30 Father's Day Desserts Your Dad Will Love
Show dad all the love and make him a big and bountiful dessert for Father's Day! Whether he's a pie lover, a chocoholic, a cake fiend, or a dedicated fruit cobbler guy, we have something for every father out there.
If there's one thing about dads, they love dessert. At least the dads I know, which makes them my kind of dads.
Father's Day comes with all kinds of clichés: the necktie for a present, the grilled steak dinner. Maybe the dad with a sweet tooth is a cliché too, but every father is different, and we have desserts here for all of them. Some of these recipes are low-key and others are showstoppers. There's bound to be the perfect one for you, whether you're a dad yourself or looking forward to celebrating one you love dearly.
Cherry Pie Bars
More shareable than pie and featuring a pat-in-the-pan crust that also serves as a crumble topping, these cherry pie bars are party-ready for Father's Day gatherings. Make a filling from scratch or use cherry pie filling from the store.
Strawberry Spoon Cake
The lemon is a non-negotiable. It enhances the flavor of the strawberries, and the acid in the juice keeps them bright red even after they’re cooked.
Strawberry Shortcake Cake
Split a tender yellow cake and fill it with sweetened whipped cream to build this simple yet stunning centerpiece that makes the most of late-season strawberries.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Icebox Cake
For all the dads who love Reese's cups comes a peanut buttery, no-bake icebox cake based on the classic Nabisco's Famous Chocolate Wafers recipe. Those specialty cookies are gone now, but chocolate graham crackers make a fine substitute.
Piña Colada Pie
Somewhere between coconut cream pie and the classic tropical cocktail, this chill-and-assemble pie features an easy cookie crust and toasted coconut galore. For a rum-free variation, swap the booze for vanilla.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
For the chocoholic dad, here's a seriously dense and decadent dessert. Don't let its fancy restaurant reputation deter you—this beauty is easier to make than its floury cousins, and the luscious ganache topping takes it...well, over the top.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
If dad can't get enough chocolate chip cookies but you want to surprise him with a little more of a special occasion cake, here's the sort of supersized cookie cake you might have ordered from the mall. Making your own is totally doable, though, and more memorable to boot.
Peach Cobbler
Father's Day sits right at the start of all the good summer fruits, making it an ideal time for the first peach cobbler of the season. This one is what my wonderful father-in-law would choose, topped with plenty of vanilla ice cream.
Pink Lemonade Cake
The frosted cake will keep in the fridge in an airtight container or tightly covered for a few days, but you can get further ahead if you like. The baked, cooled (and unfrosted) cake can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to a month.
Chocolate Tres Leches Cake
Tres leches cake meets chocolate cake in this alluring dessert that's so good it's practically inhaleable.
Cowboy Blondies
While developing this recipe, recipe developer Molly Adams discovered that cowboy cookies had a bit of a moment in 2000 during the Bush-Gore presidential campaign when Laura Bush submitted them to Family Circle magazine, competing against Tipper Gore’s ginger snaps. How very early 2000s!
Ice Cream Cake
Every time he can cough up an excuse, my dad likes to get an ice cream cake from our local big chain ice cream outpost. I'll be making this one for him on the sly. It's fun to make, even better to eat, and beats the chain store cake hands-down.
Easy Dump Cake From Scratch
Somewhere in gloriously messy cobbler territory lives the dump cake. Making it from scratch takes only minutes longer. This one uses blueberries and peaches, but you can switch out dad's favorite fruit easily.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
This recipe is a family favorite of Elise Bauer, founder of Simply Recipes. It's a fixture at family events, and especially beloved by her father, who exemplifies a dessert-loving dad more than perhaps anyone else on the planet. The recipe offers two methods for the caramel topping—Elise's and her dad's.
No-Churn Peach Cobbler Ice Cream
I think the dads of America keep the ice cream industry in business. My dad and his best friend eat it in cereal bowls; they scoff at petite dishes. The like-minded paterfamilias will receive a batch of homemade ice cream with open arms and giant smiles. This no-churn recipes makes it achievable by anyone with a regular old freezer.
Blackberry Pie
Blackberry pie christens summer pie season for fatherly pie aficionados. Hands-down this is what my dad requests any chance he gets. He's a berry-picking monster and stocks up on berries all summer long to freeze for future pies.
Cassava Cake
"Cassava cake is a scrumptious snack or dessert," writes Betty Ann Quirino, who shared this recipe. "At a Filipino party, you’ll likely find it at the center of the table with other goodies. The lightly fragrant coconut, the charred spots of sweetness in the creamy broiled topping, and the soft slices are a reminder that the best treats can be made from the simplest ingredients."
Rhubarb Custard Pie
A rich and sweet custard tempers the sour notes of rhubarb in this old-fashioned favorite.
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
WARNING: This is the best chocolate cake ever. Period. Pieces will disappear and everyone will rave. Super rich and moist, it's true love in a pan.
Oreo Cheesecake
"Can I make this with Oreos?" This is the most common question we get on our Perfect Cheesecake recipe. The answer is no: you need a dedicated recipe just for Oreo cheesecake, and here it is. Just look at this thing! If you're not sold now, you never will be.
Strawberry Pretzel Pie
The classic Midwestern strawberry pretzel salad doubles down and becomes the legit dessert it was always meant to be.
Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake
If you want to pull out all the stops, here's your project. This is two layers of picture perfect red velvet cake with cheesecake in the center and cream cheese frosting enrobing it all.
Banana Cream Pie
There's a very special father who will choose cream pie over all others, and this pie specifically. And I never make it for him, but this year I will, because this recipe's graham cracker crust makes it easy. Happy Father's Day, Joe!
Crème Brûlée Cheesecake
Do you love crème brûlée, but you also love cheesecake? Get the best of both worlds. A buttery graham cracker crust balances the light and creamy cheesecake, then it’s finished with crackly caramelized sugar.
Bourbon Cherry Crisp
Break out your cherry pitter for this one. A kiss of bourbon deepens the flavor of the jammy cherry filling.
Fresh Strawberry Pie
This pie will set up the best if you chill it overnight, making it ideal for making ahead. Make the pie without the whipped cream up to two days before serving. If you have any smelly things in your fridge, you’ll want to cover the pie tightly with plastic wrap. Add the fresh whipped cream and fresh strawberry garnish just before serving.
Blueberry Icebox Pie
A simple blueberry topping graces this no-bake pie that's like an easy cheesecake lightened with whipped cream.
Coffee Heath Bar Ice Cream
My daughter knows this is her dad's favorite ice cream of all time. If a dad in your life fits that category, imagine his delight to have a batch churned up just for him (and anyone else lucky enough to be around).
Bread Pudding
This is no ordinary bread pudding. It's got a sweet bourbon sauce, the leftovers of which make a bonus ice cream topping.
Chess Pie
A little cornmeal helps set this classic Southern custard pie. The golden custard filling pairs perfectly with cups of strong coffee.
