Don't visit a nursing home empty-handed! From fudgy brownies to melt-in-your-mouth muffins, we've rounded up some of the best homemade treats to brighten a loved one's day.
39 Recipes to Bring When You Visit a Nursing Home
Updated Feb. 15, 2024
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Hummingbird Cupcakes
Turn the traditional hummingbird cake—flavored with pineapple, bananas and walnuts—into a bite-sized treat with these moist cupcakes. —Jessie Oleson, Santa Fe, New Mexico
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Sugar Cookies
Think sugar cookies are just for the holidays? Think again! Learn how to make sugar cookies from scratch that you can enjoy all year long.
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Cake Mix Brownies
No brownie mix in the cupboard? No problem! These rich and fudgy cake mix brownies are made with a different set of pantry items: cake mix and instant pudding mix.
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Cranberry Muffins
This contest-winning recipe for cranberry muffins showcases fresh cranberries with warm spices and a bright hint of orange zest. Ready in just 35 minutes, these muffins make a perfect breakfast or midday snack.
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Strawberry Oatmeal Bars
Made from a few simple ingredients, these sweet and buttery strawberry oatmeal bars are a cinch to make.
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Cranberry Orange Scones
Cranberry orange scones are a decadent breakfast pastry. Add a bit of orange marmalade-infused butter on the side with a still warm scone. Heavenly.
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Jumbo Caramel Banana Muffins
Love banana bread? These flavorful muffins, drizzled with sweet caramel icing, will fit the bill in a big way. —Katherine McClelland, Deep Brook, Nova Scotia
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Peanut Butter Brownie Bars
A brownie mix base makes this a simple treat that will appeal to adults and children alike. Creamy peanut butter, crunchy nuts and crisp cereal make the bars fun to bite into. —Radelle Knappenberger, Oviedo, Florida
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Butter Pecan Fudge
Toasted pecans add a nutty crunch to this creamy fudge, perfect for holiday giving. People always seem to rave about its wonderful caramel flavor. —Pam Smith, Alta Loma, California
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Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
Everyone who tries these beloved gems is amazed that they use only five ingredients. Baking cookies doesn't get much easier than this. —Dee Davis, Sun City, Arizona
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Chocolate Chip Blondies
These chocolate chip blondies are a comforting treat that's ready in just 30 minutes. Meet your new go-to potluck dessert!
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Pistachio Cranberry Bark
I picked up this bark recipe at a Christmas sweets swap hosted by a woman in my Bible study group. My family, friends and I think it's just divine. Even my dad, who's not big on candy, loves it. —Susan Wacek, Pleasanton, California
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Pumpkin-Apple Muffins with Streusel Topping
My mother always made these tasty muffins whenever our family got together at her house. Now they’re a family favorite at my house, and my in-laws love them, too! —Carolyn Riley, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
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Easy Lemon Bars
Easy lemon bars are one of those trusty desserts you can always count on to taste good, and they're easier to make than they look. Just make a thin crust, add a layer of homemade lemon filling and enjoy a refreshing treat.
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Big Soft Ginger Cookies
These ginger cookies are soft, easy to make and loaded with the flavors of fall.
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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
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Buttermilk Chocolate Cupcakes
Good any time of the year, a chocolate cupcake recipe make a great get-up-and-go treat on busy summer days. These buttermilk chocolate cupcakes have been a frosted favorite with family and friends for at least 35 years. They're really popular at bake sales. —Ellen Moore, Springfield, New Hampshire
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Chewy Honey Granola Bars
There's sweetness from the honey, chewiness from the raisins, hints of chocolate and cinnamon, and a bit of crunch. To save a few for later, wrap individual bars and place in a resealable freezer container. When you want a satisfying treat on short notice, just grab one and let it thaw for a few minutes. —Tasha Lehman, Williston, Vermont
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Caramel-Pecan Dream Bars
These ooey-gooey cake bars that pull ever so gently from the pan and hold a firm cut are a baker’s dream come true. —Cay Keppers, Nisswa, Minnesota
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Cinnamon Chip Scones
These scones will melt in your mouth. They’re delicious hot, warm or even cold! —Barbara Humiston, Tampa, Florida
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Blueberry Lemon Muffins
Our blueberry lemon muffins, with pops of juicy blueberries and a bright zip of citrus, are for lovers of treats both sweet and tart.
