45+ Perfect Picnic Desserts That Are Easy to Transport

Looking for the best picnic desserts that don't need refrigeration? These easy and reliable dessert recipes taste delicious, look just as good, and are easy to transport to a gathering. Whether you are looking for BBQ picnic desserts, fruity desserts, or easy church desserts, these recipes don't need refrigeration and can be enjoyed outside in the sunshine.

This collection of recipes was first posted on the blog in 2023. Since then, I’ve been updating this article regularly whenever I prepare a new, easy-to-transport picnic dessert to keep you inspired!

Jump to:

• Some Tips From Katalin On What Desserts To Bring on a Picnic
• Best Picnic Desserts
• 1. Raspberry Brownies
• 2. Brownie pie
• 3. Apple Crumb Cake
• 4. Slutty Brownies
• 5. Almond Croissant Cookies
• 6. Blueberry ricotta cake
• 7. Double chocolate muffins
• 8. Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
• 9. Oreo Brownies
• 10. Cinnamon Apple cake
• 11. Peanut Butter Brownies
• 12. Brownie Cookies
• 13. Apple crumble muffins
• 14. Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies
• 15. Nutella Brownies
• 16. Lemonade Bundt Cake
• 17. Sweet potato muffins
• 18. Palmiers
• 19. Danish Butter Cookies
• 20. Earl Grey Macarons With Lemon Curd Filling
• 21. Coconut Muffins
• 22. Red Velvet Brownies
• 23. Pistachio Muffins
• 24. Puff Pastry Apple Turnovers
• 25. Strawberry Muffins
• 26. French Financiers
• 27. Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake
• 28. Lemon Muffins
• 29. Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
• 30 Caramelized Banana Upside Down Cake
• 31. Raspberry Muffins
• 32. Brownie Blondies
• 33. Vanilla Muffins
• 34. Classic Madeleines
• 35. Peach Cake
• 36. Walnut Babka
• 37. Mini Bundt Cakes
• 38. Peach Galette
• 39. Banana Bread
• 40. Fig Frangipane Tart
• 41. Sugar Donuts
• 42. Beignets
• 43. Peanut Butter Cups
• 44. Summer Watermelon Fruit Salad
• 45. Blackberry Pie Bars
• 46. Buttery Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
• 45+ Perfect Picnic Desserts That Are Easy to Transport

Some Tips From Katalin On What Desserts To Bring on a Picnic

When planning the perfect picnic, I always make sure to bring desserts that are easy to share, transport, and still taste amazing hours after being outside. Desserts that can be easily wrapped up and don’t require any extra fuss are cookies, brownies, or bars.

I often opt for fruit-based desserts if I want something a bit lighter. Fruit tarts, particularly galettes, are a great option because they’re refreshing and visually stunning.

One of my favorite tips is to prepare desserts in smaller, individual portions. It makes serving them so much easier, and everyone can enjoy a little something sweet without the mess.

Best Picnic Desserts

1. Raspberry Brownies

Who doesn’t love a decadent, gooey brownie? Make them suitable for a summer picnic, and everyone will love the juicy whole raspberries that give a burst of berry flavor to the rich chocolate goodness.

2. Brownie pie

Here is a really decadent dessert you must try that always goes down well with chocolate lovers at a picnic! A classic pie gets upgraded with a buttery, flaky pie crust and a fudgy, gooey brownie filling. It seriously gives you the best of both worlds, and it’s easily transportable.

3. Apple Crumb Cake

This cake is so deliciously moist! If you love apples, you have to try it. And cakes are always a good choice for picnic desserts as they don’t need to be kept in the fridge and aren’t messy to eat. The crumble topping is also to die for!

4. Slutty Brownies

The ultimate indulgence, hence the unusual name! A layer of cookie dough sits beneath a layer of Oreo cookies and fudgy brownie batter to make a dessert that is seriously delicious. Be warned, everyone will want more than one!

5. Almond Croissant Cookies

Here is something that’s a bit more unique! So, if you’re looking for elegant and unusual picnic desserts, try these almond croissant cookies. Buttery, chewy cookies filled with creamy frangipane and topped with almond flakes. They’re the perfect handheld treat!

6. Blueberry ricotta cake

Here’s another great cake recipe for a picnic. No one ever believes how delicious cakes are when baked with ricotta cheese! It makes them super soft and moist, so if you want to spoil everyone, try this cake. It’s studded with whole, juicy blueberries and topped with a bright and zesty lemon glaze for an extra lift.

7. Double chocolate muffins

Muffins are always popular! And with these muffins, it is double the chocolate and double the taste! They are incredibly moist and tall and filled with intense chocolate flavor.  You might need to bake several batches to take to the picnic, though, as they always disappear so fast.

8. Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

There will undoubtedly be pecan lovers at the picnic, so baking these pecan cookies will make you popular! They're really simple but full of flavor and have the most amazing soft and chewy texture, too. But even beginner bakers can make them!

9. Oreo Brownies

I am sure you will also have some Oreo lovers amongst picnic guests, too. My Oreo brownie recipe is the perfect mix of fudgy, gooey brownies and tasty Oreo cookies.  They give this amazing crunch and intense Oreo flavor against the dense brownie; it is irresistible!

10. Cinnamon Apple cake

Now, this picnic dessert recipe certainly has a cozy, warm feeling that everyone will enjoy! There’s a super moist layer of cinnamon sponge cake with juicy apples and cinnamon sugar on top. Simply package it in aluminum foil and take it with you to share.

11. Peanut Butter Brownies

My signature brownies get an upgrade with a creamy peanut butter filling. Honestly, no one can ever resist the taste or the texture! Brownies make the best picnic desserts as they are so easy to pack up and transport. And they are always the first to disappear!  

12. Brownie Cookies

Can’t decide if you want to bake brownies or cookies? Make this recipe, and you get the best of both worlds! The deep chocolate flavor, gooey center, and iconic crackly top of a brownie, but the shape and soft, chewy texture of a cookie. Trust me, everyone at the picnic will thank you

13. Apple crumble muffins

Everyone loves muffins. And these tall, moist muffins loaded with apples have an irresistible crumble topping, too. They are super easy to pass around a picnic, too, and no one has to share. Make a big batch,h as there aren’t usually any leftovers!

14. Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

Take these bright and citrusy cookies to bring extra sunshine to the picnic, regardless of the weather! The lemon zest and juice create a deliciously tangy flavor, and crunchy poppy seeds give them a nutty crunch. The sweet lemon glaze is the icing on the cake (or cookie)!

15. Nutella Brownies

Nutella brownies are potentially the most irresistible dessert you'll ever taste! There’s a layer of creamy Nutella spread sandwiched between dense and fudgy brownie batter so that you can’t escape that iconic chocolate hazelnut flavor. Kids and grown-ups both love them!

16. Lemonade Bundt Cake

Present this summery bundt cake at a picnic party and watch the compliments roll in. A moist yogurt sponge cake flavored with citrus zest is glazed in the most delicious lemonade syrup. Garnish with fresh raspberries to pump up the summer flavors, slice up and enjoy!

17. Sweet potato muffins

Say hello to your new favorite on-the-go breakfast and picnic dessert with these healthy and delicious Sweet Potato Muffins! This easy dairy-free recipe is the ideal balance of convenience, flavor, and wholesome goodness. Made with a combination of sweet potato, warm spices, and gooey chocolate chips, these moist and fluffy muffins are the perfect sweets that require no refrigerator.

18. Palmiers

Easy palmiers have to be one of the simplest dessert recipes ever. They can be ready in well under an hour, and all you need is two ingredients. What could be easier? I recommend using store-bought puff pastry for this picnic dessert recipe, but if you are feeling adventurous, I also have a tutorial on homemade puff pastry.

19. Danish Butter Cookies

Handing around a cute basket of cookies is such a fun way of serving dessert at a picnic. Danish butter cookies (or Danish biscuits) are famous for their soft, melt-in-the-mouth texture and buttery taste. Despite their fancy appearance, they are actually a lot easier to make than you might think.

