37 Show-Stopping Desserts for Any Celebration
By Alexandra Caspero on November 20, 2023
A stunning dessert has the power to truly take a gathering from ordinary to extraordinary. When celebrating milestones, holidays, or special occasions, you want to pull out all the stops with a dessert that wows.
These eye-catching desserts are indulgent and special enough for any occasion. Set the tone for celebration with these 37 show-stopping dessert recipes!
WOW Chocolate Cake
The BEST chocolate cake! Incredibly moist, this chocolate cake recipe is the best chocolate cake that just happens to be vegan. With homemade chocolate frosting, a must make for birthdays and other celebrations.
Make the Recipe: Chocolate Cake
Holiday Cranberry Pie with Streusel Topping
This tart cranberry pie with streusel topping is a must for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the holiday season! Lightly sweetened, it’s a refreshing dessert option to enjoy at any special fall or winter gathering.
Make the Recipe: Holiday Cranberry Pie Recipe
Chocolate Pudding
If you love chocolate, then you’ve gotta try this pudding recipe. It’s SO good– and packed with protein!
Make the Recipe: Chocolate Pudding
Pumpkin Pie Bars with Pecan Crust
One of my favorite desserts for Thanksgiving or the holidays. Vegan pecan pie crust topped with a creamy pumpkin filling.
Make the Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Bars with Pecan Crust
Apple Pie Bars
You have to try these healthier apple pie bars! These bars taste just like apple pie but with a fraction of the work! Oat based crust with seasoned apples.
Make the Recipe: Apple Pie Bars
Cranberry Bars
These vegan and gluten-free cranberry orange bars are the perfect balance of tart and sweet.
Make the Recipe: Cranberry Bars
Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars, Vegan and Gluten-Free! You are going to love these clean eating bars! Pecan Pie crust with dairy-free, no bake cheesecake filling.
Make the Recipe: Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
No Bake Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie! The BEST chocolate pie; tastes just like a peanut butter cup and you’ll never guess the secret ingredient!
Make the Recipe: No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
Espresso Brownies
Vegan Espresso Brownies! These espresso brownies are so rich and chocolatey! Perfect for gift giving, dessert and snacks.
Make the Recipe: Espresso Brownies
No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
A must for fall, thanksgiving, Christmas and other gatherings. Lower sugar, high protein and easy to make!
Make the Recipe: No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Dark Chocolate Almond Oatmeal Bars
You’ve gotta try these healthy oatmeal bars, they’re naturally sweetened oatmeal cookie bars, layered with dark chocolate almond butter. A simple vegan cereal bar recipe!
Make the Recipe: Dark Chocolate Almond Oatmeal Bars
Espresso Cheesecake Bars
Espresso cheesecake bars! If you liked my pumpkin pecan pie bars or pecan cheesecake bars, you are going to love these.
Make the Recipe: Espresso Cheesecake Bars
Pumpkin Chocolate Dessert Cups
Whatever you call them, they are good. A little messy to make (and sometimes to eat) but such a fun treat.
Make the Recipe: Pumpkin Chocolate Dessert Cups
Homemade Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
Peanut butter and chocolate is one of the most popular combos, which is why this homemade peanut butter swirl brownie recipe is so amazing.
Make the Recipe: Homemade Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
Pumpkin Blondies
Everyone loves sweet, gooey pumpkin blondies. These homemade pumpkin blondies are loaded with healthy pumpkin puree.
Make the Recipe: Pumpkin Blondies
Apple Pie Spring Rolls
These apple pie spring rolls are filled with grated apples and cinnamon, then wrapped in rice paper sheets and fried into a crispy finger food dessert.
Make the Recipe: Apple Pie Spring Rolls
Salted Caramel Banana Cake
Do you love bananas? Does Salted Caramel ring your bells? Do you have a sweet tooth? Our Low FODMAP Salted Caramel Banana Cake is for you!
Make the Recipe: Salted Caramel Banana Cake
Mocha Toffee Crunch Cake
This Mocha Toffee Crunch Cake is a big, important cake, perfect for significant milestone birthdays and other celebratory events.
Make the Recipe: Mocha Toffee Crunch Cake
Mocha Chocolate Chunk Bars with Whiskey Salted Caramel
I know the title is a mouthful, and actually, I was going to add “Browned-Butter” to the beginning of the title because that is the basis for these coffee/chocolate/toffee-like/caramel/whiskey-enhanced blondies. They are OUT OF THIS WORLD.
