For dinner parties, potlucks, or a Sunday family dinner, these tasty make-ahead pies, cakes, and tarts will please family and guests (and you!) without adding to your dinnertime workload. With options like make-ahead pumpkin pie and cakes you can make in advance in a slow cooker, these desserts will allow you to keep your cool and focus on the savory elements of the meal—and kicking your feet up early.
Lavender-Honey Lemon Tart
This make-ahead pie feels elevated but is not one bit fussy. "The lavender honey just complements the tart so perfectly, I don't know if I will ever make lemon tarts without lavender honey again," one BHG home cook says. Fill the crust with the curd, then refrigerate for 4 hours or until set.
Lemon Poppy Seed Dump Cake
Mix, dump, set, and forget. That's all it takes to add this slow cooker dessert to your menu! Mix up the citrusy cornmeal batter and allow the cake you can make in advance to "bake" for about 2½ hours as you go about preparing the rest of your meal.
Salted Almond Praline Tart
Luscious cheesecake meets pecan tart in this uber-creamy and irresistible treat. The unique make-ahead tart features a cinnamon-almond crust filled with cream cheese and white chocolate. Bake then chill for at least 2 hours, then top with crunchy slabs of salty almond praline and fresh raspberries (or any seasonal fruit) before serving.
Crumb-Topped Apple Slab Pie
This streusel-topped make-ahead apple pie is easily one of our most popular dessert recipes ever. For the best results in this serves-a-crowd dish, use tart cooking apples, such as Rome Beauty or Granny Smith. Their firm texture holds up better than sweet apples, and they get sweeter as they bake.
Peppermint Dream Cake
This frosty peppermint masterpiece is the perfect finale to any meal you want to feel like a special occasion. A standout from other dessert recipes, this cake you can make in advance has alternating red and white layers dressed with white chocolate frosting that are designed to hang in the refrigerator all assembled for at least 4 hours before serving. Bonus: If you really want to whip this up in advance, bake the cake layers and freeze individually for up to 4 months. When you're ready, simply thaw them for a few hours, frost, and feast!
Double-Chocolate Mascarpone Raspberry Pie
Double the deliciousness of regular raspberry pie, and you've got this chocolaty dessert. Raspberry liqueur, a white chocolate topping, and mild mascarpone cheese add elegance to the make-ahead pie. Build it and let it chill up to a day ahead.
Grown-Up S'mores Torte
Toasted marshmallows meet frosty ice cream in this better-than-scoop-shop make-ahead treat. With a cinnamon graham cracker crust and fudge-flavor sauce hiding under the ice cream and marshmallow layers, this frozen cake you can make in advance features the ooey-gooey flavors of your favorite campfire treat in each slice. Dulce de leche and coffee ice cream paired with marshmallow creme update the classic dessert.
Triple-Citrus Pound Cake
Packed with the zesty influences of grapefruit, lime, and orange, this cake you can make in advance combines richness and freshness in a party-perfect package. Finish the party-worthy pound cake with an easy powdered sugar drizzle. Bake it, allow to cool, cover tightly and thoroughly with plastic wrap, then freeze for up to 1 month, if desired.
Peppermint Cream Tart in a Chocolate Crust
We're deeming this one a peppermint dream pie. A chocolate cookie crust is already a great start to the make-ahead dessert tart, and a creamy peppermint filling makes it even more tempting. Thanks to the pretty peppermint swirls, this recipe is a delightful Christmas dessert to whip up 2 days before the holiday.
Chocolate and Vanilla Red Velvet Cake
Here's a cake you can make in advance that's as eye-catching as it is craveable. Silky chocolate ganache envelops a gorgeous red velvet cake with layers of mascarpone and vanilla bean filling. The entire dessert recipe can be made in advance and frozen for up to 3 months to cut down on pre-soirée stress.
Dulce de Leche Cake
The hint of citrus kissing this cake you can make in advance offers the ideal complement to the rich caramel. Can you guess the secret shortcut ingredient? Okay, we'll spill: It's a boxed white cake mix. Make the entire unfrosted confection the day ahead, chill overnight, then frost before bringing it to the table.
Berry Slab Pie
A bit of crystallized ginger adds mellow sweetness to this tender, flaky mixed-berry pie. We can't get enough of the variety of berries (blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries all work marvelously) that fills and tops the make-ahead pie recipe. Even better news? The filling calls for frozen fruit so you can enjoy this done-a-day-ahead pie no matter what season it is.
Frosted Apple Slab Pie
Part pie, part bar cookie, this tasty apple dessert recipe calls for more than 2 pounds of sliced apples. But the results are sooo worth all that peeling and slicing. Cool the make-ahead apple pie completely before drizzling with powdered sugar icing.
Brownie-Walnut Pie
When you can't quite decide between a brownie recipe or pie, we say, "Have both!" A rich and chewy brownie-like filling tops flaky pastry crust in this decadent make-ahead pie recipe that can be baked several hours ahead and hang out at room temp. Hot fudge sauce and chopped nuts make tasty toppers.
Chocolate Chess Pie
This make-ahead chocolate pie recipe gets even better the next day. As one reviewer shared, "This was delicious. I recommend eating the day after making it. This gives the chance for the flavors to really blend."
Polka-Dot Neapolitan Pie
Make this ice cream pie and stash it in the freezer for any time you need a sweet treat. To create the adorable polka dots, scoop small balls of chocolate and strawberry ice cream. Place them in softened vanilla ice cream and freeze until firm.
Black Raspberry Cream Pie
You'll need just five ingredients and 10 minutes of prep to get this no-bake pie into the freezer. Just before serving, top the pie with fresh blackberries and strips of lemon peel.
Vanilla Cream Pie
To make this pie ahead, you'll assemble everything up to the meringue layer. When you're ready to serve, add the meringue and toast until golden brown on top.
Million Dollar Pie
This nostalgic pie recipe is filled with shredded coconut, mandarin oranges, pineapple, pecans, and a creamy condensed milk filling. Top the refrigerator pie with toasted coconut and maraschino cherries.
Fresh Strawberry Pie
Our editors like to make this pie when strawberries are at their best, usually from spring to early summer. Showcase the sweetness of the berries with as simple glaze and piles of fluffy homemade whipped cream.
Key Lime Tart
Key limes are small and thinned skin. The juice is slightly sweeter than a traditional lime. Top the finished tart with fluffy whipped cream and fresh lime slices.