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Buttery Coconut Bars
My coconut bars are an American version of a Filipino coconut cake called bibingka. These are a crispier, sweeter take on the Christmas tradition I grew up with. —Denise Nyland, Panama City, Florida
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Vanilla Wafers
This easy recipe for vanilla wafers creates buttery cookies that are equally chewy and crispy. Our seven-ingredient recipe yields more than three dozen cookies in only 35 minutes.
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Fudgy Oat Brownies
These cakelike brownies have a rich, crunchy oat crust and a smooth homemade chocolate frosting. A packaged brownie mix makes the recipe easy to prepare. You can make it even easier by using canned frosting. —Diana Otterson, Canandaigua, New York
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Apricot Bars
This contest-winning apricot bars recipe is just the thing for snacks, special gatherings, desserts, you name it! Apricot preserves provide the fruit flavor, while shredded coconut and chopped walnuts make them even more delicious. It's incredibly easy to make these as well, and they freeze well so you can save some for later. Enjoy!
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Black-Bottom Cupcakes
Black-bottom cupcakes are the kind of treat that disappears quickly. Between the moist chocolate cupcake and the rich cream cheese filling, everyone will want seconds.
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Oreo Fudge
This cookies and cream fudge combines the creamy sweetness of white chocolate with the crunchy texture of Oreo cookies. Make this Oreo fudge recipe for dessert or use it to create edible gifts.
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Carrot Cake Cookies
Carrot cake cookies combine the classic flavors of carrot cake in a hand-held spiced treat. Shredded carrots, crushed pineapple and a tangy cream cheese frosting are the not-so-secret ingredients.
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Zucchini Cupcakes
I asked my grandmother for this recipe after trying these irresistible spice cupcakes at her home. I love their creamy caramel frosting. They're such a scrumptious dessert, you actually forget you're eating your vegetables, too! —Virginia Lapierre, Greensboro Bend, Vermont
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Lemon Tea Cookies
These sandwich cookies taste rich and buttery and have a lovely lemon filling. The recipe has been in our family since the 1950s, when my mother got it from a French friend in her club. —Phyllis Dietz, Westland, Michigan
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Heart-Shaped Cookies
The delicate texture and rich flavor of these heart-shaped cookies make them extra special. As with any cutout cookie, baking them takes a few extra steps, but they're worth it.
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Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Embrace the flavors of fall with pumpkin whoopie pies. Our recipe combines spiced pumpkin cookies with a fluffy cream filling for a seasonal dessert appropriate for autumn gatherings and Halloween parties.
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Raspberry White Chocolate Bars
A co-worker's mother gave me this gem of a recipe a few years back. I can never decide what's more appealing—the attractive look of the bars or their incredible aroma while they're baking! Everyone who tries these asks for the recipe. —Mimi Priesman, Pace, Florida
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Grandma Brubaker's Orange Cookies
At least two generations of my family have enjoyed the recipe for these light, delicate orange-flavored cookies. —Sheri DeBolt, Huntington, Indiana
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Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blondies
I converted these blondies to be gluten free so that my family could enjoy a comforting dessert. We were craving brownies one night, and these cakelike treats hit the spot. They are a fantastic spin on gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. —Becky Klope, Loudonville, New York
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Scottish Shortbread Cookies
This simple three-ingredient shortbread cookie recipe makes wonderfully rich, tender cookies. Serve them with fresh berries of the season for a nice, light dessert. You'll get miles of smiles when friends see these at an afternoon tea or a bridal shower. —Marlene Hellickson, Big Bear City, California
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Almond Cherry Fudge
Cooked in the microwave, this fast fudge is a sweet addition to any holiday gathering. I make it when I need a quick treat for a school party or to take to a neighbor. —Shellie Tucker, Hendersonvlle, Tennessee
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Pecan Caramel Candies
Salty and sweet, these candies are the perfect little snack. Form a kitchen assembly line with your kids, and the making becomes just as fun as the eating. —Julie Wemhoff, Angola, IndianaOriginally Published: February 04, 2019
