Church Bake Sale Recipes: 14 Grandma Classics That Sell Out Before the Coffee Is Poured

Church bake sale recipes have one job: get picked up fast and leave a crowd asking who made them. Our church supper casseroles were one of our most read posts this fall, and readers kept asking for the sweet side of the fellowship hall. A Tasty bake sale video has more than 1.4 million views, so it is clear we are not the only ones who love this. Holiday bake sales start in late November, so now is the time to plan. Every recipe here bakes in one pan or one batch, travels well, feeds a crowd and wraps up pretty. You will also find a simple packaging tip on each slide, plus a bake-ahead plan at the end. Tie on your apron, because these are the treats that always sell out first..

Church Bake Sale Recipes Start With Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ask any church lady: the first pan to sell out is never the fanciest one. It is the one that is easy to grab, wrapped neat, and tastes like 1975. That is why we start with the most reliable of all church bake sale recipes: big, chewy chocolate chip cookies. Brown sugar keeps them soft for days, and a pinch of salt makes them taste homemade. Package it: three cookies on a paper plate under plastic wrap. Are you a crispy or chewy cookie person..

You will need: 1 cup butter (softened), 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup white sugar, 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 1/4 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Beat the butter and sugars until creamy, then beat in the eggs and vanilla. 3. Mix in the flour, baking soda and salt. 4. Stir in the chocolate chips. 5. Drop rounded tablespoons onto lined baking sheets. 6. Bake 9 to 11 minutes until golden at the edges and cool on the sheet 5 minutes.

Lemon Bars, the Queen of Church Bake Sale Recipes

Every church lady has a lemon bar recipe, and there is a reason they go first. The buttery shortbread crust and tangy, sunny filling taste fresh next to all the chocolate. Bake them a day ahead so they set firm, then dust with powdered sugar just before you wrap. Package it: two bars on a square of parchment in a sandwich bag, sugar side up. Tart or extra sweet: which side are you on?

You will need: For the crust: 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 cup cold butter (cubed), pinch of salt. For the filling: 4 eggs, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice, zest of 2 lemons, powdered sugar for dusting.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and line a 9×13 pan with parchment. 2. Pulse the crust ingredients into crumbs, press into the pan and bake 20 minutes. 3. Whisk the eggs, sugar, flour, juice and zest. 4. Pour over the hot crust and bake 20 to 22 minutes until set. 5. Cool, chill 2 hours, then cut into 24 bars and dust with sugar.

Scotcheroos: No Oven Needed

Scotcheroos are a Midwest bake sale legend: crispy cereal bars made with peanut butter, then covered with melted chocolate and butterscotch chips. There is no oven, so they are great when your kitchen is full of other pans. They also hold up well on a warm table, a must for church bake sale recipes. Cut them small, because they are rich. Package it: stack three squares in a clear treat bag and twist-tie the top.

You will need: 1 cup sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 6 cups crispy rice cereal, 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, 1 cup butterscotch chips, butter for the pan.

How to make it: 1. Butter a 9×13 pan. 2. Warm the sugar and corn syrup in a large pot just until it bubbles, then take it off the heat. 3. Stir in the peanut butter until smooth, then fold in the cereal. 4. Press into the pan. 5. Melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips together and spread on top. 6. Let set 1 hour and cut into 24 squares.

Seven-Layer Bars, the Easiest Church Bake Sale Recipes to Double

Also called magic cookie bars or Hello Dolly bars, these are made by layering, not mixing. Graham crumbs, coconut, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and nuts all get soaked in sweetened condensed milk and baked into a chewy, gooey slab. You can make two pans in the time it takes to bake one batch of cookies. Package it: note “contains nuts and coconut” on the label. Did your grandma call them magic bars or Hello Dollies?

You will need: 1/2 cup butter (melted), 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, 1 cup butterscotch chips, 1 1/3 cups sweetened shredded coconut, 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F. 2. Pour the melted butter into a 9×13 pan and sprinkle the crumbs over it, pressing lightly. 3. Drizzle the condensed milk evenly over the crumbs. 4. Layer the chips, coconut and nuts and press down gently. 5. Bake 25 minutes until golden. 6. Cool completely before cutting into 24 bars.

