Your taste buds deserve a vacation with these summer desserts

Let’s be honest — nothing tests your will to live more than the scorching heat of summer. 

The sun is blazing, your skin is sticking to literally every surface imaginable, and even your anxiety is sweltering. But fear not, my fellow heatstroke survivors, I come bearing the ultimate list of summer desserts that slap — ranked by how much they save my soul.

Kheer (rice pudding) — the OG creamy and comforting dessert 

If you haven’t experienced kheer during summer, are you even living? This Indian rice pudding is like a hug in a bowl — creamy, fragrant with cardamom, and sweet enough to make you forget about that presentation due tomorrow.

Why I love it: It’s cooling, soothing, and somehow feels like both dessert and breakfast (perfect for those “I’ll start eating healthy tomorrow” vibes).

Where to find it: Mom’s kitchen, Indian sweet shops, or your attempt at making it at 2:00 am after binge-watching cooking shows.

Chocolate-dipped strawberries — for the romantic hot mess in all of us

Summer is short. So are our attention spans. But the love affair between chocolate and strawberries? Eternal.

Why I love it: It’s fruit, so technically it’s “healthy.” (Ignore the fact it’s encased in chocolate thicker than my psychology textbooks.)

Where to find it: Farmers markets, dessert bars, or that one friend who got into baking during the COVID-19 lockdown and never stopped.

Mango shake — liquid gold in a glass

Nothing says summer like mango shake. It’s rich and tastes like sunshine and happiness blended into a straw. Bonus points if it’s homemade with fresh mangoes and just the right amount of ice cream.

Why I love it: It’s basically summer in a cup. Also, it’s a perfect excuse to avoid drinking plain water all day. One of my favourite childhood memories is having frozen cold mango shake with my sibling.

Where to find it: Street vendors, your roommate’s blender, or that one café that’s always too expensive but somehow worth it.

Ice-cream sandwiches — one of those impulse buys

Every time I swing by a corner store, I walk out with an ice-cream sandwich and zero regrets. They’re the dessert equivalent of accidentally watching an entire season of a show when you were “just gonna watch one episode.”

Why I love it: It’s ice cream. Between cookies. Enough said.

Where to find it: Every gas station or convenience store or your roommate’s freezer, if you are lucky!

Frozen grapes — the ones that make you feel like you have your life together

Hear me out — frozen grapes are the underrated queens of summer snacking. They’re sweet, refreshing, and weirdly satisfying to crunch. Plus, they don’t melt all over your hands like a popsicle with commitment issues. My personal favourite are the cotton candy grapes, which are bigger in size, sweet, and taste like cotton candy, hence, the name cotton candy grapes.

Why I love it: They make me feel like a clean girl on TikTok, even though I’m in yesterday’s clothes and haven’t done laundry in a week.

Where to find it: Your own freezer. Literally just buy grapes and forget about them until your next identity crisis.

Fruit and yogurt bowl — the fancy-ish lazy treat

The last dessert is a nice bowl of frozen yogurt with some fruits and granola. Layer some yogurt, granola, and fresh berries in a cup and boom — an instant Instagrammable dessert that’s light, cool, and just sweet enough to keep you sane between classes.

Why I love it: Feels healthy but is basically just a sweet snack disguised as a salad.

Where to find it: Cafés, campus dining halls, or from your own fridge, if you’re feeling ambitious.

Summer desserts aren’t just about cooling down — they’re about joy, self-care, ignoring your responsibilities — piling assignments and homework — and letting your inner child run wild. So whether you’re spooning kheer or sipping on a mango shake, enjoy the little moments of sweetness.

You’ve survived another semester. You deserve it.