More than 30 easy party desserts to serve for any special occasion. If you’re hosting a party and need easy dessert ideas, no-bake desserts, and last-minute dessert ideas, look no further! Everything you need to know about making easy desserts to bring to a party.
Dessert is one of the most popular indulgences, with 57% of people eating it at least once a week. You can’t go wrong with serving delicious treats after a meal, whether grabbing a quick cookie or whipping up something for your next party.Â
Making desserts for a lot of people can be simple. There are so many easy party desserts you can quickly throw together for your next potluck. Impress your guests with the perfect treat that took you a short time to make.
Easy Party Desserts
Here are my favorite easy party desserts to bring to a party. My favorite indulgent dessert recipes for your next dinner party!
Also, check out more than 60 of the best easy party appetizers to go with your desserts!
Boozy Coffee and Bourbon Milkshakes
These are simple to whip up in just a few minutes! These easy milkshakes are made with coffee, ice cream, and bourbon. They’re perfect for a party. Serve them in smaller glasses on a serving tray.
Super Easy Chocolate Sheet Cake
This chocolate sheet cake is incredibly moist and fluffy. It’s so easy to make and always turns out fantastic. You can serve it as a snacking cake without frosting, and it’s just as good.
Also, check out my chocolate orange cake; it’s so good and filled with orange flavor!
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Chocolate-covered strawberries don’t get enough credit! It is one of the easiest desserts to make, and they are so juicy and delicious.Â
Dessert Charcuterie Board
If you don’t want to bake, a dessert platter is the easiest dessert you can make for a party! Purchase your favorite cookies and candy from your local grocery store and assemble a charming dessert board filled with treats!
Fresh Fruit Platter
Juicy, fresh fruit is an excellent idea for a healthier dessert. It’s light, sweet, and comes in all different flavors. Serve it with my yogurt fruit dip made with tangy lemon curd.
You can also make my fruit and cheese platter.
Easy Homemade Apple Crisp
Apple crisp is one of the easiest and most delicious desserts to make. This homemade apple crisp recipe contains fall flavors, a juicy, sweet, buttery flavor, and a baked oat apple crisp topping.
Gingersnap Cookie Recipe
We are fans of serving warm cookies for gatherings! What makes this so easy is that you can make and prepare everything beforehand, even scoop the dough into balls and bake them 15 minutes before serving. There is nothing better than warm cookies as a dessert!
Here are more cookie recipes you can make for a party:
- Butterless Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Dark Chocolate Walnut Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Espresso Cookies
- Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Kitchen Sink Cookies
The Best Lemon Bar Recipe
This is genuinely the best lemon bar recipe! They’re made with a 3-ingredient buttery shortbread crust, and the lemon custard is sweet, tart, and gooey! These are the perfect desserts for a dinner party or potluck.
Ice Cream Sundae Sheet Cake
My ice cream sundae sheet cake recipe is always a hit! Made from boxed cake mixes, this cake is super moist and easy to make and decorate. If you’re up for it, drizzle homemade caramel sauce over the top.
Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods
An easy treat to make that everyone loves! These sweet and salty chocolate-covered pretzel rods are the perfect effortless party dessert that your guests will love. You can make them ahead of time and store them for later!
Buttermilk Sheet Cake
This is another straightforward sheet cake recipe. You can make your own frosting or use store-bought chocolate frosting. Everyone will love this cake!Â
Also, try my lavender and funfetti sheet cake; they’re so delicious!Â
Chewy Vanilla Brownies
This is a beautiful party dessert and so flavorful! These brownies are chewy and filled with vanilla flavor. One of my favorite recipes!Â
Confetti cupcakes are fun and perfect for parties if you love recipes with colorful sprinkles!Â
Cherry Crisp Recipe
This cherry crisp recipe is not only mouth-watering but also incredibly simple to make. With a buttery and crunchy oat topping, it’s the perfect dessert for any gathering. Serve it warm with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream and you’ll have an effortless party dessert
Pistachio Cake Recipe
This cake is made with yellow cake mix and pistachio pudding! It’s easy, super tender, and so good. You can even serve it without frosting and just a dusting of powdered sugar.Â
Canned Peach Pie
This peach pie is made with canned peaches, making it so easy! You can make your homemade pie crust or use a store-bought one. The filling is so good; it’s one of my favorite pies!
