26 Father's Day Desserts That Dad Will Love

The way to dad's heart is through his sweet tooth.

By
Sara Bir
Sara Bir
Sara Bir
Sara is a chef, culinary educator, and author of three cookbooks, The Pocket Pawpaw Cookbook, Tasting Ohio and The Fruit Forager's Companion. The latter won a 2019 IACP Cookbook Award.
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Published June 15, 2023
Sara Bir
Strawberry Shortcake Cake Topped With Halved Strawberries on a Cake Stand, and on the Counter Next to It, a Plate With a Slice of Cake, a Bowl of Strawberries, and a Kitchen Towel

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

If there's one thing about dads, they love dessert. At least the dads I know, which makes them my kind of dads.

Father's Day comes with all kinds of clichés: the necktie for a present, the grilled steak dinner. Maybe the dad with a sweet tooth is a cliché too, but every father is different, and we have desserts here for all of them. Some of these recipes are low-key and others are showstoppers. There's bound to be the perfect one for you, whether you're a dad yourself or looking forward to celebrating one you love dearly.

  • Cherry Pie Bars

    Two Cherry Pie Bars Stacked Together Next to Another Bar, All on a Tray, and in the Surroundings, a Bowl of Cherries and a Bowl of Icing

    Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman

    More shareable than pie and featuring a pat-in-the-pan crust that also serves as a crumble topping, these cherry pie bars are party-ready for Father's Day gatherings. Make a filling from scratch or use cherry pie filling from the store.

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  • Strawberry Shortcake Cake

    Strawberry Shortcake Cake on a Cake Stand, and in the Surroundings, a Stack of Plates, a Bowl With Whole Strawberries, a Kitchen Towel, and a Few Forks on the Counter

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    Split a tender yellow cake and fill it with sweetened whipped cream to build this simple yet stunning centerpiece that makes the most of late-season strawberries.

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  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Icebox Cake

    Chocolate Peanut Butter Icebox Cake Wrapped in Plastic Wrap in a Springform Pan with a Slice Cut Out

    Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

    For all the dads who love Reese's cups comes a peanut buttery, no-bake icebox cake based on the classic Nabisco's Famous Chocolate Wafers recipe. Those specialty cookies are gone now, but chocolate graham crackers make a fine substitute.

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  • Piña Colada Pie

    Piña Colada Pie Topped with Toasted Coconut Flakes and Maraschino Cherries

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    Somewhere between coconut cream pie and the classic tropical cocktail, this chill-and-assemble pie features an easy cookie crust and toasted coconut galore. For a rum-free variation, swap the booze for vanilla.

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    Continue to 5 of 26 below.

  • Flourless Chocolate Cake

    A Slice of Flourless Chocolate Cake Garnished with Fresh Raspberries Lifted on a Pie Server

    Simply Recipes / Cambrea Gordon

    For the chocoholic dad, here's a seriously dense and decadent dessert. Don't let its fancy restaurant reputation deter you—this beauty is easier to make than its floury cousins, and the luscious ganache topping takes it...well, over the top.

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  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

    Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake with a Slice Cut

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm 

    If dad can't get enough chocolate chip cookies but you want to surprise him with a little more of a special occasion cake, here's the sort of supersized cookie cake you might have ordered from the mall. Making your own is totally doable, though, and more memorable to boot.

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  • Peach Cobbler

    A Bowl of Peach Cobbler Topped with a Scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream

    Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker

    Father's Day sits right at the start of all the good summer fruits, making it an ideal time for the first peach cobbler of the season. This one is what my wonderful father-in-law would choose, topped with plenty of vanilla ice cream.

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  • Chocolate Tres Leches Cake

    Slice of Chocolate Tres Leches Cake on a Small Plate with More in the Cake Pan Next to It

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    Tres leches cake meets chocolate cake in this alluring dessert that's so good it's practically inhaleable.

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    Continue to 9 of 26 below.

  • Ice Cream Cake

    Slice of Ice Cream Cake on a Small Plate with a Fork with More Cake in the Background

    Simply Recipes / Cambrea Gordon

    Every time he can cough up an excuse, my dad likes to get an ice cream cake from our local big chain ice cream outpost. I'll be making this one for him on the sly. It's fun to make, even better to eat, and beats the chain store cake hands-down.

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  • Easy Dump Cake From Scratch

    How to Make Dump Cake from Scratch
    Cindy Rahe

    Somewhere in gloriously messy cobbler territory lives the dump cake. Making it from scratch takes only minutes longer. This one uses blueberries and peaches, but you can switch out dad's favorite fruit easily.

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  • Pineapple Upside Down Cake

    A pineapple upside down cake on a platter
    Elise Bauer

    This recipe is a family favorite of Elise Bauer, founder of Simply Recipes. It's a fixture at family events, and especially beloved by her father, who exemplifies a dessert-loving dad more than perhaps anyone else on the planet. The recipe offers two methods for the caramel topping—Elise's and her dad's.

