Potlucks are the perfect time to bring a dessert that looks impressive but is actually simple to make. These 31 desserts start with easy steps and end with everyone asking for the recipe. They’re quick to prepare, taste great, and travel well, making them perfect for any gathering. With options that suit every taste, these desserts make it easy to impress without spending hours in the kitchen.
German Plum Kuchen. Photo credit: Honest and Truly.
Decadent Chocolate Caramel Bars
These bars combine rich chocolate, gooey caramel, and a buttery shortbread crust that all work together in one satisfying bite. They’re easy to slice, carry, and share, which makes them a simple option for any gathering. Bring them to a potluck, and people will keep asking for the recipe while the tray quickly empties.
Get the Recipe: Decadent Chocolate Caramel Bars
Classic Texas Sheet Cake Brownies
These brownies are soft, rich, and topped with warm chocolate frosting that sinks right into the cake for extra flavor. Baking the whole thing in one sheet pan makes serving a crowd simple and stress-free. Slice them up at a potluck and watch how quickly everyone goes back for another piece.
Get the Recipe: Classic Texas Sheet Cake Brownies
Palmier Cookies
These crisp, buttery cookies puff into golden spirals that look fancy but take only a few ingredients and little effort. They travel well and hold up nicely, which makes them a smart choice for any potluck. Put a plate on the table, and people will keep reaching for another until they are gone.
Get the Recipe: Palmier Cookies
Candy Stuffed Cookies
These chewy cookies hide your favorite candy in the center, which melts as they bake to make every bite sweet and soft. The combination of gooey candy and tender cookie keeps people coming back for more. They’re easy to make and a fun potluck dessert that always impresses a crowd.
Get the Recipe: Candy Stuffed Cookies
Chewy S’mores Bars
These bars stack chocolate, marshmallow, and graham crackers into a chewy, sweet treat everyone will recognize and love. They bake in one dish and slice easily, which makes them simple to bring and share at a group gathering. Take a pan to a potluck and don’t be surprised when they disappear fast.
Get the Recipe: Chewy S’mores Bars
Copycat Mrs. Field’s Chocolate Dipped Cookies
These soft cookies are dipped in chocolate to taste just like the mall version, while staying easy to make at home. They stack well on a tray and are simple to share at parties or gatherings. Bring a batch to a potluck and watch them vanish before anyone can grab a second.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Mrs. Field’s Chocolate Dipped Cookies
S’mores Brownies
These brownies layer chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers into a gooey dessert that is a crowd favorite. They bake in one pan and slice cleanly, which makes serving and sharing simple. Place them on a potluck table, and people will return for seconds before long.
Get the Recipe: S’mores Brownies
Gochujang Caramel Cookies
These cookies are sweet with a little spicy kick from gochujang and a gooey caramel center that melts while baking. They’re quick to make and look impressive, which makes them a standout potluck dessert. Bring a batch and expect lots of questions about how they were made.
Get the Recipe: Gochujang Caramel Cookies
German Plum Kuchen
This dessert combines juicy plums with a soft, buttery cake that looks fancy but is simple to bake. It slices well and travels easily, making it a smart choice for sharing at a potluck. Serve it on a tray and get ready for compliments and empty plates.
Get the Recipe: German Plum Kuchen
Apple Pie Bread Pudding
This bread pudding is packed with apple chunks, cinnamon, and a soft bread base that absorbs all the flavors. It bakes golden and serves a large group, which makes it perfect for sharing at a gathering. Serve it warm at a potluck, and people will be asking for seconds before finishing their first bite.
Get the Recipe: Apple Pie Bread Pudding
Chocolate Chip Applesauce Cake
This soft cake gets its moisture from applesauce and is loaded with chocolate chips for a sweet, comforting bite. It bakes in a large pan, which makes serving a crowd quick and easy. Bring it to a potluck and watch how fast people grab a slice.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Chip Applesauce Cake
White Chocolate Party Mix
This sweet snack mix is coated in melted white chocolate and filled with crunchy cereal, pretzels, and little candy pieces. It’s simple to scoop into bowls or baggies, which makes it a perfect treat for sharing. Pour it out at a potluck, and people will keep reaching back for more while chatting.
Get the Recipe: White Chocolate Party Mix
Chewy S’more Cookies
These cookies combine gooey marshmallow, melted chocolate, and a hint of graham cracker crunch in every bite. They’re soft, sweet, and just a little messy in the best way, which makes them fun to eat. Take a batch to a potluck and expect plenty of requests for the recipe.
Get the Recipe: Chewy S’more Cookies
Ultra-Moist Chocolate Cake
This rich chocolate cake bakes up soft, moist, and full of flavor that tastes like it came from a bakery. It serves a large group with just one pan, which makes sharing simple. Bring it to a potluck and watch everyone reach for a second slice.
Get the Recipe: Ultra-Moist Chocolate Cake
Classic Brownies
These brownies are thick, rich, and packed with deep chocolate flavor that never disappoints. Baking a big pan makes it simple to slice, serve, and share with a crowd without any extra effort. Bring a tray to a potluck, and they will disappear quickly as people go back for seconds before anyone else even gets a plate.