Make the Recipe: Mocha Chocolate Chunk Bars with Whiskey Salted Caramel
Black Bottom Pie
OK, the real name of this recipe is Black Bottom Pie with Espresso Whipped Cream in a Chocolate Chip Cookie Crust! WOW! And yes, it tastes even better than that description.
Make the Recipe: Black Bottom Pie
Red Velvet Cake with Cooked Vanilla Icing
A lightly flavored chocolate cake tinted red with food coloring has long been a favorite in the Southeastern United States – but it seems like the entire world is now red velvet crazy!
Make the Recipe: Red Velvet Cake with Cooked Vanilla Icing
Mixed Berry Terrine
Our Mixed Berry Terrine is the perfect choice when you want a gorgeous dessert that is light, low calorie, low fat and absolutely packed with fresh fruit flavor.
Make the Recipe: Mixed Berry Terrine
Blackout Cake
If you are looking for a very chocolaty experience in cake form, that happens to be easy to make, this Blackout Cake is the perfect choice. Make this cake for Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Birthdays – or anytime you want a knockout chocolate cake.
Make the Recipe: Blackout Cake
Texas Sheet Cake
This Texas Sheet Cake is a classic: large, thin, moist chocolate cake with poured-on chocolate icing studded with nuts. Easy to make, serves a crowd – and you will get your chocolate fix!
Make the Recipe: Texas Sheet Cake
Lemon Meringue Cake
We love a lemon meringue pie; we love lemon curd in crisp, white meringue nests and nestled into buttery, cookie crusts as a tart– and we are crazy about this Lemon Meringue Cake.
Make the Recipe: Lemon Meringue Cake
Baked Alaska
It was time to make a Baked Alaska, as I love this dessert so very much. I have had a version in many of my cookbooks, even dating back to my very first book, The Wedding Cake Book.
Make the Recipe: Baked Alaska
Cranberry Raspberry Cheesecake Trifle
We think our Raspberry Cheesecake Trifle just might become your go-to winter holiday dessert. Trifles are fantastic desserts for large parties – they feed a crowd and can be assembled ahead.
Make the Recipe: Cranberry Raspberry Cheesecake Trifle
Moist Chocolate Cake
I’m not joking when I say this is the best moist chocolate cake around. It’s a classic, and the coffee just intensifies the chocolate flavor.
Make the Recipe: Moist Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Fudge with Bourbon
This Chocolate Fudge Recipe is so easy! This particular fudge is chock full of pecans and has a lovely hint of Kentucky bourbon!
Make the Recipe: Chocolate Fudge with Bourbon
German Chocolate Brownies
These German chocolate brownies with coconut pecan frosting are fudgy, gooey, & absolutely dreamy! No one will believe they are gluten-free!
Make the Recipe: German Chocolate Brownies
Chocolate Chip Brownie Cheesecake
This gluten-free Chocolate Chip Brownie Cheesecake is a dessert lover’s DREAM! Boasts a rich layer of brownie topped with silky chocolate chip cheesecake.
Make the Recipe: Chocolate Chip Brownie Cheesecake
Oatmeal Cake
An absolutely divine double-layer cinnamon oatmeal cake topped with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. A popular cake often requested for birthday parties!
Make the Recipe: Oatmeal Cake
No-Churn Red Wine, Strawberry & Salted Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
A no-churn, light, summery, red-wine-infused ice cream with hints of strawberry and salted dark chocolate. Only 10 minutes to prep and 4 hours to freeze.
Make the Recipe: No-Churn Red Wine, Strawberry & Salted Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
Chocolate Tart
Gluten-free and full of chocolate flavor this Chocolate Tart is perfect for holiday entertaining. Serve it with whipped cream and lots of pomegranate arils.
Make the Recipe: Chocolate Tart
Smores Bars
Smores Bars are always a win and these sweet ones will not disappoint. Made with chocolate graham crackers, chocolate chunks, and mini marshmallows.
Make the Recipe: Smores Bars
Caramel Apple Nachos
Caramel apple nachos are crisp apples loaded with salted caramel, rich white chocolate, and crunchy toppings. They’re so simple to make and perfect for parties!
Make the Recipe: Caramel Apple Nachos
Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Truffles
Dark chocolate pumpkin truffles are decadent spiced pumpkin balls dipped in rich, dark chocolate. They’re the perfect no-bake treats this fall!
Make the Recipe: Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Truffles
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Get the Recipes: Favorite Copycat Recipes
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Get the Recipes: Comfort Food Classics
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Get the recipes: Fall Baking Recipes to Make Now
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