When the fourth grade class hosts a bake sale, trying to raise funds for their big field trip, what do you bring to aid in the effort? Not just any cookie will do!
Bake sale goods need to check off a trifecta of requirements. They need to look amazing, be sturdy enough to transport, and most of all--be decadently delicious.
We asked some of our favorite food writers what they'd bring, if they were asked to donate baked goods for the big fundraiser, and this luscious list of recipes is the result. Every option here is a winner, from classic snickerdoodles, to thick and squishy whoopie pies, to perfectly irresistible cupcakes. Whatever recipe you choose, it's sure to be a hit!
1. Whoopie Pies
Emily, from The Benson Street, would bring classic whoopie pies if she were making treats for a bake sale. Her recipe offers perfectly dense-but-tender chocolate shells, and a fluffy white filling that's on point.
She suggests making these larger to sell individually, or smaller to sell in a plate. "These are a crowd favorite anytime I make them, with a soft chocolate cookie and the best frosting", she says.
Get her recipe here.
2. No Bake Samoa Cookies
These no bake Samoa cookies are an easy and fun take on the classic Girl Scout cookies! Technically not a baked good, these easy cookies don't even require an oven.
They're quick to whip up, and a fun recipe to make with the kids!
Get the recipe here.
3. Lemon Raspberry Cookies
These Raspberry Cookies have a soft, fluffy texture, with a rich and buttery taste. They're just packed with flavor from the fresh lemon and raspberries.
Simple to whip up, these are cheerful little cookie that would definitely be a hit at the bake sale table!
Get the recipe here.
4. Strawberry Cupcakes
These delightful cupcakes won't last long, with that beautiful pink frosting, and tempting strawberries!
They feature super moist and fluffy vanilla cake, crowned with a luscious fresh strawberry cream cheese frosting.
Get the recipe here.
5. Matcha Brownie with Cheesecake Swirl
These gorgeous matcha brownies are so eye-catching, they're sure to get attention! Just look at that beautiful green matcha swirl.
They're also a great choice for a gluten-free option. These dark chocolate cheesecake brownies are rich and fudgy, and the cream cheese with matcha swirl adds a real decadence that everyone will love!
Get the recipe here.
6. Chocolate M&M Cookies
Is there anything more classic and well-loved than a big M&M cookie? Make it a chocolate M&M cookie, and we've got a sure winner!
These easy chocolate M&M cookies are soft and chewy, and just packed with mini chocolate chips and M&M candies.
Get the recipe here.
7. Maple Apple Pie
Take the bake sale up a notch by offering entire pies at a higher ticket price. Everyone will be glad to score a gorgeous homemade pie at the Saturday sale, for dessert after their Sunday dinner! Pies also work well a bake sale auction item!
It's hard to beat a classic apple pie, and this recipe is enhanced with maple syrup to make a heavenly and irresistible pie that everyone's going to want!
Get the recipe here.
8. Earl Grey Scones With Vanilla Bean Glaze
These vanilla Earl Grey scones are an absolute treat, and one that people don't get a chance to try every day! Just look at the beautiful little specks of vanilla bean in the glaze.
These gorgeous scones would be what I take home from the bake sale!
Get the recipe here.
9. German Chocolate Cookies
These German chocolate cake cookies will delight fans of the gooey classic cake, but these cookies go slightly easier on the sugar, allowing the toasted pecans and coconut to really shine!
People are definitely going to want more than one of these, so don't forget the bakery boxes to let folks bring them home by the half-dozen!
Get the recipe here.
10. Lemon Bars
Sweet and tart at the same time, lemon bars really are a beloved classic!
Fresh lemon juice provides bright citrus zing, layered over top of a buttery shortbread crust. These cheerful yellow squares definitely brighten up any bake table!
Get the recipe here.
11. Double Chocolate Chip and Coffee Biscotti
Double Chocolate Chip and Coffee Biscotti are rich, decadent chocolatey cookies, that everyone will love.
With that classic biscotti shape, they're perfect crisp on the outside, soft and tender on the inside. Everything you want in a perfect biscotti...plus extra chocolate!
Get the recipe here.
12. Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes
How sweet are the darling little cupcakes? They look as light and airy as they taste!
