For me, dessert is when the Sunday dinner story truly finds its heart. It’s the moment the plates are cleared, the coffee is poured, and the conversation deepens. It’s the sweet punctuation mark on the week, a shared indulgence that says, ‘let’s linger a little longer.

This guide is a celebration of that final, sweet course. We’ve curated the ultimate collection of 26 Sunday dinner desserts, from timeless classics to show-stopping creations, to provide that perfect, sweet finish to your feast.
Our Top Sunday Dessert Recommendations
Looking for a dessert that’s guaranteed to delight? Here are a few of our signature recipes that are perfect for ending any Sunday meal on a high note.
1. Classic Apple Pie
The quintessential American dessert. A flaky, all-butter crust filled with tender, cinnamon-spiced apples is a timeless classic for a reason. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it’s pure comfort.
2. Fudgy Skillet Brownie
There’s something so wonderfully rustic and inviting about bringing a giant, fudgy brownie to the table right in its skillet. It’s less of a formal dessert and more of a fun, gooey, chocolatey experience for everyone to share.
3. New York-Style Cheesecake
A true show-stopper. This classic features a rich, dense, and incredibly smooth cream cheese filling with a hint of lemon and vanilla, all baked in a simple graham cracker crust. It’s a decadent dessert that defines luxury.
4. Peach Cobbler
A beloved dessert of the American South. Sweet, juicy peaches are baked into a bubbling, jammy filling and topped with a soft, biscuit-like dough. It’s a simple, rustic, and incredibly comforting dessert.
Explore by Theme: Find Your Perfect Sunday Dessert
- Classic & Comforting Fruit Desserts: Humble, honest desserts featuring the rustic magic of baked fruit.
- Rich & Decadent Chocolate Delights: Guaranteed to satisfy even the most intense chocolate cravings.
- Creamy & Elegant Puddings and Pies: Luxurious, smooth textures and rich, sophisticated flavors.
- Show-Stopping Cakes & Tarts: Perfect for special occasions or any Sunday you want to feel celebratory.
- Simple & Sweet Crowd-Pleasers: Easy, fun, and shareable recipes that require minimal fuss.
Our Complete Collection: 26 Best Sunday Dinner Desserts
Classic & Comforting Fruit Desserts
Classic Apple Pie
The quintessential American dessert and the perfect end to a Sunday dinner. This recipe features a flaky, all-butter crust filled with tender, cinnamon-spiced apples. Served warm, perhaps with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it’s a timeless classic for a reason.
- Style: Classic, American, Comfort Food
- Why you’ll love it: A timeless, beloved dessert; a perfect flaky crust; a warm and comforting filling.
Peach Cobbler
A beloved dessert of the American South. Sweet, juicy peaches are baked into a bubbling, jammy filling and topped with a soft, biscuit-like dough. It’s a simple, rustic, and incredibly comforting dessert that sings of summertime.
- Style: Southern Classic, Rustic, Comfort Food
- Why you’ll love it: A simple way to celebrate summer fruit; a soft, cakey topping over juicy peaches; incredibly easy to assemble.
Apple or Berry Crumble/Crisp
The easiest way to enjoy a warm fruit dessert. A sweet and jammy fruit base—using apples, berries, or a mix—is topped with a crumbly mixture of flour, sugar, butter, and often oats for a “crisp.”
- Style: Easy, Rustic, Versatile
- Why you’ll love it: Foolproof and forgiving; a wonderful contrast of textures; adaptable to any seasonal fruit.
Strawberry Shortcake
A light, fresh, and beautiful dessert. This classic features sweet, macerated strawberries and fluffy whipped cream layered on a tender, biscuit-like shortcake. It’s a celebration of fresh ingredients and simple, perfect flavors.
- Style: Classic, Fresh, Light
- Why you’ll love it: Highlights fresh strawberries perfectly; a light and refreshing dessert; a beautiful presentation.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
A fun, retro, and visually stunning cake. Slices of pineapple and maraschino cherries are arranged in the bottom of a pan with a brown sugar-butter mixture, then topped with a simple cake batter. When inverted, it reveals a beautiful, caramelized fruit topping.
- Style: Retro, Cake, Visually Stunning
- Why you’ll love it: A fun and impressive presentation; a moist cake with a caramelized topping; a nostalgic classic.
Lemon Bars
A perfect balance of sweet and tart. These delightful bars feature a buttery shortbread crust topped with a bright, zesty, and lusciously smooth lemon curd filling. A dusting of powdered sugar on top makes them as beautiful as they are delicious.