List of Easy Party Desserts
You have enough things to do when planning a party. Let’s talk about the best crowd-pleasing desserts that are simple to make:
Easy Party Desserts — No Bake
If you’re making a dessert for a holiday like Memorial Day, the last thing you want to do is turn on your oven. Some easy desserts to bring to a party don’t require turning on your oven.
Keep your house feeling cool while you whip up a delicious dessert.
Easy Cold Brew Coffee Floats
Cold-brew coffee floats are easy to make and a perfect, quick dessert for parties. The chocolate ice cream and cold coffee pair perfectly together.Â
Strawberry Sorbet
An easy no-bake sorbet recipe we created for California Strawberries. This recipe is easy to make and full of flavor. It’s the perfect, light after-dinner dessert.
Cookie Milkshake
Milkshakes are an easy, no-bake dessert, and I love this cookie shake recipe.
Homemade popsicles are also an easy party dessert to make. They’re great because you can make them ahead of time, too!Â
Some more easy no-bake party desserts:
- Banana cream pie
- No-bake cheesecake – use a premade graham cracker crust to make it easy.
- Oreo Truffles
- Edible cookie dough
- Rice Krispy bars
- Lemon cheesecake cream pie
- Orange creamsicle mousse
Many of these recipes require graham crackers for the crust and brief periods of chilling in the fridge. Cool Whip is also one of the primary ingredients in most of the toppings.
While you might need your stovetop to melt some ingredients, you can whip up a last-minute dessert without turning on your oven.
You can also buy premade graham cracker crust to make this recipe easier.Â
Looking for more no-bake easy party desserts? Check out these top 20 no-bake desserts.
Last Minute Easy Party Desserts
If you’re running late to a party and must pick up a last-minute dessert, here are the best fast, easy desserts for a crowd. These are desserts that you can make from premade grocery store items:
Ice Cream Sundaes – Grab ice cream, cones, and a few toppings to make ice cream sundaes. You can also make a boozy ice cream tray too!
Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches – Get large bakery-style cookies and ice cream to make ice cream sandwiches.
Vanilla Ice Cream and Brownies – Premade brownies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream are always a win.
Angel Food Cake – Grab a premade angel food cake, strawberries, and whipped cream.
Mini Chocolate Fondu – Get fresh fruits and thick chocolate sauce to make melted chocolate for an easy fondu.
Chocolate Platter – Bars of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate are presented on a platter with fresh berries.
Tips for Making Easy Party Desserts
Here are tips for making these easy dessert recipes:
- Make any of the desserts the day before.Â
- Add garnishes like edible flowers, lemon zest, lime zest, or orange zest for more color.Â
- Serve with whipped cream and caramel sauce.Â
- Use good quality ingredients.Â
When to Serve Easy Party Desserts
Now that you have some easy party dessert recipes to make you’re ready to party! These crowd-pleaser recipes are great for many parties and occasions. Perfect dinner party desserts for a family gathering or simple desserts for a celebration, here are some occasions to serve easy party desserts:
Dessert Table
A dessert table is a great way to display desserts for a party. Place platters and cake stands filled with cookies, cakes, and pies on a table.
Add jars of candy, napkins, and plates.