Get the Recipe: Classic Brownies
English Toffee
This crunchy toffee has a buttery base and is coated in chocolate with a sprinkle of nuts for extra flavor. It keeps well and can be made in big batches, which makes it a simple option for sharing. Break it into pieces and watch people reach for more until it’s all gone.
Get the Recipe: English Toffee
Chewy Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
These soft cookies are packed with melty chocolate and gooey marshmallows in every bite. They have the perfect combination of chewy centers and slightly crisp edges that everyone loves. Bake a batch and bring them to a potluck where they will disappear quickly.
Get the Recipe: Chewy Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
Chewy Molasses Cookies
These spiced cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with rich molasses flavor that feels comforting and homemade. They’re easy to make in large batches, which makes them ideal for sharing. Put them on a plate at a potluck, and people will keep sneaking one more.
Get the Recipe: Chewy Molasses Cookies
Bourbon Chocolate Mousse
This rich mousse blends smooth chocolate with a splash of bourbon for a bold, creamy dessert that is still sweet and soft. It can be portioned into small cups or jars ahead of time, which makes serving at a potluck easy. Bring a tray and watch people react with a lot of “wow”s.
Get the Recipe: Bourbon Chocolate Mousse
Mango Pie
This pie has a smooth, creamy mango filling that balances sweet and tangy flavors perfectly. It slices cleanly and looks bright on a plate with a golden crust that holds it together. Bring it to a potluck, and people will be drawn to the color and the flavor right away.
Get the Recipe: Mango Pie
Butterscotch Brownies
These bars are soft, rich, and packed with sweet chips that melt right into the golden batter for a classic dessert everyone loves. They bake in one pan and slice easily, which makes sharing simple and mess-free. Bring them to a potluck and watch how quickly people reach for a second piece.
Get the Recipe: Butterscotch Brownies
Brownie Batter Truffles
These bite-sized truffles taste like gooey brownie batter wrapped in a smooth chocolate shell that is easy to pop and enjoy. They don’t need plates or forks, which makes them perfect for large gatherings. Make a batch for a potluck, and they will be gone before the tray even hits the table.
Get the Recipe: Brownie Batter Truffles
Bailey’s Chocolate Mousse
This creamy mousse blends rich chocolate with a splash of Irish cream for a smooth, sweet dessert that feels special without extra work. It can be portioned into cups or jars ahead of time, which makes serving at a potluck simple. Set them on a tray and watch them disappear quickly.
Get the Recipe: Bailey’s Chocolate Mousse
Mango Mousse
This mousse is cool, creamy, and full of sweet mango flavor that tastes fresh and satisfying in every bite. It sets perfectly in individual cups, making it simple to serve and easy for people to grab. Bring it to a potluck, and the bright flavor and smooth texture will have everyone coming back for seconds.
Get the Recipe: Mango Mousse
Snickers Popcorn
This sweet-and-salty popcorn is covered in caramel, chocolate, and chopped peanuts for a flavor that reminds people of the candy bar. It can be made in a large batch, which makes it ideal for sharing with a crowd. Pour it into a bowl at a potluck and expect it to vanish fast.
Get the Recipe: Snickers Popcorn
Frosted Banana Bars
These soft banana bars are topped with sweet frosting that adds a smooth finish to every bite. They bake in a single pan and slice cleanly into squares, which makes sharing simple. Bring them to a potluck and they will disappear quickly from the table.
Get the Recipe: Frosted Banana Bars
Chocolate Chip Oat Bars
These thick bars are full of soft oats and chocolate chips that melt into every chewy bite. They hold their shape well and still taste great even after sitting out on a table for hours. Take them to a potluck and they will be one of the first desserts gone.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Chip Oat Bars
7 Layer Bars
These bars are packed with layers of coconut, chocolate, and sweetened condensed milk over a buttery graham cracker crust. They come together quickly and hold up well, which makes them easy to share with a crowd. Put them on a tray at a potluck and watch them disappear fast.
Get the Recipe: 7 Layer Bars
Chocolate Chip Dessert Pizza
This dessert pizza starts with a soft cookie-like crust topped with melted chocolate chips and gooey marshmallows. It slices easily and is fun to serve, making it a crowd-pleaser for gatherings. Bring it to a potluck and it will be the sweet treat everyone talks about.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Chip Dessert Pizza
Quick Pudding Cookies
These soft, chewy cookies use instant pudding mix to create a moist, bakery-style texture in every bite. They are simple to make with pantry staples and perfect for sharing at any gathering. Bake a batch and take them to a potluck where they will be the first cookies gone.
Get the Recipe: Quick Pudding Cookies
Slab Pecan Pie Bars
These bars have a buttery shortbread crust and a gooey caramel topping with toasted pecans for a rich, satisfying flavor. They bake in one pan and slice easily, which makes sharing simple and mess-free. Bring them to a potluck and they will disappear quickly as everyone reaches for seconds.
Get the Recipe: Slab Pecan Pie Bars