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45 Best Tailgate Desserts to Pass Around Between Plays

Pack up football cereal treats, cookies, and dessert bars.

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deep fried oreos with powdered sugar
ryan liebe

Football season is officially here and the Drummond family knows there's no better excuse for gathering around for good fun and good food. That’s why The Pioneer Woman has a whole slew of fun tailgating menus—and they work no matter which kid or team is playing or what time of day it is. And of course, no game day would be complete without the best tailgate dessert recipes worthy of a touchdown.

Just like with other game day foods, tailgate desserts need to be easy to pack up and even easier to share with a crowd. So, you'll find tons of cookie recipes, brownies, dessert bars, and other hand-held treats that your friends and family will love. There are also several one-layer bakes like homemade sheet cakes that you can make and serve right in the pan. Try Ree's famous chocolate sheet cake that her whole family roots for!

Some of these recipes take the fuss out of cooking with no-bake desserts, while others embrace the crave-worthy flavors of sweet and salty treats and seasonal flavors like apple and pumpkin. But no matter which recipe you choose, these game day desserts will give you the boost you need to cheer on your favorite team. From football cakes to crowd-pleasing buckeyes, this list will bring the sweetness to your tailgate spread.

1

Cowboy Cookie Bars

cowboy cookie bars
Allison Gootee

Go, Cowboys! These chewy cookie bars are packed with chocolate chips, crunchy pecans, coconut, and oats for a hearty dessert that’s easy to slice up and share.

Get Ree’s Cowboy Cookie Bars recipe.

2

Chocolate-Covered Bacon

chocolate covered bacon
C.W. Newell

This is sweet, salty, and totally unexpected! Crispy bacon gets dipped in creamy milk chocolate and sprinkled with crunchy, salted nuts for a tailgate treat that’s guaranteed to disappear fast.

Get Ree’s Chocolate-Covered Bacon recipe.

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3

Deep-Fried Oreos

deep fried oreos with powdered sugar
ryan liebe

Yes, you can serve this fairground favorite at a football game, too! Oreos get wrapped in fluffy crescent dough and deep-fried until golden and puffy, then dusted with powdered sugar.

Get Ree’s Deep-Fried Oreos recipe.

4

Nutella-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

nutella stuffed chocolate chip cookies
Alison Gootee

Take a bite of these cookies and taste a delicious surprise inside! Along with chocolate chips, they’re stuffed with creamy Nutella, making them extra fun for fans.

Get Ree’s Nutella-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.

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5

Knock You Naked Brownies

knock you naked brownies
Will Dickey

There’s so much gooey goodness here thanks to a buttery pecan-chocolate crust on the top and bottom, then a thick layer of caramel sandwiched in between. Basically, these bars have it all!

Get Ree’s Knock You Naked Brownies recipe.

6

Fried Fruit Pies

fried fruit pies
C.W. Newell

When Ree made these fruit pies, she said: “Everybody just grabbed one, and like magic, they disappeared!” You’ll get the same reaction with the sweet fruit filling that’s tucked into tender pastry and fried until golden and crisp.

Get Ree’s Fried Fruit Pies recipe.

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7

Easy Flourless Chocolate Cookies

easy flourless chocolate cookies
Stacy K. Allen

You’d never guess these rich, fudgy cookies are flourless! With crisp edges, a chewy center, and plenty of chocolate flavor, they’re an easy handheld treat to pass around between plays.

Get Ree’s Easy Flourless Chocolate Cookies recipe.

8

Football Sheet Cake

tailgate desserts football sheet cake
C.W. Newell

Wow and feed a crowd at the same time with this fun football sheet cake. While it may look complicated to decorate, it really just takes some piping and candy to complete.

Get the Football Sheet Cake recipe.

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9

Scotcheroos

chocolate peanut butter desserts
Danielle Daly

Yes, you can have chocolate, peanut butter, and butterscotch all in one bite! Plus, they're a no-bake treat that only requires 15 minutes of prep time.

Get the Scotcheroos recipe.

10

Eclair Cake

eclair cake tailgate dessert
Caitlin Bensel

Cakes are so much easier when they're transported and served right in the pan. Case in point: This make-ahead cake that tastes just classic French pastry.

Get the Eclair Cake recipe.

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11

Football Cereal Treats

school lunches
Ryan Liebe

Picture this: You pull up on game day and place a platter of these chocolatey treat. You'll be the MVP before the game even starts! Use a cookie cutter to make the shapes uniform in size.

Get Ree's Football Cereal Treats recipe.

12

Cake Mix Cookies

tailgate desserts
Will Dickey

Here's a game day hack: Use boxed cake mix to speed up the process! The result is chewy and sweet and the perfect vehicle for sprinkles that are your team's colors.

Get the Cake Mix Cookies recipe.

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13

Jell-O Cake

tailgate desserts jello cake
Caitlin Bensel

Another great way to doctor up boxed cake mix is making a poke cake! A box of Jell-O gives it flavor and a fun tie-dye effect which you can swap out to match to your team's colors.

Get the Jell-O Cake recipe.

14

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

tailgate desserts pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
Caitlin Bensel

Fall means football, and it also means pumpkin. Make a seasonal treat that's easy to make and even easier to grab and eat on game day. They're rich and chewy!

Get the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.

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15

Caramel Apple Sheet Cake

tailgate desserts caramel apple sheet cake
C.W. Newell

Caramel apples are a quintessential fall treat, and now they're easier to make and carry as a sheet cake. It's a lightly spiced apple cake slathered in swirls of rich, buttery caramel frosting.

Get Ree's Caramel Apple Sheet Cake recipe.

16

Carmelitas

tailgate desserts
Will Dickey

This grab-and-go treats are a lot like like crumb bars. But instead of fruit in the middle, there's a mixture of pecans, chocolate chips, and caramel sauce nestled in the buttery oat crust.

Get the Carmelitas recipe.

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17

Football Cookies

football cookies tailgate dessert
Will Dickey

A simple chocolate cookie dough becomes a game-winning dessert when shaped into mini footballs. Each cookie is also loaded with crunchy pecans and topped with white icing for the perfect finishing touch.

Get the Football Cookies recipe.

18

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

tailgate desserts pumpkin whoopie pies
David Malosh

If you can't seem to choose between making a cake or cookies, don't! Whoopie pies are the best of both. They taste like cake but are in handheld cookie form.

Get Ree's Pumpkin Whoopie Pies recipe.

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19

Oreo Brownies

tailgate desserts oreo brownies
C.W. Newell

Oreos are as American as football. Actually, so are brownies! Why not combine all three and satisfy everyone's sweet tooth with a rich and fudgy delight?

Get the Oreo Brownies recipe.

20

Potato Chip Rice Krispies Treats

tailgate desserts potato chip rice krispies treats
C.W. Newell

If you take two favorite American treats and put them together, what do you get? A mix of sweet and savory and completely addictive to eat.

Get the Potato Chip Rice Krispies Treats recipe.

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