24 Dessert Recipes to Delight a Crowd

By

Food & Wine Editors

Updated on July 15, 2023

Chocolate and Hazelnut Nanaimo Bars — Photo: Victor Protasio

No gathering is complete without a sweet ending. Whether you're planning the final course of a dinner party or hosting a casual soiree, these are the desserts to reach for. We've gathered 24 of our tastiest treat recipes that yield eight or more servings each, all guaranteed to put smiles on your guests' faces. Serve up plates of luscious chocolate crème caramel or cozy nectarine cobbler with ice cream, or compile a spread with dulce de leche sandwich cookies, chocolate-hazelnut bars, and mini mango trifles. Whichever route you choose, dessert is sure to be a hit.

01 of 24

Bunet (Chocolate Crème Caramel with Amaretti)

Bunet (Chocolate CrÃ¨me Caramel with Amaretti — Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Bunet (also known as bonet) is a creamy, rich custard dessert hailing from Piedmont. The addition of amaretti cookies as a garnish enhances the almond flavor of the pudding while adding a lovely crunch. This version is from Daniel Zeilinga at Fàula Ristorante, whose recipe offers a simple technique for this silky Piedmontese dessert.

02 of 24

Oatmeal Cream Pies

Oatmeal Cream Pies — Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

If you loved oatmeal cream pies as a kid, you need these next-level versions, created by Sarah Mispagel-Lustbader of Chicago’s Loaf Lounge. This oatmeal pie recipe features tender, chewy cookies made with oats, dark brown sugar, molasses, and toffee bits. A light, creamy vanilla filling is the perfect complement. This recipe makes 25 cookies — perfect for a party or gathering, or refrigerate a few for later.

03 of 24

Biscoff Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding — Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

The subtle spice of Biscoff cookies helps to balance the sweetness of each decadent layer of creamy custard and fresh bananas in this tall and impressive banana pudding for a crowd. It's inspired by one made by 2019 F&W Best New Chef Kwame Onwuachi's aunt Yolanda, of Beaumont, Texas.

04 of 24

Chocolate-Raspberry Icebox Cake

Chocolate Raspberry Icebox Cake — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

This Chocolate-Raspberry Icebox Cake is creamy, it's dreamy, and it's so simple to make. Crushed cookies, fresh raspberries, and layers of tart raspberry sorbet and velvety vanilla ice cream transform into a gorgeous marbled layer cake in about 15 minutes — no frosting required.

05 of 24

Lemon Lavender Nectarine Cobbler

Lemon Lavender Nectarine Cobbler — Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

This summery cobbler is spicy, sweet, and tart with a delicate lavender aroma. Fresh nectarines are the star of the filling — skin-on ones are ideal, but you can also make this dessert with thawed frozen peaches. As you prepare the biscuit dough, take care not to overwork it, which will make the biscuits tough and chewy. Serve the finished cobbler with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

06 of 24

'The Bear' Chocolate Cake

The Bear Chocolate Cake — Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

The famous chocolate cake from the television show The Bear features an airy chocolate mousse layered between a fudgy chocolate cake and topped with a rich chocolate frosting.

07 of 24

Mini Mangonada Floats

Mini Mangonada Floats — Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Mango float, or mango royale, is a beloved Filipino icebox cake that consists of layers of graham crackers, sweetened whipped cream, and fresh mango. For a twist, Abi Balingit of The Dusky Kitchen wanted to combine the spicy and tangy flavors of one of her favorite summertime desserts, Mexican mangonadas, with this Filipino classic.

08 of 24

Cannoli

Cannoli — Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

Cannoli, a crisp and creamy Italian dessert with origins in Sicily, is made of pastry dough that has been molded into a tube and fried until crispy. The fried pastry is filled with orange-scented mascarpone and ricotta cheese filling and then dipped in chopped chocolate or pistachio.

09 of 24

Cornmeal Cake Trifle with Sabayon and Candied Kumquats

Cornmeal cake trifle with sabayon and candied kumquats — Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

A feat of technique and flavor, this stunning collaboration between pastry chef Kelly Fields and baking legend Claudia Fleming has many delicious components, most of which can be made ahead. Layers of crumbly cornmeal cake and fresh and candied citrus float on billowy drifts of barely boozy sabayon, topped with sweet, crisp peaks of toasted Italian meringue.

10 of 24

Chocolate and Hazelnut Nanaimo Bars

Chocolate and Hazelnut Nanaimo Bars — Victor Protasio

For these bite-sized beauties, Gail Simmons layers a chocolate and coconut crust with buttercream frosting, hazelnuts, and chocolate ganache with swirls of tahini. The result is an incredibly crave-worthy treat that's easy to share.

11 of 24

Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Lemon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting — Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Layers of delicate flavors from lemon, honey, and extra-virgin olive oil — which helps keep the cake moist and imparts mild fruitiness — come together in this one-bowl batter. Stacked with a fluffy and rich lemon–cream cheese frosting, this easy layer cake is a keeper. Be sure the butter and cream cheese are softened for the smoothest frosting.

12 of 24

Strawberry Shortcake for a Crowd

Strawberry Shortcake — Jen Causey

"It doesn't get much easier than strawberry shortcake, but this family-style version I created definitely makes it foolproof," food writer Ben Mims says. "Instead of punching out all those small cakes, the dough is pressed into a pan and baked as one giant cake, which is much quicker and less stress-inducing, especially when you want an effortless dessert for a weeknight."

13 of 24

Blackberry and Mascarpone Crêpe Cake

Blackberry and Mascarpone Crepe Cake — Victor Protasio

This stunning dessert from Gail Simmons features a towering stack of French crêpes layered with rich mascarpone whipped cream, tart berries, and a little lemon zest.

14 of 24

Carrot and Orange Cake with Sour Cream Glaze

Carrot Cake Recipe — Antonis Achilleos

This carrot cake from cookbook author Nik Sharma is something special. "Chopped pieces of dried apricots and candied orange peels give each slice of cake a spot of unexpected fruit sweetness, while the pistachios add texture to the soft cake," he says. "Serve it with a cup of warm tea or coffee to complete the experience."

15 of 24

German Chocolate Cake

German Chocolate Cake — Julia Hartbeck

With its layers of moist chocolate cake sandwiched between a toothsome coconut-pecan frosting, Ali Larter's recipe for German chocolate cake makes a memorable dessert. It uses sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks as the base of the frosting, creating a wonderfully sticky-sweet contrast to the tender chocolate cakes.

16 of 24

Guava and Cheese Bread Pudding

Guava and Cheese Bread Pudding — Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

This classic flavor combo takes a star turn in a dessert that Paola Velez describes as "if flan and bread pudding had a baby." This particular budin de pan recipe originated with Velez's husband's 101-year-old grandmother and features a lavish custard made with what might seem like an excess of evaporated milk but makes for an utterly dreamy texture in the final product.

17 of 24

Chantilly Cream Cake

Chantilly Cream Cake — Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless

This pillowy cake is light, tender, and not too sweet, and beautiful enough for any special occasion. Brushing elderflower liqueur on the cake lends it delightful floral notes.

18 of 24

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookie Bars

Chocolate-Chip-Pecan Cookie Bars — © CON POULOS

These cookie bars are studded with toasted pecans and semisweet chocolate chips, but feel free to mix things up. Try walnuts or almonds instead of pecans, or swap out the chocolate chips for dried cranberries.

19 of 24

Milk Chocolate Tart with Pretzel Crust

Milk-Chocolate Tart with Pretzel Crust — © Con Poulos

This dessert from pastry chef Colleen Grapes, a tribute to the chocolate-covered pretzel, hits just the right salty-sweet note. Mix crushed pretzels with flour, butter, sugar, and egg to make a crunchy crust; pour in a luxurious milk chocolate filling; then sprinkle on more crushed pretzels as a garnish.

20 of 24

Alfajores de Maizena (Sandwich Cookies Filled with Dulce de Leche)

Alfajores de Maizena (Sandwich Cookies Filled with Dulce de Leche) — Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

Extra-thick dulce de leche layered between two buttery cookies and rolled in shredded coconut adds up to the perfect bite in these alfajores de maizena, one of the most popular cookies in Argentina. Because of the generous amount of cornstarch in the dough, they remain tender and soft after baking.

21 of 24

Triple-Cheese Cheesecake with Amaretti Crust

Triple-Cheese Cheesecake with Amaretti Crust — © Johnny Miller

This is one of the most beautiful cheesecakes you will ever make and it requires absolutely zero minutes of baking. The dessert has an ethereally light, creamy texture and fantastic crunchy crust made from honey graham crackers and amaretti cookies. Serve this to impress guests at your next dinner party.

22 of 24

White Peach Tart

White Peach Tart — © John Kernick

"This crust is not what you'd expect," chef Marco Canora says. "Instead of being crunchy, it's puffy and cakey." The dough is terrific for impromptu bakin, because it doesn't need to be chilled before it's rolled out. For the filling, Canora recommends using peaches that are ripe but still firm, as drippy fruit will make the soft crust soggy.

23 of 24

Salted-Caramel Cream Puffs with Warm Chocolate Sauce

Salted-Caramel Cream Puffs with Warm Chocolate Sauce — © Christina Holmes

One secret to pastry chef David Lebovitz's irresistible cream puffs is the salted butter he uses to make the perfect caramel custard filling. If you'd like to start preparing these in advance, the custard and chocolate sauce can be refrigerated separately for up to three days.

24 of 24

Pear and Cranberry Slab Pie

Pear-and-Cranberry Slab Pie — © Con Poulos

Instead of making a traditional two-crust pie in a pie plate, this free-form, fruit-filled, ginger-laced pie is made on a baking sheet. Serve it with vanilla ice cream.

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