15+ High-Protein Dessert Recipes for Summer

Enjoy one of these yummy dessert recipes when you’re in the mood for something sweet! Each recipe offers a nice boost of protein, with at least 7 grams per serving. With delectable options like our Blueberry-Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake and Lemon Frozen Yogurt Ripieno, you’ll love the bright and summery flavors these desserts bring to the table.

Blueberry-Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

Leigh Beisch

This healthy pound cake recipe isn’t just delicious—it also only requires one bowl to make. For the best cake texture, be sure to beat the sugar and butter together long enough in Step 2 to look creamy—the time it takes to get there varies according to the type of electric mixer you have. Serve with brunch or alongside a cup of coffee in the afternoon.

Cranberry Coconut Trifle

No other dessert turns heads like a trifle. This trifle recipe glows from within with scarlet layers of juicy cranberries. We made the custard with a combination of low-fat milk and light coconut milk. From-scratch brown-butter sponge cake, made with whole-wheat pastry flour, stands in for store-bought ladyfingers.

Lemon Frozen Yogurt Ripieno

Lemon lovers will enjoy the bright flavor of this creamy, refreshing dessert. To make it extra special, serve it in a frozen lemon cup! You can use the juice from your lemon cups to make the frozen yogurt or keep it on hand to enjoy later.

Lavender Cheesecake

Baking homemade graham crackers with a touch of brown sugar and honey makes this cheesecake recipe an extra-special dessert.

2-Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream

Whir up frozen bananas into an “ice cream” without the cream! Peanut butter adds a natural swirl of flavor for a sweet and satisfying dessert with no added sugar.

Caramel Cream Cheese Custard (Flan de Queso)

Every panaderia (bakery) in Puerto Rico has many flavors of flan, from vanilla to guava. Reduced-fat cream cheese gives this version a rich, comforting texture.

Double Chocolate-Banana Bread Pudding

In this healthy chocolate bread pudding recipe, whole-wheat bread, ripe bananas, chocolate and toasted peanuts come together for a heavenly dessert.

No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake

This no-bake cherry cheesecake is an easy summertime treat. This no-bake cheesecake recipe has omega-3-rich walnuts in the graham cracker crust and uses nonfat Greek yogurt and reduced-fat cream cheese in the filling to keep saturated fat in check. If you want a bright red topping, use sour cherries. Sweet cherries give it a more purple hue.

Peach-Ricotta Pound Cake

Sonia Bozzo

This peach-ricotta pound cake is fruity and delicious. The ricotta cheese helps keep it moist, and the peaches add fresh summer flavor. Using vanilla extract lets the spices shine through, while almond extract provides a stronger flavor that pairs well with the peaches.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Here’s a simple recipe for low-fat vanilla ice cream. Our version has all the richness you’ll need but about 90 fewer calories than store-bought premium ice cream and a whopping 15 grams less total fat and 10 grams less saturated fat per serving.

Rice Pudding

Made with nonfat milk, this comforting rice pudding (delicious for breakfast, too) has a lovely creamy consistency because Italian arborio rice is used.

S’more Parfaits

This chilled dessert offers all the flavors of a s’more, but you don’t need a campfire. It also features a protein boost from the Greek yogurt.

Chilled Key Lime Mousse

This refreshing chilled Key lime mousse is a perfect union of cream and foam, tangy lime and soft sweet custard. The method is simple but a little unusual–you make a custard with fresh Key lime juice rather than milk or cream.