39 Funeral Desserts To Console Loved Ones

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Crispy Bars

To make a dairy-free dessert, I created chocolate peanutty bars. My friends gobble them up. —Dawn Pasco, Overland Park, Kansas

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Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

I received this recipe from a minister's wife, and my family loves it. —Brenda Jackson, Garden City, Kansas

Chocolate-Hazelnut Magic Bars

This hazelnut bar recipe puts a Nutella spin on the classic magic bar! Drizzle melted Nutella spread on top for extra flair. —James Schend, Dairy Freed

Giant Molasses Cookies

My family always requests these soft molasses cookies. These chewy cookies are also great for shipping as holiday gifts or to troops overseas. —Kristine Chayes, Smithtown, New York

Million-Dollar Pound Cake

We’ve always included pound cake on our family menus. Through the years I’ve tried many recipes, and I can honestly say this million-dollar pound cake is the best! It has a very fine, rich texture that makes it unusually smooth. That texture, plus fantastic flavor, makes this pound cake a special treat each time we serve it. —George Dunn, Jasper, Texas

Easy Pecan Pie Bars

I'm always searching for fast and easy recipes to take to the teachers lounge. The staff goes nuts for these shortcut pecan pie bars. —Kathro Yoder, Defiance, Ohio

Chocolate Mint Creams

This recipe came from an old family friend and is always high on everyone’s cookie request list. I make at least six batches a year and give some away as gifts. —Beverly Fehner, Gladstone, Missouri

Mixed Nut Bars

One pan of these bars goes a long way. They get a nice flavor from butterscotch chips. —Bobbi Brown, Waupaca, Wisconsin

Moist Chocolate Cake

This moist chocolate cake recipe with coffee reminds me of my grandmother because it was one of her specialties. I bake it often for family parties, and it always brings back fond memories. The cake is light and airy with a delicious chocolate taste. This recipe is a keeper! —Patricia Kreitz, Richland, Pennsylvania

Dutch Apple Pie Tartlets

These adorable mini apple pie pastries make a delightful addition to a dessert buffet or snack tray. The recipe calls for convenient frozen phyllo shells, so they're surprisingly easy to prepare. The lemon curd filling adds a unique flavor twist. —Mary Ann Lee, Clifton Park, New York

Cashew Baklava

I always wanted to make Baklava, but it seemed like so much work. The son of my neighbor’s friend showed us both how to make it…it’s really quite easy and so delicious. I like to mix up the nuts in the filling and use walnut, cashews or pecans.—Lorraine Caland, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Cake Mix Brownies

These cake mix brownies are a mashup of two of my favorite desserts. A woman I worked with gave me a recipe for chocolate caramel brownies, and I had a recipe for yellow cake mix bars. I wondered what they would taste like together, so I tried it. I’ve been making them ever since! —Staci Mergenthal, Verdi, Minnesota

Classic Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

This pineapple upside-down cake is a classic recipe that never goes out of style! It’s delicious with the traditional pineapple, but try it with peaches or a combination of cranberries and orange. —Bernardine Melton, Paola, Kansas

Peanut Butter Chocolate Poke Cake

When my family is planning a get-together, I can count on three or four people to ask if I'm bringing this dessert. If you don't have a chocolate cake mix, use a white or yellow one and stir in 3 tablespoons baking cocoa. —Fay Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas

Gooey Butter Cake

A friend gave me a quick version of this gooey butter cake recipe using a cake mix, but I prefer baking from scratch, so I came up with my own. My family can’t get enough! The middle will sink a little; this is normal. This dessert is delicious served warm or cold. —Cheri Foster, Vail, Arizona

Zucchini Walnut Cake

What gardener doesn’t have extra zucchini? When it is abundant, I shred and freeze plenty so I have it on hand to bake this moist zucchini cake with walnuts all year long. The cream cheese frosting is yummy, and the big panful always goes fast at a picnic or potluck. —Marie Hoyer, Hodgenville, Kentucky

Old-Fashioned Molasses Cake

This old-time spice cake is lower in fat but big on flavor. Serve it warm for breakfast on a frosty morning or have a square with hot cider on a snowy afternoon. It’s a great cold-weather treat. —Deanne Bagley, Bath, New York

Citrus Mini Cakes

These moist, bite-sized muffins are melt-in-your-mouth good. With their appealing look, they really dress up a party table. The recipe makes a big batch, so there’s plenty to please a crowd. —Linda Terrell of Palatka, Florida

Dark Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding

Croissants make an incredible base for this rich, chocolaty bread pudding. I prefer dark chocolate, but semisweet or white chocolate work too. Garnish with your favorite nuts. —Jennifer Tidwell, Fair Oaks, California

