Who doesn’t enjoy something sweet? When it comes to the sweet-tooth of large crowds though, it can get expensive. So how do you please a large crowd inexpensively? Before you go and take out a loan or drive yourself to wits end preparing extravagant creations, stop and think. Consider cheaper and easier ways to prepare desserts for crowds. Pull out those old recipe boxes and go on the hunt. You just might find a plethora of sweet delights to satisfy everyone who attends your gathering, for next to nothing.
One of the best and easiest desserts around is cookies. Cookies made by the dozens can be an inexpensive way to feed your crowd. You can make a selection of rich looking cookies by keeping it simple and being selective. Chocolate Chip, Sugar, Snickerdoodles, Sandies, Peanut Butter, and Pumpkin are a few. Not a lot of ingredients go into these cookies, so you wont need to mortgage your home to feed those you’re entertaining. If you feel that cookies aren’t elegant enough, dress them up with a simple topping. Dollar stores carry a wide array of inexpensive nuts and candies you can doll your cookies up with. Your company will feel like you’ve treated them to something equal to “Neiman Marcus” cookies, when they see you bringing them out on your cookie platter.
Another inexpensive treat, which is fun to make and a crowd pleaser is “Punch Bowl” cake. With a box of yellow or white cake mix, cool whip, canned cherries, and canned crushed pineapple, you’ll create a masterpiece. Just follow the directions for making the cake. Once the cake is done, break it up and arrange a portion of it in the bottom of a punch bowl. Start layering with the cool whip, canned cherries, then the canned pineapples. Keep repeating the steps until all the ingredients are placed inside the punch bowl. This can be adjusted to accommodate a crowd easily and it’s not that expensive to make.
How about brownies for dessert? These are easily made in an 9×11 baking dish. A little bit goes a long way with these when you add a layer of frosting, canned cherries, and crushed nuts. By making four or five dishes of these, it wont leave anyones sweet-tooth unsatisfied and your pocketbook will still contain money in it. Be sure you look at the dollar stores for those ingredients, which otherwise would cost more at your normal shopping center.
If the gathering isn’t a huge formal affair, you could make popcorn balls with a variety of flavors. Perhaps a bouquet of suckers put together by a bow. Making cupcakes by the dozen, chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry topped off with sprinkles, frosting, and small pieces of fruit is fun, easy, and affordable.
These are a few ideas which have been tried and found to be pleasing to crowds and those providing the desserts. Don’t be afraid to search outside the box when it comes to ideas for desserts especially when feeding a large crowd. Be creative and just give yourself enough time to get things done. Most times the simplest sweets seem to be both the biggest crowd pleaser’s and the least expensive.