole who-cut-that-piece-too-big drama.

I appreciate any dessert that handles portion control for me.

After a smoky meal, bright fruit or cold cream usually lands just right.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons water
• 3 teaspoons powdered gelatin or 1 sachet
• 13 oz (400 g) strawberries, hulled, plus extra halved strawberries to decorate, optional
• 6 teaspoons thick honey
• 10 oz (300 g) fat-free Greek yogurt
• 2 passion fruit, halved

Directions

1. Put the water in a small cup and sprinkle the gelatin over it.
2. Let it soak for 5 minutes.
3. Puree half the strawberries with 2 teaspoons honey until smooth.
4. Stand the gelatin cup in simmering water and heat until clear and dissolved.
5. Stir 3 teaspoons of dissolved gelatin into the strawberry puree.
6. Divide the puree between 6 small metal molds and freeze for 15 minutes, until just set.
7. Puree the remaining strawberries with the remaining honey.
8. Blend in the Greek yogurt and remaining gelatin.
9. Pour over the set strawberry layer and freeze for 4 to 5 hours.
10. Unmold and serve with passion fruit seeds and extra strawberries if using.

Prep: 30 mins, plus freezing  |  Cook: 2 mins  |  Serves: 6

9. Lemon and Honey Frozen Yogurt Ice

Lemon and honey ice is for the moment when everyone is warm, full, and still wants one clean bite.

This is a chilled dessert, so make it ahead and let it soften slightly before serving.

The yogurt keeps it creamy, while the lemon makes it sharp enough to wake up the table.

It is not grilled, and that is the point.

Sometimes after burgers, ribs, and smoke, cold citrus just makes more sense.

Serve small scoops or lemon cups if you are feeling cute, but do not make it fussy.

A cooler with dessert tucked inside is doing quiet hero work here.

Ingredients

• 4 large or 6 medium lemons
• About 4 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 oz (50 g) superfine sugar
• 1 bay leaf or lemon balm sprig
• 2 cups (475 ml) plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
• Lemon zest strips, to decorate

Directions

1. Slice the tops off the lemons and scoop out the pulp and juice.
2. Discard the white pith, skin, and seeds.
3. Puree the pulp and juice, adding water if needed to make 2/3 cup (150 ml).
4. Heat the measured water, honey, sugar, and bay leaf gently until the sugar dissolves.
5. Cool the syrup.
6. Blend the syrup with the lemon puree and yogurt, leaving the herb in for now.
7. Freeze until lightly frozen, then fork the mixture and remove the herb.
8. Return to the freezer.
9. Move to the refrigerator about 20 minutes before serving and decorate with lemon zest strips.

Prep: 20 to 25 mins, plus cooling and freezing  |  Cook: 2 mins  |  Serves: 4 to 6

10. Grilled Chocolate and Banana Melts

Chocolate banana melts are messy in the way summer desserts are allowed to be messy.

This is a grilled dessert, so build the sandwiches after dinner and cook them while the grate is still warm.

The chocolate softens, the marshmallows melt, and the banana gets cozy inside the toasted bread.

Kids will understand this recipe immediately.

Adults will act casual and then ask if there are extras.

Cut them in halves if you want dessert to feel snacky instead of full-plate serious.

Dessert should feel like a reward, not a second catering shift.

Cold desserts should stay tucked away until people are actually ready for something sweet.

Ingredients

• 8 slices white bread, crusts removed
• 3 oz (75 g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 large banana, sliced
• 2 oz (50 g) marshmallows, chopped
• Spray oil
• Vanilla ice cream, optional

Directions

1. Top 4 bread slices with the chocolate, banana, and marshmallows.
2. Cover with the remaining bread slices.
3. Spray the sandwiches with oil.
4. Grill on a flat gas grill plate or grill rack for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Spray the top side lightly with oil, flip, and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes, until golden.
6. Serve with vanilla ice cream if using.

Prep: 5 mins  |  Cook: 2 to 4 mins  |  Serves: 4

11. Toasted Marshmallows With Chocolate Dipping Sauce

Toasted marshmallows with chocolate sauce are basically permission for everyone to stand near the grill again.

This is a grilled dessert, and it works best when the fire has calmed down but still has heat.

