Easy no-bake desserts?
October 4, 2018 7:11 PM Subscribe
What's your favorite relatively easy no-bake dessert to bring to a party? Been googling but wanted to get the hive mind's input. Caveats: no peanuts please, and I don't have a stand mixer.
Peeled orange slices sprinkled with 1/2 shredded coconut 1/2 white sugar
posted by cfraenkel at 7:22 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by cfraenkel at 7:22 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Banana pudding
posted by raccoon409 at 7:25 PM on October 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by raccoon409 at 7:25 PM on October 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
Best answer: J. Kenji López-Alt’s Ten-Minute Lime Cracker Pie! It has the benefit of being a weird conversation piece since it's made with Ritz crackers.
posted by bcwinters at 7:27 PM on October 4, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by bcwinters at 7:27 PM on October 4, 2018 [7 favorites]
Chocolate covered strawberries, easy to make and people are always impressed. If you want to make them extra fancy core them and fill with sweetened cream cheese.
posted by lepus at 7:36 PM on October 4, 2018 [7 favorites]
posted by lepus at 7:36 PM on October 4, 2018 [7 favorites]
Everyone loves Rice Krispy Treats!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:42 PM on October 4, 2018 [8 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:42 PM on October 4, 2018 [8 favorites]
Nanaimo bars. Not hard but not a 10 minute thing either. So damn tasty.
posted by chasles at 7:42 PM on October 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by chasles at 7:42 PM on October 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
Passionfruit mousse:
1 can sweetened condensed milk with the same amt whipping cream plus 1/4-1/2 cup passionfruit concentrate. Put in blender for 30 seconds and pour into ramekins or shallow serving dish. Chill overnight or a few hours. Serve with mint leaves as garnish...
posted by catywampus at 7:45 PM on October 4, 2018 [6 favorites]
1 can sweetened condensed milk with the same amt whipping cream plus 1/4-1/2 cup passionfruit concentrate. Put in blender for 30 seconds and pour into ramekins or shallow serving dish. Chill overnight or a few hours. Serve with mint leaves as garnish...
posted by catywampus at 7:45 PM on October 4, 2018 [6 favorites]
It may depend on your audience, but I like rum balls. There are many, many recipes out there, but I've done a similar recipe to this (although maybe with more rum and not cream). You can leave out the nuts and use whatever sandwich cookie you'd like (Oreos are easy to find, of course).
posted by darksong at 7:53 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by darksong at 7:53 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Banana cream pie-. Buy a Graham cracker crust or make one. Slice bananas into. Top with instant vanilla pudding (the kind you make with milk). And then top with whipped cream.
Or chocolate trifle. One bite brownies (soak with Bailey's or Kahlua or neither). Top with instant chocolate puddng and canned cherry pie filling . Repeat those 3 layers again. Top with whipped cream.
There's a skor cheese ball that you can google. It's very yummy
Oh and a tiramisu dip here
posted by Ftsqg at 7:54 PM on October 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
Or chocolate trifle. One bite brownies (soak with Bailey's or Kahlua or neither). Top with instant chocolate puddng and canned cherry pie filling . Repeat those 3 layers again. Top with whipped cream.
There's a skor cheese ball that you can google. It's very yummy
Oh and a tiramisu dip here
posted by Ftsqg at 7:54 PM on October 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
Chocolate ganache pie. Honestly so easy that it's not fair. Infinitely variable but you can just go with the basics here for an overview. I like to pipe a layer of sweetened whipped cream onto the ganache after it's set and then chill for another hour before adding the berries; it's a bit less dense and a prettier presentation.
Also great with different types of fruit. Very nice if you sub out the jam for Grand Marnier and the berries for candied orange peel or canned mandarin orange slices. Or omit fruit altogether and try different liqueurs for flavour -- Chambord or creme de menthe are nice. Great with different types of chocolate or different types of crust, or poured into mini-tart shells for individual pies -- one full recipe will net you about eight mini-pies.
posted by halation at 7:56 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Also great with different types of fruit. Very nice if you sub out the jam for Grand Marnier and the berries for candied orange peel or canned mandarin orange slices. Or omit fruit altogether and try different liqueurs for flavour -- Chambord or creme de menthe are nice. Great with different types of chocolate or different types of crust, or poured into mini-tart shells for individual pies -- one full recipe will net you about eight mini-pies.
posted by halation at 7:56 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Rum balls were my go-to dessert-to-pass back when I didn't have a working oven. I can't remember exactly what recipe I used, but this one looks pretty close. There are endless variations out there, so I recommend looking at a bunch of recipes to find one that suits you
(My Italian aunt used to make a delicious version that was, as we used to say, "more rum than ball.")
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:57 PM on October 4, 2018
(My Italian aunt used to make a delicious version that was, as we used to say, "more rum than ball.")
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:57 PM on October 4, 2018
Chocolate ripple cake. While it might be difficult to find the chocolate ripple biscuits in the USA, surely there would be something similar? (Have also had success with ginger nut biscuits.)
Don't cheat and use whipped cream in a can- it won't work. :)
posted by freethefeet at 8:05 PM on October 4, 2018
Don't cheat and use whipped cream in a can- it won't work. :)
posted by freethefeet at 8:05 PM on October 4, 2018
These pots de creme a l'orange are impressive and easy.
posted by knile at 8:10 PM on October 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by knile at 8:10 PM on October 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
A friend makes these figs that are amazing:
Mix ricotta with a little powdered sugar and lemon zest, to taste.
Put a spoonful of the ricotta mixture on top of each dried fig.
Drizzle with lemon juice.
Sometimes she uses rosewater instead of lemon.
They taste like cheesecake. SO GOOD
posted by lollusc at 8:11 PM on October 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
Mix ricotta with a little powdered sugar and lemon zest, to taste.