Easy Pistachio Tube Cake

Mixes make this light cake easy, and a fluted tube pan gets it celebration-ready. Go for the pistachios on top—the extra crunch is worth it. —Dina Crowell, Fredericksburg, Virginia

Raspberry Almond Strips

Get ready to pour yourself a cup of tea, because you won’t be able to resist sampling one of these cookies. Almonds add taste and texture to the simple strips that are dressed up with raspberry pie filling. —Taste of HomeTest Kitchen

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

Almond-Coconut Lemon Bars

Give traditional lemon bars a tasty twist with the addition of almonds and coconut. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Neapolitan Cake

I received this easy Neapolitan cake recipe from a friend. It’s a pretty cake for birthday parties. I like to add some strawberry extract to the pink portion of the batter. —Marianne Waldman, Brimfield, Illinois

Chewy Salted Peanut Bars

My rich bars are studded with the all-American peanut. I like to think famed peanut farmer Jimmy Carter would approve. —Ann Marie Heinz, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

When I baked this moist, fudgy chocolate crinkle cookie recipe for the first time, my three preschool children went wild over them! But I like them because they're lower in fat and easy to mix and bake. —Maria Groff, Ephrata, Pennsylvania

Madeira Cake

This classic British Madeira cake is often served with Madeira wine, which is how it got its name. Similar to a pound cake, it is commonly flavored with lemon and can also be served with tea or other sweet liqueurs. —Peggy Woodward, Shullsburg, Wisconsin

Chocolate Malted Cookies

These cookies are the next best thing to a good old-fashioned malted milk. With malted milk powder, chocolate syrup, and chocolate chips and chunks, these are the best cookies I’ve ever tasted…and with six kids, I’ve made a lot of cookies over the years! —Teri Rasey, Cadillac, Michigan

Pecan Kringle Sticks

My family loves that the kringle is flaky and not too sweet—it just melts in your mouth. This makes a beautiful presentation on a cookie platter along with other holiday sweets. —Connie Vjestica, Brookfield, Illinois

Chocolate Oat Squares

When you bring these treats to a gathering, guests will be tempted to start at the dessert table. Chock-full of chocolate and walnuts, they will satisfy any sweet tooth. I often make a second batch just for my family.
-Jennifer Eilts, Central City, Nebraska

Aunt Lou's Fresh Apple Cake

My Great-Aunt Lou made a luscious fresh apple cake recipe that became a family tradition. My mom makes it for our annual beach trip to the Outer Banks. —Cristy King, Scott Depot, West Virginia

Tuscan Sun Orange Cranberry Cake

This recipe came to be through much trial and error. Growing up, my family used farina flour in desserts, and I thought it would lend a nice texture to this cake. It’s an old-world Italian-style cake, delicious but not too sweet. The orange-cranberry combination is perfect! —Ninette Holbrook, Orlando, Florida

Banana Brownies

This recipe comes from my Grandma Schlientz. Any time there are ripe bananas around our house, it’s banana brownie time! People are always surprised to learn bananas are the secret ingredient. —Christine Mol, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Peach Cobbler Dump Cake

This is one of the best peach dump cake recipes in the world. It's sweet, tender cake with a beautifully crisp cobbler topping. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side, and dessert's golden. —Keri Sparks, Little Elm, Texas

Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

I make these banana bars with cream cheese frosting whenever I have ripe bananas on hand, then store them in the freezer to share later. With creamy frosting and big banana flavor, this treat is a real crowd-pleaser. —Debbie Knight, Marion, Iowa

Lemon Raspberry Buckle

I've given a fresh summery twist to the classic blueberry buckle everyone loves by swapping out the blueberries for raspberries (my favorite) and adding sweet and tart lemon curd. This berry buckle cake recipe tastes great with vanilla ice cream! —Jenna Fleming, Lowville, New York

Lemony Coconut Macaroons

These chewy gems have refreshing lemon flavor. They freeze well and thaw easily in the fridge, so you can cure a craving anytime. —Karla Johnson, East Helena, Montana

Chocolate Syrup Brownies

These chocolate syrup brownies are a favorite for summer picnics. I received the recipe from a dear friend many years ago, and I still make it at least once a month. Whenever I’m asked to bring a dessert to an outing or I want to send a treat to a neighbor or friend, I prepare these wonderful bars. —Goldie Hanke, Tomahawk, Wisconsin

Lemon Berry Dump Cake

This sweet-tart cake recipe is so much fun to make with my grandkids. They love just "dumping it all in" and watching it magically become a pretty, delicious dessert. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada