20+ Awesome Dinner Party Desserts

We've got you covered with this awesome collection of over 20 dinner party dessert recipes from top UK food bloggers.  There are so many to choose from, including free-from desserts, chocolate creations, cheesecakes and so much more!

My food blogging pals certainly came up trumps when I put the call out on FaceBook for dinner party dessert ideas.  They certainly didn't let me down with the breadth of awesome and delicious dessert recipes they shared with me!

Every single one of the recipes listed below can be made well ahead of time (though one or two may perhaps need to be scattered with crumbled biscuits or perhaps dusted with cocoa powder at the last moment), even a day or two before in some cases, allowing you to be the perfect attentive host when your guests arrive.

So, whether you're after a rich chocolate dessert, a cheesecake, something free-from, or even a frozen creation, then look no further.  There's sure to be something to whet you're appetite in this ultimate dinner party dessert recipe collection!

The difficulty comes when choosing which to make first! 

Amazing Dinner Party Dessert Recipes!

Chocolate Dinner Party Desserts

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake

Not sure what your favourite type of chocolate is? Then choose this triple chocolate mousse cake from my sister blog Recipes Made Easy. It takes a little time to prepare but is easy and can be made in advance.

Chocolate Walnut Pear Torte

If chocolate is your thing then look no further than this chocolate torte.  Doesn't it look fabulous?!  Not only is it gluten
free and dairy-free but it is also made with reduced sugar, and yet it pushes all of the right buttons as far as flavour is concerned with her family singing its praises from the hilltops!

Chocolate Tart with Cardamom, Apricot and Rose Petals

This chocolate tart certainly is a crowd pleaser, not only must it taste amazing having been made with a luxurious dark chocolate ganache enlivened with a mixture of apricots, pistachios, cardamoms and a hint of rosewater. It certainly has the wow factor having been topped with more apricots, pistachios and a few rose petals. It’s surely the perfect dessert to round off a Middle Eastern themed menu!

Gluten-Free Salted Chocolate Tart

If you're a fan of chocolate desserts then this tart, which Rebecca
describes as 'death by chocolate' is certainly one for you (and your guests!).  Not only is it a bake free recipe, and gluten-free too, but it's sure to raise a gasp of delight from your dinner guests.

Cheesecakes

Mini Cheesecakes

These pretty individual cheesecakes look incredibly inviting with the ruby frozen summer fruits set against the creamy cheesecake mixture, and yet they are dairy-free, gluten-free, wheat-free, nut-free and egg-free too!  Surely they're just what you need when entertaining guests with allergies!

No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Pots

Cliona from Basement Bakehouse shows us that dinner parties, and desserts in particular, needn't be calorie-rich.  She says that these individual chocolate cheesecakes are super chocolate-y and don't compromise on that lovely cheesecake-y taste

Raspberry and Pomegranate Cheesecake

Midge’s stunning cheesecake, having been topped with fresh raspberries,pomegranate seeds and some chocolate work, really hits the mark for somany people with allergies or those who may be living a vegan lifestyle.  It is vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, soya-free and by swapping out the
biscuits in favour of free-from alternatives it can become gluten-free too!

Easy Baked Strawberry Cheesecake

This easy baked strawberry cheesecake is exactly what it says it is. Easy! Consisting of a biscuit crumb base, a creamy baked cheese filling and topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream it makes a simple but elegant dessert that is sure to please.

Easy Baked Strawberry Cheesecake

A simple to make baked cheesecake topped with strawberries and cream.

The cheesecake can be made up to 2 days ahead. Allow several hours for the cheesecake to cool and chill.

Baked Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake

or try this classic Cheesecake from my sister Blog Recipes Made Easy. You could go the full wack and make your own Ricotta following the easy step by step How To instructions

Meringue Based Dinner Party Desserts

Strawberry Baked Alaska

Baked Alaska may seem like a tricky dessert to make but its really quite easy and it can be prepared well in advance. Then it's just a case of popping in the oven for a few minutes on the day.

Coconut and Pineapple Meringue Roll

I find that meringue rolls are so much easier to make than a pavlova and taste just as good. This one consists of soft squishy coconut meringue with a crispy crust, rolled up with rum flavoured cream and pieces of fresh pineapple, A truly delicious dessert, perfect for a dinner party

Chocolate Pavlova

Pavlova is such a classic dessert, and this one is a little bit more
special (if that can be at all possible) having been flavoured with chocolate!  Topped with cream and raspberries, this really is a crowd pleaser.  Of course, it’s naturally gluten-free, and as Jenny tells us it
can be made the day ahead meaning it isn’t vying for oven space!

Pistachio Daquoise

Why not wow you’re dinner party guests with a French patisserie classic of dacquoise.  Allow you’re guests to marvel at your baking prowess, but only you will know how relatively easy a dacquoise is to make.  Lucy shares step by step photos which allows you to recreate this meringue style bake easily.