Put a spoonful of the ricotta mixture on top of each dried fig.
Drizzle with lemon juice.
Sometimes she uses rosewater instead of lemon.
They taste like cheesecake. SO GOOD
posted by lollusc at 8:11 PM on October 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
Paula Deen's Banana Pudding is my go-to pot luck dessert, and it's a hit every time. I wooed my husband with it.
You can do it mixing by hand, but a hand mixer makes it go a lot faster (they're very inexpensive and take up little space in your kitchen). You can lighten it up a bit with low-fat milk and Neufchatel cheese (sold as "Kraft 1/3 less fat cream cheese).
Rum or bourbon balls are also great, although I think of them as more of a winter/holiday snack. I brought them to a New Years party last year and they were a hit. I use Jolie Kerr's recipe, and I've written out the instructions here.
posted by radioamy at 8:36 PM on October 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
You can do it mixing by hand, but a hand mixer makes it go a lot faster (they're very inexpensive and take up little space in your kitchen). You can lighten it up a bit with low-fat milk and Neufchatel cheese (sold as "Kraft 1/3 less fat cream cheese).
Rum or bourbon balls are also great, although I think of them as more of a winter/holiday snack. I brought them to a New Years party last year and they were a hit. I use Jolie Kerr's recipe, and I've written out the instructions here.
posted by radioamy at 8:36 PM on October 4, 2018 [3 favorites]
Berries.
Home-whipped vanilla whipping cream, with _almost no sugar_, on the side.
posted by amtho at 10:56 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Home-whipped vanilla whipping cream, with _almost no sugar_, on the side.
posted by amtho at 10:56 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Argentinian chocotorta is a no-bake Argentinian riff on tiramisu. Super easy.
posted by BeeJiddy at 11:59 PM on October 4, 2018
posted by BeeJiddy at 11:59 PM on October 4, 2018
Lemon posset. Cream, sugar, and fresh lemon juice and zest. The sugar, zest, and cream are simmered together, the juiced added in, and it’s poured into little dishes to be chilled and set. The dish becomes transcendent when made with Meyer lemons.
Serve with a few berries or maybe a crisp cookie.
posted by jenquat at 1:17 AM on October 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
Serve with a few berries or maybe a crisp cookie.
posted by jenquat at 1:17 AM on October 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
My mom always made this and it's pretty good for parties: raspberry pie
You'll need: either angel food cake or Graham cracker crust
A bag of frozen raspberries
A can of sweetened condensed milk
A lemon
Method:
Mix the raspberries with the sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. If serving in crust, pour into crust and refrigerate. If serving over cake, keep chilled in bowl until serving.
Outcome: success in life
posted by toomanycurls at 3:37 AM on October 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
You'll need: either angel food cake or Graham cracker crust
A bag of frozen raspberries
A can of sweetened condensed milk
A lemon
Method:
Mix the raspberries with the sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. If serving in crust, pour into crust and refrigerate. If serving over cake, keep chilled in bowl until serving.
Outcome: success in life
posted by toomanycurls at 3:37 AM on October 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
Striped Delight!
It is layers of cookie crumbs, cream cheese, chocolate pudding and whipped topping.
posted by fourpotatoes at 6:00 AM on October 5, 2018
It is layers of cookie crumbs, cream cheese, chocolate pudding and whipped topping.
posted by fourpotatoes at 6:00 AM on October 5, 2018
Best answer: Not just any rice krispie treats - these salted brown butter rice krispie treats. If you're feeling really adventurous, toss in a few tablespoons of bourbon with the melted marshmallows.
posted by thejanna at 8:07 AM on October 5, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by thejanna at 8:07 AM on October 5, 2018 [4 favorites]
I will echo the others recommending Paula Deen's banana pudding. I replace the Cool Whip with plain homemade whipped cream because I hate Cool Whip and I think it's already beyond sweet with the plain whipped cream. I also top the pudding with crumbled cookie pieces.
It is sublime. People have fought over it.
posted by rachaelfaith at 10:01 AM on October 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
It is sublime. People have fought over it.
posted by rachaelfaith at 10:01 AM on October 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
Trifle. A layer of cake (dry ra rather than moist) drizzled with 4+ tbs dry sherry, frozen raspberries or othe fruit on top, followed by a layer of vanilla pudding, and topped with a couple inches or more of real whipped cream. Layer in a deep glass bowl, and impress everybody.
posted by Enid Lareg at 6:33 PM on October 5, 2018
posted by Enid Lareg at 6:33 PM on October 5, 2018
Fudge is also a nice option. Grandma made it on the stove top, but you can also make it in the microwave. It's another dish with many possible variations.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:00 PM on October 5, 2018
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:00 PM on October 5, 2018
Forgot to add that I used to make it in paper or foil muffin cups when taking it to a party.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 12:12 AM on October 6, 2018
posted by The Underpants Monster at 12:12 AM on October 6, 2018
These pots de creme a l'orange are impressive and easy.
posted by knile at 8:10 PM on October 4 [2 favorites −] [!]
Came in to say I tried this recipe and it was very easy and delicious
posted by mumimor at 12:11 PM on October 8, 2018
posted by knile at 8:10 PM on October 4 [2 favorites −] [!]
Came in to say I tried this recipe and it was very easy and delicious
posted by mumimor at 12:11 PM on October 8, 2018
Response by poster: Thanks everyone! I ended up making this Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse, and it was a big hit. But there are so many recipes I’m going to try out from this thread! The Lime Cracker Pie looks particularly delicious.
posted by cozenedindigo at 3:34 PM on October 14, 2018
posted by cozenedindigo at 3:34 PM on October 14, 2018
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posted by TWinbrook8 at 7:16 PM on October 4, 2018 [2 favorites]