23 quick and easy summer potluck desserts that everyone will love

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This collection is filled with 23 cheerful, vibrant, and downright delicious desserts that are perfect for any summer potluck. From whimsical cookies to chill dessert salads, these recipes are sure to add a splash of color and a burst of flavor to your next potluck.

Chocolate dump cake topped with colorful M&Ms.
M&M Chocolate Dump Cake. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Italian Ricotta Cookies

Ricotta cookies with icing and colored sprinkles on a cooling rack and on the counter.
Italian Ricotta Cookies. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Ricotta cookies are like little bites of summertime joy! The fluffy and light texture, with a hint of lemon zest, makes them a refreshing treat at any potluck. Your friends will be reaching for seconds before you know it!
Get the Recipe: Italian Ricotta Cookies

Watergate Salad

Pistachio salad topped with nuts and cherries.
Watergate Salad. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Cool and creamy Watergate Salad is a blast from the past that still delights today! With its mix of pistachio pudding, pineapple, and marshmallows, it’s a unique and cheerful dish that’s perfect for a sunny outdoor gathering..
Get the Recipe: Watergate Salad

Tie Dye Jello Cookies

Make the dessert table pop with these colorful Tie Dye Jello Cookies! They’re as fun to make as they are to eat, and the bright hues are sure to bring smiles to everyone at the potluck. They’re a groovy addition to any summer feast!
Get the Recipe: Tie Dye Jello Cookies

Coconut Bars with Chocolate Chips

Gooey coconut bars on a wooden cutting board with coconut.
Coconut Bars with Chocolate Chips. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

These Coconut Bars with Chocolate Chips are a little slice of heaven. They are super easy to transport, can be cut to feed a crowd, and offer a sweet, tropical twist to the usual chocolatey desserts making them totally irresistible.
Get the Recipe: Coconut Bars with Chocolate Chips

Easy Cheesecake Bars

Cheesecake Bars topped with fresh strawberries with a blue napkin.
Cheesecake Bars. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Because who doesn’t love cheesecake? These Cheesecake Bars are portable, sliceable, and incredibly decadent. They’re a top-notch potluck dessert because they offer the richness of cheesecake in a fuss-free, easy-to-serve format.
Get the Recipe: Easy Cheesecake Bars

Cool Whip Cookies

Cool whip cookies on parchment with powdered sugar.
Cool Whip Cookies. Photo Credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Light as a breeze and just as refreshing, Cool Whip Cookies are a no-fuss delight that’s perfect for a hot summer day. With a melt-in-your-mouth texture, they’re an airy treat that pairs perfectly with laughter and sunshine at your potluck.
Get the Recipe: Cool Whip Cookies

Chocolate M&M Dump Cake

Chocolate dump cake topped with colorful M&Ms.
M&M Chocolate Dump Cake. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Chocolate M&M Dump Cake is every chocolate lover’s dream, and the best part? It’s as easy as it is delicious! With layers of rich chocolate and colorful M&M’s, it’s a fun and brightly-colored treat that’ll be a hit at any summer bash.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate M&M Dump Cake

No Bake Pina Colada Cheesecake

Four jars of pina colada cheesecake on a wooden cutting board topped with pineapple, coconut and cherries.
No-bake Pina Colada Cheesecake Jars

These Pina Colada Cheesecakes are like a tropical getaway in dessert form! Made in Mason jars they are portable and their coconut-pineapple flavor will have you swaying to island rhythms. Summer + Cheesecake = Paradise.
Get the Recipe: No Bake Pina Colada Cheesecake

Lime Jello Salad

Piece of lime jello salad topped with whipped cream and a cherry.
Lime Jello Salad. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Lime Jello salad is a refreshing and nostalgic dessert that brings a burst of citrusy goodness to summer cookouts. With its vibrant green color and sweet-tart flavor, it’s a fun and playful addition to any gathering.
Get the Recipe: Lime Jello Salad

Sugar Cookie Bars

Sugar Cookie Bars with colorful sprinkles.
Sugar Cookie Bars. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Bring a touch of sweetness to the party with these Sugar Cookie Bars! They’re easy to make and even easier to decorate, so you can add a personal flair to the potluck. These tasty bars are sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
Get the Recipe: Sugar Cookie Bars

No Bake Haystack Cookies

Top view of haystack cookies on a backing rack with a blue napkin.
Haystack Cookies. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Want something crunchy, sweet, and totally unique? Haystack Cookies are your answer! With a delightful combination of chow mein noodles and chocolate, they’re a surprising treat that’s perfect for munching at a summer gathering.
Get the Recipe: No Bake Haystack Cookies

Cherry Fluff

Cherry fluff salad in blue bowls with whipped cream.
Cherry Fluff. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Cherry Fluff is a dreamy dessert that screams summer! With its vibrant cherry flavor and fluffy texture, it’s like a sweet, edible cloud in a bowl. It’s a whimsical addition that’ll have folks at the potluck asking for the recipe!
Get the Recipe: Cherry Fluff

Lemon Drop Cookies

Lemon cookies on a silver cooling rack with lemons around it.
Lemon Drop Cookies. Photo Credit: Feast+West.