For decorations add fresh flowers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Need to bring a dessert to a party? An easy dessert for kids for an upcoming birthday party? We’ve got you covered!Â
A dinner party is a great way to celebrate an achievement or milestone. Kick it up a notch with one of my delicious dessert ideas.Â
Whether you’re hosting a party or in charge of bringing dessert to someone else’s, you want something that’ll be a crowd-pleaser.Â
You can’t go wrong with a simple chocolate raspberry pie. It has layers of chocolate, cream cheese, and fresh raspberries. It’s tart and light without being over the top.Â
A caramel apple tart is another great idea and more accessible than apple pies. You finish off this dessert by drizzling salted caramel over the top.Â
Need some more party dessert ideas? Let’s talk about the 10 most popular desserts in the country:Â
1. Fudge
2. German chocolate cake
3. Chocolate chip cookies
4. Brownies
5. Ice cream
6. Apple pie
7. Carrot cake
8. Jell-O
9. CupcakesÂ
10. Cheesecake
If you need help with a dessert, explore recipes for one of the above.Â
The goal of bringing dessert to a dinner party is to have it gobbled up within minutes. Check out some of my personal favorites for parties below:
Berry peach cobbler
Grilled banana split
S’mores
Ice Cream
Tiramisu
Banana pudding
CheesecakeÂ
Cookies
What dessert you eat after dinner depends on what you had for your meal. If you had a heavy dinner, you’d want something light. Explore chocolate-dipped strawberries or a homemade sorbet if you have a meal on the heavier side.Â
You can explore more sumptuous desserts if you still need to get a heavy dinner. You can’t go wrong with a classic cheesecake. Take it to the next level by drizzling strawberry sauce over the top.Â
Another option is a classic affogato recipe.Â
Hosting an event for 30 people? Plan on one serving for each person coming to your event.Â
However, if you’re hosting a dessert bar, you likely want to account for two to three pieces for each person. People will likely grab more than one dessert from the table to sample.Â
It’s always best to have more than less. If you have extra, it’s just more to take home afterward.Â
How many cupcakes you need for a party depends upon how many flavors you’ll have. We recommend making one to two standard-sized cupcakes for each person at the event.Â
For mini cupcakes, you’ll want to make two to three for each guest. You’ll also consider if there’ll be other desserts at the party.Â
What Is the #1 Dessert in the World?
It’s hard to narrow down the most popular dessert in the entire world. Let’s go over the top desserts from various places around the world. Expand your dessert palate as you try these delicious treats.Â
- France: Creme Brulee
- Japan: Mochi
- United States: Apple Pie
- Canada: Nanaimo Bar
- India: Gulab Jamun
- Turkey: Baklava
- Austria: Kardinalschnitten
- Indonesia: Dadar Gulung
- Netherlands: Poffertjes
- Hungary: Kremes
Satisfy your sweet tooth with one of these worldwide favorites.
When Do You Serve Dessert at a Party?
It’s best to serve dessert 15-30 minutes after your guests finish dinner. That gives them enough time to digest their food. You can follow dessert up with coffee after everyone has cleared their plates.
How Many Cookies Do I Need for a Party?
One of the best desserts to bring to a party is cookies. The general rule of thumb is three to five cookies per person.
If you have extra afterward, no problem. You can throw the remaining cookies in the freezer in an airtight container for a quick snack.Â
What is the simplest type of dessert to make for a gathering?
Sheet cakes, cookies, and ice cream are easy desserts for gatherings.
If you’re looking for a straightforward dessert that requires no baking, fresh fruit with a sweet dip like chocolate or caramel is the way to go!
You can also make no-bake desserts such as trifles, parfaits, or puddings in advance for a stress-free option.
How many desserts do I need for 14 guests?
As a general guideline, you should aim for two servings per guest for each dessert. Therefore, for a gathering of 14 people, you should prepare at least 28 servings.
If you plan to serve more than one type of dessert, consider making smaller servings so guests can try a bit of everything. It is always better to have a little more than needed to ensure nobody leaves your gathering unsatisfied.
Easy Party Desserts for the Holidays
Let us know your thoughts!
We can’t wait to see what dessert you make! Let us know your thoughts, and try my recipe for the easiest affogato! Leave a comment and review below.
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Easy Party Desserts – Affogato
Ingredients
- 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
- 1 shot espresso , or 3 tbsp strong coffee
Instructions
- Scoop vanilla ice cream into a glass.
- Pour espresso or coffee over the top.
- Drizzle with caramel if you want!
Notes
Nutrition
Explore Easy Party Desserts for Special Occasions
Impress your guests with one of our ideas for easy party desserts. Whether you’re looking for something no-bake for the hot summer months or want to mix it up, I’ve got you covered.Â
