Summer is a great time for church fellowship outdoors! These are some of the best picnic desserts to share.
36 Church Picnic Desserts
Updated on Feb. 06, 2024
Blueberry Zucchini Squares
I saw a bar recipe using apple and lemon zest on a muffin mix. I tried it from scratch with shredded zucchini and fresh blueberries instead. It’s a nifty combo. —Shelly Bevington, Hermiston, Oregon
1/35
2/35
Berry Dream Cake
Total Time
45 min
Servings
15 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I use cherry gelatin to give a boxed cake mix an eye-appealing marbled effect. It's so festive-looking. Top it with whatever fruit you like! —Margaret McNeil, Germantown, Tennessee
3/35
Lavender Lemon Bars
Total Time
40 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Hints of lavender and lemon zest in the crust make these treats a favorite. —Judith Hilinski, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
4/35
Mini PB&J Cheesecakes
Total Time
50 min
Servings
about 2-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I got hooked on these mini peanut butter and jelly cheesecakes when a friend made them. She let me steal her recipe, and now I'm sharing this tasty treat with you!—Betsy King, Duluth, Minnesota
5/35
Caramel Fluff & Toffee Trifle
Total Time
15 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
The best part of this stunning dessert is that you need only five ingredients to put it together. —Daniel Anderson, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
6/35
Cinnamon Chocolate Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
15 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A healthy hint of cinnamon gives this chocolate cake an extra step up over the expected sheet cake. The sweet frosting is full of crunchy pecans. —Victor Clifford, San Jose, California
7/35
Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes
Total Time
35 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
My granddaughter Sydney has acquired a love of baking. While I was visiting her in Tampa, we made these light, fluffy cupcakes. She's a natural—they turned out fantastic! —Lonnie Hartstack, Clarinda, Iowa
8/35
Olive Oil Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A good olive oil cake isn't overly sweet, so it can just as easily be a breakfast treat or an afternoon snack as a dessert. —Lisa Kaminski, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
9/35
No-Bake Cappuccino Dessert
Total Time
20 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Summer gatherings call for cool desserts like this one. Lots of the party invites I receive come with a request for this delicious treat. You can make it even more chocolaty by adding cocoa powder to the dry pudding mixes. —Mary Beth Desens, Fredonia, Wisconsin
10/35
Coconut Key Lime Thumbprints
Total Time
55 min
Servings
about 2-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
This is the cookie recipe I created for the Las Vegas World Food Championships in 2013. It's similar to a shortbread thumbprint cookie, but with lots more personality. —Amy Freeze, Avon Park, Florida
11/35
Rocky Road Cookie Cups
Total Time
35 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Traditional rocky road ice cream has nuts, marshmallows and chocolate. Using prepared cookie dough makes it easy to put the flavors together in these fast, kid-friendly rocky road cookis. —Charlotte McDaniel, Jacksonville, AL
12/35
Coconut Cookies
Total Time
35 min
Servings
9 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
This simple yet satisfying coconut cookie recipe has been around for generations. Pressing a fork into the top gives the look of an old-fashioned washboard. —Tommie Sue Shaw, McAlester, Oklahoma
13/35
Arnold Palmer Cupcakes
Total Time
45 min
Servings
2-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
These fun cupcakes take a favorite Arnold Palmer recipe and turn it into dessert. Add a slice of lemon on top for a puckery finish. —Jessee Arriaga, Reno, Nevada
14/35
Peach & Blueberry Trifle
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This crowd-pleasing summer trifle recipe can be made the night before. I love that you can be flexible with the ingredients. Add any in-season fruit you like! —Raymonde Bourgeois, Swastika, Ontario
15/35
Behr Track Cookie Bars
Total Time
40 min
Servings
about 4 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
The holidays are the perfect time to indulge in these ooey-gooey, salty-sweet peanut butter bars. A lot of people comment that the pretzels in the filling are a pleasant surprise. Just make sure to cut cookie bars small—they're super rich. —Megan Behr, Marion, Iowa
16/35
German Chocolate Tres Leches Cake
Total Time
45 min
Servings
15 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I first tried tres leches cake while I was in Ecuador several years ago. Since then, I’ve changed it up by adding some of my favorite ingredients, namely chocolate and coconut. This version also has a splash of rum for an adults-only treat. —Lisa Varner, El Paso, Texas
17/35
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
Total Time
1 hour 5 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I received this recipe from a co-worker who made these heavenly bars for a potluck. Since they combine two favorite flavors—chocolate chip cookies and cheesecake—in one bite, they were a hit with our three grown children. —Jane Nolt, Narvon, Pennsylvania
18/35
Cherry Gelatin Supreme
Total Time
20 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
