Simple Summer Baking for Slow Afternoons

Five recipes to try this summer 

There’s this hour, not long before sunset, when the fading afternoon sun pours in through my upstairs windows and bathes my stairs and living room with golden light. 

It’s one of my favorite times of day and always makes me smile. Somehow, as the sun begins to fade and the day comes to a close, the day feels a little softer and slower. It’s one of my favorite times to take a deep breath and pause. 

And, for those of us who find a lot of contentment and joy in the simple act of baking, it’s the perfect time to enjoy a little unhurried summer baking. Nothing elaborate, not aiming for perfection — just simple, comfortable recipes made slowly enough to enjoy the process. 

Looking for a few slow summer baking recipes to try? Here are a few I’m planning to work into my summer baking rotation as I strive for slower, restful afternoons and evenings. 

Berry Galette

A galette is kind of like an open-faced pie. Galettes are great for a number of reasons. You can make them using whatever berry is in season or fruit that you have on hand. It doesn’t even necessarily have to be a berry galette! Peaches, apples, even plums work just fine, too. 

Galettes can be a little messy and imperfect. You don’t have to roll out a perfect crust or worry if it looks a little wonky. If the filling spills over a little, who cares? It just adds to the “rustic” appeal. 

A berry galette — besides being a tasty and simple summer dessert option — is a reminder that everything doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful or good. This summer, let go of Instagram-worthy galettes (and lives) and embrace the imperfections.

Ready to give one a try? Some recipes to consider: 

• Berry Galette from Sally’s Baking Addiction

• An almond croissant version from Bon Appetit

• A peach galette from Natasha Kravchuk

Peach Cobbler

A few months ago, I traveled to Guatemala, and one of the frequent ice-breaker questions on the trip was, “What’s your favorite dessert?” I always said peach cobbler, which, as it turns out, isn’t really a thing in Central America like it is in the American South! 

Peach cobblers come in a lot of different forms. There are what I grew up calling “quick cobblers” featuring Bisquick or some sort of biscuit-y topping, some only have a top crust, or, if you’re like me, a double crust version that your friends from other parts of the country call a pie — but it’s not, because cobbler filling is a bit looser and more syrupy than pies, leading to softer crust texture. 

But I digress. 

Like galettes, cobblers are perfect for slow summer baking because they don’t have to be perfect. Who cares if the crust is uneven or you just used whatever combination of fruits you had on hand? Served warm with a scoop of ice cream? There’s nothing better! 

So go ahead and give this one a try! 

• My go-to recipe

• Smitten Kitchen’s crispy peach cobbler

• Paula Deen’s Southern peach cobbler

Almond Poppyseed Loaf Cake

I live in the Nashville area, and there’s this local bakery/restaurant that pairs a slice of almond poppyseed “bread” with a lot of their lunch plates. (Think tea sampler of chicken salad, tuna salad and pimiento cheese with a slice of almond poppyseed cake on the side.) They may call it a bread, but it’s really a cake made in a loaf pan, then topped with a citrusy, syrupy glaze that melts into the warm bread and hardens for just a little sweetness and crunch. 

It’s one of my favorite things about eating there, to be honest. 

Quick breads and cakes made in loaf pans are great for a number of reasons, mainly because both simply require you to mix together the ingredients and dump them in the loaf pan, then bake — which is perfect for a summer afternoon when you want to enjoy the slower pace and maybe do a few things around the house while dessert is baking. 

Plus both make excellent choices for a mid-afternoon snack break. IYKYK

Give these recipes a try: 

• My version

• Lab Chef recipe, with a citrusy glaze

• Emily Nabors Hall’s recipe from Country Living

Cherry White Chocolate Scones

A couple of months ago, I read a re-post from Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen fame about her family’s Saturday tradition, Castle Breakfast. That post helped solidify something I’d been trying to put into practice in my life: slow Saturday mornings. Every other day of the week, I have to be somewhere by at least 8:45 a.m. (earlier on weekdays), and Saturday morning is the only day I usually don’t have to rush. 

So slow Saturday mornings paired with somewhat easy but special breakfasts became a tradition. Or. . . it’s becoming one. I’ve tried lots of different recipes in the months since I first gave it a go: sourdough discard waffles, muffins, omelettes and a couple different types of scones. 

Admittedly, I’ve never been a huge scone fan, but I wanted to try my hand at something new. As it turns out, scones aren’t that hard, and if you have a good recipe and don’t overbake them, aren’t dry (my complaint against most scones I’ve tried). 

Like almond poppyseed cake, scones are perfect for a slow afternoon. You can use whatever dried fruit or even fresh berries (or if you’re like me, berries a little past their prime) you have on hand. The basic dough recipe is simple and only involves basic mixing — and you can press your dough into a circle and create the traditional triangles or simply drop by the heaping teaspoon-full on your baking sheet. Scones can be a low-stress as you need them to be, and taking your time to make them could be the deep exhale you needed after a busy week. 

My favorite scone recipe so far is cherry white chocolate scones, but let this be your invitation to make a few recipes and find your own favorite! 

• My Baking Addiction White Chocolate Cherry Scones (I used plain Greek yogurt rather than sour cream) 

• King Arthur Baking Classic Scones (I made the chocolate chip version, but am intrigued by more savory versions) 

• White Chocolate Cherry Scones with a glaze from A Simple Pantry

Raspberry Crumble Tart

Tarts are another forgiving pastry to give a try on a slow summer afternoon. Like galettes, they are a little less fussy than traditional pies. The crust or base is usually pressed into the pan, so you don’t have to worry about rolling the dough out perfectly. 

Tarts are also perfect for summer because you can use whatever fruit is in season, from peaches to berries. And tarts are often open-faced, so you don’t have to be a pastry chef to create something that both looks and tastes great. 

If you’re like me and enjoy baking but your creations would never get high scores for their beauty, tarts may be the recipe for you. 

Give these a try: 

• Smitten Kitchen raspberry crumble tart bars (these feature a crumble topping and are in bar form! WIN!) 

• Running to the Kitchen’s simple peach tart with streusel topping

• King Arthur Baking’s Berry Cream Tart

What recipes are you looking forward to trying this summer? Why not push pause, give one a try, then tell us all about it in the comments?