If you’ve attended any party, ever, you know that the chips and dip are among the first snacks to disappear by hungry hands. But have you ever considered dessert dips? After all, you could toil away over a batch of chocolate chip cookies…or you could make chocolate chip cookie dip in five minutes and become the star of the social gathering. Now that you’re curious, here are 23 dessert dips—from caramel to cake batter—that are waiting to be made. Chop, chop!
23 Dessert Dips to Serve at Your Next Party
Well isn’t this sweet
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Published Aug 21, 2024
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <15 minutes, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
- Serves: 8
Everything but the kitchen sink goes into this sweet, kid-friendly dip—and by that I mean chocolate chips, chocolate candies, peanut butter and oats. When it comes to dipping, apple slices are just the beginning.
2. S’mores Dip
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
- Serves: 8 to 10
No campfire is required for this summery confection. You don’t have to make it patriotic (unless you’re serving it for the 4th, that is). Graham crackers are a must for dipping, but pretzels would be delish, too.
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <15 minutes, <10 ingredients
- Serves: 8
The cookies-and-cream vibes come from everyone’s favorite sandwich cookies, while the “fluff” is thanks to an ingenious blend of whipped topping and instant pudding mix. (And if you’re not dipping with more Oreos, you’re doing it wrong!)
4. Reeses Dip
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <15 minutes, crowd-pleaser
- Serves: 8
Once again, peanut butter and chocolate prove they’re a match made in dessert dip heaven. You can dip PB cookies as the Reel suggests, but if that feels like overkill, try pretzel rods or twists instead. (Apple slices would be tasty, too.)
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, <15 minutes, special occasion–worthy
- Serves: 8
Boozy and sweet, this dip is decidedly adults only—there’s a quarter cup of bubbly in there. Whether you pair it with strawberries or graham crackers is your call.
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion–worthy
- Serves: 8 to 10
It’s got Cheesecake Factory flavor with just four ingredients. The topping is canned pie filling, but you could also try jarred preserves for a slightly different texture.
7. Caramel Dip
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, gluten free
- Serves: 8
Buttery and sticky in the best way possible, this simple dessert dip brings everything from Granny Smith apples to pretzel twists to life. Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top if you want to get fancy.
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
- Serves: 8
All you need for this nutty treat is an electric mixer and ten minutes. Pretzels, breadsticks, fruit (like bananas, apples and strawberries) and Oreos would all make excellent pairings for dipping.
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy
- Serves: 8
Yes, cheese can totally count as dessert—especially when it’s mixed with honey. Finish this baked dip with cinnamon, brown sugar and a bonus drizzle of honey to drive the sweetness home.
10. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
- Serves: 6 to 8
Serve it with graham crackers—they pair seamlessly with tangy cream cheese—or double down on the theme by opting for chocolate chip cookies instead. Don’t say I didn’t warn you about a sugar rush, though.
11. Snickers Dip
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, <30 minutes, kid-friendly
- Serves: 10
Sure, chopped candy bars serve as a garnish. But all its key components—chocolate, caramel and salted peanuts—are in this dessert dip as well. Serve it with thin, crispy, dark chocolate wafer cookies or graham crackers.
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
- Serves: 8
Since the strawberry swirl is just store-bought preserves, this cheesecake-inspired treat comes together easily in ten minutes. Graham crackers for dipping are a no-brainer, but fresh fruit would also work.
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegan, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
- Serves: 2
Caramel is a crowd-pleaser, but not everyone consumes dairy. Enter this vegan version, which uses canned coconut cream in place of the usual heavy cream and butter. The miso gives it a salty, tangy quality that tempers the sweetness.
14. Cannoli Dip
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
- Serves: 12 to 16
Pizzelle, cannoli chips, vanilla wafers, crushed ice cream cones—there’s no limit to what can be paired with this mascarpone-based dessert dip. To ensure a creamy, thick texture, use whole milk ricotta cheese and drain its excess moisture using paper towels or cheese cloth before combining it with the other ingredients.
15. Strawberry Fluff Fruit Dip
- Time Commitment: 4 minutes
- Why I Love It: <15 minutes, <10 ingredients
- Serves: 4 to 6
Marshmallow crème and strawberry cream cheese are the only ingredients in this iconic dip, which, as the name suggests, is ideal for pairing with fresh fruit. (And it goes without saying, but you could swap in another fruit flavor to switch things up.)
16. Fluffy Marshmallow Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, <15 minutes, crowd-pleaser
- Serves: 8
If you’re not already planning on serving this dessert dip at your next book club, consider this a sign. (FYI, it would also make a great after school snack, since it’s easy to make and pairs well with fruit.)
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
- Serves: 10 to 12
No crust is needed for this instant pudding–based dip. Vanilla wafer cookies are a classic pairing, but I could see pretzels being equally tasty (and a little bit salty).
18. Fruit Salsa
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: dairy free, crowd-pleaser
- Serves: 15
Most dessert dips are creamy (and there’s nothing wrong with that). But if you want something a little lighter and dairy free, this fresh salsa will do the trick. It would be good with tortilla chips…but even better with cinnamon pita.
19. Christmas Cookie Dough Dip
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: <15 minutes, crowd-pleaser
- Serves: 8
’Tis the season to win the cookie swap (it’s not a competition, sure) with a no-bake, five-minute treat that’s not technically a cookie at all. You get bonus points for using festive sprinkles, and more for serving it with gingerbread dippers.
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, make ahead
- Serves: 8
When PSL season rolls around, what better way to celebrate than with, well, more pumpkin desserts? This one tastes like the filling of a pumpkin pie, and if you wanted to go the extra mile, you could make pie crust twists for dipping.
- Time Commitment: 18 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser
- Serves: 8
One dip away from a tropical vacay. Recipe developer Carolyn Ketchum uses a zero-calorie sweetener to make this dessert low-carb, but says you can also use confectioners’ sugar if you want.
22. Sugar Cookie Dip
- Time Commitment: 16 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
- Serves: 8
This dessert dip has a secret: It’s made with flour…but it’s totally edible. The trick is to bake the flour for 6 minutes at 350℉ so it’s no longer raw. (Note that the FDA cautions against going the DIY route though, as it may be difficult to know that the flour is properly heated through. You can always buy heat-treated flour to use in recipes like this though.) If you like sneaking a taste of dough before it’s baked, this one is for you.
23. 3-Ingredient Hot Chocolate Dip
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <15 minutes, crowd pleaser, <10 ingredients
- Serves: 8
Got hot chocolate mix laying around? I know exactly what you should make with it (and you don’t need a mug). For dipping, serve anything from animal graham crackers and pretzels to apple slices.
