40 Perfect Picnic Desserts Perfect For Taking On The Go
These desserts are great whether you're eating at a picnic table or on a checkered blanket.
Think of perfect picnic food—we bet you're imagining things like dips, simple sandwiches, and salads...but when it comes to dessert, it gets a bit trickier. A lot of our favorites just aren’t the best for serving while sitting on a picnic blanket, not to mention how you’d even transport them there in the first place. No more! Check out our list of 40 picnic desserts for ideas, and you'll never be stuck outdoors without a sweet treat again.
First rule of picnicking is convenience. You’re not going to want to lug around a heavy serving dish (or heaven forbid, a chef’s knife), much less plates and silverware. Instead go for pre-cut bars and brownies, like our cowboy blondies, our sugar cookie bars, or raspberry cheesecake bars. The second rule is durability. These desserts have to last with minimal refrigeration (though we always recommend a cooler and an ice pack or two), and stand up to being jostled around on your way to the picnic area. It would be near impossible to serve a regular cheesecake at a picnic (even with a table), so we’ve included a number of cheesecake-inspired desserts, like our samoa cheesecake bars or blackberry cheesecake brownies. Same with cakes. Bringing a massive frosted layer cake to a picnic seems like a disaster waiting to happen, so instead bring cupcakes! Or combine the two, like with our mini cheesecake cupcakes or cheesecake-stuffed cupcakes.
Something about eating outside always makes us want to end the meal with s’mores, but we know it’s not always easy to have access to a fire pit or BBQ. Hedge your bets and bring a s’mores-themed dessert instead. Try our s'mores cupcakes or s’mores bars for all that graham cracker, marshmallow, chocolate goodness, with less mess.
If it’s nice enough to be outside, it probably means there’s still incredible produce in season. We’ve highlighted some of our favorite summer fruits in these desserts, like our cherry puff pastry hand pies, strawberry shortcake cookies, or lemon blueberry pie bars. If all else fails, go for a simple fruit salad—ours has a honey citrus dressing so good it can stand up to anything else on this list.
Strawberry Shortcake Rice Krispies Treats
We took our classic Rice Krispies Treats and made them summer-ready. The white chocolate melts into the Rice Krispies and the strawberries give them a burst of freshness.
Lemon Bars
If you prefer your desserts almost more tart than sweet, then these lemon bars are the perfect spring dessert for you. An ideal make-ahead dessert, these bars will be the star of all your spring & summer bake sales. Pucker up, buttercup!
Get the Lemon Bars recipe.
Peanut Butter Pretzel Butterscotch Blondies
Love a salty-sweet dessert? Prepare to meet your new obsession. Studded with pretzels and butterscotch chips, these rich peanut butter blondies rival any brownie or magic bar out there.
Blueberry Buckle
If you're unfamiliar, a buckle is basically a single layer cake with fruit added, giving it a "buckled" appearance. Ours is similar to coffee cake, thanks to its crunchy streusel topping. It's the perfect lightly sweet end to an outdoor meal.
Get the Blueberry Buckle recipe.
Puppy Chow
Whatever you call it—puppy chow, muddy buddies—one thing is for certain: This creation is one of the easiest, most satisfying sweet snacks ever. With only a handful of ingredients, this peanut butter-chocolate dessert comes together in under 20 minutes, making it the best last-minute thing to make for a picnic.
Get the Puppy Chow recipe.
Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble Bars
Love that buttery sweet topping on a crisp or a cobbler? Then you’ve got to try these strawberry-rhubarb crumble bars. Featuring tangy sweet fruit filling and a buttery crumb topping, these bars will make you the most popular person at your next spring picnic.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
If you're looking for an easy treat with a nostalgic taste, how about everyone’s all-time favorite cookie but in bar form? No rolling or scooping little balls, no multiple sheet pans, AND you can transport them right in the pan you baked them in. 😍
Get the Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars recipe.
Cheesecake Cupcakes
Who doesn't love an ultra-creamy slice of cheesecake? This mini version is super-easy to make (no water bath!), but just as delicious as its full-size counterpart, and much easier to take along with you on a picnic. Feel free to swap out the fruit for whatever's in season!
Get the Cheesecake Cupcakes recipe.
Strawberry Pound Cake
Classic pound cake gets an upgrade with swirls of strawberry jam throughout and iced with tangy strawberry glaze. This streamlined recipe relies on a few crucial ingredients to maximize the flavor while the method remains extremely simple. A few punchy additions and approachable techniques take this cake from basic to brilliant.
Get the Strawberry Pound Cake recipe.
Cookies 'N' Cream Blondies
Blondies do have more fun, especially when they're stuffed with both Oreos and Hershey's Cookies 'N' Creme Bars. Life is GOOD.
Get the Cookies 'N' Cream Blondies recipe.
Cookie Brittle
Cookie brittle is crispy, buttery pieces that are baked as one big piece and broken into bites after baking rather than needing to scoop out individual portions. Think of it as a faster, easier way to make and bring a big batch of chocolate chip cookies on your next picnic.
Get the Cookie Brittle recipe.
Fruit Salad
Fruit salad is the quintessential picnic dessert, so much that you might not think you need a recipe. Trust us, you do. Here, sweet syrupy honey, fresh tart orange juice, and bright lemon zest come together to elevate your fruit (even if they're out of season) to new heights.
Get the Fruit Salad recipe.
S'mores Cupcakes
S'mores are one of our favorite outdoor snacks, but there's not always a fire pit or grill to be found. Now you can have everything you love about them—buttery graham crackers, melty chocolate, and toasted marshmallow—in a portable, handheld cupcake!
Get the S'mores Cupcakes recipe.
Corn Cookies
Momofuku Milk Bar's popular version of this cookie calls for the use of an unusual ingredient: powdered freeze-dried corn. We've decided to create a version that uses another flavor powerhouse that's easier to find: canned creamed corn. Our cookie stands on its own, complete with crispy golden edges and a soft, chewy middle.
Get the Corn Cookies recipe.
Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
A sweet, creamy lemon cheesecake is topped with a tart and chunky raspberry jam for the perfect refreshing treat. Making cheesecake bars rather than a full cheesecake cuts down on bake time significantly and makes it stress free (though we do still recommend a water bath for these to keep the top from cracking).
Get the Raspberry Cheesecake Bars recipe.
Cherry Puff Pastry Pies
Craving cherry pie but don't want to bring plates or utensils on your picnic? Make hand pies! Frozen cherries and store-bought puff pastry make this impressive dessert come together SO easily.
Get the Cherry Puff Pastry Pies recipe.
Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
It took many, many rounds of testing to get these cookies just right. Our biggest piece of advice is to not be afraid of mess. Covering the cream cheese with cookie dough is a messy task (especially with the fresh strawberries!), but we promise you it's worth it a million times over.
Blueberry-Lemon Pie Bars
Lemons and blueberries go together like spring and sunshine. The crumb topping here is the best part—if you wanted to make extra, we won't tell. 😉
Get the Blueberry-Lemon Pie Bars recipe.
Cookie Cake
Having an outdoor celebration picnic, but don't want to bring a big layer cake? Bring a cookie cake instead. Hot tip: these travel well in the cake pan it was baked in too.
Get the Cookie Cake recipe.
Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
We're saying it: these might be our FAVORITE version of the classic chocolate chip cookie. The cherries add a bit more sweetness with a pop of tartness that makes them unforgettable.
Get the Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.
Mason Jar Ice Cream
15 Editor-Approved No-Bake Desserts
39 Best Summer Pie Recipes
5 Ways To Upgrade Your Boxed Brownies
