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50 Sweet & Savory Treats That'll Win At Your Next Bake Sale

These brownies, pinwheels, cookies, bars, and more will definitely earn the big bucks.

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sugar cookie bars
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STLYING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

‘Tis the season for bake sales, and you’ve gotta be prepared. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a novice, an impending bake sale can be nerve-wracking. They can say it’s all for a good cause as much as they want, but we all know: it’s a competition, in which the person who brings the most popular baked good wins. Want that person to be you? We’ve got all the sweet (and savory!) treats that’ll guarantee you sell out, from brownies to quick breads to cupcakes, with lots in between. Hot tip: don’t forget to set aside some for yourself, these’ll go fast.

The trick to a killer bake sale spread is VARIETY. Whether you’re filling the whole table, or just need to bring something to add to the mix, our best tip is to get creative. Think about it: if you’ve just got a spread of cookies, even the most exceptional ones won’t stand out. We did include many of our classic recipes for blondies, sugar cookies, Rice Krispie treats, brownies, and more here, but really, don’t stop there. Branch out and add additional flavors and decorations, like we did with our peanut butter pretzel butterscotch blondies, our sugar cookie bars, our s’mores poke brownies, and our geode cookies. Not the strongest baker? Don't worry, we've got you. Many of these recipes involved doctoring up a store-bought mix. Trust us, no one will be able to tell.

Speaking of branching out, don’t forget savory options too! In a sea of sweets, savory bites and breads will really stand out. Our favorite type? Gotta be pinwheels. They’re easy to assemble (thanks store-bought crescent dough and puff pastry!), and can be filled with almost anything. Take inspiration from our Mediterranean pinwheels, our pizza rolls, and our spinach-artichoke buns, then fill yours with whatever your heart desires.

Want even more ideas? Check out our top cheesecake bars, our best mini desserts, and our favorite layer cakes too (people love it when you sell ‘em by the slice).

1

Lemon Bars

sliced lemon bars topped with powdered sugar
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

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.

2

Puppy Chow

chex mix tossed in peanut butter and powdered sugar
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

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 bake sale.

Get the Puppy Chow recipe.

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3

Hostess Sheet Cake

chocolate sheet cake with white piped icing
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

If you can't get enough of the fudgy, cream-filled cupcakes, then this sheet cake will be your new favorite dessert. Taking inspiration from the classic Hostess dessert, this sheet cake delivers on all the same flavors in an easy, shareable form.

Get the Hostess Sheet Cake recipe.

4
sugar cookie bars
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

Somewhere between a blondie and a sugar cookie, these bars are thick and soft with buttercream spread on top. They take less time than scooping individual cookies and are just as good. Go with pink and rainbow sprinkles, or mix things up with school or holiday colors.

Get the Sugar Cookie Bars recipe.

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5

Sausage Pinwheels

sausage pinwheels with cream cheese red bell pepper and garlic
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

These old-school sausage pinwheels are a classic for a reason: They feature crescent dough with bits of sausage and red pepper layered within a creamy garlic cheese spread. Bell pepper + cream cheese + cheddar cheese make for a pimento-inspired bite you (and everyone you sell them to!) will love.

Get the Sausage Pinwheels recipe.

6

Nutella Blondies

nutella blondies
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: JASON SCHREIBER

In this recipe, chewy, sweet blondies are swirled with Nutella for a decadent, but SUPER easy holiday dessert. They only require one bowl, and swirling the Nutella on top is easier than it looks.

Get the Nutella Blondies recipe.

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7

Focaccia

focaccia bread with flaky sea salt and rosemary
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

With no kneading involved and only 6 ingredients, making focaccia is the easiest way to look like a pro baker, without a ton of effort. All you need is a little patience (and a LOT of olive oil), and you can create the classic crackly-on-the-outside, soft-and-pillowy-on-the-inside-texture that’s synonymous with the Italian flatbread.

Get the Focaccia recipe.

8

Buckeyes

buckeyes
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: JASON SCHREIBER

Loaded with peanut butter and dipped in chocolate, these buckeyes are basically a homemade Reese’s peanut butter cup in truffle form. They’re easy to make and great for taking to bake sales—sell them individually, or bag up a few for a higher price.

