Internet hosting is, hands-down, one among my favourite hobbies. Don’t get me incorrect—I’ve had moments of remorse throughout prep and cleanup. However, I’m right here to point out you that feeding a big group doesn’t imply it’s a must to spend hours within the kitchen or break the financial institution. Sure—it’s attainable to create a dish for each a part of your meal that’s inexpensive, scrumptious, and yields sufficient for loads of visitors to take pleasure in. These dessert recipes to feed a crowd are positive to fulfill everybody’s candy tooth with out the stress. We’ve received all the pieces from no-bake treats to make-ahead picks. There’s positive to be one thing to suit everybody’s palate.
40 Simple Dessert Recipes to Feed a Crowd
Good dessert recipes for feeding a crowd have just a few key parts. First, how many individuals can your dessert feed? Sometimes, I flip to cookies or a cake recipe when I’ve over 4 individuals in attendance. Then there’s the side of giving the individuals what they need—if I occur to have choosy eaters in attendance (no disgrace!) I’ll go for a lower-ingredient recipe that eliminates any acquired tastes.
No matter crowd you’re trying to accommodate, this checklist has loads of choices that’ll encourage you to create beautiful, meal-making desserts.
Cookie Recipes to Feed a Crowd
Cookie Charcuterie Board
Why We Love It: Whether or not you’re setting up this board throughout the vacation season or just to finish your gathering on a candy notice, it’s the proper possibility for fast, throw-together grazing. Including store-bought sweets to a big serving platter is the simplest option to serve dessert with none baking or prepping.
Hero Ingredient: For presentation, mud your board with a little bit of powdered sugar.
Linzer Cookies with Winter Citrus Curd
Why We Love It: Cookies make nice dessert recipes to feed a crowd, as you possibly can improve or lower the scale of your batches in line with your visitor headcount. When Elizabeth Ho from Birdhouse Bakeshop shared this vacation Linzer cookie recipe with our crew, we have been surprised at how easy but elaborate-looking these treats have been. For the citrus curd, the choices are limitless—throw in something from orange extract to dried lavender.
Hero Ingredient: Vanilla paste or vanilla bean seeds assist carry a component of sweetness to those cookies.
Chocolate Chip Tahini Shortbread Cookies
Why We Love It: This cookie recipe, delivered to us by Daphne Oz, is nice meets savory. The flavour distinction is their spotlight—mixing the candy and light-weight shortbread with nutty sesame seeds and wealthy, creamy tahini.
Hero Ingredient: What would a chocolate chip cookie be with out chocolate chips?
Chocolate Orange Linzer Shortbread Cookies
Why We Love It: There’s one thing undeniably attractive about Linzer cookies. Their elevated look presents the phantasm of a posh dessert that’s surprisingly easy to make. With their crumbly shortbread, chocolate ganache filling, and a beneficiant dusting of powdered sugar, these cookies have all of it.
Hero Ingredient: A splash of Grande Mariner, whereas not required, enhances the orange taste.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Why We Love It: Final 12 months, these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies have been on repeat in my kitchen. Dusted with the proper sprinkle of flaky salted and stuffed with chopped darkish chocolate, these elevated chocolate chip cookies belong in your recipe guide.
Hero Ingredient: It’s the pumpkin puree. Sufficient mentioned.
Chewy Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Why We Love It: In case you, like myself, are a PSL fanatic, these pumpkin spice cookies are for you. With a glaze equal to candy cream in your latte, dusted with cinnamon, and stuffed with pumpkin pie spice flavors, these are an important dessert for welcoming within the fall season.
Hero Ingredient: The cinnamon glaze is elite.
Cake and Pie Recipes to Feed a Crowd
Strawberry Olive Oil Cake
Why We Love It: When the climate begins to heat up, I stray from dense, overly candy dessert recipes. As a substitute, I gravitate towards lighter flavors whereas incorporating contemporary fruits or extracts. With a candy and textured crumble topping and beautiful contemporary strawberries, this olive oil cake makes for each the perfect seasonal dessert and breakfast the next morning.
Hero Ingredient: Greek yogurt helps this cake retain its moisture.
Peach Tarte Tatin
Why We Love It: Claire Ptak’s tackle the basic apple tarte tatin is just divine. She makes use of contemporary peaches, gentle and fluffy puff pastry, and a nutty almond peach leaf custard. For sure, I’m obsessed.
Hero Ingredient: I’m a agency believer that contemporary peaches are the way in which to go right here.
Grain-Free Lemon Raspberry Almond Cake
Why We Love It: We have now a plethora of choices in terms of maintaining issues GF, however that is one among my private favorites. With a batter together with complete milk ricotta for a moist sponge, lemon zest, and contemporary raspberries, it’s a easy option to maintain issues grain-free and scrumptious.
Hero Ingredient: I like using almonds as this cake’s topping.
Strawberry Cake with Mascarpone Cream
Why We Love It: This cake is the intersection of easy and chic whereas nonetheless being a crowd-pleasing dish for everybody to take pleasure in. The mascarpone cream combines candy, gentle, and comforting flavors with a presentation that may have everybody in awe.
Hero Ingredient: Strawberries, in fact!
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
Why We Love It: Everybody loves a chocolate cake, and this recipe isn’t any exception. The icing is created from chocolate chips, cream cheese, and heavy cream, maintaining issues mildly candy to steadiness out the cake’s richness.
Hero Ingredient: Almond flour is a superb GF various to typical AP flour.
Peanut Butter Banana Snack Cake
Why We Love It: This snack cake isn’t simply low-ingredient—it’s a breeze to throw collectively, too. Creamy peanut butter is a base ingredient for this recipe and certain a pantry staple you could have readily available. Pair this cake with a glass of milk or a cup of espresso for a easy, romanticize-your-life second.
Hero Ingredient: This peanut butter Greek yogurt frosting is to die for.
Lemon Icebox Cake
Why We Love It: This recipe is a no-bake delight, utilizing minimal elements and loads of elements you probably have readily available. It’s a kind of make-ahead recipes that want to take a seat for some time, however that’s exactly what makes it among the finest straightforward dessert recipes to feed a crowd.
Hero Ingredient: Lemon cookies are a vital part.
Gluten-Free Citrus Cake with Strawberries and Cardamom Coconut Cream
Why We Love It: If a strawberry shortcake and a pound cake had a child, it could in all probability appear like this scrumptious gluten-free cake with contemporary strawberries and a spiced cardamom coconut cream frosting. Baking any dessert with citrus zest is a good way to combine up the flavors of seemingly easy desserts, and this cake speaks to how straightforward the method actually is.
Hero Ingredient: Coconut yogurt (or any yogurt of selection) provides this cake the proper quantity of added moisture.
Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Why We Love It: This pumpkin cake is one other one of many fall recipes I couldn’t cease baking final season. What makes this cake among the finest straightforward dessert recipes to feed a crowd is that it’s tremendous wealthy—that means you possibly can slice small and serve extra.
Hero Ingredient: It’s laborious to select only one, however I’d must say the addition of cinnamon provides this cake a savory and spiced fall component.
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Why We Love It: I’ve been a lover of carrot cake for so long as I can bear in mind, however I hadn’t settled on a go-to recipe earlier than I discovered this one. This cake has a delicate trace of orange, paired with a crunchy texture from toasted pecans. And, in fact, the cream cheese frosting is a should.
Hero Ingredient: Orange zest within the frosting is a game-changer.
Flourless Peppermint Scorching Chocolate Cake
Why We Love It: Nothing is extra holiday-esque than peppermint and sizzling chocolate. The 2 flavors have been virtually meant for one another, and after they’re integrated into an progressive dessert, there’s no going incorrect. This cake additionally will get bonus factors for being gluten-free.
Hero Ingredient: Whipped cream frosting? Sure, please.
Pumpkin Snack Cake
Why We Love It: Chew-sized snacks generally is a quick and simple option to craft a few of the best desserts for large-scale gatherings. If a complete cake isn’t within the playing cards in your crowd, snack muffins are an important possibility for popping within the oven and serving in a pinch. Plus, this recipe makes use of pantry staples that may probably forestall any last-minute grocery procuring.
Hero Ingredient: Freshly grated nutmeg enhances the flavour of your batter.
Rhubarb Meringue Cake
Why We Love It: The alternatives for baking and cooking with rhubarb are countless. Apart from its show-stopping look, this rhubarb cake is filled with contemporary and tart fruit flavors that make for an ideal match with a candy and flaky cake. The perfect half—it’s solely six steps!
Hero Ingredient: Only a splash of orange juice added to your rhubarb compote makes this cake all of the extra vivid.
Walnut & Honey Olive Oil Cake with Candied Citrus
Why We Love It: I’m absolutely on board with the olive oil cake pattern. These muffins boast a novel texture and taste that surprises visitors who could also be anticipating your stereotypical fluffy cake. Adorned with candied oranges and a easy glaze rather than heavy frosting, it’s filled with taste whereas being elegantly easy.
Hero Ingredient: Toasted walnuts give this cake a nutty taste that contrasts the tangy citrus.
Mina Stone’s Olive Oil Cake
Why We Love It: There’s one thing concerning the mixture of an olive oil cake with fruit that makes these recipes so particular. This specific cake, impressed by Mina Stone’s basic recipe, has the best dense and sponge-like texture with spiced parts from cinnamon and cloves.
Hero Ingredient: Whereas elective, cognac provides a particular fruity and candy contact.
Rum & Espresso Spiced Tres Leches
Why We Love It: Everybody in Texas has a tres leches recipe that they swear by, however this may be one among my favorites (unbiased opinion, in fact). After attempting and testing quite a few variations through the years, this model with rum and a touch of espresso or chilly brew continues to win me over.
Hero Ingredient: A little bit of cardamom is crucial in the perfect tres leches recipes.
Mango Cardamom Icebox Cake
Why We Love It: Icebox muffins are a year-round hit in my family, however this one specifically is a recipe repeat. It’s a dessert that’s not overwhelmingly candy, as ripe mangos create a pure candy component with none synthetic flavors. The cardamom cream pairs completely as a delicate and smooth base in your contemporary fruit.
Hero Ingredient: This salty pistachio crumble? Insane.
Masala Chai Carrot Cake
Why We Love It: There’s one thing a couple of chai spice mix that brings a way of consolation and coziness into any dish. With regards to the vacation season, I can’t assist however flip to this chai carrot cake recipe, which doubles as a scrumptious dessert and a stunning centerpiece.
Hero Ingredient: This cake is a real testomony to how versatile of an ingredient carrots are.
Basic Buttermilk Pie
Why We Love It: It’s laborious to go incorrect with a buttermilk pie. This recipe’s presentation is simply the tip of the iceberg—the creamy, custard-based filling has a crème brûlée-like texture that’s sheltered by a lightweight and flaky pie crust.
Hero Ingredient: A dollop of whipped cream to serve is crucial!
Cherry Berry Ice Cream Pie
Why We Love It: So far as fruit desserts are involved, this recipe is on the high of my checklist. Requiring solely 5 elements, it’s a fast and simple option to throw collectively a simple dessert recipe that received’t take an excessive amount of time within the kitchen.
Hero Ingredient: This strawberry cheesecake ice cream is at all times on my grocery checklist.
Extra Dessert Recipes to Feed a Crowd
Camille’s Mother’s Greatest Brownie Recipe Ever
Why We Love It: Everybody has been raving over this one-bowl brownie recipe for the previous few months, so in fact, I needed to see what the hype was about. For sure, it didn’t disappoint. With regards to brownies, I’ve excessive requirements, and this recipe checks all of my packing containers. With an ethereal, souffle-like texture with crispy edges, I may go on about these brownies for days.
Hero Ingredient: The flaky sea salt garnish brings all of it collectively.
Gluten-Free Lemon Bars
Why We Love It: That is THE summer season dessert and a recipe I come again to yearly. These baked lemon bars encompass a gluten-free graham cracker crust and a lightweight and tangy custard-like filling, topped with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, in fact.
Hero Ingredient: Tapioca starch might not presently be a pantry staple in your family, however it may be after attempting this recipe.
Blackberry Cobbler
Why We Love It: There’s one thing a couple of cobbler recipe, a little bit of ice cream, and a candy crumble topping that makes me crave a sizzling summer season day by the pool. Whilst you can swap in any fruit of selection for this cobbler, blackberries have fun the perfect of the summer season season.
