If you’re hosting a crowd for the big game, your brain might be lost in a whirlwind of what appetizers to try out, what type of pizza you should order, and what toppings you need to lay out for the nachos. Between all of that and making sure there’s enough room around the TV for everyone to plant their behinds and yell at the big screen, the thought of dessert might be as overwhelming as it is daunting.
Never fear: there are plenty of simple, easy, and cost-effective dessert ideas ideal for a crowd. Here are some of our go-tos.
1. Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Balls
Peanut butter and jelly maintain a reputation as the O.G. flavor combo, but we have to admit: Chocolate and peanut butter has our hearts. These peanut butter Rice Krispie balls are coated in melted chocolate and are the ideal bite-sized dessert to set out for a crowd.
Recipe: Build Your Bite
2. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
Remember when you were a kid and your mom was baking and pulled the beaters out of the mixer to let you lick them off? We remember being most excited if we got to clean chocolate chip cookie dough or cheesecake filling off those bad boys. This dessert has nods to both and for that reason, we believe it would be beloved by the masses, definitely dubbed a crowd-pleaser.
Recipe: Carlsbad Cravings
3. Margarita Lime Bars
If you’re hosting a party, it’s pretty hard to go wrong with margaritas, so why not transcend that to dessert? This dessert builds upon a simple box of yellow cake mix, so you won’t have to fuss over a ton of ingredients to create a dessert everyone is sure to go ga-ga for.
Recipe: Food Lovin’ Family
Related: Delicious Pie Bars That Are So Easy to Make
4. Oreo Cookies and Cream Cheese Ball
We love a good themed dessert, but don’t feel like you have to make this cream cheese ball look like a football. Still, it’s easy enough to do and will surely add a dash of pizazz to your Super Bowl spread.
Recipe: Shugary Sweets
Related: 26 Must-Try Recipes for Oreo Lovers
5. 7-Layer Magic Cookie Bars
These things are a party staple. Even folks who claim not to like coconut can be seen munching on one of these tasty bars.
Recipe: All Things Mama
Related: These are the Top Super Bowl Snacks in the Country, Ranked
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6. Chocolate Lasagna
Layered desserts are ideal if you’re cooking for a crowd. You can basically throw the dessert together without any precision or thought at all, and it won’t impact the taste one teeny tiny bit. Chocoholics will adore this one.
Recipe: Natasha’s Kitchen
7. Brownie Batter Dip
Okay, we admit: Somehow we forgot about brownie batter when we were reminscing about Mom’s baking days earlier. Brownie batter has its own siren song and this dip version is singing it loudly.
Recipe: Princess Pinky Girl
Related: 7 Super Bowl Snacks That Won’t Break the Bank, According to Redditors
8. Cherry Cheesecake Dip
Nothing says “game day” like an extensive spread of dips. But don’t stop at Buffalo chicken and spinach artichoke dip. Dessert dips are a game-day game changer, and this cherry cheesecake dip only has five ingredients for a super simple spread. Grab a box of graham crackers for this one and don’t count on there being any left over!
Recipe: I Heart Eating
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9. Southern Banana Pudding
Make this in a pretty glass trifle dish or grab a giant foil pan for partygoers to scoop from. Don’t skimp on the vanilla wafers either!
Recipe: Merry About Town
Related: Ridiculously Easy Dump-and-Bake Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
10. Sugar Cookie Bars
These sugar cookie bars are simple and they offer the chance for customization too. Dye the frosting the color of the team you’re rooting for and decorate these little guys with some festive sprinkles while you’re at it.
Recipe: Together As Family
11. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip
We already told you about our affinity for chocolate chip cookie dough, and since we know we’re not alone with that, this one is a no-brainer for game-day.
Recipe: Just a Taste
Related: The 20 Best Classic Cookie Recipes
12. Punch Bowl Cake
Why have we never thought to do this? It’s easy, fun, and adorable for a get-together. You’ll get that same effect from a trifle dish where you can see the layers through the glass, but the punch bowl makes way for a bit more room. Genius.
Recipe: Princess Pinky Girl
