11 Idiot-Proof Potluck Desserts to Feed a Party

Drew Swantak/Thrillist
Drew Swantak/Thrillist

Whether it’s a football party, a potluck, an orgy... any gathering, really, people are always most excited about the dessert. Get your kudos without becoming a slave to the oven with these simple recipes. They have so few ingredients, they're practically idiot-proof, and they're easy to package and transport, too.

Funfetti cheesecake dip -- Thrillist Recipes
Laura Murray/Thrillist

No need to bake this cheesecake. Just mix it up, put it in a bowl, and serve with Nilla wafers. Find the recipe here.

Key ingredients:

  • Cream cheese
  • Funfetti cake mix
  • Powdered sugar

 

Don’t worry about making a dessert that looks pretty. For this one, the messier the better. It’s supposed to look like dirt after all. Delicious dirt. Find the recipe here.

Key ingredients:

  • Vanilla pudding
  • Cool Whip
  • Cream cheese
  • Oreos
  • Gummy worms
Pop Rocks truffles
<a href="http://www.howsweeteats.com/2014/07/pop-rocks-truffles/" target="_blank">Courtesy of How Sweet Eats</a>

Creamy chocolate truffles coated with Pop Rocks are like firecrackers for the mouth... all the excitement without any of the debilitating pain. The mind-blowing recipe is here.

Key ingredients:

  • Chocolate
  • Cream
  • Pop Rocks

 

The most time-consuming part of baking cookies is scooping and portioning out each one. You can skip all that and just dump the dough into a pie plate. Get the recipe.

Key ingredients:

  • Chocolate chips
  • Old-fashioned oats
  • Other cookie stuff
Courtesy of I Am A Food Blog

Flaky, creamy, and fruity, this simple dessert hits all the sweet notes. The recipe’s right here.

Key ingredients:

  • Puff pastry
  • Ricotta
  • Cherries
  • Pistachios

 

Going to the movies as a group is fun, until you all awkwardly try to share six boxes of candy and a bucket of popcorn. Fuse the chewy, crunchy, salty, and chocolatey together so everyone has a little bit of everything. Recipe here.

Key ingredients:

  • Chocolate
  • Popcorn
  • Peanuts
  • Assorted candies
Matzo chocolate bars
<a href="http://www.halfbakedharvest.com/5-ingredient-magic-matzo-chocolate-bars/" target="_blank">Courtesy of Half Baked Harvest</a>

No one gets excited about matzo. UNLESS it’s covered in chocolate, nuts, coconut flakes, and sweetened condensed milk. The genius recipe is here.

Key ingredients:

  • Matzo
  • Nuts
  • Chocolate chips
  • Coconut
  • Condensed milk

 

Don’t be fooled by the “salad” in the name -- there’s nothing green in this simply decadent dessert. It’s like fresh strawberry pie, creamy cheesecake, and a salty pretzel all in one. Get the recipe here.

Key ingredients:

  • Pretzels
  • Strawberries
  • Cream cheese
  • Cool Whip
  • Strawberry Jell-O
Potato chip brownies -- Thrillist Recipes
Drew Swantak/Thrillist

Crunchy ribbons of potato chips make these fudgey brownies even better than French fries with Frostys. The salty-sweet recipe is right here.

Key ingredients:

  • Bittersweet chocolate
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Potato chips

 

If Rainbow Brite went to a potluck, this is what she’d bring. It’s bright blue and cheery. The easy recipe is here.

Key ingredients:

  • Graham cracker crust
  • Cool Whip
  • Kool-Aid drink mix
English toffee
<a href="http://damndelicious.net/2013/12/11/easy-homemade-toffee/" target="_blank">Courtesy of Damn Delicious</a>

This chocolate-covered toffee is so addictive, no one would blame you if you opted not to share. Recipe here.

Key ingredients:

  • Butter
  • Chocolate
  • Sugar
  • Pecans

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Perry Santanachote is Thrillist's recipes editor and dessert is her favorite meal of the day.