Pies are among America’s favorite desserts and a classic indulgence in the summer season. There’s nothing quite like a nice slice of pie to finish off a delicious BBQ dinner. Unfortunately, these summertime favorites and epic desserts are traditionally packed with fat and sugar that can easily derail your healthy intentions and weight loss journey.
But don’t get discouraged! While store-bought pies and traditional summer dessert recipes will have you loaded up on white flour, butter and sugar, our recipe developers at Nutrisystem and The Leaf have created some diet-friendly options. Our healthy recipes will provide you with your fill of pie while keeping your healthy eating plans on track. These 10 summer pies use simple swaps and healthy ingredients to lighten up some of your favorite summer desserts.
Here are 10 summer fruit pies for a seasonal and satisfying sweet treat:
Nothing screams “summer” like a big slice of peach pie. Summer is peach season and that means lots of tempting peach desserts will be popping up—including some not-so-healthy ones. Fortunately, our healthy summertime version of peach pie uses a whole wheat crust and a diet friendly fruit filling with five cups of fresh peaches. No added sugar needed in this sweet treat! Peaches are rich in vitamin C, potassium and fiber, making them a great addition to your healthy diet during beach season.
Get the Fresh Peach Pie recipe.
As they say, an apple a day keeps the doctor away—an old adage that just may ring true considering the fact that apples have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease. But when apples are used in traditional pie recipes, their health value tends to get lost. Instead of burying apples in a load of sugar, this summer dessert recipe gets its sweet flavor directly from the source—whole, delicious apples. It’s a yummy indulgence you can feel good about.
Get the Healthy Apple Pie recipe.
Where fruit pies tend to go awry is in the crust. Pie crusts (and tarts) are usually packed with lots of butter. On top of that, many fruit pie fillings contain added sugar. However, this lighter version of strawberry pie uses a simple pie crust made from graham crackers and just two tablespoons of butter plus an egg. It also features a simple yet delicious strawberry filling that’s made from whole strawberries and a sugar-free gelatin mix. You’ll get a healthy dose of superfood strawberries—known to be a great source of fiber and vitamins—while indulging in a sweet treat.
Get the Strawberry Pie recipe.
Add this beautiful blue baked good to your seasonal summer menu! This berrylicious crumble looks like a gourmet dessert from your local bakery. However, don’t be fooled because it’s extremely easy to make. The secret ingredients that make this recipe unique are chia seeds and oats, which create a satisfying yet smart slice of pie.
Get the Blueberry Pie Crumble recipe.
With summer being peach season, here is another wonderfully peachy dessert recipe to try! Though a light alternative, it tastes so much like traditional cobbler that it just may transport you to a front porch in the South. This version is made healthy by ditching the highly refined ingredients like white flour, white sugar and butter for whole wheat flour, brown sugar and only a smidge of light butter. It’s a delightful and guilt-free summer dessert staple.
Get the Skinny Peach Cobbler recipe.
When it comes to decadent, indulgent and healthy summer desserts, anything with the words “chocolate” or “mousse” easily tops the list. But most chocolaty summer pies are also packed with fat and calories. Fortunately, this light version has all of the decadence without the guilt. The secret ingredient for the creamy, silky goodness of a typical mousse pie is none other than tofu in this recipe! But if you weren’t the one to be whipping up this dessert, you’d honestly never know. Top it off with a cup of fresh raspberries to get your antioxidant power, too.
Get the Raspberry Chocolate Mousse Pie recipe.
If you’re looking for the perfect dessert to bring to a picnic, this is it! Sweet strawberries shine in this Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble that screams summertime and sunshine. You can forget about kneading and rolling out pie dough with this easy dish. Simply make the filling and top it with the stevia-sweetened and gluten free crumble that’s easy as… pie!
Get the Skinny Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble recipe.
Don’t feel like turning on the oven? Not to worry! We’re cooking up a no-bake sweet treat that will keep you cool during the warm summer season. All you need is an air fryer to make this healthy dessert pie. Fresh raspberries are the star of the show in one of our favorite seasonal sweets. Topped with a crispy crumble made from oats, walnuts, chia seeds and cinnamon, you don’t need to knead any dough for this easy recipe!
Get the Air Fryer Raspberry Crisp recipe.
When it’s hot outside and the temperatures are soaring, who wants to knead pie dough? A light and airy summer pie is just what you need on those hot summer days. We make a sweet and salty crust out of pretzels, butter and sugar, then fill it all up with whipped topping, lime zest and fresh fruit. Enjoy pie season even on the hottest of days with this cool Pretzel Crust Fruit Pie. Cool down while digging into fruity flavors!
Get the Pretzel Crust Fruit Pie recipe.
While it’s not a classic pie recipe , this sweet strawberry pie parfait deserves a spot on your summer menu. No-bake pie recipes that are quick to whip up are absolutely welcomed in the summer when nobody feels like heating up the house with their oven or spending a lot of time in the kitchen. This simple-to-make no-bake recipe will give you the taste of strawberry pie in a delicious parfait. It’s a matter of mixing up a few ingredients and then layering those yummy mixes. In addition to healthy whole strawberries, this summer dessert recipe also uses nonfat Greek yogurt, which contains probiotics to support good gut health and boost your health and wellness goals!