Chocolate Meringue Crown

With no less than three layers of meringue, this chocolate meringue crown makes a spectacular dessert for a special occasion. Flavoured with chocolate and filled with cream and fresh berries, it is not hard to make but the end result is beautiful.

Traditional Desserts with a Twist

Lemon Prosecco and Raspberry Shot Glass Trifles

These individual trifles really lift the family favourite to the next
level!  They look incredibly inviting having been prepared in shot glasses, which results in the dessert being friendlier on the waistline than a family sized bowl!  Helen’s dessert recipe marries together Prosecco, raspberries and lemon, three flavours which work
together incredibly well.

Raspberry Bakewell Tart

Frangipane, the delicious almond mixture found in Bakewell Tarts. Eb’s version, which was inspired by childhood memories, raises the traditional bake to new heights with whole fresh raspberries punctuating the surface alongside the flaked almonds. 

Blackberry Clafoutis

Delicious juicy blackberries baked in a light batter, Blackberry Clafoutis is an easy to make variation on a classic French dessert usually made with cherries

Green Fruit Salad with Chilli Ginger Syrup

A fruit salad can make a perfect end to a meal and a Green Fruit Salad is visually so much more refined than a “chuck it all in” kinda fruit salad. To bring this recipe bang up to date, the green fruit salad with a chilli ginger syrup that really makes the flavour zing out.

Creamy Dinner Party Desserts

Bengal Curds with Macerated Berries

Think of this dessert as an easy baked cheesecake.  With creamy cheesecake like curds, colourful berries and contrasting texture courtesy of the almond crumble, this traditional Indian dessert of Baked Bengal Curds is certainly one to try.  It is naturally gluten-free. 

Baked Bengal Curds with Macerated Berries

Think of this dessert as an easy baked cheesecake.  With creamy cheesecake like curds, colourful berries andcontrasting texture courtesy of the almond crumble, this traditional Indian dessert of Baked Bengal Curds is certainly one to try.  It is naturally gluten free.

Orange POsset with Rhubarb and Orange Jam

Possets are a perfect dessert for dinner parties.  Not only are they easy to make and can they be made the day before, they are also a crowd-pleaser.  This version was flavoured with orange before being layered up with a rhubarb and orange jam which not only made the dessert visually more interesting but the sharpness of the rhubarb helps to cut through the richness of the posset beautifully.

Orange Posset with Rhubarb & Orange Jam and Shortbread Fingers

This delicious and eye catching dessert is perfect when hosting a dinner party not least because it is super easy to make, looks and tastes amazing, but needs to be made a few hours ahead of time allowing you to be the attentive host.  The luxurious orange posset is teamed with a naturally vibrant rhubarb and orange jam, which not only provides aesthetic interest and combines a flavour combination which really works, but the sharpness of the rhubarb breaks up the richness of the dessert beautifully.

Lemon Prosecco Syllabub

This dessert really looks the business having been presented in individual cocktail glasses.  It's perfect for an adult-only dinner party with hints of Prosecco and Lemoncello.  This dessert is largely made ahead of time, though it does need a couple of minutes assembly time before being served to your guests.

White Chocolate Panna Cotta

Their smooth, creamy and silky nature is the perfect dessert when guests are already feeling full.  Kate panna cotta is teamed with honey-roasted figs and walnuts.  The colours and textures clearly contrasted beautifully.

Raspberry Brulee

Brulees are another popular dessert with the crisp caramelised sugar
crust encasing a creamy mixture.  Louise has made these raspberry
brulees incredibly easy and foolproof by replacing the usual custard base with a mixture of double cream and greek yogurt.  She tells us that they’re perfect to make in advance especially as they’re even better the following day!

Gooseberry Fool

Gooseberry fool is a classic English dessert,  really easy to make and full of zingy fruit flavour.  An optional splash of gin adds a little decadence which will have gin lovers coming back for more.

Frozen Desserts

Blackberry Sorbet

If you and your guests aren’t big fans of large filling heavy desserts, then why not consider a sorbet?  They’re not only packed with fabulous fruit which provides flavour and freshness, but also help to cleanse the palate after a meal.  Sorbets are easy to make, and there are some great tips (whether you have an ice cream maker or not) to help you make one for your next dinner party!

No-Churn Mojito Ice Cream

With lime mint and plenty of rum this easy to make ice cream would make a fabulous end to a summer dinner party. Strictly for adults only of course!

Salted Caramel Crunchie Ice cream

Lush dairy salted caramel ice cream studded with honeycomb and chocolate from the Crunchie bars - just sublime! and easy to make too.

White Chocolate Parfait

This is the perfect dinner party dessert for two. Quick to make and no churning. It can also easily be doubled up to serve more.

Stem Ginger Ice Cream

A scoop of ice cream can often make a dessert, and this Stem Ginger Ice cream is a flavour that is very versatile. I have served it with Christmas pudding in winter; poached pears in red wine and Apple crumble in autumn; and with rhubarb in spring. Come summertime it goes really well with strawberries. It really is an ice cream for all year round. There are many more combinations I want to try it with, but it is delicious on its own too.