57 Potluck Desserts For a Crowd or Family Reunion – Grandma’s Crowd-Pleaser Dessert Recipes


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Crowd-Pleaser potluck dessert recipes that my grandmother used to make for family reunions, church bake sales, work potlucks, summer BBQ family gatherings and our annual bring-a-dish Christmas party crowd –

Yep, these are Grandma’s Quick and Easy Potluck Dessert recipes – from make ahead from scratch to last minute no bake – below are all her mouth-watering old school dessert recipes she used to make from scratch that everyone BEGGED her to bring to the next family reunion, potluck, picnics, baby shower or ANY family get-together because these ARE the proven crowd-pleasers!
Easy Potluck Desserts For a Crowd or Family Reunion Group


Updated on September 3, 2023

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Easy Potluck Desserts For a Crowd - My Grandma's Potluck Dessert Recipes for church potlucks, family gatherings, family reunions, Christmas parties and ALL party crowds and potluck dessert tables
Potluck Desserts - easy for a crowd, homemade old fashioned and easy no bake dessert ideas - grandmas famous dessert recipes
Easy Potluck Desserts for a Crowd - Grandma's Potluck Dessert Recipes

When it comes to QUICK potluck desserts, my grandmother’s recipes are probably not the fastest (but they sure are show-stoppers!).

If you’re really looking for quick and easy potluck desserts with few ingredients, no bake desserts or dessert recipes with few ingredients, I have a TON of recipes for MY favorite simple potluck desserts on this page too.

Here’s a quick sample of the other potluck dessert recipes you’ll find as you scroll down this page:

quick easy potluck dessert recipes

Alrighty – let’s jump in and look at some yummy potluck dessert ideas ANY crowd will LOVE you for making and bringing!

Easy Potluck Desserts

If you’re looking for an easy potluck dessert idea that is sure to impress even your family crowd, let me share my Grandma’s potluck dessert recipes.

family reunion desserts

Family Reunion Food Ideas-Desserts. Inexpensive dessert ideas for large groups and potluck recipes for a crowd at church or work includes 10 minute easy dessert recipes no bake ideas

She brought these desserts to ALL the family reunions, Holiday parties and her monthly church potluck.

Some of these yummy family reunion dessert recipes are old fashioned recipes, others are easy 9×13 one pan no bake desserts.

She also held her recipes close and called them TOP SECRET – like Grandma’s famous banana bread recipe below.

As you can see, Grandma’s recipe wasn’t really a secret since I found it on the back of the flour bag – haha!

I don’t know about you, but just LOOKING at the pictures of these old-fashioned homemade potluck desserts makes my mouth water and brings back such wonderful memories! Everyone made the best desserts from scratch – no cake mix in those kitchens (or at least they acted like it was ALL from scratch haha!!)

Need a LAST MINUTE dessert idea?

Try these fast and easy Dump Cake recipes

If you’ve been looking for the vintage potluck recipes from your grandmothers kitchen, look no further – we found them!

Pecan Pie

Ah, pecan pie. I’ve been making this delicious treat for as long as I can remember, and it’s still one of my favorite desserts to make. My recipe has been passed down through generations in my family, and now passed down to me from my grandmother.

Sometimes I get “fancy” with it like this pie made for our Thanksgiving potluck:

Grandma's old-fashioned pecan pie for Thanksgiving potluck we do each year as a family reunion

This traditional Southern dish is easy to make and so delicious that you won’t be able to resist a second slice.

It starts with a simple pastry crust made from flour, butter, sugar and salt which is then filled with a sweet mixture of pecans, eggs, brown sugar and corn syrup. The combination creates an irresistible gooey filling that will have your mouth watering before it even hits the oven!

The key to perfecting this dish is to make sure your pecans are fresh and of the highest quality. I like to buy mine from my local farmer’s market, but store-bought pecans work just fine. Once you have your pecans ready, it’s time to get started!

To begin, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Then roll out the pastry dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s about 1/8th inch thick. Place this into an ungreased 9-inch pie plate and press firmly against the bottom and sides. To prevent soggy crusts, prick with a fork several times before baking for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

While that bakes, mix together the pecans, eggs, brown sugar and corn syrup in a medium bowl. Pour this mixture into the pre-baked crust and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Once it’s finished baking, let cool before slicing and serving. This pie is best when served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a big glob of Cool Whip on top – Yum!

Grandma’s Lemon Cake Recipe

Grandma's Desserts - Dessert recipes that your mom, your grandmother (or your lunch lady) used to make from scratch - Grandmas lemon cake recipe

Grandma’s Coconut Pie Recipe

Homemade Potluck and Family Reunion Dessert Ideas That Will Even Please Your Church Crowd - Grandmas recipes - homemade coconut pie recipe

Grandma’s Layered Oreo Delight Recipe

Graandmas recipes - Homemade Potluck and Family Reunion Dessert Ideas That Will Even Please Your Church Crowd - layered Oreo Delight recipe

Lunch Lady Homemade Brownies

Grandma's Desserts - Dessert recipes that your mom, your grandmother (or your lunch lady) used to make from scratch - lunchroom brownies recipe

Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding Recipe

Grandma's Desserts - Dessert recipes that your mom, your grandmother (or your lunch lady) used to make from scratch - Grandma's Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding Recipe from scratch - Homemade Potluck and Family Reunion Dessert Ideas That Will Even Please Your Church Crowd

Grandma’s Caramel Cake Recipe

Grandma's Desserts - Dessert recipes that your mom, your grandmother (or your lunch lady) used to make from scratch - grandma's caramel cake recipe - Homemade Potluck and Family Reunion Dessert Ideas That Will Even Please Your Church Crowd

Grandma’s Christmas Fudge Recipe

Easy Christmas Fudge Recipe - this simple holiday fudge is just like the homemade fudge my garndmother used to make every Christmas - easy Christmas desserts and seet treats for a crowd - Holiday party dessert ideas for the dessert table and food candy gift ideas to make as Christmas gifts

Get the recipe here



Grandma’s Magic Pie

This Magic Pie is SO yummy!

