11 Idiot-Proof Potluck Desserts to Feed a Party
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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.