45 Make-Ahead Dessert Recipes That Make Hosting Easier Than Ever
Creamy Peach Icebox Cake
Recipe: Creamy Peach Icebox Cake
You only need a handful of ingredients to put this impressive-looking cake together.
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Gingerbread Cheesecake with Lemon-Ginger Glaze
Recipe: Gingerbread Cheesecake with Lemon-Ginger Glaze
This beautiful cheesecake combines festive gingerbread with bright lemon for a holiday dessert that’s totally new. Not only does the cheesecake need to chill for at least eight hours, but the glaze can be made up to two days in advance, so you can make this recipe piece by piece leading up to your Christmas dinner.
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Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
Recipe: Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
Cake mix cookies? Count us in! The higher oil content in these cookies helps them save better than other recipes.
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Chocolate-Coconut Pavlova Cake
Recipe: Chocolate-Coconut Pavlova Cake
If you have family with dairy sensitivities or allergies, they’ll be amazed that this stunner is actually dairy-free.
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Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls
Recipe: Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls
Bourbon balls are an amazing cocktail party dessert that guests can grab and go as they please without stopping to cut a slice of cake or requiring you to clean dessert spoons once the party is over. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week or frozen for as long as you need.
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Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Recipe: Banana Pudding Poke Cake
It’s preferred for this moist cake to be chilled overnight for the best results, so it’s the perfect big-batch way to make banana pudding ahead.
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Crème Brûlée Cheesecake
Recipe: Crème Brûlée Cheesecake
This elegant cheesecake will wow dinner guests with its presentation, and you can get it done the night before and let it chill overnight before finishing off the gorgeous caramelized top.
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Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines
Recipe: Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines
This New Orleans favorite treat is a go-to food gift during the holidays, and it can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.
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Fresh Peach Ice Cream
Recipe: Fresh Peach Ice Cream
There’s nothing better than a bowl of homemade ice cream on a steaming summer day, and with this easy recipe, you can have it at the ready all season long.
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Luscious Lemon Bars
Recipe: Luscious Lemon Bars
Classic lemon squares are a luncheon staple, and this recipe can be stored in the freezer for up to one month for every last-minute drop-by.
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Chocolate Parfaits
Recipe: Chocolate Parfaits
This simple layered dessert is perfect for when the kids have company, as everyone gets the same portion and it’s easy to make ahead.
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Tres Leches Cake
Recipe: Tres Leches Cake
This luscious cake needs ample time to chill to soak up all three milks in the recipe, so your only option is to make it ahead, which helps out the day of your party.
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Mamie Eisenhower’s Chocolate Fudge
Recipe: Mamie Eisenhower’s Chocolate Fudge
This vintage fudge recipe has been a go-to of Southern cooks for decades, and it keeps for up to two weeks, so it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
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Crunchy Pecan Pie Bites
Recipe: Crunchy Pecan Pie Bites
This adorable mini dessert is easy for cocktail parties or gift-giving during the holidays.
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Oreo Cheesecake
Recipe: Oreo Cheesecake
This kid-friendly cake will bring back a wave of nostalgia for adults, too.
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Red Velvet Ice-Cream Cake
Recipe: Red Velvet Ice-Cream Cake
When topped with fresh blueberries, this chilled dessert is ready for your Fourth of July celebration. Your family will be incredibly impressed when you show up with this layered stunner.
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Caramel-Pecan-Pumpkin Bread Puddings
Recipe: Caramel-Pecan-Pumpkin Bread Puddings
This comforting bread pudding has all of your favorite fall flavors, and it can be made in individual ramekins or your trusty 13x9 dish.
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Salty-Sweet Nut Brittle
Recipe: Salty-Sweet Nut Brittle
This holiday staple can be stored for up to two weeks, so you can have it on hand for any last-minute gift needs.
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Orange-Buttermilk Trifle
Recipe: Orange-Buttermilk Trifle
Every element of this impressive-looking trifle can be made in advance, so you can work on it little by little the week of your dinner party.
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Cappuccino Swirl Bars
Recipe: Cappuccino Swirl Bars
These layered bars look and taste fancier than they are to make, and they can be refrigerated for up to three days before you have the girls over to enjoy them.
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Vanilla Macarons
Recipe: Vanilla Macarons
A tip from the Test Kitchen: Macarons are actually best the day after assembly, so they’ll save you time and taste even more delicious the next day.
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Key Lime Icebox Cake
Recipe: Key Lime Icebox Cake
Southerners have been turning to icebox cakes and pies for decades when they’re in need of a no-cook, make-ahead dessert that will feed a crowd, and this is one of our best.
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Salted Butter-Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Recipe: Salted Butter-Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Make this yummy fall cookie dough up to two days in advance and bake it the day of your get-together so your house smells amazing.
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Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Recipe: Banana Pudding Cheesecake
Packed with all the traditional flavors of banana pudding, this dreamy cheesecake will both impress and delight your crowd.
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Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
Recipe: Cookies-and-Cream Ice Cream
A scoop of homemade ice cream adds the most delicious personal touch to any dessert.
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Apple Stack Cake
Recipe: Apple Stack Cake
Because this gorgeous cake needs to “ripen” for two to three days before serving, you have no choice but to make it ahead. This stunner is a labor of love, but the payoff is unreal.
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Rebecca's Black Bottom Icebox Pie
Recipe: Rebecca’s Black Bottom Icebox Pie
Chill this decadent chocolate pie for at least eight and up to 24 hours before adding the whipped topping and serving to hungry guests.
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Peach Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel
Recipe: Peach Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel
You might think of bread pudding as a cold-weather treat, but fresh summer peaches bring it right into the season.
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Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies
Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies
Chef Damaris Phillips shared this sweet recipe with us (the first one she ever wrote!). To be sure no sweet tooth goes without tending to, this dough can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for one week or the freezer for six.
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Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
Recipe: Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
A cake made with layers of ice cream sandwiches says one thing and one thing only: Let’s celebrate! (No occasion required.)
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Rum Balls
Recipe: Rum Balls
This boozy confection first appeared in our December 1993 issue, and it’s been popping up on dessert tables and in gift boxes ever since. They keep in the refrigerator for up to one month, so have a stash handy throughout the holidays for drop-by guests.