WHY is it “magic”?

Because it makes it’s own crust!

You just dump all the ingredients into a round baking dish and it magically creates a crust, a custard filling and coconut topping while it cooks.

magic custard pie recipe from Easy Potluck Desserts For a Crowd, Church or Family Reunion Group

Grandma’s Lemon Loaf Cake Recipe

This old-fashioned Lemon Loaf cake is literally to DIE for – it is so moist and I could drink the lemon glaze by the gallon lol!

It tastes just like Starbucks Lemon Loaf – and if you’ve had that, you KNOW it’s good!

Lemon Loaf Recipe - Grandmas' Old Fashioned Desserts for a Crowd Potluck At Work or Church or any Large Group - tastes just like Starbucks Lemon Loaf too

This is one of my favorite brunch cake recipes to make – everyone loves it!

I found the recipe on Facebook here.

Do you love PEACHES?

Me too!

Look at these UNIQUE peach cobbler recipes

To be honest, peaches are my SECOND favorite.

Blueberries are my #1 favorite!

I keep this blueberry desserts page bookmarked – such creative desserts made with blueberries!

My granddaughter loves the blueberry cookies on that page ALMOST as much as the Cinnamon Toast Crunch WAFFLES (and I have to admit, they’re really good.

Desserts With Strawberries

If you want a super simple potluck dessert with strawberries, these 4 recipes below are MY picks.

From no bake to VERY few ingredients, these are all quick easy strawberry desserts:

potluck desserts with strawberries

1 – No Bake Strawberry Icebox Cake – recipe

2 – 4-Ingredient Strawberry Upside down Cake – recipe

3 – Easy No Bake Strawberry Delight – recipe

4 – Strawberry Pretzel Salad – recipe

Pineapple Cake Recipe

old fashioned pineapple cake recipe

My grandmother made the BEST Pineapple Cake! I always thought she made it from scratch, but turns out – she used BOXED CAKE MIX.

The ingredients for the cake and icing are in the picture above.

Just mix the cake mix, eggs, oil and can of crushed pineapple (undrained!) and bake according to the box.

Then, when cool, mix the Cool Whip, instant pudding and another can of undrained crushed pineapple as the topping and ice the cake.

SO GOOD!

More Quick Easy Desserts

4 quick easy desserts for a crowd

1 – Key Lime Poke Cake – recipe

2 – Orange Creamsicle Cake – recipe

3 – Peanut Butter Blossom Bars – recipe

4 – Strawberry Cheesecake Dream Bars – recipe

More Easy Potluck Ideas:

Easter Potluck Ideas – these are all such unique ideas for an Easter potluck, but even as much as I love to bake, the NO COOK desserts are my favorite!


Church Potluck Ideas – We cook for large groups at our church potlucks… these are some foods we make and take.


Breakfast Potluck Ideas – need ideas for a breakfast potluck? This page has a lot of breakfast recipes for a crowd all made in your crock-pot slow cooker.


Christmas Potluck Ideas – having a holiday potluck party at work for your office crowd? Find lots of Christmas potluck ideas here.


Easy Potluck Appetizers – quick and easy potluck appetizers and finger food ideas for a crowd.



More Easy Dessert Ideas

no bake potluck dessert recipe

NO BAKE Potluck Dessert Ideas For a Large Group Party Crowd – super simple NO BAKE desserts for your work potluck, church party or family gathering… see the recipes

40 Best 5 Minute Dessert Recipes – 1. DIY Mason Jar Cheesecake · 2. 5-Minute Chocolate Mousse · 3. Easy 5-Minute Oreo Ice Cream Cake · 4. 5-Minute Super Berry Smoothie Bowl · 5. 5-Minute Chocolate … read more

81 Church Potluck Desserts Grandma Would Make – Need a praiseworthy recipe idea for an upcoming church potluck? Try any one of Grandma’s tried-and-true desserts… read more

23 Best Brunch DessertsBest Brunch Desserts ; 1. Coffee Cake ; 2. Cinnamon Rolls ; 3. Orange Rolls ; 4. Apple Dumplings ; 5. Banana Breadread more

32 Easy Desserts To Make at Home – · 1. Easy Dark Chocolate Billionaires · 2. Easy Homemade Caramel Corn · 3. Quick and Easy Baklava Squares… read more


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one pan dessert recipes - easy make ahead desserts for a crowd

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Super SIMPLE 3-Ingredient Dump and Bake Desserts That Are Perfect For A Crowd! These make ahead dump cake recipes below ...
Microwave Fudge Variations with only 2 or 3 Ingredients

Microwave Fudge Variations with only TWO or THREE Ingredients

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Simple & Easy Punch Recipes for a Crowd and Easy Party Drinks Ideas too! Lots of insanely good and inexpensive ...
Grandma's Desserts - Church Desserts: Homemade Potluck and Family Reunion Dessert Ideas That Will Even Please Your Church Crowd

Family reunion desserts ideas - easy dessert recipes for large group, potluck at work or church old school desserts, for a crowd of 50 or to bring to a summer BBQ cookout. Grandma Old Fashioned Desserts and No bake Desserts for a Crowd

Lemon Dessert Recipes! This is grandma's famous lemon loaf cake recipe with a lemon frosting glaze. Perfect for holiday dessert, family gatherings, block parties -  Crowd pleaser brunch food idea too!

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best easy potluck desserts

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