You've seen some of our best dessert recipes, but you haven't seen them all just yet. Check out our most popular desserts of all time, based on reviews from readers—like you!
Our Most Popular Dessert Recipes of All Time
Updated on Jul. 09, 2024
Sandy’s Chocolate Cake
Years ago, I drove 4-1/2 hours to a cake contest, holding my entry on my lap the whole way. But it paid off. One bite and you’ll see why this velvety beauty was named the best chocolate cake recipe. It won first prize! —Sandra Johnson, Tioga, Pennsylvania
1/30
2/30
Zucchini Cupcakes
Total Time
40 min
Servings
1-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I asked my grandmother for this recipe after trying these irresistible spice cupcakes at her home. I love their creamy caramel frosting. They're such a scrumptious dessert, you actually forget you're eating your vegetables, too! —Virginia Lapierre, Greensboro Bend, Vermont
3/30
Amish Sugar Cookies
Total Time
20 min
Servings
about 5 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
These easy-to-make, old-fashioned Amish sugar cookies simply melt in your mouth! I've passed this recipe around to many friends. After I gave it to my sister, she entered the cookies in a local fair and won best of show. —Sylvia Ford, Kennett, Missouri
4/30
Apple Pie
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I remember coming home sullen one day because we'd lost a softball game. Grandma, in her wisdom, suggested that maybe a slice of hot apple pie would make me feel better. She was right. —Maggie Greene, Granite Falls, Washington
5/30
Chocolate Chip Blondies
Total Time
30 min
Servings
3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Folks who adore the classic cookies will enjoy that same beloved flavor in these chocolate chip bars. This blondie recipe can be mixed up in a jiffy, tastes wonderful, and is perfect for occasions when company drops by unexpectedly or you need a treat in a hurry. —Rhonda Knight, Hecker, Illinois
6/30
Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Frosting
Total Time
40 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This moist chocolate cake recipe with coffee reminds me of my grandmother because it was one of her specialties. I bake it often for family parties, and it always brings back fond memories. The cake is light and airy with a delicious chocolate taste. This recipe is a keeper! —Patricia Kreitz, Richland, Pennsylvania
7/30
Whipped Shortbread Cookies
Total Time
1 hour 10 min
Servings
8 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
These whipped shortbread cookies melt in your mouth. Mostly I make them for the holidays, but I'll also prepare them year-round for wedding showers and afternoon teas. —Jane Ficiur, Bow Island, Alberta
Also check out these 17 air-fryer desserts you’ll want to make tonight.
8/30
Apple Crisp
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I live in apple country, and making a delicious apple crisp is one way to use the fruit. This treat doesn’t take a lot of time to assemble. —Gertrude Bartnick, Portage, Wisconsin
9/30
Rhubarb Custard Bars
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Once I tried these rich, gooey bars, I just had to have the recipe so I could make them for my family and friends. The shortbread-like crust and the rhubarb and custard layers inspire people to find rhubarb that they can use to fix a batch for themselves. —Shari Roach, South Milwaukee, Wisconsin
10/30
Big Soft Ginger Cookies
Total Time
30 min
Servings
2-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
These nicely spiced, big soft ginger cookies are perfect for folks who like the flavor of ginger but don't care for crunchy gingersnaps. —Barbara Gray, Boise, Idaho
11/30
Banana Bars
Total Time
35 min
Servings
3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
These bars are always a hit at potlucks in the small rural farming community where my husband and I live. I also like to provide them for coffee hour after church. They're so moist and delicious that wherever I take them, they don't last long. —Karen Dryak, Niobrara, Nebraska
12/30
Sour Cream Pound Cake
Total Time
1 hour 30 min
Servings
20 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Because I'm our town's postmaster, I can bake only in my spare time. I especially enjoy making desserts such as this one. It tastes amazing as is, or tuck it under ice cream and chocolate syrup like a hot fudge sundae! —Karen Conrad, East Troy, Wisconsin
13/30
Pumpkin Bars
Total Time
45 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting are the ultimate fall treat. But my family likes them so much, they ask me to make them all year long! —Brenda Keller, Andalusia, Alabama
14/30
Dutch Apple Cake
Total Time
1 hour 45 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My husband and I came to Canada from Holland over 40 years ago. This traditional Dutch recipe is a family favorite and has frequently gone along with me to potluck suppers and other get-togethers. —Elizabeth Peters, Martintown, Ontario
15/30
Caramel Heavenlies
Total Time
35 min
Servings
3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Before I cut these bars into triangles, I trim the edges so all the cookies look the same. My husband and daughter love this part because they get to eat the scraps. —Dawn Burns, Lake St. Louis, Missouri
16/30
Peanut Butter Fudge with Marshmallow Creme
Total Time
