Food Holidays & Occasions Father's Day 15 Father's Day Desserts, From a Blueberry Trifecta to Bourbon Balls Treat any dad to sweet summer flavors and booze infusions. By Ashley Day Ashley Day Ashley Day is Food & Wine's associate editorial director. She's edited and directed food and travel content at USA TODAY, the Institute of Culinary Education, and Chef & Restaurant magazine, and contributed to The Food Institute, The Daily Meal, and the recipe app meez. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 7, 2024 Close Photo: Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Whether the father figure in your life likes coconut, chocolate, fruit, or bourbon, we have a dessert for them. Treat Dad to a nostalgic s'mores pie that is the perfect finale to a day of grilling. Or, get the kids involved in building a multilayered cake with crêpes. And we've got an over-the-top ice cream sundae loaded with toppings they'll love. From bright green pandan cake to a cola bundt cake to creamy pistachio ice cream, these fun, familiar Father's Day desserts will treat any dad on their day. 01 of 15 Bourbon Balls Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Julian Hensaring / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Combine chocolate, bourbon, and pecans in 40 minutes without an oven for this easy treat that is popular throughout the South. F&W's Chandra Ram grew up eating bourbon balls in Kentucky, and created this recipe to remember her family's Kentucky Derby celebrations — a holiday her father especially enjoyed. Get the Recipe 02 of 15 Pandan and Coconut Cake Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This festive cake is a but of a project, and the layers can be prepared a day before assembling. For dads who like vanilla, coconut, and/or green, it's a treat. Pandan leaves (or powder or paste) impart a vanilla- and coconut-like aroma while mascarpone and raspberry jam add tangy sweetness. Toasted coconut makes for a fun, summery garnish. Get the Recipe 03 of 15 Texas Sheet Cake Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabor Hall / Prop Styling by Tucker Vines Here's a treat for the whole family, and if you want, you can even spell a message with the pecan topping for the occasion. This recipe enhances the classic cake’s chocolate flavor with brewed coffee, and adds heat to sweet candied pecans with cayenne and cinnamon. Get the Recipe 04 of 15 Blackberry and Mascarpone Crêpe Cake Victor Protasio The whole family can help make this cake. Layer 20 crêpes with rich mascarpone whipped cream, tart berries, and a little lemon zest in this summer dessert inspired by New York's Le Cirque. Get the Recipe 05 of 15 Grilled S’mores Pie Grilled S'mores Pie. Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee Start a day of grilling with dessert and let it cool throughout your meal before toasting the marshmallows. This recipe channels campfire nostalgia with the flavor of s'mores and pleasure of pie. Get the Recipe 06 of 15 Blueberry Panna Cotta with Blueberry Chia Pudding Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Ali Ramee Treat dad to a blueberry trifecta any time of day with this blueberry panna cotta topped with a blueberry and chia seed pudding, and finished with a pile of fresh blueberries, from pastry chef Paola Velez. Get the Recipe 07 of 15 Chocolate Pecan Pie with Bourbon Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Pastry chef David Lebovitz's all-butter piecrust is a cinch to bring together up to weeks in advance. Fill it with toasted pecans, rich chocolate, and caramel-y bourbon. Get the Recipe 08 of 15 Cocoa Cola Bundt Cake Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Infuse this cake and icing with Coca-Cola syrup for a rich dessert flavored with warming spices and citrus zest. Dress it up with sweetened whipped cream or amarena cherries depending on dad's taste. Get the Recipe 09 of 15 Over-the-Top Ice Cream Sundaes with Homemade Caramel Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell The freedom to customize a fully loaded ice cream sundae is a pretty decent gift. This one's topped with creamy fudge, salty pretzels, crunchy toffee, and chewy, bittersweet candied lemon peel, all great ideas to have prepared. Get the Recipe 10 of 15 Rum-and-Coke Shaved Ice with Coconut Jelly Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver If the father figure you know appreciates a rum and coke, you'll appreciate that the various components for this playful frozen treat can be made well in advance and assembled just before serving. Layer shaved ice with a simple Salted Rum-and-Coke Syrup, candied apricots and cherries, and coconut jelly, then serve in celebration-worthy glassware. Get the Recipe 11 of 15 Carrot and Orange Cake with Sour Cream Glaze Antonis Achilleos If like my dad, your dad's favorite cake is somehow carrot cake, we have a variety of enticing recipes. This one has the convenience of a bundt shape and a special occasion-worthy presentation with its cream cheese glaze and orange zest garnish. (Plus, it has compelling reviews!) Get the Recipe 12 of 15 Hong Kong Milk Tea Tiramisu Chelsea Kyle Melissa King balances this ultra-rich tiramisu with Hong Kong milk tea powder. It's ready in 35 minutes and is garnished with a grated milk chocolate bar. Get the Recipe 13 of 15 Monkey Bread with Honey-Bourbon Sauce Christopher Testani Smother pull-apart monkey bread with honey-laced brown butter before baking in this recipe from Michelle Gayer of Salty Tart bakery in Minneapolis. Serve the shareable dessert with a cream cheese–based, bourbon-spiked dipping sauce. Get the Recipe 14 of 15 Key Lime Pie with Chocolate-Almond Crust © John Kernick A chocolate graham cracker crumb crust adds a nice contrast to this five-star key lime pie from dessert aficionado Elissa Bernstein. Get the Recipe 15 of 15 Pistachio Ice Cream © Frances Janisch F&W's Dylan Garret inherited his dad's love for pistachio ice cream, and we have the perfect recipe from Jeni Britton of Jeni's Ice Cream, made with cream cheese for extra tag and texture. 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