Get the Buckeyes recipe.

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9

Cookies 'N' Cream Millionaire Shortbread

cookies 'n' cream millionaire shortbread
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

Just when we thought a millionaire shortbread couldn’t get richer, we switched up the classic recipe to feature layers of chocolate shortbread, chocolate caramel, and an added bonus of a cookie 'n' cream filling.

Get the Cookies 'N' Cream Millionaire Shortbread recipe.

10

Succulent Cupcakes

succulent cupcakes
Parker feierbach

These pretty cupcakes look so intricate, but they're actually beyond easy to make. Once you master the technique, turn it into a colorful garden (and try it out on our sunflower cupcakes too!).

Get the Succulent Cupcakes recipe.

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11

Pizza Rolls

pizza rolls topped with chopped basil and parmesan
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

What if you could sell homemade pizza, but in a bite-sized roll form? These pizza rolls are the best of both worlds: all the flavor you love of pizza but made into a handheld snack. Serve them with a little marinara for dipping and you'll be in serious business.

Get the Pizza Rolls recipe.

12

Strawberry Pound Cake

pound cake with a strawberry swirl and topped with a bright pink strawberry glaze
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

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.

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13

Best-Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

chocolate chip cookies
RACHEL VANNI

We've made our fair share of variations on the chocolate chip cookie over the years, from chewy to brown butter, but this recipe takes the cake: They’re the most classic, least-fussy version—exactly what you want when you’re looking for a no-frills, soft, and fudgy cookie.

Get the Best-Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.

14

Blueberry Muffins

blueberry muffins topped with sugar
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Blueberry muffins are a quintessential breakfast treat, so for our tried-and-true favorite, we’ve channeled that small-town bakery vibe to create a muffin that hits every nostalgic note. Light, fluffy, and absolutely bursting with blueberries, these muffins will delight everyone who tastes one.

Get the Blueberry Muffins recipe.

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15

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble Bars

strawberry rhubarb crumble bars
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

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 bake sale.

Get the Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble Bars recipe.

16

Fantasy Fudge

fantasy fudge
Joel goldberg

Fantasy fudge is a shortcut fudge that is just as good as the real thing. Our two favorite things about it are that, 1) it's quick to make, and 2) it's totally customizable! Not only can you use any chocolate you like, but you can also choose whatever mix-ins you want (put all your favorite cookies and candies in here!).

Get the Fantasy Fudge recipe.

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17

Classic Coffee Cake

coffee cake with a crumbly topping
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

This foolproof recipe results in the perfect no-frills coffee cake, but there are plenty of ways to change it up. Serve our apple coffee cake in the fall and winter, and look to our blueberry coffee cake and raspberry cream cheese coffee cake once the weather starts to warm.

Get the Classic Coffee Cake recipe.

18

Lemon-Blueberry Mini Cheesecake Cupcakes

lemon blueberry mini cheesecake cupcakes with blueberry sauce
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

Even though these cheesecakes might be miniature, they deliver maximum flavor. Speaking of, feel free to switch up the flavors with your faves—we went with lemon-blueberry + vanilla Oreos, but have fun with it!

Get the Lemon-Blueberry Mini Cheesecake Cupcakes recipe.

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19

Caramel Popcorn

caramel popcorn
Andrew Bui

Making from-scratch caramel corn couldn't be easier, but don't be hesitated to rush it—baking at a low temperature for about an hour is key to popcorn with that irresistible sweet crunch. Put out samples, then watch people line up to buy a bag.

Get the Caramel Popcorn recipe.

20

Swiss Roll

swiss roll cake with chocolate ganache poured over
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

For chocolate dessert fans, this Swiss roll is the dessert to make when you want to look like a baking pro. This rich cocoa cake roll is filled with fluffy whipped cream and covered with chocolate ganache. Ready to satisfy your inner child? Click below for how to make this Swiss roll (perfect swirl and all).

Get the Swiss Roll recipe.

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