Chess Squares (Gooey Butter Bars)

In the South they are chess squares; in St. Louis they are gooey butter bars. Either way, it is a cake mix crust under a rich cream cheese and powdered sugar layer that bakes up crackly on top and soft in the middle. They taste like you worked all day, but they take 10 minutes to put together. Package it: cut small and set each square in a paper muffin cup.

You will need: 1 box yellow cake mix, 1 egg, 1/2 cup butter (melted). For the topping: 8 oz cream cheese (softened), 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 4 cups powdered sugar, plus more for dusting.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9×13 pan. 2. Mix the cake mix, 1 egg and melted butter and press into the pan. 3. Beat the cream cheese, 2 eggs and vanilla, then beat in the powdered sugar. 4. Spread over the crust. 5. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until golden but still a little jiggly in the center. 6. Cool fully, dust with sugar and cut.

Brown Butter Blondies

Blondies are the brownie’s golden cousin: chewy, buttery and full of brown sugar flavor. Browning the butter first gives them a toasty, caramel taste that people notice right away. Add walnuts, chocolate chips or both. Because they are one bowl and one pan, they are among the easiest church bake sale recipes to make the night before. Package it: wrap single blondies in wax paper and tie with baker’s twine. Nuts or no nuts?

You will need: 1 cup butter, 2 cups packed brown sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tbsp vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup chopped walnuts, 1 cup chocolate chips (optional).

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and line a 9×13 pan. 2. Melt the butter and cook it until golden and nutty, then cool 10 minutes. 3. Whisk in the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. 4. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt, then the nuts and chips. 5. Spread in the pan and bake 25 to 28 minutes. 6. Cool before cutting into 24 bars.

Oatmeal Scotchies

Oatmeal scotchies are the cookie grandpa always reached for at the coffee hour. The oats keep them chewy, and butterscotch chips add a buttery sweetness that is a little different from chocolate. Swap in raisins if you want the old-fashioned oatmeal raisin version. Like the best church bake sale recipes, they stay soft for days in a sealed tin, so you can bake them two days ahead. Package it: six cookies in a zip bag, stacked like a roll.

You will need: 1 cup butter (softened), 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup white sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 1/4 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 cups old-fashioned oats, 1 2/3 cups butterscotch chips (or raisins).

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Beat the butter and sugars until fluffy, then add the eggs and vanilla. 3. Mix in the flour, soda, cinnamon and salt. 4. Stir in the oats and chips. 5. Drop rounded tablespoons onto lined sheets. 6. Bake 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies and cool on the sheet 2 minutes.

Snickerdoodles That Make the Whole Hall Smell Like Cinnamon

Few church bake sale recipes are as cheap or as loved as snickerdoodles. They are made with pantry staples, rolled in cinnamon sugar and baked until the tops crackle. Cream of tartar gives them that soft, slightly tangy middle, so do not skip it. Kids love them, and they are nut free, which makes them a safe pick for families with allergies. Package it: label them “nut free” in big letters.

You will need: 1 cup butter (softened), 1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 eggs, 2 3/4 cups flour, 2 tsp cream of tartar, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt. For rolling: 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Beat the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs. 3. Mix in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. 4. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and coat in cinnamon sugar. 5. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until set at the edges. 6. Cool 5 minutes on the sheet.

Pumpkin Bread Mini Loaves

Mini loaves are the top sellers among fall church bake sale recipes because people buy one to eat and one to take home. One batch of spiced pumpkin bread fills about eight small pans. Bake them in disposable foil pans so you never have to track down your good ones after the sale. Package it: let them cool fully, wrap in plastic and tie with a ribbon. Would you buy one for the table or for yourself?

You will need: 3 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cloves, 3 cups sugar, 1 cup vegetable oil, 4 eggs, 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree, 2/3 cup water.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and grease 8 mini loaf pans. 2. Whisk the flour, soda, salt and spices. 3. In another bowl, whisk the sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin and water. 4. Stir the dry mix into the wet until just combined. 5. Fill the pans two thirds full. 6. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Old-Fashioned Popcorn Balls

Popcorn balls were a bake sale and Halloween favorite long before anyone had heard of fancy treats. A simple syrup of sugar, corn syrup and butter turns plain popcorn into chewy, crunchy balls that cost just pennies each. Butter your hands well before shaping, and work fast while the syrup is warm. Package it: wrap each ball in plastic and tie it with twine. Plain or with a few drops of food color?

