Sweet, fruity flavors swing; frozen, tropical tastes fly; creamy, sugary sensations climb — summer treats are in.

Many summertime sweets provide a new, fresh and delicious way to keep cool. Mix in some seasonal fruits — such as peaches and strawberries — and you have the perfect party treat. 

For example, pizza is a well-loved food, so why not try fruit pizza? You can have a sugar cookie crust, brownie crust and more. Top with a cream cheese frosting and decorate with fruits of your choice. Creative design possibilities are endless.

However, if you’re looking for local fruit pizza, the closest you’ll come to a premade one would be the dessert pizzas at Pizza Ranch. On the other hand, you could pick up fresh fruit at your local farmers market to incorporate in your recipe. Just go to cookingclassy.com to find various fruit pizza recipes.

Homemade popsicle recipes are another great way to beat the heat. There are many different kinds such as strawberries and cream, watermelon and lemonade. You can find those recipes and more at crazylittleprojects.com.

In addition, shaved ice is a popular, local treat right here in Manhattan. There is Tad’s Shaved Ice — located in Dillion’s West Loop — and Joanna Jane Sweet Treats, which is near Sonic on the East side of town. Both businesses are exclusively opened during the summer and are well-received by locals. Tad’s has been established for over two decades and has countless flavors to try, while Joanna Jane features new flavors almost every week and has their signature “Snowball” that is made up of a snow cone filled with gourmet ice cream.

Moreover, milkshakes are a fun treat to sip this summer. There’s toasted marshmallow milkshakes, cinnamon roll milkshakes and rainbow chip brownie milkshakes, just to name a few. All of those milkshakes and other delicious recipes can be found when you go to cookiesandcups.com.

On top of that, you can make several different kinds of smoothies such as mango, strawberry, banana and raspberry. Simply blend all the ingredients in a blender and enjoy. Just go to goodhousekeeping.com to find examples of those recipes or be creative and make your own. 

While hanging out with friends and family, you could try Sonic’s infamous milkshakes — half price after 8 p.m. — or even Smoothie King’s colorful flavors. Happy eating — or slurping — to all.