Make the chocolate sauce first, then let people toast marshmallows on metal skewers.

It is not neat, and honestly that is half the fun.

Set out napkins, small bowls, and maybe a damp towel because chocolate has range.

This one is for the end of the night when nobody is rushing anywhere.

Cold desserts should stay tucked away until people are actually ready for something sweet.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (175 ml) light cream
• 5 oz (150 g) dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 oz (15 g) butter
• Marshmallows

Directions

1. Combine the cream, chocolate, and butter in a bowl set over gently simmering water.
2. Stir often until the chocolate melts and the sauce is smooth.
3. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
4. Spear marshmallows onto metal skewers.
5. Toast over a hot grill without letting the marshmallows touch the grate.
6. Serve with the chocolate dipping sauce.

Prep: 10 mins  |  Cook: 5 mins  |  Serves: 4

12. Brioche With Blistered Peaches and Mascarpone

Brioche with blistered peaches feels like dessert from the part of summer that smells like sunscreen and charcoal.

This is a grilled dessert, so halve the peaches before dinner and cook them once the coals mellow out.

The fruit gets soft and smoky, then the mascarpone makes it rich without needing cake.

Add toasted brioche if you want it to feel more like a plated dessert.

I would serve this to adults after the kids have found the marshmallows.

It is easy, seasonal, and very good with quiet porch conversations.

Warm fruit and cold cream is a summer trick that never acts tired.

Ingredients

• 6 peaches, halved and pitted
• Powdered sugar, for dusting
• 8 oz (250 g) mascarpone cheese
• 2 tablespoons light cream
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• Pinch pumpkin pie spice
• Brioche slices, toasted, optional

Directions

1. Dust the cut peaches lightly with powdered sugar.
2. Grill over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until charred and tender.
3. Mix the mascarpone, cream, almond extract, and pumpkin pie spice until smooth.
4. Serve the blistered peaches with the mascarpone.
5. Add toasted brioche slices underneath if you want a fuller dessert.

Prep: 5 mins  |  Cook: 2 to 4 mins  |  Serves: 4 to 6

More BBQ Desserts You’ll Love

Brown Sugar Butter Cinnamon and White Chocolate on a Peach Is Dinner Party Energy at a Backyard Price

This one surprised me and I honestly wasn’t expecting it.

Bon Appétit coated the peach halves in melted butter, dark brown sugar, and cinnamon before they even hit the grill.

So by the time they’re coming off, there’s already a caramelized sugar crust forming on the outside.

But here’s the part that gets you.

You flip them over, drop chopped white chocolate right into the hollow, and the residual heat does the melting for you.

Then toasted pistachios on top for that salty, crunchy finish.

It’s still very much a backyard recipe, but it looks like something you’d order somewhere nice.

Zero fancy equipment, everything happens near the grill, and the ingredient list stays short.

This is the one you make when people think they’re just coming over for burgers and you wanna quietly show off a little.

Homemade Biscuits Grilled Peaches and Whipped Cream Is the Most Celebratory BBQ Dessert on This Whole List

Okay so this one asks a little more of you. I just want to be upfront about that.

Ashley Manila builds a full shortcake around the grill element instead of just using grilled fruit as a topping.

You bake the biscuits first, grill the peach slices til they’re caramelized and soft, then layer everything with mixed berries and fresh whipped cream.

The result is a dessert that actually feels celebratory.

And the berries are doing real work here.

They keep the plate bright and fresh against the warm, smoky peach so it doesn’t feel heavy.

This is your dinner-party BBQ dessert.

The one you make when it’s not just a random Saturday cookout but like… someone’s birthday, a holiday weekend, or you just want people to leave feeling genuinely taken care of.

More effort than a simple scoop situation, yes…

But worth it though.

The Brown Sugar Grilled Peach Recipe You’ll Have Memorized After One Read Through

Butter, brown sugar, cinnamon.

Done.

Holly Nilsson went as short as possible on the ingredient list and it works exactly as promised…

You brush the peaches, coat em in brown sugar and cinnamon, grill til tender and browned, then serve warm with ice cream.

That’s the whole recipe.

