These 15 Recipes That Prove August Is the Best Month for Fresh Fruit Dishes, Desserts and Drinks
- August is the peak season for a variety of fruits including cherries, watermelon, melons, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and pears.
I surely hope you have some sort of access to a farmers' market at this time of year because August is the best when it comes to produce. The array of different kinds of fruit available is simply amazing and as is the slew of recipes you can make with them. Don't let this summer pass you by without trying these 15 sunshine-y August fruit-forward recipes.
Yes, you can certainly eat all of those juicy plums and peaches and melons straight up, and revel in the simplicity and beauty of these fruits, but don't miss the chance to cook up some beautiful summer desserts (and also incorporate those fruits into easy dishes like grain salads and salsas).
Related: 27 Pie Recipes That Will Make You Thankful For Summer Fruit
What Fruit is in Season in August?
August is the peak summer season and there are plenty of fruits and vegetables that are at their prime, picking-wise:
-
Melons (like cantaloupe and honeydew melon)
-
Nectarines
Related: How To Pick the Best Watermelon Using the Dot Rule
Best August Fruit Recipes
Scroll through the slideshow for recipes that star each of these incredibly ripe, flavorful summer fruits. Cherries stud muffins, watermelon gets paired with cucumber and jicama in a spicy (and unusual) appetizer, honeydew melon brightens up a green salad, all kinds of berries can be part of a summery sangria, juicy peaches anchor a fruit salsa and blueberries star in simple ice cream (that can be made with or without an ice cream maker).
Related: 42 Best No-Bake Cheesecake Recipes
Once you start to see how different fruits can bump up the flavor profile—and color—of all sorts of dishes, you'll want to include them regularly. And I mean beyond just pies and crisps—but don't worry, there are also pies and crisp recipes here!
The Best August Fruit-Forward Recipes
California Strawberry Commission
Simple but tasty with fresh apriocots and yogurt-based dressing, this fruit salad will complement almost any type of main dish.
Get the recipe: California Summer Fruit Salad
Recipe Girl
Sweet, fresh cherries are wonderful to have around for snacking. They're also great for adding to baked goods! These muffins freeze well, too, if you'd like to save some for later.
Get the recipe: Sweet Cherry Muffins
Mark Boughton Photography
Paired with crunchy jicama and cucumber, sweet summer watermelon takes a spicy-savory spin in this Mexican-inspired appetizer.
Get the recipe: Chile-Lime Watermelon, Cucumber and Jicama
Nisa Burns
Pistachios and melon make a great addition to a summer salad.
Get the recipe: Honeydew Pistachio Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing
Katie Workman
This perfect summer galette comes together in a snap thanks to refrigerated pie crust and a short ingredient list.
Get the recipe: Blueberry and Peach Crostada
Katie Workman
This sangria is so pretty and so fruity and SO summery. Use a mix of strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries, or whatever berries you have on hand.
Get the recipe: Sparkling Rosé Berry Sangria
Katie Workman
This delicious breakfast or snack treat has a load of berries nestled in a moist cake hiding under a layer of streusel.
Get the recipe: Raspberry Streusel Coffee Cake with Sweet Vanilla Drizzle
Katie Workman
Summer nestled under a crunchy topping with a touch of cinnamon.
Get the recipe: Plum and Nectarine Crisp
Katie Workman
A dazzler of a salsa, savory and sweet all at the same time.
Get the recipe: Peach and Roasted Red Pepper Salsa
Katie Workman
This summery fruit crisp makes the most of peaches or nectarines, but you can also sub in other stone fruits like plums or apricots if you like. It's a fruit crisp 101.
Get the recipe: Simplest Peach or Nectarine Crisp
Katie Workman
Bright and citrusy and sweet and herby.
Get the recipe: Spicy Pear and Cilantro Salsa
Katie Workman
Refreshing, clean, and rejuvenating.
Get the recipe: Beet Berry Smoothie Bowl
Alison Ashton
This Star-Spangled Berry Pie is easy to throw together to celebrate any summer gathering.
Get the recipe: Star-Spangled Berry Pie
Parade
A perfect summer treat, which you can make with or without an ice cream maker!
Get the recipe: Blueberry Lemon Ice Cream
Get the recipe: Peach and Gorgonzola Pizza
" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg p_maxWidth" src="https://s.yimg.com/lo/mysterio/api/303429c8cabbdf8a0f0675f0d3166b6f221cfc83b9253c397728c847a499cff0/lightyear_networkapi/resizefill_w960%3Bquality_80%3Bformat_webp/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Fparade_250%2F0e8ffc6468ff696d15aa0caae101de37" width="100%" style="; max-width:300px;"/>Parade
This simple pizza, adapted from Genuine Pizza by Miami-based, James Beard Award–winning chef Michael Schwartz, is a delicious way to showcase summer peaches.
Get the recipe: Peach and Gorgonzola Pizza
More Summer Fruit Inspiration
Up next:
Related: The Viral Recipe That Has Us Rushing to the Store to Buy Zucchini
