Impress The Moms
Whether you’ve been going to potlucks often or recently got invited, you know you want to impress everyone with the dessert you bring. Of course, you don’t want to be boring and bring the same dessert everyone else does. Luckily, this list breaks down 20 innovative dishes that taste as good as they look.
1. Fruit Salad
If you go to potlucks, you’ve probably noticed how suddenly everyone is watching what they eat. With that in mind, you’re sure to be a winner if you offer something as healthy as fruit salad. You could even bring whipped cream or a minty syrup on the side to spice it up.
2. Lemon Bars
Lemon bars scream summer, and lots of people find them to be far less sweet and more approachable. Plus, they’re easy to pack and stack, and will look beautiful on the potluck table.
3. Baklava
Alternatively, if you want to give people a unique experiment, go for baklava. It’s easy to make, can be made in a large set, and also holds together pretty well. You can also tailor it to your audience, whether that means filling it with chocolate or nuts.
4. Trifle
The best thing about trifle is it just gets better the longer it sits. Plus, it’s so versatile, as you can focus more so on fruits than dessert to make it more light and punchy. Many people find trifle to be more approachable than carb-heavy cakes as well.
5. Apple Crisp
If you’re trying to save money, apple crisp is another great idea! This is because apples are pretty cheap to buy in bulk, and then you’ll just need pantry staples like flour, sugar, and cinnamon.
6. Jello Cubes
If you’re trying to save on money and calories, jello is another brilliant idea! These cubes will require a mold, but then they just involve mixing various colors of jello, which is mainly powder and water.
7. Mithai
Another unique thought is mithai, which is the name given to a variety of traditional sweets from South Asia. You can pick them up at your local mithai store, as they’re all very colorful, have different textures, and are relatively light.
8. Peach Cobbler
Keeping in that summery mindset, peach cobbler is another fruit-forward dessert that brings in a bunch of attention. It’s almost as if people are more likely to eat a dessert when they hear the name of a fruit thrown in.
9. Fruity Bundt Cake
Bundt cake is another classic that can go in any direction, but for the best success, you’ll want to go for fruity flavored ones. Think lemon or pear. And if for some reason your bundt cake isn’t coming out of the pan, you have a base for trifle.
micheile henderson on Unsplash
10. Amish Sugar Cookies
If you are going to go the cookie route, the simpler the better. Everyone does chocolate chips, so instead, consider making sugar cookies. Amish-style ones in particular are easy to make and have that old-fashioned flare people love.
11. Oreo Brownies
If you want to go the brownie route, you absolutely have to spice it up. Everyone does brownies, but not many people do Oreo brownies! The best part is everyone loves Oreos, so this mix is bound to be a hit.
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12. Fruit Tart
Of course, you can also go full fruit tart, and make little mini servings stacked up with a rainbow of assorted fruits. This is bound to catch eyes and will win you points in the healthy mom group as well.
13. Nanaimo Bars
These bars can be found everywhere in Canada, and are so easy to make they don’t even require baking. All you’ll need is wafer, nuts, coconut, and chocolate. They’re light, interestingly textured, and perfect for potlucks.
Stephanie Spencer on Wikimedia
14. Bark
If you’ve ever made chocolate or yogurt bark, you know just how simple and tasty it can be. It’s pretty easy to make in bulk, and it’s also quite artistic-looking, meaning you’ll be scoring points in flavor and presentation.
15. Pineapple Sheet Cake
You’ve probably heard of pineapple upside-down cake, but have you heard of pineapple sheet cake? It uses the same winning flavor profile, but covers a lot more surface area and can easily be carved into little squares.
16. Churros
Everyone loves the taste of churros, so why aren’t we seeing more at potlucks? Well, this could be because they can be a bit difficult to make, so to save yourself trouble, consider making smaller bite-size churros.
17. Fruit Kebabs
By now you’ve probably seen those skewers full of fruits! They’ll fit right in at outdoor potlucks and barbecues as well, and add a fun twist in terms of handling. Besides, people won’t have to worry about cutlery and can just dig right in.
Karolina Kołodziejczak on Unsplash
18. Sweet Pretzel Bites
Pretzels are another favored dessert, and when it comes to the sweet variety, the possibilities are endless. Whether you want to drizzle them with chocolate, top them with icing sugar, or throw in some cinnamon, these are easily customizable.
19. S’more Trifle
While you can go in any direction with trifles, one flavor combo that will catch eyes in summer is undoubtedly s’mores. Most people think of campfires when they think of summer anyway, so in this trifle, you’ll want to incorporate marshmallows, graham crackers, and of course, chocolate.
20. Coconut Macaroons
Finally, these airy and crispy treats are almost a blend of cookies and cake. Not too sweet thanks to the coconut, they’re festive-looking and taste downright amazing, making them the perfect package to bring to a potluck.