- Style: Bars, Sweet-Tart, Classic
- Why you’ll love it: A perfect balance of flavors; a buttery, crumbly crust; a bright and refreshing treat.
Rich & Decadent Chocolate Delights
Fudgy Skillet Brownie
This is my go-to for instant, communal joy. There’s something so wonderfully rustic and inviting about bringing a giant, fudgy brownie to the table right in its skillet. Everyone just grabs a spoon and digs in.
- Style: Easy, Communal, Decadent
- Why you’ll love it: A fun, shareable dessert experience; warm, gooey, and deeply chocolatey; perfect with a scoop of ice cream.
Chocolate Lava Cakes
The ultimate decadent dessert for two or more. These individual-sized chocolate cakes have a firm exterior and a spectacular molten, liquid chocolate center that flows out when you cut into it.
- Style: Elegant, Restaurant-Quality, Decadent
- Why you’ll love it: A spectacular molten chocolate center; surprisingly easy to make; a perfect romantic dessert.
Chocolate Mousse
A classic, elegant, and surprisingly light dessert. This recipe creates a rich and airy mousse with a deep, intense chocolate flavor. It’s a sophisticated, no-bake dessert that can be made ahead of time.
- Style: Elegant, No-Bake, Classic French
- Why you’ll love it: A light and airy texture with deep chocolate flavor; a perfect make-ahead dessert; naturally gluten-free.
Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sometimes, the simplest dessert is the most satisfying. A batch of warm, gooey, straight-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies is a universally loved treat. Serve them with a cold glass of milk for a perfect, uncomplicated end to a family dinner.
- Style: Classic, Simple, Kid-Friendly
- Why you’ll love it: Universally loved by all ages; the simple joy of a warm, gooey cookie; easy to make anytime.
Creamy & Elegant Puddings and Pies
New York-Style Cheesecake
A true show-stopper. This classic cheesecake features a rich, dense, and incredibly smooth cream cheese filling with a hint of lemon and vanilla, all baked in a simple graham cracker crust.
- Style: Show-Stopper, Classic, Decadent
- Why you’ll love it: A rich, dense, and creamy texture; a luxurious and impressive dessert; a timeless centerpiece.
Tiramisu
A classic no-bake Italian dessert that means “pick me up.” Layers of coffee-soaked ladyfinger cookies and a light, airy mascarpone cream are dusted with cocoa powder. It’s a sophisticated, elegant, and surprisingly easy dessert to assemble.
- Style: No-Bake, Italian Classic, Elegant
- Why you’ll love it: A perfect make-ahead dessert; a light, airy, and sophisticated flavor; no baking required.
Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce
The most delicious way to use up stale bread. Cubes of bread are soaked in a sweet, creamy vanilla and cinnamon custard, then baked until the top is golden and the inside is soft and luscious. A warm vanilla sauce drizzled over the top makes it irresistible.
- Style: Comfort Food, Budget-Friendly, Classic
- Why you’ll love it: A comforting way to reduce food waste; a warm, custardy, and delicious dessert; the vanilla sauce is irresistible.
Lemon Meringue Pie
A beautiful pie with three distinct and delicious layers. A buttery pastry crust is filled with a bright and zesty lemon curd, then topped with a cloud of toasted, fluffy meringue.
- Style: Classic Pie, Sweet-Tart, Show-Stopper
- Why you’ll love it: A perfect balance of tart and sweet; a stunning, cloud-like meringue topping; a true baking classic.
Panna Cotta with Berry Coulis
An elegant and incredibly simple Italian dessert. A sweetened cream mixture is set with gelatin to create a silky-smooth, delicate pudding. It’s a perfect blank canvas for a vibrant, fresh berry coulis or sauce.
- Style: Italian, Elegant, Simple
- Why you’ll love it: Incredibly simple to make; a silky, creamy, and delicate texture; looks sophisticated and impressive.
Crème Brûlée
A classic French dessert with a magical, interactive element. A rich, creamy vanilla custard is topped with a thin layer of sugar that is caramelized with a torch until it forms a hard, glassy crust that you crack with a spoon.
- Style: French Classic, Elegant, Interactive
- Why you’ll love it: The fun of cracking the caramelized sugar crust; a rich, creamy vanilla custard; a restaurant-quality dessert at home.
Banana Cream Pie
A nostalgic and beloved American classic. A flaky pie crust is filled with layers of fresh banana slices and a rich, creamy vanilla pastry cream, all topped with a generous mound of fresh whipped cream.