20. Earl Grey Macarons With Lemon Curd Filling

Dainty macarons are always a hit, and you'll score a lot of points if you make these little desserts for a picnic. Almond meringue cookie shells are delicately flavored with Earl Grey tea and sandwiched together with a lemon curd filling. Super cute picnic desserts that everyone will love!

Take my online macaron class if this is your first time and you want some of my expert guidance on making these famous French pastries.

21. Coconut Muffins

Summer picnic menus can't be complete without some muffins. Made with shredded (desiccated) coconut, vanilla extract, and perfectly balanced sugar, these tasty summer muffins bring both amazing flavor and texture to the party.  

22. Red Velvet Brownies

Regardless of the season or occasion, brownies are always popular picnic desserts. Fudgy and dense red velvet brownies with rich marbled cream cheese crackly tops are irresistible to kids and adults alike, and trust me when I say that these will disappear very, very fast.

23. Pistachio Muffins

Muffins are a very easy dessert to serve at a picnic as they don't require a plate or cutlery, and everyone can have one (or several) of their own. And there's no cake mix here, only 100% natural ingredients to bake the most flavorful, moist, and fluffy muffins topped with homemade pistachio butter.

24. Puff Pastry Apple Turnovers

Turnovers are similar to apple hand pies and work so well as fruity picnic desserts as they are hand-held and easy to transport. Puff pastry turnovers are perfectly flaky & crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside with the taste and texture of apple pie, but they are more transportable. And what's more, they are ready in under an hour.

25. Strawberry Muffins

Love fruit desserts but also love baked goods at a picnic, too? Super moist, light, and fluffy strawberry muffins are the dessert for you. They'll be prepped and baked in 30 minutes, and the whole family will love the hint of vanilla with fresh strawberry flavor.

26. French Financiers

These fancy little French financiers are so cute and work really well as portable desserts for picnics. In my easy recipe, I'll teach you how to make these tea cakes in 3 different flavors: almond, hazelnut, and pistachio. You can experiment with adding fillings or other flavors like spices and citrus zest and really put your own spin on things; nevertheless, they are cute picnic desserts.

27. Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake

Searching for a chocolate dessert for a picnic? A loaf cake is surely one of the best desserts for outdoor party gatherings. It is very easy to transport, slice up, and serve and does not require refrigeration, so you can also make it in advance. And when the cake is a pretty marbled mixture of chocolate and vanilla sponge, even better!

28. Lemon Muffins

Be warned; you certainly won't be able to stop after eating one of these lemon muffins. The lemon glaze alone will have you reaching for another! The batter is made with both oil and butter, and it means they are super light and fluffy and packed with a sweet citrus taste.

29. Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

Surely, no picnic is complete without chocolate chip cookies? And I love adding chopped walnuts and a pinch of sea salt to enhance the flavors and balance the sweetness. No doubt, this is certainly an indulgent cookie recipe you cannot miss. These cookies are the perfect easy picnic desserts for a crowd!

30 Caramelized Banana Upside Down Cake

Imagine a flavorful and moist yogurt cake topped with sticky and sweet caramelized banana topping. The magic of upside-down cakes is that all of the moisture from the topping slowly seeps down into the rest of the cake once it is flipped over, giving it the most incredible texture.

31. Raspberry Muffins

Who doesn't love individual picnic desserts that have their own wrapper and don't need a plate or a fork? Raspberry muffins will save you time as well as stop you from needing to bring extra serving equipment with you. What could be better? And then there's the amazing fruity flavor that makes this easy muffin recipe a total winner as one of the best summer desserts.

32. Brownie Blondies

If you can't decide between brownies or blondies but love them both, this is the dessert for you. A deliciously moist and chewy texture, amazingly chocolate and vanilla flavor, and the most visually arresting marbled appearance are the winning formula for a knockout picnic dessert idea.

33. Vanilla Muffins

Sometimes, the simplest flavors and ideas are the best. Vanilla muffins have all the sweet flavor and delicious fluffy texture but don't overcomplicate things. So even the fussiest eaters will enjoy them! My easy recipe uses butter and oil to ensure they stay moist days after baking them, which means you can make them in advance, too.