Lemon Drop Cookies are the zesty treat that’ll wake up your taste buds! Tangy and sweet, they’re a little ray of sunshine in cookie form. They’re the perfect citrusy delight for a lively summer potluck!
Get the Recipe: Lemon Drop Cookies

Apple Cinnamon Sugar Cake

Apple cinnamon sugar cake with a fork on a teal plate.
Apple Cinnamon Sugar Cake. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

Apple Cinnamon Sugar Cake brings the comforting flavors of apple pie to the dessert table, but with a summer twist! Moist and filled with fresh apples and cinnamon, it’s a heartwarming treat that’s perfect for a laid-back summer vibe.
Get the Recipe: Apple Cinnamon Sugar Cake

Kitchen Sink Cookies

cookies with M&M's, potato chips, pretzels, nuts and chocolate chips.
Kitchen Sink Cookies. Photo credit: Feast + West.

Kitchen Sink Cookies are the adventurous dessert everyone will love! Loaded with chocolate chips, nuts, and anything else you fancy, they’re a fun and tasty way to surprise and satisfy all the different tastes at your summer potluck.
Get the Recipe: Kitchen Sink Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Keto Cookies layered on a white surface with yellow flowers on the side.
Peanut Butter Cookies. Photo credit: Low Carb – No Carb.

The easiest ever Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe with only a few ingredients and done in less than 20 minutes are a perfect staple for a quick dessert idea. Bring them along to your next potluck and watch them disappear.
Get the Recipe: Peanut Butter Cookies

Banana Buttermilk Cake

Banana-Buttermilk Cake on a platter.
Banana-Buttermilk Cake. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Sign up for dessert and bring this amazing cake that everyone will love! It’s rich, moist, and infused with banana flavor, and the cream cheese glaze puts it over the top!
Get the Recipe: Banana Buttermilk Cake

Chewy S’mores Cookie

Image shows a series of chewy s'mores cookies on a wooden board.
Chewy S’mores Cookie. Photo credit: Honest and Truly.

Bring the campfire to your potluck with S’mores Cookies! With gooey marshmallow, rich chocolate, and a sprinkle of graham crackers, they capture the essence of summer nights under the stars. They’re a nostalgic treat that’ll have everyone reminiscing!
Get the Recipe: Chewy S’mores Cookie

Apple Cinnamon Rolls

A pan of freshly baked and frosted apple cinnamon rolls on a dark blue background.
Apple Cinnamon Rolls. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Wake up your potluck with the comforting aroma of Apple Cinnamon Rolls! Sweet, gooey, and filled with the fresh taste of apples, they’re a delightful twist on a classic favorite. They’re like a warm hug on a plate, perfect for sharing with friends!
Get the Recipe: Apple Cinnamon Rolls

No-Bake Macaroons

No-bake coconut macaroons in coconut shell on stripped cloth.
No-bake Coconut Macaroons. Photo credit: Primal Edge Health.

Whip up these delicious no-bake macaroons with only 5 ingredients. With their chewy coconut texture and sweet flavor, these delightful treats are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth and easy to bring with you to a party.
Get the Recipe: No-Bake Macaroons

Marshmallow Fruit Salad

Marshmallow Fruit Salad with Cool Whip.
Marshmallow Fruit Salad with Cool Whip. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

Marshmallow Fruit Salad is like a summer party in a bowl! Bursting with fresh fruits and fluffy marshmallows, it’s a refreshing and vibrant side that’ll add a colorful splash to your potluck. It’s a sweet celebration of the season’s best flavors!
Get the Recipe: Marshmallow Fruit Salad

Iced Lemon Cookies

A white plate with iced lemon cookies.
Chewy Iced Lemon Cookies. Photo credit: One Hot Oven.

Bake a batch of these Chewy Iced Lemon cookies that have a bold taste of fresh lemon in a soft buttery sugar cookie. A delicious recipe for the lemon lover and perfect for summer gatherings.
Get the Recipe: Iced Lemon Cookies

Matcha Sugar Cookies

matcha sugar cookies on wooden block from above view
Matcha Sugar Cookies. Photo credit: Easy Homemade Life.

For a touch of elegance, try Matcha Sugar Cookies at your next potluck! These green tea-infused cookies offer a unique and sophisticated flavor, with a lovely hint of earthiness. They’re a refreshing change of pace that’ll charm the crowd!
Get the Recipe: Matcha Sugar Cookies

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