When I was growing up, this yummy, easy dessert was always on the menu at holiday get-togethers. Years ago, my aunt gave me the recipe, and now when I make it for my family, I think of her. —Janice Rathgeb, Brighton, Illinois
19/35
S'more Sandwich Cookies
Total Time
35 min
Servings
about 2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Capture the taste of campfire s'mores in your kitchen. Graham cracker crumbs added to chocolate chip cookie dough bring out the flavor of the fireside favorite. Melting the cookies' marshmallow centers in the microwave makes them simple to assemble. —Abby Metzger, Larchwood, Iowa
20/35
Key Lime Trifle
Total Time
40 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
When I saw a recipe for banana cream pie trifle I was inspired to invent a version than spun off my favorite pie, Key lime. My family loved it! Some friends got to try it, too, and they enjoyed immensely as well. —Rebecah Lytle, Ocala, Florida
21/35
Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
Total Time
45 min
Servings
3-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
This recipe is special to me because it is totally original, my very own! The cookies are firm but not crunchy on the outside, and they're tender inside. The powdered sugar makes them melt in your mouth. —Jane Rundell, Alanson, Michigan
22/35
Roasted Strawberry Sheet Cake
Total Time
1 hour 30 min
Servings
24 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My Grandma Gigi loved summer berry cakes. Almost any time I’d call her during the warmer months, she’d invite me over to taste her latest masterpiece. This cake is a tribute to her. —Kristin Bowers, Rancho Palos Verdes, California
23/35
Butterscotch Apple Cake
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
15 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
"My family often requests this easy old-fashioned cake for get-togethers—especially in the fall," writes Beth Struble from Bryan, Ohio.
24/35
Mississippi Mud Pie
Total Time
45 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This southern favorite is one my family can never get enough of, and there are never any leftovers. My grandmother, mother and aunts always made this dish for family gatherings. Now I make it for just about every event because it's so easy to prepare, and everyone loves it! —Elizabeth Williston, Thibodaux, Louisiana
25/35
Banana Split Cake Bars
Total Time
50 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Summer isn’t summer without a banana split or two, and these fun bars bring that same delicious flavor in potluck-perfect form. —Jasey McBurnett, Rock Springs, Wyoming
26/35
Coconut Dream Cupcakes
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
1-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
My daughter, Elizabeth, came up with this incredible recipe. The cream cheese in the middle is a fun surprise when someone takes their first bite. —Julie Flournoy, Laurelville, OH
27/35
Peanut Butter Pie Cookies
Total Time
55 min
Servings
about 2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, but my favorite—peanut butter pie—is tough to eat on the go. I dreamed up these cookies to get my favorite flavor combo in a bite-size package. They can be made ahead and taken to any holiday gathering. —Ashley Moyna, Elkader, Iowa
28/35
Coffee Cheesecake
Total Time
1 hour 30 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Coffee lovers will line up for this rich coffee cheesecake. It's creamy and just mildly sweet, which allows the coffee flavor to shine through. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
30/35
Easy Mexican Brownies
Total Time
30 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I was hosting a fun Mexican-themed cocktail party and needed a quick dessert. Dressing up an ordinary boxed brownie mix made life easy and delicious! —Susan Stetzel, Gainesville, New York
31/35
Chocolate Chip & Pecan Meringue Bars
Total Time
55 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I've had recipes for chocolate chip cookies and pecan meringues in my collection for a number of years—and I combined them to make these bars! They're a lovely addition to any holiday cookie tray. —Dawn Lowenstein, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
32/35
Layered Lemon Dessert Squares
Total Time
30 min
Servings
15 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I found this recipe in an old cookbook and changed it to be extra citrusy. If you’re a fan of Key lime pie, try lime flavors instead of lemon. —Dawn E. Lowenstein, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
33/35
Ginger-Glazed Lemon Bundt
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Tangy ginger, tart lemon and puckery cranberries make this melt-in-your-mouth cake as crisp—and gorgeous—as autumn. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen
34/35
Hot Chocolate Tiramisu
Total Time
35 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Instead of using coffee and rum, I let cinnamon shine in this tiramisu. It's best if eaten within two days—if it even lasts that long! —Cathy Geniti, Saratoga Springs, New York
35/35
Pumpkin and Walnut Squares
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
The buttery crust and crumb topping plus the creamy pumpkin filling make this a popular dessert at potlucks. You should try these squares with a little whipped cream or ice cream, but they taste wonderful plain, too!. —Ruth Beller, Sun City, California
