The 14 best recipes to bake in July

People don’t talk about it, but July is actually one of the best months to bake. The market is overflowing with fruit that shines in everything from cobbler to shortcakes, plus there are opportunities to bake on the grill or enjoy childhood favorites outdoors. Here’s what you should bake (or in some cases, freeze!) this month.

Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne

1) Blueberry Shortcakes with Lime and Ginger 

Summer instantly conjures dreams of strawberry shortcakes, but this year, zig where everyone else zags and go with blueberry shortcakes instead. These are taken to a whole next level thanks to the addition of lime and ginger, which add sharpness that cuts through the sweetness of the berries. One smart trick to this recipe: The shortcakes are made with a portion of almond flour for extra tenderness.

Get the recipe: Blueberry Shortcakes with Lime and Ginger

Shop the recipe: Almond Flour 

Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne

2) Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

We’d argue that few things are more crowd-pleasing than an oversized chocolate chip cookie. This super-sized version is baked in a skillet for extra-crispy edges and a pleasingly gooey center. To serve, cut into wedges and top with vanilla ice cream, or simply add a few scoops of ice cream to the center of the skillet, hand out spoons, and let everyone dig in.

Get the recipe: Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

Shop the recipe: Our favorite chocolate chips

Photograph by Mark Weinberg

3) Lemon-Blueberry Streusel Pie

If you stock your freezer with pie dough, summer fruit pie is always within reach. This single-crust beauty has a tart lemon filling, a layer of fresh blueberry compote, and, to gild the lily, some cinnamon streusel on top. Looking for a contender for your local pie contest? Here it is.

Get the recipe: Lemon-Blueberry Streusel Pie 

Shop the recipe: The essential pie pan  

Photography by Danielle Sykes; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne

4) Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Bars (Millionaire's Shortbread) 

This bar is a beloved classic, and it’s easy to see why: Buttery, snappy shortbread lies beneath gooey caramel and rich chocolate. Each component is fabulous on its own, but combined in one bite? It’s somehow even more than the sum of its parts. 

Get the recipe: Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Bars (Millionaire’s Shortbread) 

Shop the recipe: Our go-to chocolate wafers

Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne

5) No-Bake French Silk Pie 

Most chocolate pies are rich and heavy. But if you’re looking for something a little on the lighter side, choose this French Silk Pie instead. It has whipped cream folded into the filling, resulting in a fluffy, creamy, chocolatey pie. And the best part? Because it’s made with a press-in chocolate cookie crust, the pie is entirely no-bake.

Get the recipe: No-Bake French Silk Pie 

Shop the recipe: More chocolate wafers! 

Photography by Danielle Sykes; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne

6) Margherita Pizza

No one needs an excuse to throw a pizza party during the summer, but if you’re still looking for one, this new Margherita Pizza recipe is it. Made with '00' pizza flour, the crust is chewy and flavorful; a pizza stone or steel helps it bake to leopard-spotted perfection.

Get the recipe: Margherita Pizza

Shop the recipe: '00' Pizza Flour 

Photograph by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne

7) Chocolate Zucchini Cake  

It’s inevitable: Whether you’re growing it yourself or it’s foisted upon you by neighbors, at a certain point this summer you’re going to have too much zucchini. And when that day arrives, you’re going to grate it, mix it with chocolate, and make a cake. This fudgy delight gets a flavor boost from both cocoa and espresso powder, along with a simple icing made from chocolate chips and cream. 

Get the recipe: Chocolate Zucchini Cake 

Shop the recipe: 9" x 13" pan 

Photography by Danielle Sykes; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne

8) Monster Cookies

Oversized and full of savory and sweet mix-ins, these Monster Cookies will be on your baking rotation all summer long. The base of the cookie combines the best of oatmeal, peanut butter, and chocolate chip cookies, then adds salty pretzels and chocolate candies to create a chunky cookie that’s impossible to resist. These cookies are not only easy to make but also generously sized, making them perfect for sharing (or, let’s be honest, still enjoying solo). 

Get the recipe: Monster Cookies 

Shop: A chip blend with every kind of chocolate 

Photography and food styling by Liz Neily

9) Easy Cake-Style Fruit Cobbler

Pie gets a lot of love, but summer is also cobbler season. This recipe is dead simple and infinitely customizable. You can use any kind of fruit or combination of fruits that you’d like (even frozen works!), then toss with sugar, cornstarch, salt, and lemon juice. Pour on a simple one-bowl cake topping — prepared with melted butter for speed and ease — then bake until hot and bubbling. Using self-rising flour in the topping streamlines things even further.

Get the recipe: Easy Cake-Style Fruit Cobbler

Shop the recipe: Self-Rising Flour 

Photography by Danielle Sykes; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne

10) Chocolate Biscuits

For some people, it’s always chocolate season. Embrace it with this dessert-friendly biscuit, made with Triple Cocoa Blend and mini chocolate chips, plus a little espresso powder to really amp up the chocolate flavor. And if you’re looking for a quick and easy bake with minimal cleanup, these are drop biscuits, which means there’s no rolling or cutting necessary. Eat them plain or turn them into shortcakes with fresh whipped cream and the fruit of your choice.

Get the recipe: Chocolate Biscuits 

Shop the recipe: Triple Cocoa Blend and Mini Chocolate Chips 

Photography and food styling by Liz Neily

11) Quick Lemon Bread

This cake-like quick bread comes together with just about 20 minutes of prep time and will satisfy any lemon craving. Lemon oil and lemon juice give the batter some zing, while the bright lemon glaze adds an extra burst of tanginess. 

Get the recipe: Quick Lemon Bread

Shop the recipe: Lemon Oil

Photography by Rick Holbrook; Food styling by Kaitlin Wayne; Prop styling by Brooke Deonarine

12) Homemade Marzipan

If you’re looking for an all-purpose marzipan recipe, this is it. But that’s not why you should make marzipan this month. The real fun here is contributor Camilla Wynne’s whimsical marzipan fruits. Colored with natural food dye, the marzipan can transform into strawberries, lemons, apricots, pears, and more. Better make a double batch to maximize your fun. 

Get the recipe: Homemade Marzipan

Shop the recipe: Almond Flour and Natural Food Colors Set

Photograph by Danielle Sykes; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne

13) Iced Coffee Icebox Cake

The icebox cake is a summer staple. This version marries coffee and chocolate for a creamy, dreamy combination. Bake your own cookies with black cocoa for an extra-dark appearance or take a shortcut and use store-bought. The espresso-spiked cream between them will make things fabulous either way.

Get the recipe: Iced Coffee Icebox Cake

Shop the recipe: Black Cocoa and Espresso Powder 

Photography and food styling by Liz Neily

14) Grilled Asiago Rounds

Fire up the grill for flatbreads this summer. This simple dough uses semolina flour for extra chew and is seasoned with grated asiago cheese. Serve with dips for a fire-kissed appetizer or sliced tomatoes and kebabs for a heartier meal.

Get the recipe: Grilled Asiago Rounds

Shop the recipe: Semolina Flour

Cover photo by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne.

Additional contributions from Jessica Battilana.