Read my guide on how to store muffins to keep them fresh.

34. Classic Madeleines

Why not bring a classic French treat to the picnic so that guests can nibble on them as they chat and mingle? Delicate in appearance and taste yet extremely easy to make, you'll definitely be popular if you make them.

35. Peach Cake

Fresh and ripe summer peaches play the main character role in this delicious summer cake. The peach thyme compote on top of a yogurt cake has the most amazing flavor and texture. What's more, it is very easy, so this is the perfect cake to make for a picnic, even if you are a beginner in the kitchen.

36. Walnut Babka

You won't need any fancy ingredients or special kitchen equipment for this beautiful babka. It's a recipe that comes together really easily and is completely achievable, even if you are a beginner. I give you all my baking tips and full instructions on how to make the pillowy brioche dough and twist it into shape.

37. Mini Bundt Cakes

You can make mini bundt cakes in so many flavor combinations and really tailor them to any event! Plus, mini desserts are so cute. I'll show you how to make cute mini bundt cakes in raspberry, lemon-poppy seed, and chocolate flavors, and then you can go off-piste from there, inventing some of your own.

38. Peach Galette

Here's another picnic recipe with summer peaches to enjoy! Galettes are so versatile, and loading the pastry up with peaches results in the best contrast between the juicy baked fruit and crisp pie crust base. If you have the means to bring chilled whipped cream with you to your picnic, it's a dream partnership, but it tastes just as delicious on its own.

39. Banana Bread

Everyone's favorite recipe that's easy to eat with your hands! Either spread with butter or enjoyed plain, banana bread is the most moist and tasty dessert you can take anywhere. And if you have overripe bananas going spare, it really is the best way to use them up.

40. Fig Frangipane Tart

I love it when figs come into season. And the taste of these fig and frangipane tarts is insane; you won't be able to get enough! A sweet pastry shell is filled with frangipane (almond cream) and figs and baked into a beautiful and incredibly delicious pastry. Perfect for an elegant picnic party.

41. Sugar Donuts

Sweet, crunchy, and hard to resist, these homemade sugar donuts are the perfect mid-day treat alongside coffee or tea or as a post-dinner dessert. This easy sugar donuts recipe is a breeze, requiring only eight ingredients and 30 minutes of your time. They are super easy to transport, and everyone loves them!

42. Beignets

Popular in French cuisine and a staple in the Louisiana city of New Orleans, these New Orleans-style homemade beignets are fun to make and hard to resist! Their light, sweet, and pillowy texture make them the perfect treat to enjoy any time of day: For breakfast, an afternoon snack, or dessert on a picnic.

43. Peanut Butter Cups

Looking for easy, no-bake picnic desserts? Surely this is one of the easiest desserts to make, as it only has a handful of basic ingredients and doesn't require an oven! Chocolate peanut butter cups will always disappear fast, though, so be sure to make more than you think you will need. A major benefit is how many you can fit in Tupperware, so this is a super portable dessert that will feed a crowd.

44. Summer Watermelon Fruit Salad

A summer fruit salad is a light and refreshing dessert for picnics that is perfect for hotter weather. The tart lime dressing tones down the sweetness of the berries, and the watermelon makes every mouthful a burst of juicy fruit flavor.

45. Blackberry Pie Bars

Pie bars are another dessert that is so easy to transport and serve. You can slice them up and stack them or leave them in the tray to make things even easier. Hand them around on a platter or let guests serve themselves; the fresh summer flavors are super tasty, and the topping gives every bite the best crunch ever.

46. Buttery Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

These oatmeal cookies have a thin, crisp edge and the best soft, chewy center; it's the dream! The addition of coconut is the magic ingredient that creates this texture, and the flavor is not overpowering, so even coconut haters will enjoy them.

They're a healthier dessert to make for a picnic, and I guarantee everyone will love the sweet and salty flavor. I also think you could add some white chocolate chips and make white chocolate oatmeal cookies to be more decadent.