Hero Ingredient: A little bit of vanilla ice cream, selfmade or store-bought, is crucial.
Summer time Fruit Salad
Why We Love It: The perfect factor a couple of fruit salad is that it may be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled to make one of many best dessert recipes to feed a crowd. With summer season peaches, ripe blueberries, and a wide range of different contemporary favorites, this fruit salad makes for a dish that nobody will flip down.
Hero Ingredient: Use a little bit of lemon zest and juice to boost your fruit’s flavors.
Citrus Olive Oil Muffins
Why We Love It: Have you ever ever seen a extra beautiful muffin? These olive oil muffins are simply the smaller model of an olive oil cake and make for excellent particular person bites. The edible flowers make these muffins look a lot deceptively sophisticated, the place in actuality, there’s not a lot to them.
Hero Ingredient: Greek yogurt provides to the moisture and taste.
Cinnamon Baked Apples
Why We Love It: This comforting dessert options tender apples infused with heat spices. With cinnamon, sugar, and butter, the apples turn into smooth and caramelized, making this a dessert that received’t take an excessive amount of time however will go away your visitors happy.
Hero Ingredient: Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
No-Bake Pumpkin Pie Bars
Why We Love It: ‘Tis the season for no-bake recipes. Providing all of the flavors of pumpkin pie in an easy-to-serve bar type, these are excellent for fall (or year-round if fall flavors are your jam) gatherings. They are often simply reduce and transported, making them a handy various to a conventional pie.
Hero Ingredient: Brown butter is crucial for creating the buttery caramel taste.
Wholesome Apple Crumble
Why We Love It: This straightforward dessert recipe combines the pure sweetness of contemporary apples with a low-sugar crumble topping, providing the comforting flavors of conventional apple crumble whereas incorporating fiber and vitamins.
Hero Ingredient: A little bit of apple cider vinegar provides the proper punch and further taste to your filling.
No Bake White Chocolate Lemon Cardamom Slices
Why We Love It: White chocolate is extremely underrated, particularly when paired with any fruit. For a no-bake bar that’s nonetheless wealthy and candy, these lemon cardamon slices are a decadent possibility that’s straightforward to serve and retailer.
Hero Ingredient: Like I mentioned, it’s white chocolate’s time to shine!
Raspberry Tiramisu
Why We Love It: This basic dessert is usually a crowd-pleaser, however this raspberry model takes issues up a notch. It’s one among our greatest recipes of all-time for a purpose.
Hero Ingredient: Chambord (raspberry liqueur) provides a darkish, fruity quality to this basic deal with.
Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake
Why We Love It: Particular person desserts aren’t at all times straightforward to tug off after they’re not within the type of muffins, brownies, or bars. Nevertheless, these strawberry shortcakes are the exception, they usually’re gluten-free in order that nobody will get neglected of the enjoyable.
Hero Ingredient: Coconut milk or cream retains your whipped cream dairy-free (and nonetheless scrumptious).
Double Chocolate Skillet Cookie
Why We Love It: I like any excuse to whip up a skillet dessert, particularly once I’m serving a crowd. This tackle a double chocolate cookie with chopped chocolate chunks is ideal to slice up and serve with a little bit of ice cream.
Hero Ingredient: Espresso powder, whereas elective, provides an important distinction to the sweetness of the chocolate.
Salted Caramel Cheesecake Brownies
Why We Love It: It’s typically a problem to make a good-quality salted caramel dessert. The substitute variations aren’t at all times what I’m aiming for after my meal. Fortunately, this recipe accommodates each a selfmade caramel sauce, a cheesecake layer, and a wealthy brownie layer. It’s the perfect of all worlds.
Hero Ingredient: Flaky sea salt works like a allure.
Chocolate Fondue Board
Why We Love It: Final, however actually not least, is that this chocolate charcuterie and fondue board. For a dessert that doubles as an exercise, that is excellent when served with just a few skewers on the dinner desk so that every visitor can choose and select their favourite sweets.
Hero Ingredient: This chocolate fondue is easy and candy.