- Style: Classic Pie, American, Comfort Food
- Why you’ll love it: A creamy, dreamy, and nostalgic dessert; a perfect combination of banana and vanilla cream; a crowd-pleasing favorite.
Chocolate Cream Pie
A dream dessert for any chocolate lover. A crisp chocolate or pastry crust is filled with a rich, decadent, and incredibly smooth chocolate pudding. Topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, it’s pure indulgence.
- Style: Classic Pie, Decadent, Chocolate
- Why you’ll love it: A rich, silky, and intensely chocolatey filling; pure indulgence for chocolate lovers; a stunning presentation.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
A classic British dessert that is the pinnacle of comfort. This wonderfully moist sponge cake, packed with finely chopped dates, is drenched in a sinfully rich and warm toffee sauce.
- Style: British Classic, Comfort Food, Decadent
- Why you’ll love it: An intensely moist cake with a rich toffee sauce; the ultimate warm and comforting dessert; best served with cream or ice cream.
Key Lime Pie
A taste of the Florida Keys. This tangy and sweet pie features a zesty filling made from key lime juice and sweetened condensed milk in a graham cracker crust. It’s a refreshing, creamy, and incredibly satisfying dessert.
- Style: Classic Pie, American, Refreshing
- Why you’ll love it: A perfect sweet and tangy flavor; a creamy, refreshing filling; incredibly easy to make.
Show-Stopping Cakes & Tarts
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
A perfectly moist and flavorful spice cake loaded with freshly grated carrots, and often nuts and raisins. The cake is perfectly complemented by a rich, tangy, and incredibly smooth cream cheese frosting.
- Style: Classic Cake, Comfort Food, Crowd-Pleaser
- Why you’ll love it: An incredibly moist and flavorful cake; the tangy cream cheese frosting is a perfect pairing; a classic that never disappoints.
Red Velvet Cake
A stunning and dramatic cake with a mild chocolate flavor and a distinctive reddish hue. Its soft, tender crumb has a velvety texture that pairs perfectly with a classic tangy cream cheese frosting.
- Style: Classic Cake, Southern, Show-Stopper
- Why you’ll love it: A stunning visual presentation; a unique, velvety texture; a classic flavor beloved by many.
Pound Cake with Fresh Berries
A simple, buttery, and beautifully dense pound cake is the perfect canvas for seasonal fruit. Serve thick slices with a spoonful of fresh, juicy berries and a dollop of whipped cream for a simple yet elegant dessert.
- Style: Classic Cake, Simple, Versatile
- Why you’ll love it: A simple, elegant dessert; a perfect way to showcase fresh fruit; a buttery and satisfying cake.
Pear Tart with Almond Cream
An elegant and sophisticated French-style tart. A buttery pastry crust is filled with a layer of sweet, nutty almond cream (frangipane) and then topped with beautifully arranged slices of pear before being baked to golden perfection.
- Style: French Tart, Elegant, Sophisticated
- Why you’ll love it: A beautiful, restaurant-quality presentation; a delicious combination of pear and almond; an impressive dessert for guests.
Simple & Sweet Crowd-Pleasers
No-Churn Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Yes, you can make creamy, delicious ice cream at home without an ice cream maker! This simple recipe uses sweetened condensed milk and whipped cream to create a smooth, no-churn base that can be flavored with real vanilla bean.
- Style: Easy, No-Machine, Crowd-Pleaser
- Why you’ll love it: No special equipment needed; incredibly creamy and easy to make; a perfect base for any flavor.
No-Bake Oreo Dessert
A guaranteed hit with kids and adults alike. This layered dessert features a crust made from crushed Oreo cookies, a creamy cheesecake-like filling, and is often topped with chocolate pudding and whipped cream.
- Style: No-Bake, Easy, Kid-Friendly
- Why you’ll love it: A foolproof dessert that everyone loves; perfect for any occasion; rich, creamy, and chocolatey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your Guide to Unforgettable Sunday Dinners
My greatest wish is that these recipes inspire you to create that one last moment of magic. A homemade dessert is how we make memories stick. It’s the sweet note that will linger long after the plates are cleared. So bake that cake, scoop that ice cream, and savor the simple, sweet act of ending the week on a high note, together.
Now that you have the perfect dessert, are you looking for ideas for the main course? Be sure to explore our ultimate guide to Sunday Dinner Ideas for hundreds of more recipes for every taste and occasion!
What is your family’s favorite dessert to share on a Sunday? Let us know in the comments below!