15 min
Servings
2 pounds (64 pieces)
From the Recipe Creator:
My sister shared the recipe for this unbelievably easy peanut butter fudge with marshmallow cream. I prefer using creamy peanut butter for this mouthwatering dessert, but the chunky style works just as well. —Mary Jane Rummel, Linglestown, Pennsylvania
17/30
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Total Time
30 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Need to bring a dish to pass this weekend? This make-ahead strawberry pretzel salad will disappear quickly at any potluck. —Aldene Belch, Flint, Michigan
18/30
Chocolate Pudding
Total Time
10 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This delightful pudding is always a treat and easy to whip up with pantry staples. I usually top it with M&M's. My husband prefers whipped topping, and our daughter loves to dip fresh strawberries in hers. —Carrina Cooper, McAlpin, Florida
19/30
Zucchini Cobbler
Total Time
1 hour 10 min
Servings
20 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This cobbler is my surprise dessert! No one ever guesses that the secret ingredient is zucchini. Everyone says it tastes like apples. It's fantastic to make for a potluck supper or to serve to a crowd. —Joanne Fazio, Carbondale, Pennsylvania
20/30
3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Total Time
30 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
It is amazing how much flavor is in these simple 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies without brown sugar. I make them very often because I always have the ingredients on hand. —Maggie Schimmel, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
21/30
German Chocolate Cake
Total Time
55 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This German chocolate cake is my husband’s favorite! Each bite has crunch from the pecans, and sweetness from coconut and chocolate. —Joyce Platfoot, Wapakoneta, Ohio
22/30
First-Place Coconut Macaroons
Total Time
30 min
Servings
about 1-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
These coconut macaroon cookies earned me a first-place ribbon at the county fair. They remain my husband's favorites—whenever I make them to give away, he always asks me where his batch is! I especially like the fact that this recipe makes a small enough batch for the two of us to nibble on. —Penny Ann Habeck, Shawano, Wisconsin
23/30
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Total Time
20 min
Servings
4 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I'm one of the cooking project leaders for my daughter's 4-H club, where these soft, delicious cookies were a huge hit with the kids. —Marietta Slater, Augusta, Kansas
24/30
White Texas Sheet Cake
Total Time
40 min
Servings
20 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This cake gets better the longer it sits, so I try to make it a day ahead. My mother-in-law introduced this deliciously rich sheet cake to me. With its creamy frosting and light almond flavor, no one can stop at just one piece! —Joanie Ward, Brownsburg, Indiana
25/30
Rice Pudding
Total Time
55 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My sisters and I always loved the recipe for rice pudding our grandma made. After she passed away, I took it upon myself to try and find the secret to her rice pudding. It took quite a bit of experimentation, but I finally got it right! And I'm glad to share this easy recipe here. —Margaret DeChant, Newberry, Michigan
26/30
Easy Lemon Pie
Total Time
55 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I’ve had this one-bowl lemon pie recipe for years. It’s my twist on chocolate French silk pie, and it's uber easy to do with refrigerated pie pastry. —Glenna Tooman, Boise, Idaho
27/30
Classic Chocolate Cake
Total Time
50 min
Servings
15 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This recipe was on a can of Hershey's cocoa way back in 1943. I tried it, my boys liked it, and I've been making it ever since. I make all my cakes from scratch, and this is one of the best! —Betty Follas, Morgan Hill, California
28/30
Sweet Potato Pie
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This creamy sweet potato pie is subtly spiced and slices beautifully! We suggest baking up a few sweet potato pies around the holidays to give to friends and family. —North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission
29/30
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake
Total Time
1 hour 10 min
Servings
14 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I created this recipe to combine two of my all-time favorites: cheesecake for the grown-up in me and chocolate chip cookie dough for the little girl in me. Sour cream offsets the sweetness and adds a nice tang. Everyone who tries this scrumptious cookie dough cheesecake loves it. —Julie Craig, Kewaskum, Wisconsin
If you’re a lover of indulgent, creamy cheesecakes then you need to put burnt Basque cheesecake at the top of your baking bucket list.
30/30
Strawberry Shortcake
Total Time
45 min
Servings
9 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I grew up helping my mom make a lot in our farmhouse kitchen; strawberry shortcakes, roasts, soups and pies. This sunny strawberry shortcake recipe brings back memories of family summers on the farm. —Janet Becker, Anacortes, Washington
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