You will need: 16 cups popped popcorn (about 2/3 cup kernels), 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup light corn syrup, 1/3 cup water, 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Put the popcorn in a large buttered bowl. 2. Boil the sugar, corn syrup, water, butter and salt in a pot until it reaches 250 F on a candy thermometer. 3. Stir in the vanilla. 4. Pour slowly over the popcorn, stirring to coat. 5. Let it cool just until you can touch it, then shape into 3 inch balls with buttered hands. 6. Set on wax paper to firm up.

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge, One of the Fastest Church Bake Sale Recipes

This is the fudge for people who are scared of candy thermometers. Melt peanut butter and white chips together, stir in a little condensed milk, and chill. It cuts into neat, creamy squares that look like you bought them at a candy shop. A pan of 36 small squares can raise a nice sum for the church. Package it: put four squares in paper candy cups in a small box. For more crowd favorites that vanish fast, try our church potluck salads that always disappear first.

You will need: 2 cups white chocolate chips, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/2 can (7 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 1 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt.

How to make it: 1. Line an 8×8 pan with foil or parchment. 2. Melt the chips, peanut butter and condensed milk in a pot over low heat, stirring until smooth. 3. Stir in the vanilla and salt. 4. Spread in the pan. 5. Chill 2 hours until firm. 6. Lift out and cut into 36 small squares.

Whoopie Pies

Whoopie pies are two soft chocolate cakes hugging a fluffy marshmallow cream filling, and they show up in church bake sale recipes from Pennsylvania to Maine. People cannot resist them, and they are easy to grab and eat with one hand. Make the cakes the same size by using a cookie scoop. Package it: wrap each pie in plastic so the filling stays soft. Quick poll: A) chocolate, B) pumpkin, C) red velvet, or D) all three?

You will need: For the cakes: 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, 1 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 cup buttermilk. For the filling: 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme, 1 tsp vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Whisk the flour, cocoa, soda and salt. 3. Beat the butter and brown sugar, then add the egg and vanilla. 4. Add the dry mix and buttermilk in turns. 5. Scoop 2 tbsp mounds onto lined sheets and bake 10 to 11 minutes. 6. Beat the filling and sandwich it between cooled cakes.

Cake Mix Crinkle Cookies

When the sign-up sheet comes around on Friday and the sale is Saturday, this is one of the church bake sale recipes to reach for. A box of chocolate cake mix, two eggs and oil make soft, fudgy cookies that crack under a snowy coat of powdered sugar. One box makes about two dozen, and kids can help roll them. Swap in lemon or red velvet cake mix for color on the table. Package it: a dozen in a clear bag tied with a ribbon.

You will need: 1 box (15 oz) chocolate cake mix, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup powdered sugar for rolling.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F. 2. Stir the cake mix, eggs and oil into a thick dough. 3. Chill 20 minutes so it is easier to roll. 4. Roll into 1 inch balls and coat well in powdered sugar. 5. Bake 9 to 10 minutes. 6. Cool 5 minutes on the sheet before moving.

Banana Bread, the Last of Our Church Bake Sale Recipes

Close out the table with grandma’s banana bread. It is the best way to use those brown bananas on the counter, and it stays moist for days. Bake it in mini pans or full loaves and sell slices too. Finally, a simple plan: bake bars two days ahead, cookies the day before, and wrap everything the night before. Label each item with the main allergens, using the FDA list of major food allergens as a guide. Which recipe will you bring?

You will need: 3 very ripe bananas (mashed), 1/3 cup melted butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp baking soda, pinch of salt, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional).

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9×5 loaf pan or 4 mini pans. 2. Mix the bananas and melted butter. 3. Stir in the sugar, egg and vanilla. 4. Sprinkle in the soda and salt, then mix in the flour and nuts. 5. Pour into the pans. 6. Bake 55 to 60 minutes for a big loaf or 30 to 35 for minis.