Recipe Roundup

37 Bake Sale Ideas That’ll Sell Out In a Snap

Expect crowds to gather when you show up to the fundraiser with one of these showstopping sweet (and savory) bakes.
Pumpkin whoopie pies with candied pecans in the filling.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Mira Evnine

Bake sale prep requires a bit of strategy. It may not be the time to show off your layer cake skills; you want to be able to hand out individual portions without getting frosting on your fingers. And you do want a lot of portions: the best bake sale recipes scale easily and produce large batches without too much effort. Still, you want to show up with treats that will draw long lines: standout spins on classic cookies, exceptionally buttery, flaky scones, and baked goods that’ll keep for a bit in case your customers aren’t devouring all their purchases on the spot. Scroll down for a few guaranteed hits, including our newest staff-favorite cookie bars and the ultimate cinnamon buns.

  • A plate of morning glory muffins with a cup of tea.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele
    1/37

    Morning Glory Muffins

    There are folks who come to a bake sale looking for dessert, and others who need a little breakfast first. These Morning Glory muffins are packed with crushed pineapple, shredded carrot and apple, toasted pecans, and coconut. They’re everything you’ve always loved about the late-’70s muffin, polished up and balanced for today’s taste.

    Get This Recipe
  • Mini apple pie cookies with a diced apple filling revealed through a windowpane crust.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog
    2/37

    Apple Pie Cookies

    Lean into fall baking with these adorable sweets, which pack all the flavors of classic apple pie into a portable, handheld package.

    Get This Recipe
  • Cookie bars made with semisweet chocolate chips.
    Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Mira Evnine
    3/37

    Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

    Requiring just 10 minutes of active prep time, these nostalgic bars offer the ideal chewy-soft texture and just-right sweet and salty balance.

    Get This Recipe
  • Image may contain Food Dessert Cream Cake Icing Creme Pastry Confectionery Sweets Dish and Meal
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
    4/37

    Our Favorite Cinnamon Rolls

    Serve these glazed cinnamon rolls right from the pan, or wrap them individually for easy sales.

    Get This Recipe
  • Peanut butter brownies cut into squares on parchment paper.
    Photo by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Christina Allen, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht
    5/37

    Peanut Butter Brownies

    Not that bake sales need to be a competition, but these peanut brownies could certainly win a blue ribbon for their stunning look. The key to a swirl that doesn’t sink? Freeze the batter for 10 minutes before adding the peanut butter on top.

    Get This Recipe
  • Pumpkin whoopie pies with candied pecans in the filling.
    Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Mira Evnine
    6/37

    Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

    Baked sale goods should feel fun—and these pumpkin pie-spiced pumpkin cookies sandwiched with cream cheese icing certainly qualify.

    Get This Recipe
  • A lemon sugar flour and egg mixture baked on top of a shortbread base and cut into squares and covered with...
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    7/37

    Lemon Bars

    These classic lemon bars from Gourmet have a buttery shortbread crust and a tangy, luscious filling. Hold off on the flurry of powered sugar until you’re headed to the fundraiser; otherwise it’ll melt into the lemon layer.

    Get This Recipe
  • Grid of soft molasses cookies as seen from overhead atop marble surface.
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Eliza Mozer
    8/37

    Molasses Cookies

    Scented with ginger, cloves, and cinnamon, these old-fashioned cookies are perpetual favorites. A stand mixer or hand mixer will make the prep faster, especially if you’re doubling the batch.

    Get This Recipe
  • Photo of peanut butter blossom cookies with chocolate ganache in the center.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Samantha Seneviratne & Jason Schreiber
    11/37

    Peanut Butter Blossoms, but Better

    What if your peanut butter blossoms skipped the hard chocolate candy and instead opted for gooey chocolate ganache? You’d probably need to bring more of them to the bake sale, because these babies sell fast.

    Get This Recipe
  • A slice of coffee cake on a plate and a cup of coffee.
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Food styling by Micah Marie Morton
    12/37

    Easy Coffee Cake

    This no-mixer brunch favorite is such a nice way to start the day. The cinnamon streusel on top has the ideal balance of brown sugar and spice.

    Get This Recipe
  • Two blueberry scones on a plate with a knife and butter and two cups of tea..
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    13/37

    Blueberry Scones

    For bakery-worthy scones with a flaky texture and lofty height, start by freezing your butter, then grating it on a box grater.

    Get This Recipe
  • Butter toffee bars cut into squares in a baking pan.
    Photo by Max Milla
    14/37

    Butter Toffee Bars

    Anyone who loves Heath bars is going to adore these gooey, blondie-like squares, which are also called sometimes called brickle bars.

    Get This Recipe
Following stints at StarChefs and Saveur, Joe joined Epicurious in 2016 where he’s written about how to make the very best biscuits, the singularity of third-culture cooking, and the ultimate cream cheese frosting. Currently, he works across both BA and Epi as the senior SEO editor for cooking stories, which ... Read More
Senior SEO Editor, Cooking
The Epicurious editorial team develops original recipes, and publishes stories about cooking better, faster, and more creatively, sustainably, and affordably. See our full masthead, here. ... Read More
Read More
No-Knead Pumpkin Focaccia
No-Knead Pumpkin Focaccia
Canned pumpkin, you shouldn’t have!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins
Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins
Fall dreams are made of this. Who are we to disagree?
Toasted Meringue Hazelnut Blondies
Toasted Meringue Hazelnut Blondies
This isn’t competing with a brownie. It’s in a class of its own.
Salt Bread
Salt Bread
Crisp, buttery shell. Soft, flaky center. Cry!
Rice Krispies Treats
Rice Krispies Treats
A few clever changes take classic Rice Krispies Treats to soaring new heights.
Pumpkin Black Bean Enchiladas
Pumpkin Black Bean Enchiladas
Enchiladas meet pumpkin in this cozy weeknight dinner.
Spiced Beef Baked Potatoes
Spiced Beef Baked Potatoes
This picadillo-inspired topping would taste good on a shoe.
Creamy Miso Mushroom Pasta
Creamy Miso Mushroom Pasta
The umami-packed pasta you'll be making all season long.
Butternut Pasta With Sausage and Dates
Butternut Pasta With Sausage and Dates
Yes, you can use the pre-cut squash.
Cider-Braised Sausage and Lentils
Cider-Braised Sausage and Lentils
This skillet dinner is a delightful way to use up a jug of cider.
Frico'ed Brussels Sprouts
Frico'ed Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts are better with a crunchy Parmesan skirt.
Pumpkin Bolognese
Pumpkin Bolognese
Canned purée delivers rich body and deep flavor, without the nonna-level cook time.