The 30 Tastiest Desserts To Treat Guests After A Brunch Meal

Calling your friends over for a brunch on weekends is the best way to spend some quality time with your friends and treat them to some good food, but what about the sweet treat afterward?

A savory brunch meal is incomplete when not followed by some dessert, and that is why we have written this article to present you with the 30 tastiest dessert ideas (and recipes) you can make for your brunch guests this weekend!

1. Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies

These cookies are so easy to make and with ingredients that you most probably already have in your fridge and pantry.

Chocolate chips are added in a doughy mixture made with oats, flour, cinnamon, sugar, and butter. The dough is then made into small dough balls that are frozen and then baked.

The result is a soft and chewy cookie treat for everyone to snack on with their coffee after that delicious brunch you served them.

2. White Chocolate And Pistachio Cookies

Pistachios are so unique in their taste and so expensive in comparison to other nuts that when you add them to a dessert, then your guests will know you really appreciate them and love them.

These cookies are made with cake and bread flour as well as the other cake/cookie staple ingredients and are enriched with pistachios, chopped dried apricots, and white chocolate chips. Yummy!

3. Matcha Cookies

Even if you and your guests are not fans of matcha tea, these brown butter matcha cookies with white chocolate chips will change your mind about matcha-tasting treats.

Whether you will serve them with coffee or tea is up to you, and if you want to give matcha tea another shot, go for it!

4. Coconut Oil Cookies

Soft cookies for some reason just taste better and this coconut oil cookie recipe yields the softest cookies you’ve ever had.

With a texture comparable to that of a shortbread cookie, every bite of these coconut-rich cookies will bring an exotic freshness to your mouth after your savory brunch.

5. Gingerbread Cookies

You don’t have to use a cookie cutter to make gingerbread men if it’s not Christmas, but you will definitely need to follow this recipe’s instructions step-by-step and chill the dough for several hours overnight before baking your cookies.

As for the ingredients you will need, prepare to spice things up, and we mean this literally!

6. Fudge Cookies

While we did say that those coconut oil cookies are the softest cookies you can make, this cookie recipe is all about the fudge!

After a heavy brunch, these fudge cookies are the perfect bite-sized treat to dip in your coffee without feeling bad for over-indulging for dessert.

7. Chinese Almond Cookies

Instead of making classic vanilla cookies with almond pieces, you can make these Chinese-American almond cookies with almond flour.

Decorate them with some thinly sliced almonds too for both an almondy look and taste!

8. Chocolate Banana Bread

Chocolate banana bread is a safe bet and an easy choice for anyone looking to treat their guests with something they will all like.

The classic chocolate and banana combo is something no one ever gets tired of tasting, especially after a salty brunch.

9. Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake

25 minutes to prepare this cake and 1 hour to bake it gives you plenty of time to focus on your savory brunch while waiting for it.

Made with low-fat buttermilk if you want something lighter, this cake is the perfect answer to ‘when life gives you lemons’…. You make a lemon buttermilk pound cake!

10. Apple Bundt Cake

With a caramel glaze made with butter, heavy cream, brown sugar, and a bit of vanilla extract, this apple Bundt cake is sweet and fruity, and just what you need for a brunch dessert.

11. French Almond Cake

Fresh cuisine and French pastries and desserts are known around the world for their finesse, and a French almond cake is a great example of it.

This easy recipe can help you make a delicious spongy almond cake and have it ready in no more than an hour.

12. Cherry Frangipane Tart

Tarts are another classic dessert idea for brunch, with this cherry frangipane tart being a fantastic option, especially for a late spring brunch gathering.

That is because fresh cherries are at their best at that time, so you can find the tastiest ones to fill your tart with.

13. Rhubarb Tart

To many, a short-crust pastry brings back childhood memories which is why a rhubarb made with one is going to make your guests so happy.

For the filling, you will only need rhubarb, sugar, and corn flour, so once you’ve made your pastry, there’s not much else to prepare for this tart.

14. Strawberry Tart

Springtime and cherry tarts go together, and so do strawberry tarts!

A light, fresh, and lovely-looking tart, this one is made with fresh small hulled, and large sliced strawberries and some strawberry jam in between to add to the sweetness!

15. Lemon Meringue Tarts

While you can always make a big lemon tart, why not treat your friends to mini lemon meringue tarts?

Made with the same ingredients but baked as single servings, these little tarts are baked in small, fluted tart tins and taste great!

16. Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate puddings served in single-serving ramekins might look very simple, but everyone knows how great this treat is after a big brunch.

The best thing about them is you can make them the day before and refrigerate them till dessert time!

17. Brownies

If you are a group of chocoholics gathering for brunch and want a dessert you will all fall head over heels for, then making this brownie recipe is the only option you have.

Serve your friends a brownie piece with some melted chocolate on top to make this the perfect brownie piece they’ve ever had.

18. Tiramisu

Tiramisu is a dessert that might seem tricky for some people to make but with this recipe, there’s no way you’ll have any trouble preparing it.