Louise made it and said the simplicity was the best part, which is honestly the highest compliment a backyard dessert can get…LOL (not kidding though)

And Samantha said even the people at her table who were skeptical about nectarines went back for seconds.

Second servings from the skeptics.

That’s the review right there.

Waffle Cones Stuffed With Chocolate Marshmallows and Gooey Chaos Are the Smores Upgrade You Didn’t Know About

You know how s’mores are great but also kinda messy and you end up with chocolate on your sleeve and a sad, half-melted marshmallow situation?

Campfire cones solve that.

Waffle cones get stuffed with mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, graham cracker pieces, and whatever else you wanna throw in.

Christy Denney keeps the mix-ins totally customizable.

Wrap ’em in foil.

Drop them in campfire coals or the oven if you’re not doing the full outdoor thing.

Everything inside melts together into this warm, gooey, s’mores-flavored pocket that you hold in your hand and just eat like a normal ice cream cone.

Kids can build their own, which makes this the easiest interactive dessert you can do at a cookout without anyone fighting over the graham crackers.

Less mess, more flavor, and you can batch these ahead.

A Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler That Works Directly Over Campfire Heat and Makes the Whole Backyard Stop Talking

This is the big one.

Like, everything else on this list is solid, but Erin Clarke’s dutch oven peach cobbler is the scoopable crowd dessert that makes people actually put their plates down and pay attention.

Fresh peaches with honey, cornstarch, vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger go under a full cobbler batter — all in a Dutch oven that works either over campfire heat or in a regular home oven.

That campfire flexibility is everything for a camping weekend or any outdoor gathering where oven access just isn’t happening.

Someone asked Clarke in the comments whether the Dutch oven needed a lid — and she confirmed it doesn’t.

So yeah, even less to think about.

This is your BBQ dessert when you’re feeding a crowd and you want people to leave actually full, not just snacking on grilled fruit slices.

And if you love low-effort, crowd-feeding dessert situations, we’ve also got a whole collection of dump and go crockpot desserts for when the grill isn’t happening.

A Spiced Brown Sugar Glaze With Ginger and Nutmeg That Makes These Grilled Peaches Actually Unforgettable

This one has more going on than it looks.

Peach quarters, butter, grill on the cut sides… then the top gets hit with brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and nutmeg all at once.

That spice blend melts into a glossy, aromatic glaze with a slightly warmer, more complex edge than your average brown sugar, because the ginger and nutmeg are doing real work in there.

Jessica Gavin’s version is useful exactly for that reason: it offers more flavor depth without making the recipe any harder.

Elizabeth in the comments said she serves hers over grilled buttered pound cake and I mean… yeah, that’s the move and I’m taking notes.

Nancy just left a note saying “good and yummy” – same here, Nancy.

Same.

If your cookout crowd leans into fall-spiced flavors even in the middle of July, this one is the pick.

Choosing Between Grilled BBQ Desserts and Chilled Make-Ahead Sweets

BBQ desserts split into two easy camps: things you grill after dinner and things you pull cold from the fridge.

Grilled fruit is great when the coals are still warm, because pineapple, peaches, bananas, strawberries, and figs only need a few minutes.

Keep those toppings simple, like ice cream, yogurt, mascarpone, caramel, or chocolate sauce.

Chilled desserts are better when the grill is already crowded or you are feeding a bigger group.

Cheesecake, mousse, roulade, and lemon ice can be made ahead and brought out once the plates are cleared.

For hot days, keep anything creamy in the fridge or cooler until serving time.

For grilled desserts, prep the fruit before dinner so you are not cutting pineapple while everyone watches.

That little bit of planning makes dessert feel easy instead of like one more job after the smoke clears.

If kids are around, marshmallows and banana melts are the easy crowd-pleasers.

For adults, grilled peaches, pineapple, or a cold berry dessert usually feels lighter after ribs and burgers.

Either way, keep the servings small and let people come back for seconds.

More BBQ Recipes You’ll Want to Try

• Keto Grilled Peaches That’ll Make You Forget You’re on a Diet
• Easy Keto Grilled Pineapple with Cinnamon Recipe for a Treat
• 3-Ingredient Keto Vanilla Coconut Pops: Creamy, and Low-Carb
• Make This Easy & Yummy Keto Strawberry Cheesecake Popsicles