Dessert Dips Are the Easiest Way to End Any Summer Party

Who doesn’t love a good dip? They’re easy, versatile, run the gamut from healthy to indulgent, and are just plain fun to eat. Dessert dips are no exception—and they’re particularly great for your 4th of July or Labor Day party, since there’s no baking required, you can make them ahead of time, and you can pair them with some of summer’s bet (and in the case of Labor Day, last) fruit.

Most sweet dips take only a few minutes of active time to make; just mix a handful of ingredients in a single bowl and pop it in the fridge to meld and chill. You’ll probably spend more time arranging the serving platter, but that’s super simple too.

What to Serve with Dessert Dip

Go for a generous but not too overwhelming array of different things to dip. Along with fruit like strawberries and cherries, consider including graham crackers, shortbread, animal crackers, and almost any other type of cookie you want, plus something unexpected like pretzels, waffle cone pieces, doughnut holes, or even plain potato chips for a sweet-salty combo (although chips won’t work quite as well for all of these, they’re dynamite with chocolate in particular, as anyone who’s ever dipped fries into chocolate milkshakes well knows).

Related Reading: Easy No-Bake Summer Desserts Are No Sweat | Set Up a Mix-and-Match S’mores Bar at Your Next BBQ

Easy Dessert Dip Recipes

Make any one of those low-effort but high-impact dessert dips for your next party, and prepare to be just as delighted as your guests.

1. Sweet Cinnamon Fruit Dip

Shelly Westerhausen

This cinnamon mascarpone concoction is seriously almost effortless to throw together, and delicious with mountains of summer fruit while it’s still in season (although in fall, it goes just as well with apples and pears). Get this Sweet Cinnamon Fruit Dip recipe.

2. Tiramisu Dip

Chowhound

Mascarpone also stars in this tiramisu-inspired dip with ricotta, espresso, sweet liqueur, and chocolate. A cannoli dip is another great Italian-inspired option, but strawberries and butter cookies go great with either one. Get our Tiramisu Dip recipe.

3. Fluffernutter Dip

Marshmallow fluff and peanut butter make a creamy dip that kids and adults will love, especially with banana slices to dunk. Get the Fluffernutter Dip recipe.

4. Monster Cookie Dough Dip

If even no-bake cookies sound like too much hassle, just make what amounts to egg-free edible cookie dough, packed with plenty of oats, butter, brown sugar, and M&Ms. Get the Monster Cookie Dough Dip recipe.

5. Lemon Bar Dip

Lemon bars are a lovely, light, and bright dessert, but if you’re still not up for baking, this tangy-sweet dip is a great choice. It only has three ingredients: cream cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon curd. Okay, four ingredients if you count the sunny lemon zest on top. Five if you count the shortbread for dipping. Get the Lemon Bar Dip recipe.

6. Funfetti Cake Dip

Funfetti is always festive, and this cheerful three-ingredient dip will bring happiness for sure. If you’re not into the Cool Whip, which shows up in a lot of sweet dips, just replace it with homemade whipped cream, but make sure to stabilize it by adding one tablespoon of cornstarch for every cup of heavy cream before whipping it up. Get the Funfetti Cake Dip recipe.

7. Samoa Dip

Chocolate and caramel are dynamite together; add toasted coconut and they’re even better. If you can get your hands on some Girl Scout cookies for a meta dipping experience, great, but this tastes fab scooped up with practically anything, honestly. Try sprinkling a little flaky sea salt on top too! Get the Samoa Dip recipe.

8. Nutella Cheesecake Dip

Fluffy, creamy, and flavored with Nutella, this could almost be served as a mousse with spoons, but shoveling it up with strawberries makes it healthier, which means you can eat even more, right? Get the Nutella Cheesecake Dip recipe.

9. Banana Cream Pie Dip

There are lots of pie-inspired dips worth making, from luscious coconut cream pie dip to key lime pie dip with actual pieces of pie in it(!), but banana cream pie dip is tailor-made for dunking Nilla Wafers. If you’re feeding adults only, cut back on the milk by a tablespoon or two and add an equivalent amount of banana liqueur instead.  Get the Banana Cream Pie Dip recipe.

10. Fluffy S’mores Dip

Hot s’mores dip is really good (it’s melted chocolate and toasted marshmallow, so how could it not be amazing?), but if you need something easier to put together and transport, this dip will do the trick. Feel free to stir in some chopped chocolate along with the mini marshmallows, unless you like things strictly smooth. Get the Fluffy S’mores Dip recipe.

11. Oreo Cookie Dip

Cookies and cream is a fantastic ice cream flavor, and it’s a fantastic dip flavor too. The only other thing you need to know is that this takes 10 minutes to make, so there’s no reason not to do it. Get the Oreo Cookie Dip recipe.

12. Salted Caramel Butter Pecan Cake Dip

Salted. Caramel. Butter. Pecan. Cake. Dip. Yes, there is actual cake mix in it, and yes, there is dulce de leche too, and the pecans should be lightly toasted for maximum deliciousness. This one is a little warmer and nuttier in flavor, which means it’s another great choice to carry you on into fall, even if you can’t bear to think about that just yet. Get the Salted Caramel Butter Pecan Cake Dip recipe.

Serving Note: Almost all of these recipes are easy to double (or triple) for larger crowds if need be, and can also be made ahead, but if you do that, just let them sit out at room temperature for 10 minutes or so before serving, so they loosen up a little and the flavor wakes up from the chill.