Recipe Roundup

37 Party Desserts to Make the Night a Little Sweeter

Hanging out with friends is even better when dessert’s this good.

October 12, 2022

37 Party Desserts to Make the Night a Little Sweeter

Of course, the guests are the highlight of any party. But these party desserts will brighten your evening even further. These crowd-pleasing options include a towering cake layered with cocoa pudding, impressive looking (but secretly easy) custards, and flavor-packedcookiesthat’ll disappear from the plate faster than you can say anything about doing the dishes. There are lots of low-stress make-ahead desserts here, which let you focus on prepping savorysnacks(or amain dishand sides, depending on your party’s vibe). Scroll down before you plan your next gathering.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Pearl Jones

1/37

Marbled Pumpkin-Maple Cheesecake Bars

If you're looking for party desserts that can be eaten out of hand, these autumnal cheesecake bars are just what you need. Swirled with cheesecake and spiced with ginger, they're a flavorful, impressive bite that can be prepped in advance.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova

2/37

7UP Cake

We don'tneedany excuse to dig through our favoritecake recipes, but a party certainly is a good reason. And this particular Southern cake is a fun one for any gathering. Your guests will never guess the secret ingredient.

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Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova

3/37

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Serve this elegant dessert to cap off a dinner party. A dollop of whipped cream on top is optional—ice cream or sorbet work well, too.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

4/37

Fortune Cookie Magic Shell Sundae

Wow your guests with homemade “magic shell” topping—a bit of melted coconut oil quickly turns blender-pulverized fortune cookies into a pourable sauce that hardens when it hits a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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Photo by Alana Kysar and Brooklyn Dombroski

5/37

Butter Mochi

This perfectly chewy, slightly sticky, and just-dense-enough coconut-custard glutinous rice cake just wants you to slice off another sliver.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

6/37

Simple Bread Pudding With Melted Ice Cream Sauce

If the last time you had a great bread pudding was in a restaurant, it's time to make one at home, pronto. Instead of a complicated sauce, you'll drizzle melted ice cream on top.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

7/37

Chocolate Pots de Crème

The perfect party dessert is one that doesn't stress you out at the last minute. These luscious chocolate puddings are simple to make and can be prepped a few days before your guests arrive.

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog

8/37

Apple Pie Cookies

We always love a slice ofapple pie, but these handheld treats are much easier to serve to a group.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

9/37

Nanaimo Bars

Thisiconic Canadian confectionrequires no baking, and chills in the fridge while you prepare whatever else you're serving at the party.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

10/37

Super-Moist Yellow Cake With Rich Chocolate Frosting

Looking forbirthday cakeideas? This is our ultimate version of the birthday classic, with a fluffy, moist interior and a luscious chocolate frosting. Thesecret to the great textureis all in the mixing method.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou

11/37

Banana Pudding Cheesecake Bars

You might be surprised how quickly a tray of these banana-pudding-meets-cheesecake bars can disappear.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

12/37

Gâteau au Yaourt Pour le Dîner

Grand Marnier soaking syrup and a rum glaze turn a simple French yogurt cake into a dinner party star.

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Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova

13/37

Panna Cotta

This jiggly dessert is one of ourmost popular recipes of all time. You can serve it in any season, with whatever fruit you have on hand, or a simple grating of chocolate or citrus zest.

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Photo by Alex Lau

14/37

Malted “Forever” Brownies

We're a little obsessed withchewy brownies. Chilling these in the fridge after baking gets their texture right.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Kim

15/37

Pear Tart With Dulce de Leche Drizzle

Red Starkrimson pears give this flaky tart its glamorous look; you can skip theleaf decorationson the sides to keep things easier. But the drizzle of dulce de leche? It's worth the effort.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano

16/37

Sicilian Cannoli

Desserts at a party are all about delight—and everyone is delighted when they see a tray of cannolis. This version has the chocolate, pistachios, and candied orange peel mixed right into the creamy filling so you get optimal flavor in every bite.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou

17/37

Oatmeal Date Cookies

Sure, there are dozens ofcookie recipesout there that are fun for a party. But guests will be floored by how good these oatmeal cookies are; no other recipe compares.

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Photo by Oriana Koren

18/37

Chocolate Doberge Cake

You can't describe this rich and loftychocolate cakeas anything but epic—there are18 eggsin the layers, so it climbs high!

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne

19/37

Gooey Butter Cake

The signature dessert of St. Louis is just what its name suggests—a wonderfully gooey butter cake that doesn’t quite set when baked.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano

20/37

Easy Chinese Bakery–Style Whipped Cream Cake

This fluffy, tender whipped cream cake is a staple of family celebrations. Top with melon balls, berries, cut mango, or whatever fruit you like.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton

21/37

Tre Latte Olive Oil Cake

This rich-yet-airy cake from Don Angie in New York is an Epicurious editor favorite.

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Photo by Alex Lau

22/37

Gâteau Basque

If you've been tasked with bringing dessert to a dinner party, this sturdy French classic is a surefire hit.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton

23/37

Banana Cream Pie With Bourbon Whipped Cream

Better banana cream pie starts with homemade pudding—not a mix. Crown with bourbon-scented whipped cream, or leave the booze out, depending on your crowd's preferences.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Samantha Seneviratne & Jason Schreiber

24/37

Goat Butter Shortbread

Goat’s milk butter is mildly tangy, complementing the whole wheat flour and wheat germ in these understated cookies.

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Hampton

25/37

Cinnamon–Chocolate Chunk Skillet Cookie

One big, sharable cookie, flavored with espresso, milk chocolate, and cinnamon.

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Anna Hampton

26/37

Apple-Cranberry Crisp With Oatmeal-Cookie Crumble

This autumnal cranberry andapple dessertis much easier than pie, and just as a great-tasting.

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Diana Yen

27/37

Giant Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup

This sized-up version of the classic chocolate peanut butter cup is best when it's cut into slices and served for company.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton

28/37

Peach and Butter Pecan Ice Cream Icebox Cake

Cap off your dinner party with thisfun and riffablemake-ahead dessert, which is layered with store-bought ice cream, salty Ritz crackers, and peach jam-swirled whipped cream.

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photo by Gentl & Hyers

29/37

Burnt-Caramel Custards

These flavorful custards are quite easy to make, and get their grownup flavor from the toasty caramel and flaky salt.

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The New Easy, photography by William Meppem

30/37

Chocolate Chunk Share Cookie

This giant dark chocolate cookie is best with ice cream and sticky dulce de leche on top.

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Diana Yen

31/37

Two-Ingredient Truffles

Make a full assortment of homemade truffles, and your guests will likely ask for goodie bags to take some home.

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Photo by Sara Remington

32/37

Peanut Butter Pie

This creamy peanut butter pie is great with a graham cracker crust, but you could sub Oreos if you prefer.

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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano and Stevie Stewart

33/37

Original New York Cheesecake

This luscious, tangy cheesecake requires no adornment, but you could top with fresh fruit or fruit compote if you wish.

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Erin Kunkel

34/37

Texas Sheet Cake

Need something quick for a crowd? Think Texas sheet cake. It's a large, thin layer of tender chocolate cake slathered with gooey chocolate frosting and sprinkled with toasted nuts. The frosting gets poured onto the cake when they are both still warm.

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone

35/37

Sheet-Pan Brownie Thins

These brownies don't require any special equipment: all you need is a standard 18x13" rimmed baking sheet and a bowl. The batter gets spread into a thin layer yielding rich, chewy (not cakey!) brownies that are perfect for lingering over at a dinner party.

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Photo by JP Bevins, Food Styling by Molly Baz

36/37

3-Ingredient Gingersnap Icebox Cake

Use whatever jam, marmalade, or fruit preserves you like in this crowd-pleaser; raspberry or cherry would be especially nice.

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Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Susan Spungen

37/37

Snickerdoodle Party Cookies

What transforms an everyday cookie into one of our favorite party desserts? Generous spice and lots of toffee and cornflake texture, plus a sparkly finish.

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