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  • No-Churn Peach Cobbler Ice Cream

    Peach cobbler ice cream in waffle cones
    Marta Rivera

    I think the dads of America keep the ice cream industry in business. My dad and his best friend eat it in cereal bowls; they scoff at petite dishes. The like-minded paterfamilias will receive a batch of homemade ice cream with open arms and giant smiles. This no-churn recipes makes it achievable by anyone with a regular old freezer.

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    Continue to 13 of 26 below.

  • Blackberry Pie

    Blackberry Pie in a Pie Dish Sitting on a Kitchen Towel

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    Blackberry pie christens summer pie season for fatherly pie aficionados. Hands-down this is what my dad requests any chance he gets. He's a berry-picking monster and stocks up on berries all summer long to freeze for future pies.

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  • Cassava Cake

    Cassava Cake Slices on a Banana Leaf Covered Wooden Tray, and in the Background, a Slice on a Banana Leaf Covered Plate

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

    "Cassava cake is a scrumptious snack or dessert," writes Betty Ann Quirino, who shared this recipe. "At a Filipino party, you’ll likely find it at the center of the table with other goodies. The lightly fragrant coconut, the charred spots of sweetness in the creamy broiled topping, and the soft slices are a reminder that the best treats can be made from the simplest ingredients."

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  • Rhubarb Custard Pie

    Rhubarb custard pie with a slice taken out
    Alison Bickle

    A rich and sweet custard tempers the sour notes of rhubarb in this old-fashioned favorite.

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  • Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

    Sour cream chocolate cake with frosting in a pan
    Alison Bickel

    WARNING: This is the best chocolate cake ever. Period. Pieces will disappear and everyone will rave. Super rich and moist, it's true love in a pan.

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    Continue to 17 of 26 below.

  • Oreo Cheesecake

    Oreo cheesecake

    Cambrea Gordon / Simply Recipes

    "Can I make this with Oreos?" This is the most common question we get on our Perfect Cheesecake recipe. The answer is no: you need a dedicated recipe just for Oreo cheesecake, and here it is. Just look at this thing! If you're not sold now, you never will be.

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  • Strawberry Pretzel Pie

    Strawberry Pretzel Pie in a Pie Dish with Slices Cut Out

    Simply Recipes / Cambrea Gordon

    The classic Midwestern strawberry pretzel salad doubles down and becomes the legit dessert it was always meant to be.

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  • Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake

    Red Velvet Cheescake Cake

    Alison Bickel / Simply Recipes

    If you want to pull out all the stops, here's your project. This is two layers of picture perfect red velvet cake with cheesecake in the center and cream cheese frosting enrobing it all.

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  • Banana Cream Pie

    Whole banana cream pie with whipped cream swirls on top and banana slices set against a pink background.
    Cindy Rahe

    There's a very special father who will choose cream pie over all others, and this pie specifically. And I never make it for him, but this year I will, because this recipe's graham cracker crust makes it easy. Happy Father's Day, Joe!

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    Continue to 21 of 26 below.

  • Crème Brûlée Cheesecake

    Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with brittle sugar topping on a slate board wtih a slice cut out and fruit nearby.
    Alison Bickle

    Do you love crème brûlée, but you also love cheesecake? Get the best of both worlds. A buttery graham cracker crust balances the light and creamy cheesecake, then it’s finished with crackly caramelized sugar.

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  • Bourbon Cherry Crisp

    Cherry Bourbon Bake with Streusel Topping on a plate with ice cream.
    Vivian Jao

    Break out your cherry pitter for this one. A kiss of bourbon deepens the flavor of the jammy cherry filling.

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  • Blueberry Icebox Pie

    Whole Blueberry Ice Box pie with blueberries on the top.

    Angie Mosier / Cheryl Day’s Treasury of Southern Baking by Cheryl Day

    A simple blueberry topping graces this no-bake pie that's like an easy cheesecake lightened with whipped cream.

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  • Coffee Heath Bar Ice Cream

    A bowl with three scoops of coffee Heath bar ice cream
    Elise Bauer

    My daughter knows this is her dad's favorite ice cream of all time. If a dad in your life fits that category, imagine his delight to have a batch churned up just for him (and anyone else lucky enough to be around).

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    Continue to 25 of 26 below.

  • Bread Pudding

    Bread pudding with bread pudding sauce on a stack of plates.
    Cambrea Bakes

    This is no ordinary bread pudding. It's got a sweet bourbon sauce, the leftovers of which make a bonus ice cream topping.

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  • Chess Pie

    Homemade chess pie on a plate with a forkful of the pie.
    Irvin Lin

    A little cornmeal helps set this classic Southern custard pie. The golden custard filling pairs perfectly with cups of strong coffee.

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