With 6 ingredients on your countertop, you can assemble this tiramisu and leave it in the fridge until it’s time to serve.

19. Panna Cotta

A panna cotta needs only 6 ingredients and 20 minutes to make and is one of those desserts that, even though it is made with heavy cream and sugar, is so light and creamy that it feels like you’re tasting a piece of a cloud!

20. Flan

From France and Italy, we now move to Spain with a classic flan recipe that some people will refer to as ‘Crème caramel.’

No matter what you call it, this easy flan served in small ramekins is just enough for a sweet treat after your eggs benedict.

21. Profiterole

This easy profiterole recipe yields small choux bites filled with crème Chantilly and topped with a classic profiterole chocolate sauce.

Make more than you will need and then offer some to your friends to take with them at home for those late-night sweet cravings!

22. Greek Yogurt With Honey

Sometimes, a sweet dessert doesn’t have to be filled with chocolate or be something baked or cooked.

Simplicity is key very often, and this Greek yogurt served with honey and walnuts can be a light, nutritious sweet treat to enjoy on a sunny summer brunch afternoon.

23. Cinnamon And Raisin Swirl

Pastries are many people’s favorite things to eat for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.

So, if you are a group of people who crave pastries all the time, make a bunch of these cinnamon and raisin swirls sprinkled with extra sugar on top to satisfy that sweet tooth of yours.

24. Scones With Jam And Butter

You don’t have to be from the UK to enjoy a classic scone with butter and an assortment of jams.

Simple, tasty, and versatile, you can bake the scones and offer your guests all kinds of jar flavors and even some honey and let them experiment with their dessert by trying a bit of everything!

25. Chocolate Chip Scones

While serving your scones with butter and some chocolate spread is something you can always try, it’s not the best way to combine these two things.

So, if you wish to add some chocolate to your scones, it’s best to go with this chocolate chip scones recipe.

26. Lemon Cupcakes

This wouldn’t be a brunch desserts list if there weren’t some cupcakes in it.

While you can go for any kind of cupcake flavor and frosting you want, classic lemon cupcakes with vanilla frosting are the best follow-up to a complete brunch meal that was rich in flavor.

That is because lemon cupcakes are foamy, easy on the stomach, and do not alter the taste in your mouth much. And with a vanilla frosting on top, they are simply angelical!

27. Cinnamon Rolls

Walking past a Cinnabon makes everyone drool with desire for a cinnamon roll and making some to treat your guests after a delicious brunch meal will make them scream out of joy.

Cinnamon rolls don’t have many things on their ingredients list and rolling out the dough might take some more effort and core stimulation for that, but the result will be more than rewarding.

28. Butter Croissants

Butter croissants that are soft on the inside and flaky on the outside are every pastry lover’s dream and being able to make some means you are practically making your dreams come true!

This recipe yields some authentic croissants quick and easy than you can serve plain, with some butter, jams, clotted cream, or chocolate spread.

29. Chocolate Crepes

If you choose to make some classic crepes filled with chocolate your friends will thank you, but if you make some chocolate crepes filled with some milky vanilla filling, they will adore you forever.

These crepes are made with all the classic ingredients along with some cocoa powder that gives them that chocolatey taste and color,

The filling is made with flour, cocoa powder, sugar, milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla. Serve it with some whole berries or sliced strawberries on top and pour some melted chocolate too!

30. Cannoli

Lately, cannoli have become a mainstream, popular dessert coming from Italy that is now offered in pastry shops, restaurants, and eateries around the world.

These pastries consist of a crispy shell that hugs a creamy, sweet ricotta filling that comes in different flavors. This recipe goes for some pistachio cannoli that will make it hard for everyone to only have one!

The Bottom Line

These 30 dessert recipes can be made any time you want, but they are perfect for a post-brunch sweet treat.

With recipe ideas ranging from cookies and tarts to French and Italian traditional desserts, there are numerous things to choose from.

If you and your friends or family love chocolate, then making one of the chocolatey options in this list is a given.

However, if you want something light, going with a tart or vanilla-tasting option like a flan or a cupcake might be better. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do You Have Dessert At Brunch?

A gathering with friends of the family for brunch is the perfect way to treat them to some home-cooked meals of yours and share an afternoon with them.

Since brunch is enjoyed in the early to mid-afternoon hours, you can certainly accompany it with some dessert.

Having some coffee or tea after your brunch meal usually calls for dessert, so do make one for your guests and surprise them with a sweet treat after that delicious brunch you made for them.

What Is Considered As The Simplest Dessert?

The simplest desserts are the ones that might need more time to make but are usually made with simple ingredients that are light on the stomach.

In this list, we have many such options, with the top ones being our tarts. So, if you want to go for a simple dessert, you can go for a strawberry, rhubarb, cherry frangipane, or lemon meringue tart.

Made with fresh fruit, they are usually considered simple and healthy-ish, even though they do often pack more sugar than other desserts.

Alternatively, serving some cookies that your guests can dip in their coffee or tea is also a simple dessert option that is also a safe one if you present them with plenty of flavor alternatives.