Tangy and sweet, these raspberry lemonade cupcakes feature a delicate lemon cupcake, topped with a raspberry lemonade frosting that will just blow people away.
Get the recipe here.
13. Bourbon Pecan Pie Brownies
Want dads to reach for their wallets at the bake sale table? Offer a recipe that features bourbon. These chocolate brownies are a perfect choice!
With that gooey pecan pie filling, people will love every sweet and salty bite of these pecan pie brownies.
Get the recipe here.
14. Old Fashioned Linzer Cookies
These classic little cookies are a real show-stopper, with that bright jam showing through the cutouts in each perfectly tender cookie. These are another recipe that are fun to make with the kids!
Try offering cookies made with at least two differ flavors of jam...like golden apricot, blueberry, and red raspberry. Everyone's going to want to try one of each, and they'll all be delicious!
Get the recipe here.
15. Cosmic Brownies
Here's a treat that will offer warm and fuzzy feelings of nostalgia to parents everywhere.
Recreated in a homemade, only-real-ingredients version, these brownies are definitely better than store-bought, with a rich and fudgy texture everyone will love.
Get the recipe here.
16. Ginger Sandwich Cookies with Bourbon Cream Cheese Frosting
Sandwich cookies just always feel special, and these ginger cookies are a playful option that are sure to be a hit.
Perfectly spiced, the ginger cookies are soft and delicious, while that bourbon cream cheese frosting is over the top in all the right ways.
Get the recipe here.
17. Snickerdoodle Cookies
What's a bake sale table without big, soft, classic snickerdoodles?
These homemade snickerdoodle cookies are perfectly soft, chewy and sweet. Rolled in cinnamon sugar, as all good snickerdoodles should be, they bake in less than ten minutes, so they're quick and easy to make!
18. Cranberry Orange Sweet Rolls
Sweet rolls are another bake sale favorite. With spiraling layers of sweetness, they're just irresistible.
These cranberry sweet rolls would be a fun, and brightly colored choice. They pair tart cranberries with bright orange zest, brown sugar, and pizza dough to create an easy but decadent treat!
Get the recipe here.
19. Mint Chocolate Brownies
These easy chocolate brownies are topped with creamy mint filling, and chocolate ganache. That beautiful green layer is sure to stop people in their tracks!
Truly a perfect mint chocolate brownie, these are a guaranteed favorite.
Get the recipe here.
20. Peach Thyme Galette
This would be a great dessert to sell by the slice, or by the entire galette. If you've got the setup for it, try selling warm slices of this topped with a scoop of good vanilla bean ice cream. Everyone will want one!
This rustic peach galette is super easy to make, with a flaky crust, spiced peaches, and fresh thyme.
Get the recipe here.
21. NYC Cookies Recipe (Triple Chocolate Chip)
You can't have a bake sale without chocolate chip cookies. I'm pretty sure it's in the unwritten-but-universal bake sale rules somewhere.
These "NYC cookies" that are filled with a triple chocolate combo of white, dark and milk chocolate, and they're just the chocolate chip cookie for the job. These are sure to delight everyone who thinks they want "just a chocolate chip cookie", but what they really deserve is this chocolate chip cookie!
Get the recipe here.
21 Chocolate Desserts No Chocolate Lover Can Resist
Sometimes life just calls for chocolate with a side of chocolate. If you're feeling that vibe, this curated list of extra-chocolatey recipes is just for you.
From dense, fudgy brownies, to luxurious chocolate ganache tarts, to crinkly dark chocolate cookies, this collection has a recipe to suit any chocolate craving.
Get the recipes here.
21 Easy Coffee Desserts Anyone Can Make
Coffee is such a beloved flavor profile, it really deserves to be celebrated past noontime. Here's a whole list of tried-and true desserts that take the flavors of coffee and espresso and run with them.
From soft and squishy cookies, to popsicles, to decadent cakes and panna cottas, there's something here for every coffee lover.
Get the recipes here.
Anna Chesley
Anna Chesley is a freelance writer living a homestead lifestyle, with a special love for family travel, old books, vintage skills, and seaside living. In addition to founding Salt In My Coffee, she runs the website, New England Family Life, as well as The 1800's Housewife, a website devoted to re-creating authentic 1800's recipes.
Emily Holverson says
So many yummy bake sale favorites! I want to try them all!