25+ Easy Labor Day Recipes

So, Labor Day, the last Summer holiday crept up on you, and now you're in need of some no-fuss, crowd-pleasing, easy recipe ideas. It happens to me every single holiday, and sure I'm not alone. Our best ones are all in this post and they might just be what you're looking for.

This post is updated every year with the most relevant content.

I find that this is the perfect event for a great display of easy recipes, full of summer colors and bursting flavors.

THE RECIPES

It's the end of Summer and some places still have very hot days. So let's find recipes that are easy and seasonal.

SAVORY

• Little Smokies: the easiest sweet and smoky appetizer ever! There's hardly any prep work and less than 5 minutes on the stove are needed for you to enjoy these addictive cocktail sausages or weiners, or little smokies, or however you call them.
• Quick Pickled Cucumbers: Talk about fast and easy! If you add ginger and pepper flakes you can make them as hot as you want.
• Barbecue Sauce: my quest for a favorite barbecue sauce ended when I tried it with bourbon. It's very easy to make and keeps well for weeks.
• Peach Chutney: spicy, sweet, and tangy, it still has a quality of freshness to it and is a perfect companion for meats and sandwiches.
• The Best Chimichurri Sauce: this is an authentic chimichurri sauce recipe from Argentina, the real deal. A super flavorful sauce - think garlic, parsley, red pepper flakes - that comes together in 15 minutes and is the perfect condiment for barbecued meat, grilled chicken, sandwiches, and chorizo.
• Tomato Galette: an easy free-form tart, it has simple flavors but is very tasty.
• Avocado Hummus: light, creamy, and delicious, this is fantastic to eat with pita chips. Make it with or without garlic, it stays fresh for several days.
• Baked Ricotta: if you never tried this recipe I encourage you to, asap! It comes together in no time and can be topped with whatever you have around.
• Mushroom Leek Quiche: this is a superb dish for a brunch table because it can be made ahead and people seem to love mushrooms.
• Choripan (Chorizo Sandwiches): a chorizo sandwich made with a pork/beef sausage, french bread and usually eaten with chimichurri.

BARS & COOKIES

There are some traditional recipes below that I love to include in a holiday cookout. All dessert tables should have some type of cookies and bars, of course!

• Fudgy, One bowl Brownies: my favorite recipe! It's easy to make and who will say no to amazing homemade brownies, right?
• Lemon Crinkles: a crowd-pleaser, these are fantastic and easy to make.
• Cocoa Brownies: incredibly fudgy and easy to make. Topped with a thin layer of chocolate ganache, this recipe will bring raves among chocoholics. 
• No bake Peanut Chocolate Oat Bars: they are extremely easy to make, very kid-friendly, have oats, and that magic combination that is peanut butter and chocolate.

DESSERTS

I narrowed down my favorite cake recipes for this time of year which was not easy. I hope you find them amazing like I surely do.

• Cherry Chocolate Dump cake: meant to be eaten in a bowl with a spoon, it's easy (made with boxed cake mix) and the flavors are fantastic!
• Cherry Crisp: sweet, juicy, in-season cherries topped with a crunchy almond crumble. Both traditional and gluten-free versions are in the post.
• Peach Galette: a round of sweet dough is topped with luscious almond cream, fresh peaches, and sliced almonds. The result is juicy, slightly sweet, crunchy, and plain delicious. 
• Cheesecake Ice Cream: Extremely easy to make and gorgeous, this is the best summer frozen dessert ever! It's an egg-free, no-churn recipe so there's no need to make a custard in the stove or use an ice cream maker.
• Plum Cobbler: I love it with mycinnamon pie crust but you can use just about any pie crust you want. The juicy plum layer bubbles up during baking creating a fantastic syrup!
• Blackberry Cobbler: a layer of juicy blackberries, a golden biscuit topping make a dessert that is fantastic served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• Peach Dump Cake: a layer of juicy peaches with a crunchy topping that bakes to a golden brown and is fantastic! Similar to a cobbler, it's very simple to put together and can be out of the oven in less than an hour.
• No churn Strawberry Ice Cream: This is the easiest homemade ice cream I make with a fresh strawberry flavor that is outstanding! A no-churn, 4-ingredient recipe made mostly in the blender (no need for an ice cream maker) that works with frozen berries also.

PIES AND TARTS

Some traditional pies and some wonderful desserts that will be approved by your pickiest eaters.

• Strawberry Pie with Jello: a sweet well balanced filling and lots of strawberry flavor. It lasts for several days, but I never get to experience that as it disappears so quickly!
• Easiest Cherry Custard Tart: I can't emphasize enough how easy and sophisticated at the same time this tart is. The dough requires no refrigeration!
• Peach Crumble Pie: old-fashioned and gorgeous, it's juicy, buttery and delicious!
• Banoffe Pie: Smooth, rich and utterly delicious, every bite of this pie is an experience. There's a cookie crust, gooey dulce de leche (it's heavenly paired with bananas), a mound of whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
• Cherry Crumb Pie: juicy, buttery and utterly delicious, this pie screams summer fruit and fun days.
• Strawberry Cream Pie: easy to make and so delicious! This is my grandmother's recipe with a twist.

So, there you have them, recipes to celebrate the last of summer days. Enjoy the day and eat delicious!

Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it, and also if you had issues, so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here, it's much appreciated.
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Paula Montenegro

I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe finder, sharing the best ones here, with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

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