Party hosts are always on the look for the next exciting party dish to offer their guests. Maybe our friends have become tired of plain chips and dip, and maybe they’ve had their full of bread bowls. Perhaps you’re having a more formal party and want to serve a mind-blowing dessert. If they’re in for something sweet, you’re in luck because the world is filled with an infinite amount of sweet miniature, easy to make desserts for any type of party.
If you don’t want to go out and buy something from a bakery or grocery store, then you can rejoice since making small, sweet treats is as simple as they are delicious. The best thing about making mini desserts is that you can make a lot of them to go around. Check out this list of the 13 best small-sized desserts to serve at your party.
Mini Cheese Cakes
Cheesecakes are a classic, rich and decadent dessert, perfect for almost any occasion. However, large cheese cakes are full of calories and fats, so eating too much can leave a dinner guest feeling bad about their choices. To solve this problem, we offer you mini cheese cakes: bite-sized pieces of cheese cake with the same richness, but only smaller serving portions. With this, your guests won’t feel guilty having seconds and thirds.
Chocolate and mint macarons
These original Italian mini sandwich cookies are the latest rage in end-of-the-meal dishes. Many restaurants all over the United States dedicate their entire menus to making different flavored macarons. The popularity of this sandwich cookie has exploded over the last couple of years, mainly due to its easy-to-make recipe and customizability. Make your macarons with a classic mix of chocolate and mint flavors that will have your guests asking for more.
Mini chocolate éclairs
Éclairs are made from versatile, double-cooked dough called choux pastry which consists of eggs, flour and water. Anyone can make éclairs with any essences they want (coffee, green tea, and even chocolate), and the cream filling can be spiked with virtually any alcohol. Make mini éclairs using a variety of flavors to give your guests a selection to choose from.
Bite-sized profiteroles
Profiteroles are also made using choux pastry, but the size and shape is what separates them from éclairs and churros. Top the ball-shaped pastry with runny chocolate and powdered sugar for an amazing contrast of white and dark brown. Mound them on a plate and watch your guests hungrily devour the sweet little balls in a hurry.
Lemon tartlets
Nothing beats cutting through a rich dinner than something tart, and nothing does tartness like lemon. Bake your guests their own individual lemon tartlets and watch their reactions to the contrasting tastes of sour and sweet. Top them off with a raspberry or blueberry for the extra “wow” we all hope to get from our friends and family.
Miniature carrot cake
Carrot cake is a classic, healthy-sounding cake with enough sweetness to satisfy any sugar crave. This cake is traditionally topped with a cream cheese frosting or glaze. Make them into bite-sized squares or rectangles for your guests and they’ll definitely enjoy the beautiful look of orange cake and pale cream cheese. The sweetness of the carrot is definitely a game changer in the dessert-world filled to the brim with chocolate, fruits and sugars.
Warm apple crumb
This warm dessert is a mix of smooth, cinnamon apples topped with a crunchy crumble, giving contrasting but complementing texture on the tongue. They crumble can be as crunchy as you’d like, and the whole dish can be spiked with your favorite brandy or wine. Serve to your guests warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Raspberry shooters
Raspberry shooters are a mix of solid raspberry pieces mixed into a raspberry-infused yogurt shot. This sweet and sour dessert shot is definitely an eye-opener and will have your guests reminiscing of the fantastic dinner party you had with a drinkable dinner closer. You’re free to choose whatever berry you want to infuse your yogurt with.
Pecan pie muffins
Who doesn’t love a warm pecan pie from the oven? Imagine making them in muffin form with a crunchy whole pecan nut on top. Add whipped cream or frosting on top and you’ll have yourself a lovely after-dinner muffin. Muffins are made in bundles so make sure you have more than one pecan pie muffin.
Maple cinnamon rolls
Who says cinnamon rolls are a breakfast food? Serve it as an after-dinner sweet to surprise your guests. On top of the classic cream cheese glaze, top it all off with high quality maple sugar to give your guests and extra kick in the taste buds. Make the rolls smaller than you usually would so your guests won’t feel bad about having more than one roll after a large dinner.
Glazed doughnut holes
Your guests may ask you where the doughnut is, and why you’re being so stingy in serving them the doughnut holes? It doesn’t matter what they say, because at the end of the day they will definitely enjoy eating these mini sized hole-less doughnut balls. Cover with a traditional sugar glaze or spike with chocolate and other flavorings to give variety to your dessert.
Truffle cherries
Classic and simple, truffle cherries are essentially whole cherry fruits dipped in melted chocolate and left to set. The contrasting bitterness and sweetness of the chocolate against the sweet and tart cherries is definitely an elegant way to end a dinner party. The best part about this dish is that, although it’s smothered in hardened chocolate, it’s a relatively healthy after-dinner snack made of whole fruit.
Key lime bites
Last but not least, we have another tart dessert to give your guests. Key lime pie is a traditional sour dessert, and you can make them into bite-sized pieces for your guests to enjoy. The meringue topping is the kicker to an already delicious pie.