Herbed Desserts (2024)

Don't let basil custard scare you off; topped with roasted apricots, it makes for a gorgeous tart. The tender crust adds to the savory-sweet nature of this dessert.

Recipe: Apricot-and-Basil Shortbread Tart

These delicious summery fruit crumbles are served in individual cast-iron dishes and topped with a crisp, buttery streusel topping. The thyme lends complexity between the sugary nectarines and topping.

Recipe: Nectarine-Thyme Crumble

This refreshing dessert comes courtesy of Sophie Dahl, author of Very Fond of Food. With fresh, bright flavors, it's a perfect way to end a steamy summer day.

Recipe: Pineapple-Mint Granita

The sauce is a zesty complement to the tart's rich chocolate filling, which, because it's bittersweet, will be sure to cure even the most stubborn chocolate craving. It's your chocolate binge given a seriously classy makeover.

Recipe: Bittersweet Chocolate Basil Tart with Honey Grapefruit Sauce

Give pound cake an extra ounce of flavor that's just right for spring. These individual desserts are enhanced by flecks of lemon thyme, an alternative to the classic herb.

Recipe: Lemon-Thyme Pound Cake

The bright combination of cucumber, lime, and mint makes these mini desserts decidedly summery, while the gin makes them decidedly adult. To prevent the pops from melting too quickly, gelatin is added to the mixture.

Recipe: Cucumber-Lime Pops with Gin

Fruit salad gets an aromatic upgrade with homemade lemon- and thyme-infused simple syrup that’s drizzled over fresh bits of cantaloupe, honeydew melon, seedless watermelon, and blueberries. When you've had a big dinner but still want something sweet, turn to this refreshing dessert!

Recipe: Blueberry-Melon Salad with Thyme Syrup

This recipe from Curtis Stone celebrates the bright flavors of spring and early summer — tart rhubarb, sweet strawberry, and earthy rosemary. Olive oil gives the cake a wonderfully moist texture and the compote can be served hot or cold.

Recipe: Olive Oil Cake with Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote

This refreshing frozen dessert comes together quickly after only a few minutes in blender and a few hours in your freezer. Fresh mint brings out the sweetness in honeydew for a seemingly indulgent treat that's shockingly low in calories.

Recipe: Honeydew and Mint Ice

Created by Top Chef winner, Kristen Kish, this recipe has you cook honey to give it a deeper flavor; it's key in her fantastic custard, which she serves in jars topped with fresh fruit. Garnish with fresh mint for an extra pop of color and flavor.

Recipe: Honey-and-Thyme Custards

Clean, fresh, and icy-cold, this bracing tarragon-infused grapefruit sorbet is a perfect way to lift flagging spirits on a sultry day. Garnish with grapefruit zest and tarragon sprigs, if you like.

Recipe: Pink Grapefruit-Tarragon Sorbet

Chef Erik Bruner-Yang adds umami to the classic sugar-salt combination by spreading these crisp-chewy chocolate-chip cookies with a rich, sweet-savory miso buttercream that’s flecked with minced lemon verbena.

Recipe: Chocolate-Chip Cookies with Red Miso Buttercream

Fresh mint leaves and lime zest make for a refreshing and tangy combination — the perfect match for a gingersnap cookie crust. That zing we love from gingerbread compliments the ice cream for a tangy, but smooth, result.

Recipe: Lime-Mint Ice Cream Bars

Thick slices of Granny Smith and Macintosh apples — tossed with rosemary, honey, and cinnamon — nestle beneath a rustic lattice crust. This unusual apple pie brings together both sweet and savory flavors for an impressive face lift of an old favorite.

Recipe: Apple Pie with Rosemary and Honey

Although the pairing may seem unusual, the sweet strawberries and licorice-flavored fennel in this dessert complement each other perfectly, and the addition of fresh vanilla bean adds depth and dimension to the dish.

Recipe: Strawberry-and-Wild-Fennel Compote with Pound Cake

Yigit Pura perfected this crisp-creamy French dessert while working at the restaurant Daniel in New York City. His updated version combines little lime meringue kisses with basil ice cream and sweet mango sorbet.

Recipe: Mango-Basil Vacherin

This dessert tastes every bit as wonderful as it looks. Egg yolks, sugar, and mouth-puckering lemon juice create a velvety curd that is poured into a crunchy cornmeal shell flecked with lemon zest and fresh sage.

Recipe: Marbled Lemon Tart with Sage-Cornmeal Crust

Here's a sweet new way to serve up a tart holiday staple, canned cranberry sauce. After all, you deserve a dessert upgrade.

Recipe: Rosemary-Cranberry Sorbet