Home Recipes Cooking Style Baking
ByAly Prouty
Taste of Home's Editorial Process
Updated: Apr. 24, 2024
The times may have changed, but these old-school bake sale desserts will always be a hit. Don't blink—they sell fast!
1/39
Date-Nut Honey Bars
The flavor combination here reminds me of baklava—without the hours of work! These bars are perfect for holiday gifts, party platters and bake sales. They never fail to impress. —Anna Wood, Cullowhee, North Carolina. Check out our fantastic fall bake sale ideas.
Go to Recipe
2/39
Ultimate Fudgy Brownies
Coffee granules enhance the chocolate flavor in these amazingly fudgy brownies. Add chocolate chips to the batter and you’ve got some seriously irresistible treats. —Sarah Farmer, Waukesha, Wisconsin
Go to Recipe
3/39
Martha Washington Candy
Passed down by my grandmother and mother, this Martha Washington candy recipe is a cherished family tradition. We've even had each grandchild and great-grandchild take a turn stirring the candy mixture! —Cindi Boger, Ardmore, Alabama
Go to Recipe
4/39
Lemon Cream Cupcakes
Instead of a layer cake, serve guests these delicate cupcakes tinged with a tangy lemon flavor. —Ruth Ann Stelfox, Raymond, Alberta
Go to Recipe
5/39
Cherry Coconut Treats
My great-grandmother created this recipe more than 100 years ago, so these tasty bites have appeared at many family parties. If you're preparing these for the holidays, make them festive by using both red and green maraschino cherries. —Anne Mullen, Windsor, Ontario
Go to Recipe
6/39
Orange-Pistachio Divinity
Old-fashioned divinity candy is even yummier with a hint of refreshing orange zest and bits of crunchy pistachios. Store-bought versions just can’t compare! —Lorri Reinhardt, Big Bend, Wisconsin
Go to Recipe
7/39
Grandma's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
This is our family's very favorite cookie recipe. I've never tasted any like it! The oatmeal raisin cookies freeze well, too. —Susanne Spicker, North Ogden, Utah
Go to Recipe
8/39
Banana Split Brownies
How’s this for a dish? All the joy of a banana split without the mess. Everything in this recipe fits into one pan of delectable brownie bars. —Constance Sheckler, Chestertown, Maryland
Go to Recipe
9/39
Peanut Butter Snowballs
This recipe for peanut butter ball cookies is a nice change from the typical milk chocolate and peanut butter combination. I once prepared them for a bake sale at my granddaughter's school, and I've also put them in gift boxes to share with neighbors at Christmas. —Wanda Regula, Birmingham, Michigan
10/39
Peanut Butter Cookie Cups
I’m a busy schoolteacher and pastor’s wife and I wouldn’t dare show my face at a church dinner or bake sale without some of these tempting peanut butter treats. They’re quick and easy to make and always a hit. —Kristi Tackett, Banner, Kentucky
Go to Recipe
11/39
Chunky Blond Brownies
Every bite of these chewy blondies is packed with chunks of white and semisweet chocolate and macadamia nuts. It's a potluck offering that stands out. —Rosemary Dreiske, Lemmon, South Dakota
Go to Recipe
12/39
Grandma's Sugar Cookies
We bake these cookies for holidays and other special occasions. The recipe is one of my great-grandmother's that I received years ago from one of my great-aunts. —Kristy Deloach, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Go to Recipe
13/39
Cream Cheese Chocolate Cupcakes
Smooth cream cheese inside makes these cupcakes so rich. The classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate chips comes through in every yummy bite. You'll be asked to make them again and again. —Shirley Dunbar, Mojave, California
Go to Recipe
14/39
Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
My son loves these vanilla bean cupcakes! Flecks of vanilla bean in the moist, tender cupcakes give them special-occasion status. —Alysha Braun, St. Catharines, Ontario
Go to Recipe
15/39
Ribbon Fantasy Fudge
I developed this recipe especially for my husband, who likes anything that has chocolate and peanut butter together!
