Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes 20 Quick Fruit Desserts That Are Sweet and So Refreshing By Kelly Vaughan Kelly Vaughan Kelly is a former associate digital food editor for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 26, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Bryan Gardner When you're crunched for time but want to make a sweet treat for family and friends, consider one of these quick fruit dessert recipes. They may come together fast, but they don't lack in the flavor department. Take our Quick Red-Wine Dessert Sauce, pictured here, for example. Paired with pound cake, fresh berries, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it's a complete, creative dessert that no one will know you whipped up on the fly. And that's the beauty of all the desserts you'll find here; each one comes together in 45 minutes or less, and that includes any time needed for prepping, baking, and chilling. They're also seasonally inspired—you'll find desserts featuring juicy blueberries and strawberries, plump peaches and apricots, figs, and citrus fruit. We have several delicious variations of upgraded fruit salads. Instead of simply cutting up melon, grapes, and berries, we've created stunning displays of fruit complete with sweet, crunchy toppings. This Tropical-Fruit Salad with Coconut Crunch will transport you to the island of your dreams. Arrange sliced papaya, mangoes, pineapple, and strawberries on a platter and top the mix with our genius combination of poppy seeds and unsweetened shredded coconut. Or try Tropical Fruit with Coconut-Pistachio Crunch; this recipe calls for lychee, banana, and star fruit, but we encourage you to use whatever sweet produce is in season. Looking for something a little more elegant? We have just the dairy-free answer—Roasted Cherries with Tofu "Panna Cotta," which is cozy and comforting. The best part is that it comes together in 30 minutes total. From patriotic berry trifles to fruit sauces that you can serve with ice cream or pound cake, these quick fruit dessert recipes are sure to end your dinner on a sweet note. 01 of 19 Roasted Cherries with Tofu "Panna Cotta" Ren Fuller Panna cotta is a traditional Italian dessert made with heavy cream and gelatin. Enjoy this vegan version made with silken tofu, which is topped with fresh caramelized cherries and raspberries. View Recipe 02 of 19 Cara Cara Oranges with Toasted Honey Meringue Marcus Nilsson This bright pink variety of Navel oranges are elevated with dollops of whipped, toasted meringue. Egg whites are beaten with honey and the seeds of a vanilla bean, which are then transferred to individual baking dishes and broiled until the meringue is toasted. Set alongside the citrus rounds. View Recipe 03 of 19 Boozy Melon Three Ways Bryan Gardner Did someone say happy hour? Cool off on a hot summer day with your choice of tequila-soaked watermelon, gin-soaked honeydew, or vodka-soaked cantaloupe for a quick fruit dessert. Of course, feel free to try all three if you're hosting a few people. View Recipe 04 of 19 Tropical-Fruit Salad with Coconut Crunch Petrina Tinslay Everyone loves fruit salad but you'll wow the crowd by topping sliced seasonal fruit with our homemade coconut crunch. Start by whisking egg whites, orange-blossom honey, vanilla paste, grated Meyer-lemon zest, poppy seeds, and unsweetened shredded coconut, bake, and sprinkle over fresh fruit. View Recipe 05 of 19 Red, White, and Blue Berry Trifle The ultimate patriotic sweet, serve this quick fruit dessert from Memorial Day to Labor Day. In a springform pan, layer ladyfingers with mashed sweetened raspberries and whipped cream, then top with nearly a pound of fresh blueberries. View Recipe 06 of 19 No-Bake Key Lime Cheesecake Armando Rafael This easy, egg-free cheesecake comes together quickly. There's no need for a water bath and long baking time in this no-bake recipe. A combination of cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk are beaten until fluffy, then Key lime juice and zest and pure vanilla extract are added for flavor. View Recipe 07 of 19 Mixed Grapefruit with Ricotta and Cardamom Honey Armando Rafael Infuse honey with toasted green cardamom pods—they add a warm earthiness to the naturally sweet syrup. Then drizzle over fresh ricotta and segmented grapefruit for a quick fruit dessert. View Recipe 08 of 19 Puff-Pastry Tarts with Stone Fruits and Frangipane GENTL & HYERS Make use of store-bought frozen puff pastry in this quick fruit dessert that's perfect for summer. Use a variety of seasonal stone fruits such as apricots, peaches, and plums. The fruit is then sliced and layered over individual squares of pastry and homemade almond frangipane. View Recipe 09 of 19 Grilled Pound Cake with Peaches and Plums Bryan Gardner Slice and grill store-bought pound cake (or make our classic recipe in advance!), then top with more grilled fruit and yogurt whipped cream. It's a delightful fruit dessert that comes together fast. View Recipe 10 of 19 Persimmon Compote Raymond Hom Bright orange-red and super juicy, persimmons are the perfect topping for ice cream, pound cake, yogurt, and more. To make this quick fruit dessert topping, heat dry white wine, sugar, star anise, and one cinnamon stick with sliced persimmons, cool, and serve any which way. View Recipe 11 of 19 Tropical Fruit with Coconut-Pistachio Crunch This is no ordinary fruit salad. Choose your own adventure based on what's in season. Here, we've used fresh sliced lychees, bananas, star fruit, papaya, and mangoes and topped them with an irresistible crunch made from chopped pistachios, coconut, honey, and lemon zest. View Recipe 12 of 19 Caramelized Skillet Peaches Celebrate the bounty of summer peaches with this sweet fruit topping. Caramelize the peaches with lemon juice, ground cinnamon, light brown sugar, butter, and bourbon, then spoon over ice cream. View Recipe 13 of 19 Strawberry Sauce Marcus Nilsson Make this syrupy, ruby red strawberry sauce with just three ingredients—berries, sugar, and lemon juice. From here, mix it into homemade ice cream, serve over Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, or drizzle over slices of pound cake. View Recipe 14 of 19 Apple Fritters David Malosh When fall rolls around, you need to make this classic apple dessert. Our recipe calls for basic pantry ingredients like flour, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, milk, and butter, plus two apples. You won't believe how quickly this treat comes together. View Recipe 15 of 19 Caramelized Figs with Honey and Cheese Figs are the ultimate winter fruit. Here, we cook them with honey, chopped fennel seeds, and almonds. Serve warm with shaved sheep's milk cheese (we love manchego!) and wheat crackers. View Recipe 16 of 19 Broiled Apricots with Fresh Ricotta and Pistachios Raymond Hom You only need 10 minutes and four ingredients for this quick and easy fruit dessert. Dip halved, pitted apricots in sugar, place in a baking dish, and broil until the fruit is caramelized and juicy. Stuff the apricots with fresh ricotta cheese and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. View Recipe 17 of 19 Strawberries with Elderflower Cream Marte Kopperud If you've never tasted elderflower liqueur, you're in for a real floral treat. Beat the liqueur with heavy cream, zest lemon, and sifted confectioner's sugar for a bright whipped cream. Serve alongside the freshest strawberries you can find. View Recipe 18 of 19 Caramel Apples Con Poulos Kids and adults alike will cheer for caramel-coated candy apples. Make your own caramel sauce (it makes all the difference) using sugar, corn syrup, and heavy cream, then dip apples and let cool. View Recipe 19 of 19 Strawberries with Creme Fraiche and Sugar Jonathan Lovekin This simple fruit dessert makes a big impact. Each of your guests can dip large strawberries in crème fraîche and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. The combination of tart berries and cream with sweet confectioner's sugar is a pleasant treat. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit