50 Church Picnic Desserts That'll Be The Talk Of The Town

Whatever the season, we have plenty of delicious dessert recipes for picnics year-round.

By

Updated on April 3, 2024

Southern Living Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies on a plate to serve — Photo:
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

When we think of perfect picnic recipes, a few criteria come to mind. First, it has to be portable. Chances are we're packing these desserts into wicker baskets and piling into the car with our families, so elaborate layer cakes aren't the best option for easy transportation. Bars, cookies, pies, and cupcakes top our list of the best picnic desserts.

Next, it's important to consider the theme of the picnic. We love to opt for classic recipes you're sure to find at a church potluck—think pound cake and buttermilk pie—or something more seasonally inspired. Whether you're picnicking in the spring, summer, or fall, we have recipes to carry you through all the seasons. Celebrate Easter with our Carrot Cake Cupcakes. Tailgate season? Get in the spirit with Salted Caramel-Apple Hand Pies.

No matter the occasion, we have a picnic dessert recipe sure to wow the al fresco dining crowd. With these all-star recipes, your sweet treats will be the talk of the town.

01 of 50

Pecan Pie Brownies

Pecan Pie Brownies - Southern Living — Molly Bolton

We combined two Southern-favorite desserts—pecan pie and brownies—to create the ultimate decadent treat. These gooey bars are moist and rich, satisfying both pecan pie enthusiasts and chocolate lovers.

02 of 50

Punch Bowl Cake

Southern Living Punch Bowl Cake ready to serve with bowls and spoons beside — Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

This classic Southern dessert is layered with cake, whipped topping, pudding, and fruit. It's creamy, sweet, and truly a crowd-pleaser.

03 of 50

Banana Pudding Brownies

Southern Living Banana Pudding Brownies sliced and ready to serve — Hannah Hufham, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

You don't have to choose between brownies and banana pudding when you can have both in one bite with this decadent recipe. No serving spoon required.

04 of 50

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Southern Living Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies on a plate to serve — Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

Peanut butter and chocolate are always a winning duo in our book. This classic recipe proves just that.

05 of 50

Raspberry Crumble Bars

Raspberry-Almond Crumble Bars — Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

When you're on the go, you need a dessert that's easy to serve and mess-free. That's why these sliceable Raspberry Crumble Bars are the ideal picnic food.

06 of 50

Peach Cobbler Pound Cake

Peach Cobbler Pound Cake — Photographer and props: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

No summertime church get-together is complete without fresh peach cobbler, but a gooey casserole isn't necessarily the ideal portable picnic food. This pound cake is the perfect alternative.

07 of 50

Monster Cookies

Southern Living Monster Cookies on a surface to serve — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Both kids and adults will love these candy-filled cookies. The recipe makes 28 cookies, but can easily be doubled if you need an even larger batch.

08 of 50

Luscious Lemon Bars

Luscious lemon bars on parchment paper — Fred Hardy; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke

Tart and sharp, the flavor of these lemon bars is offset by a silky-smooth texture that makes this dessert utterly addictive. No picnic is complete without these classic squares.

09 of 50

Classic Chocolate Pound Cake

Chocolate Pound Cake — Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck; Food Styling: Erin Merhar

Transform Nana's classic pound cake into a chocolate lover's dream with this decadent recipe. Simple and rich, this classic is sure to be a hit.

10 of 50

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Southern Living Lemon Crinkle Cookies on a platter to serve — Molly Bolton

Not only does this cookie recipe require just 10 minutes of hands-on time, but it also starts with boxed cake mix. Using cake mix results in a light, airy cookie.

11 of 50

Dulce De Leche Brownies

Southern Living Dulce de Leche Brownies on plates to serve — Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

Not only is this brownie topped with a layer of dulce de leche, but between the warm topping and brownie is also a layer of creamy cheesecake.

12 of 50

Chocolate Delight

Ouidaâs Chocolate Delight — Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

Chocolate pudding, vanilla pudding, and cream cheese make this creamy layered dessert a dream. Topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup, guests will scoop up servings of this dish quickly.

13 of 50

Mississippi Mud Cake

Southern Living Mississippi Mud Cake sliced on plates to serve — Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox

This marshmallow-topped classic will please every sweet tooth with its fudgy base and a chocolate frosting poured over the top.

14 of 50

Texas Sheet Cake Cookies

texas sheet cake cookies — Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Christine Kelly Food Stylist: Ali Ramee

We love the classic Texas Sheet Cake, but these cookies may be even better than the original.

15 of 50

Sugar Cookie Bars

Southern Living Sugar Cookie Bars cut with sprinkles on top ready to serve — Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox

The best thing about these sugar cookie bars is you can decorate them with any icing color and sprinkle combo you'd like.

16 of 50

Cherry Cheesecake Brownies

Southern Living Cherry-Cheesecake Brownies sliced on a plate to serve — Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

Instead of taking a cheesecake to a picnic, opt for these bars that are much more portable and easy to serve.

17 of 50

Hummingbird Cupcakes with Candied Pineapple Wedges

Hummingbird Cupcakes with Candied Pineapple Wedges — Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Love the flavor of a hummingbird cake, but don't want to mess around with stacking and assembling cake layers? Meet Hummingbird Cupcakes. Crushed, canned pineapple in its juice is the secret to these moist, classic cakes.

18 of 50

Peach Fried Pies

Peach Fried Pies — Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

No summertime picnic is complete without some Southern peaches, and these Peach Fried Pies will win rave reviews from the after-church crowd. These handheld delights start with canned biscuits.

19 of 50

Freezer Peach Pie

Freezer Peach Pie — Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Make use of that bag of frozen peaches in this Freezer Peach Pie. It tastes as fresh as you can get.

20 of 50

Carrot Cake Bars

Carrot Cake Bars — Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling: Karen Rankin

Bake everybody's favorite layer cake into easily portable bars. Invest only 20 minutes of hands-on time to yield two dozen of these delicious desserts.

21 of 50

Chocolate Peanut Butter-Fudge Bars

Peanut Butter-Fudge Bars — Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Kids and adults alike will fall for these fudge bars, which combine chocolate and peanut butter in beautifully stacked layers. Packaged brownie mix helps these come together quickly.

22 of 50

Buttermilk Pound Cake

Buttermilk Pound Cake — Southern Living

Serve this pound cake with berries and fresh cream or ice cream to make a lovely warm-weather dessert. Try the tangy Buttermilk Custard Sauce to impress your crowd.

23 of 50

Toasted Oatmeal Cookies

Toasted Oatmeal Cookies Recipe — Hector Manuel Sanchez

Oatmeal-raisin may get a reputation for being boring, but these cookies are anything but. The recipe calls to toast the oats, which brings a nutty depth of flavor to the dough.

24 of 50

Cheesecake Cookies

Cheesecake Cookies — Caitlin Bensel

Pack all the flavor of Mama's famous cheesecake into shareable cookies that will leave an impression on the dessert table. Topped with maraschino cherries and powdered sugar, these cheesecake bites are sure to go fast.

25 of 50

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies — Jennifer Causey

Ramp up the flavors of a classic, yet often bland chocolate chip cookie with the addition of nutty brown butter. Plan ahead—you’ll need to make the brown butter ahead of time.

26 of 50

Apple Pie Cookies

Apple Pie Cookies — Micah A. Leal

A cross between a hand pie and a cookie, these Apple Pie Cookies tuck luscious apple pie filling between layers of short cookie dough to accomplish a completely creative dessert. Cinnamon icing takes these desserts over the top.

27 of 50

Caramel-Frosted Pound Cake

Caramel-Frosted Pound Cake — Southern Living

This indulgent pound cake, complete with delicate swoops of caramel frosting, is one of our all-time favorites. After just one bite, you'll understand why.

28 of 50

Coconut Cheesecake Squares

Coconut Cheesecake Squares — Southern Living

Bring a bit of tropical flair to the church picnic with these easily sliceable, perfectly bite-sized coconut cheesecake squares. There'll be plenty to go around.

29 of 50

Cherry Flag Pie

Cherry Flag Pie — Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox

You might need a trusted pie carrier to get this patriotic dessert to the picnic, but it will no doubt become the day's star confection. The flag decoration looks complicated, but it starts with cutting designs on a simple pie crust semicircle.

30 of 50

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes — Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner

If peanut butter cups make your list of favorite candy, these chocolate delights will quickly become a must-have dessert at any gathering. The salty-sweet combination is sure to win praise.

31 of 50

Salted Butter-Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Butter-Pecan Shortbread Cookies — Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

No fall picnic is complete without a toasty butter pecan dessert, and these homemade shortbread cookies are the ideal vehicle for the crowning pecan. These slice-and-bake cookies can be rolled in turbinado sugar for extra crunch.

32 of 50

Mini Triple-Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cakes

Mini Triple-Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cakes — Alison Miksch

When it comes to pound cake, we don't want to share, and with these mini pound cakes, we don't have to. This recipe makes two dozen little cakes, perfect for picnics.

33 of 50

Classic Chess Pie

Classic Chess Pie — Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley, Food Stylist: Ana Kelly

Chess pie is one of those staples that we'll never stop making, and it's sure to satisfy the church crowd. Pull this together quickly thanks to a refrigerated pie crust.

34 of 50

Salted Caramel-Apple Hand Pies

Salted Caramel-Apple Hand Pies — Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Katie Jacobs

If you're having a fall picnic, these Salted Caramel-Apple Hand Pies are the ideal on-the-go sweet snack. These are delicious straight from the oven or at room temperature.

35 of 50

Ultimate Dark Chocolate Brownies

Ultimate Dark Chocolate Brownies — Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

These are not your ordinary boxed brownies. Made with rich dark chocolate and finished with flaky sea salt, this recipe celebrates brownies in their best form.

36 of 50

Sweet Tea-and-Lemonade Cake

Sweet Tea-and-Lemonade Cake — Hector Sanchez

Sheet cake is our favorite hack for feeding a crowd, and this Sweet Tea-and-Lemonade cake hits all the right notes. The lemony cream cheese frosting will brighten even the sunniest picnic.

37 of 50

Hello Dolly Bars

Hello Dolly Bars — Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell

With coconut, pecans, chocolate, and butterscotch, these bars pack all of our favorite flavors into one portable package. Whip up a batch in a flash, and let them cool on the way to the picnic.

38 of 50

Southern Buttermilk Pie

Southern Buttermilk Pie — Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Props Stylist: Christina Brockman

This recipe takes a page right out of the church potluck cookbook—it's a tried-and-true classic that's sure to please. Top with berries, fresh mint, and whipped cream.

39 of 50

Cherry Pie Bars

Cherry Pie Bars — Greg Dupree

Do you mean to tell us that we can have cherry pie without the finger-staining mess? Now that we've seen it, we certainly believe it.

40 of 50

Cheerwine Cherry Cupcakes with Cherry-Swirl Frosting

Cherry-Swirl Frosting — Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner

Complement the picnic soda offerings with these Cheerwine Cupcakes and their stunning pink-and-white cherry swirl frosting. These are sure to quench sweet cravings.

41 of 50

Coconut-Citrus Bars

Coconut-Citrus Bars — Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Giulietta Pinna; Food Styling: Ali Ramee

These handheld treats pay tribute to a Southern holiday staple: ambrosia. Serve the classic year-round with these two-bite bars.

42 of 50

Strawberries-and-Cream Sheet Cake

Strawberries-and-Cream Sheet Cake — Hector Sanchez

If your church picnic is scheduled during the height of strawberry season, this 9x13 dessert is practically required baking. The pink delight gets a boost from strawberry-flavored gelatin.

43 of 50

Cappuccino Swirl Bars

Cappuccino Swirl Bars — Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Store-bought wafer cookies make a chocolatey crust for these caffeinated bars. The sweetened cream cheese filling has a hit of espresso and cocoa.

44 of 50

No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars

No-Bake Fudge Toffee Bars — Iain Bagwell

Layer graham crackers with chocolate and gooey caramel to create this tempting no-bake dessert. Sprinkle chopped toffee bars over the top. Serve chilled for a less messy treat.

45 of 50

Blond Texas Sheet Cake

Blond Texas Sheet Cake — Beth Dreiling; Styling: Rose Nguyen

Give Texas Sheet Cake a twist with this blond version, featuring Caramel-Pecan Frosting. A white cake mix provides the base. Cut the cake into triangles for an easy and striking presentation.

46 of 50

Classic Birthday Cake

Classic Birthday Cake — Micah A. Leal

This cake isn’t limited to birthdays—any celebration will do. A picnic is a perfect reason to share this classic sheet cake with a crowd. Sprinkles make it fun.

47 of 50

Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies

Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies — Micah A. Leal

Perfect for a patriotic summer picnic or a holiday potluck, no one will know these cookies are made with only five ingredients. A box of cake mix makes them chewy, while still achieving a crisp cookie texture.

48 of 50

Petite Blueberry Cheesecakes

Petite Blueberry Cheesecake — Jennifer Davick

Don't worry about slicing this cheesecake—it's already split into perfect personal portions. Use any berry or preserves to switch up the flavors in this dessert.

49 of 50

Pecan-Peach Cobbler

Pecan-Peach Cobbler — Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Two Southern favorites, pecans and peaches, collide in this sweet and nutty cobbler. Pecans are baked directly in the crust for a tasty twist.

50 of 50

Mini Red Velvet Cakes

Mini Red Velvet Cakes — Southern Living

Bake red velvet cupcakes, then cut them sandwich-style and pipe the frosting in the middle for a whimsical way to enjoy this dessert classic. Cream cheese and mascarpone cheese combine for the creamy frosting.

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