Go to Recipe
16/39
Layered Chocolate Marshmallow Peanut Butter Brownies
A friend gave me the recipe for these layered brownies, but I added my own touch--chunky peanut butter. Every time I take these to a group gathering, I get requests for the recipe. It's a real crowd-pleaser! —Judy Sims, Weatherford, Texas
Go to Recipe
17/39
Chocolate-Glazed Brownies
These moist and fudgy squares are bursting with such rich chocolate flavor, you’d never know they’re low in fat. They’re ideal for taking to bake sales and family gatherings. For holidays, I like to dress them up with colorful candy sprinkles. —Deb Anderson, Joplin, Missouri
Go to Recipe
18/39
Peanut Butter Oatmeal-Chip Cookies
These chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cookies are my husband's favorite, my classes' favorite, my colleagues' favorite and frankly my favorite, too. They're just plain yummy! This recipe also makes about 11 dozen...bake sale, here we come. —Dana Chew, Okemah, Oklahoma
Go to Recipe
19/39
Marvelous Maple Fudge
Use this delicious, easy recipe for potlucks, large family gatherings or bake sales. Line your pan with foil to make removing the fudge a breeze. —Jeannie Gallant, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Go to Recipe
20/39
Grandma's Star Cookies
My husband's grandma would make these butter cutouts only with a star cookie cutter. I use various shapes for celebrations throughout the year. —Jenny Brown, West Lafayette, Indiana
Go to Recipe
21/39
Strawberry Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting
Fresh strawberries are full of water, so they have a tendency to weigh down cake batters and make soggy cakes. That’s why these strawberry cupcakes rely on strawberry jam or preserves. The concentrated flavor is just right for light and tender cupcakes. —Lisa Kaminski, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
Go to Recipe
22/39
Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
My mother insisted that my grandmother write down one recipe for her when Mom got married in 1942: the how to make peanut butter cookies from scratch recipe. That was a real effort because Grandma was a traditional pioneer-type cook who used a little of this or that until it felt right. This treasured recipe is the only one she ever wrote down! —Janet Hall, Clinton, Wisconsin
Go to Recipe
23/39
Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
Everyone gets a kick out of this fun take on the popular red velvet cake. Take a shortcut and use packaged cream cheese frosting for the filling. —Judi Dexheimer, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Go to Recipe
24/39
Marzipan Cups with Currant Jelly
These bite-size beauties look and taste gourmet, but they're easy to make and boast a delicate almond flavor. The hidden jelly surprise and pretty nut accent make them a nice addition to any treats tray. You can make them in advance and freeze them for up to three months, if you like. —Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario
Go to Recipe
25/39
Orange-Chip Cranberry Bread
Tart berries, crunchy nuts and sweet chocolate are simply scrumptious when mixed together in this easy quick bread. Sometimes I'll top it off with an orange-flavored glaze. —Donna Smith, Fairport, New York
Go to Recipe
26/39
Crunchy Candy Clusters
These cereal and marshmallow clusters are so simple that I make them for the holidays each year, as my family looks forward to them. —Faye O'Bryan, Owensboro, Kentucky
Go to Recipe
27/39
Nana's Rocky Road Fudge
We make rocky road-style fudge every Christmas, but why wait until the holidays for a recipe this good? —Ashley Berry, Montgomery Village, Maryland
Go to Recipe
28/39
Aunt Ione's Icebox Cookies
Whenever we went to visit my Aunt Ione in south Georgia, her icebox cookies were our favorite treat. My mother later make these cookies, and I remember begging for a slice of the raw dough—I thought the unbaked cookies tasted just as great as the baked! —Jenny Hill, Meridianville, Alabama
Go to Recipe
29/39
Saltine Toffee Bark
Everyone loves these salty-sweet treasures—their flavor is simply irresistible. The bark is like brittle, but better. Get ready for a new family favorite! —Laura Cox, Brewster, Massachusetts
Go to Recipe
30/39
Cream Cheese Cookie Cups
Need a quick dessert? Try these yummy cookie bites. For a pretty look, use an icing bag to pipe the filling into the cups, then top each with mini M&M's. —Rachel Blackston, Mauk, Georgia
Go to Recipe
31/39
Crispy Pretzel Bars
I often make a big batch of these peanut butter-flavored cereal bars on days that I don't want to heat up the kitchen. Kids especially love them, so they're great for picnics, potlucks and school bake sales. —Jane Thompson, Eureka, Illinois
Go to Recipe
32/39
33/39
Apple Pie Bites
These apple pie bites are fun for kids to make. Simply wrap strips of pastry around apple wedges and shake on some cinnamon-sugar. Then just bake and watch them disappear! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Go to Recipe
34/39
Peanut Butter Popcorn Balls
Friends and family are always happy to receive these tasty peanut butter popcorn balls. I love making them as well as eating them! —Betty Claycomb, Alverton, Pennsylvania
Go to Recipe
35/39
Banana Bread
Whenever I pass a display of bananas in the grocery store, I can almost smell the wonderful aroma of my best banana bread recipe. It really is amazingly good! —Gert Kaiser, Kenosha, Wisconsin
Go to Recipe
36/39
Chocolate Snowballs
This is my favorite Christmas cookie recipe. The cookies remind me of the snowballs I packed as a child during many cold Wisconsin winters. —Dee Derezinski, Waukesha, Wisconsin
Go to Recipe
37/39
Chocolate-Raspberry Whoopie Pies
I’ve saved this jam-filled whoopie pie recipe for years after cutting it out of a newspaper. It’s one of my grandson's personal favorites. —Nancy Foust, Stoneboro, Pennsylvania
Go to Recipe
38/39
Strawberry Shortcake
I grew up helping my mom make a lot in our farmhouse kitchen; strawberry shortcakes, roasts, soups and pies. This sunny strawberry shortcake recipe brings back memories of family summers on the farm. —Janet Becker, Anacortes, Washington
Go to Recipe
39/39
Lemon Blueberry Bread
Of all the quick breads we had growing up, this beautiful lemon blueberry bread is the best! The citrus glaze adds a lustrous finish and locks in moisture. —Julianne Johnson, Grove City, Minnesota
Go to Recipe
Originally Published: July 31, 2019
Author
Aly Prouty
Aly is a writer for one of her favorite publications, Taste of Home. When she isn't delving into delicious recipes she's most likely tap dancing, snapping photos or planning her next Girl Scout troop meeting.
Read More