10 Fun Ideas for Dessert Bars

When you think of a dessert bar, what first comes to mind? Maybe those store bought fruit and grain bars, or perhaps ice cream bars? Or maybe if you’re like some of us, your thoughts drift to a wonderful dessert bar that was taken from us all too soon, the Philadelphia Cheesecake Bar (whose idea was it to discontinue those, anyhow?). Dessert bars are a fun way to be able to enjoy something sweet without having to necessarily use dishes or silverware to eat them. In the world of desserts, there are loads of recipes for just about every kind of decadence that you can think of, and this includes dessert bars of all kinds. So fasten your seatbelts as we go on a journey into the land of desserts and check out our top ten picks for fun ideas for dessert bars!

Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

A personal favorite of the writing staff, Lazy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are a great way to indulge in fresh, ooey gooey, homemade chocolate chip cookies without having to make them from scratch! With a simple recipe incorporating your favorite yellow cake mix, eggs, butter, and chocolate chips that you spread into a pan to bake, you’re on your way to the wholesome taste of a fresh chocolate chip cookie! Once it’s cooled a little, cut it into bars. You can even get creative with this recipe and add in chocolate candies, or any other sort of small candies to change up the flavors.

Pecan Pie Bars

For the pecan pie lovers out there, this is one we think you’ll really like! Achieve the texture and taste of this classic combination of sticky sweet and delightfully nutty in the form of dessert bars that are quick to make and less messy to eat – no plates or silverware necessary! This would make a great addition to any family gatherings or potluck dinners.

Bake-Sale Lemon Bars

Lemons are a popular summertime fruit for beverages and desserts alike, so it’s no surprise that Lemon Bars have made it to our list. Whip up the quick and easy crust and bake for 18-20 minutes, then make your filling from lemon juice, sugar, eggs, and flour, then pour into the crust and bake again. Dust with powdered sugar and you’ve got a sweet, yet tangy fruity dessert bar that’s sure to be a crowd pleaser at any backyard barbecue!

Chocolate Espresso Pie Bars

Chocolate and espresso lovers, rejoice, because we’ve got the perfect dessert bar for you! Starting with a crust made from brown sugar, butter, flour, and salt, these dessert bars are filled to the brim with a rich chocolate filling that has a kick of caffeine from the espresso powder incorporated into it. Chocolate Espresso Pie Bars would go great with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk, your choice – but don’t say we didn’t warn you, because these bars are hard to resist!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oat Bars

This vegan and gluten-free dessert bar is a great way to squash cravings for pumpkin and chocolate without any guilt! This healthy recipe uses oat flour and calls for absolutely no butter. Although these are a great dessert and snack any time of the year, these would make a good, healthy breakfast option and are also great to take along for traditional family dinners or parties for work during the holiday season.

Peach Crumb Bars

If you’re a fan of Peach Cobbler, we think you’re going to love this dessert bar idea! Peach Crumb Bars consist of flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, egg, and vanilla, which makes both the crust and the crumbly topping, and of course juicy, delicious peaches. Once all layers have baked and cooled completely in their pan on a wire rack, cut them into bars. Be prepared, because between the sweet crumb topping and those juicy peaches, you’ll be hard pressed to find anything bad to say about these dessert bars!

Magic Cookie Bars

Another personal favorite of the writing staff, Magic Cookie Bars bring together a variety of sweet ingredients to make one heck of a chewy, delightful cookie bar that will have you begging for more. This recipe consists of chocolate chips, flaked coconut, nuts, graham crackers, sweetened condensed milk, and butter. The graham crackers make the crust, and all of the other ingredients are layered to create a caramelized cookie filling; the toasted coconut on top just brings it all together, and before you know it, you’ve got yourself a flavor bomb that will satisfy almost any sweet tooth.

Salted Caramel Buttery Crumb Bars

If you’re a salted caramel fan, then you’re going to want to check out this delectable dessert bar! Salted Caramel Buttery Crumb Bars only require six ingredients and they’re most likely ones that you already have on hand already. This simple recipe delivers a buttery crumble on top and a sweet and savory salted caramel filling that sends it over the edge when it comes to flavor. Serve these at your next picnic or bring them to a party and watch how fast they get gone!

S’mores Dessert Bars

S’mores are another summertime favorite, and luckily we’ve got a recipe for a dessert bar that doesn’t require an open flame to enjoy this classic snack! The crust is of course made from crushed graham crackers and butter, then you layer your chocolate bars and some marshmallow creme, then follow up with the light topping and bake, and you’ve got yourself a great contender for an amazing neighborhood barbecue dessert that everyone will love!

Chess Squares

We finish up this list with a final writing staff favorite, Chess Squares, also known as Chess Bars. As you can guess, these are a fork and silverware free version of the southern classic Chess Pie. These are simple to make with a yellow cake mix, butter, eggs, cream cheese, and powdered sugar. First you make your crust with the cake mix, melted butter, and an egg, then you make the filling and pour it on top before baking until they’re golden brown. The end result is a rich, ooey gooey, buttery, dessert bar with a sweet, flaky crust that forms on top that is absolutely to die for! This is another dessert bar you’ll have a hard time stopping at just one.

Desserts of all kinds are special and tasty in their own way, but we have a soft spot for dessert bars because they’re so easy to throw together, make a great take-along dessert for just about any function, and they require next to no dishes or silverware to eat! We hope you’ve enjoyed this list of ten fun dessert bars, and that it inspires you to make some of your own!