Chill out this Labor Day with nine dairylicious desserts! In the past we’ve compiled a host of grilling roundups, so this year we decided to focus on (arguably) the best part of entertaining with cheese: the dessert! Whether it’s an old standby like the whoopie pie or an inventive twist on ice cream, there are so many ways to incorporate cheese into the grand finale of a meal.

Nectarine-Asiago Crisp

Nothing says summer like sweet and juicy nectarines! Take advantage of these last fleeting days with this summery nectarine crisp. Baking the topping on its own and macerating the fruit helps this crisp stay crispy. Asiago lends a unique flavor note to the topping, mirroring the fruity notes of the filling and the almond notes of the topping.

Chèvre Cheesecake with Candied Meyer Lemon

Cool down with a creamy chèvre cheesecake. Cheesecake is incredibly versatile and pairs beautifully with most fruit, so feel free to switch it up seasonally. While this recipe features candied Meyer lemons as a topping, pastry chef extraordinaire Caroline Schiff recommends using grilled peaches in the summer.

Roquefort Honey Ice Cream

This is as intense a cheese experience as you’ll get without veering into the savory side. You can nudge it further into dessert territory by serving a scoop on top of a simple fruit tart. Or go the cheese course direction and serve the ice cream on its own with a drizzle of honey and some toasted nuts.

Double Raspberry Ice Cream

Late summer raspberries are showing up at farmers markets right now and we can’t get enough of them, so we doubled down in this ice cream recipe. We blend raspberry puree into the base and layer it with sweetened crushed raspberries. 

Poached Pear Pastry

If you’re looking for a dessert for a more elevated soiree this is the one to go with. The beauty of this elegant confection is that the blue cheese–enriched pastry cream and the port-poached pears can both be made a few days ahead of time, leaving you with little more than assembly the day you plan to serve it.

Guinness Goat Cheese Whoopie Pies

Whoopie pies are the perfect crow-pleasing dessert every BBQ needs. Dense chocolaty cakes bookend sweet, citrusy chèvre filling in these treats inspired by a recipe on Ali Ebright’s blog Gimme Some Oven. These whoopie pies are big—serve ’em whole for a wow factor, or slice into halves or quarters for bite-size treats.

Rosemary Balsamic Parmigiano Ice Cream

If you really want to impress your friends, make an out-of-this-world Italian inspired ice cream. Syrupy-sweet balsamic glaze, savory rosemary, and salty cheese slivers come together in this innovative ice cream that is sure to blow their minds.

Boozy Blondies

Nothing says picnic like a blondie! Bourbon is magic here—it keeps the bars from being too sweet, while macadamia nuts add welcome crunch.

Smoked Cheddar Ice Cream

This unique ice cream goes gangbusters with apple pie, but it’s also delicious drizzled with a rich caramel sauce. You’ll need an immersion blender and an ice cream maker for this recipe.

Josie Krogh

Josie Krogh is culture's Digital Strategy Lead. She earned her master's degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics from The University of Georgia. Josie developed a love of food while working at farmstands in the D.C. area as a young adult, and discovered her love of cheese while living and working on a dairy farm on Martha's Vineyard. She is passionate about the food supply chain, fresh stone fruit, and dogs. Josie currently lives in Catskill, NY.