We love a good barbecue! Did you know that over 75% of Americans own a grill? While most of us think of BBQ as an evening event, some families even prepare their breakfast and lunch on the beloved backyard grill. Over 4 in 10 Americans also use their grill in winter, enjoying the warmth in the freezing temperatures.
The love affair between the American population and the bbq grill is a never-ending story, and we’re happy about that! While there are some popular days for grilling, including July Fourth, Father’s Day, and Mother’s Day, any summer day is perfect for a bbq party.
So if you are planning a bbq event in your backyard, you’re probably thinking about the best type of food to offer your guests:
- Burger patties
- Steaks and other meat cuts
- Vegan and vegetarian burgers
- Fish
- Haloumi cheese
- Corn
You may also have a range of salads available to fill up the plates, including:
- Fresh tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Peppers
- Salsa
- Fresh herbs
- Mediterranean salads
- Nicoise salads
- Greek salads
- Cold couscous and tabouleh
- Etc.
But have you thought about desserts? The best way to end a bbq party is with a sweet dessert that is satisfying and indulging. Are you looking for tips? Check our top 5 BBQ party dessert ideas!
#1. A camping favorite: Smore’s
Chewy marshmallows, melting chocolate, and crunchy crackers… Yummy! What’s not to like? Contrary to common belief, you don’t need to wait for the winter season to enjoy Smore’s! You could use this simple oven-smores recipe to get the perfect outdoors treat ready in a matter of minutes! It takes less than 15 minutes, and you can keep your guests happy!
They are best served warm, so make sure to keep plenty of cool, iced drinks around so everybody can stay fresh in the heat.
#2. Low effort cheesecake
Do you know anybody who doesn’t love cheesecake? Cheesecake is the ideal dessert for a sunny day because it is refreshing, but not too cool. Ice cream may appear refreshing, but it can actually elevate your body temperature as the digestive system adjusts for the temperature difference! You can order your cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory so you can pick up a few cheesecake flavors to please your guests.
Some of the favorites include the colorful celebration cheesecake, the pineapple upside-down cheesecake, and the fresh strawberry cheesecake. If you are unsure where to start, their 10-inch original cake is a delicious option, suitable for up to 15 people!
#3. Fresh fruit granita
Unlike ice cream, granita is refreshing without affecting your body temperature too much, thanks to its crystals. You can make delicious granita using only a handful of ingredients, such as this yummy strawberry-flavored recipe. Granitas are best served in a glass with a little dessert spoon.
Alternatively, you can also use them to decorate a mocktail at the end of the meal!
#4. A grown-up dessert: Coffee affogato
If you are not familiar with Italian dessert, the coffee affogato is a shot of espresso poured over a scoop of vanilla ice. It is refreshing and sweet, but the addition of the coffee can help neutralize the temperature shock!
You can also replace vanilla ice cream with coconut, honeycomb, caramel, chocolate, and pistachio flavor.
Due to the presence of coffee, it isn’t a drink suitable for children. It is best enjoyed at the end of a lunch meal. But if you have decaffeinated coffee, you can prepare the dessert for your dinner guests without any of them worrying about losing sleep to it!
If you have a coffee machine and some barista interest, you can also create alternative versions to meet your guests’ tastes:
- Latte affogato
- Macchiato affogato
- Mocha affogato
- Cappuccino affogato
- Cortado affogato
- Chai tea affogato
#5. A bubble tea
Bubble teas are best enjoyed cool, and sweet. Originally created in Taiwan using sweetened tea with milk and chewy tapioca balls, you can find this refreshing drink almost anywhere.
Homemade bubble tea can be an exciting dessert as you can create different tea flavors, such as jasmine tea, matcha tea, or even melon honeydew. Taro, a sweet root vegetable, is also used to give a sweet and purple color to bubble tea.
When making bubble tea at home you can make sure to avoid some of the most common issues that people have with the beverage:
- Lactose intolerance
- Too much sugar
- Bubbles are too chewy
You can use gel or tapioca bubbles to accommodate different tastes. Gel bubbles come in many flavors that bust when you bite through them!
At the end of a bbq party, you want a fun dessert that can leave the sweet tooth satisfied without being too heavy. Hopefully, these few ideas can help you surprise your guests with delicious treats!