Good bake sale items???

[MnMomtoboys]

Christine - yes, I agree. I wouldn't buy something like that.

Other than the banana bread in a jaw I was thinking of fudge and some cupcakes with Fall decorations.

banana bread in a jaw would be quite unique

No bake cookies. Kids love them.

 

[Best Aunt]

Where is the sale? Inside? Outside? In the sun?

If you're not inside, watch out for stuff that will melt in the sun or heat (obviously depending on where you're located.)

 

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

Puppy Chow! The kids love it here.

 

[Pembo]

I bought frosted cookies at Aldi's and individually bagged them. They were the first to sell. Semi-homemade

 

[charming23]

I always bake for my honor society's bake sale and the biggest hit is always rice krispie treats. For the one last week I made the treats as normal and then drizzles melted chocolate and melted peanut butter on them and sprinkled fall sprinkles on top. The faculty advisor said that the 48 I made were the first thing to completely sell out.

 

[C.Ann]

Muffins - you can sell them individually.. Adults like them and they sell out fast.. So many kinds to choose from!

Brownies are always a good choice, but most everyone makes them..

Breads - so many different kinds to choose from.. You could even do the smaller loaves (in the foil pans) to get more loaves out of each batch of mix you whip up..

Most people can't resist chocolate chip cookies - and adults usually go for the oatmeal cookies (with or without raisins).. The "soft" variety sell best..

Good luck!

 

[Pikester]

I like to do Raspberry Squares. I cut them into a good size square and then wrap with plastic for individual sale. It's different, it's not chocolate and it sounds like it could be healthy. Hey, raspberry is a fruit!

 

[java]

I make decorated cut out sugar cookies.

I don't suggest it though unless you are in the mood to work your tail off for a $2 cookie.

I made little palm trees and pineapples for a South Pacific play bake sale- and they sold out. But they were time consuming. When they asked me to make them (in a different pattern for this years play) I politely declined.

I am a sucker for buying the kids something so I would say chocolate chip cookies- or brownies would be the best sellers. I love the idea of the frosting with a little candy pumpkin on a brownie- I'm stealing that one!

 

[powellrj]

If you are having lots of adults, I know bags of homemade noodles go really well, but its a lot of work!

I also always buy the gooey butter cake slices if they sell those, I know when my kids went to private school they always had a bake sale on Friday and I would always be in line for those!

 

[monkeybug]

You could do whoopie pies, rice crispy treats(maybe add chocolate chips or something to spice them up), and ice cream cone cupcakes.

I was going to say whoopie pies too, they are very "in" right now.
The ice cream cone cupcakes are always a hit with kids too.

 

[barkley]

for kids-smore krispie treats (use the rice krispie recipie, but substitute honey grahams cereal, and add mini chocolate chips).

for grown ups-mini individual cheesecakes (allrecipies has the recipie-they are done in cupcake wrappers with a nilla wafer for the crust)-a coworker would make these and top them with cherry or blueberry canned pie topping-they sold out realy fast at every office bakesale.

any kind of peanut butter cookie (on top chef desserts during the recent bake sale challenge, the judges said something about pb cookies being the most popular item at most bake sales).

 

[Tweevil]

I do these at work all the time - and I love to bake now - so it is a good match for us.

I bought a bunch of the little 4" springform and regular baking pans to do small pineapple upside down cakes and cheesecakes. I use parchment on the bottom and once baked and cooled, wrap them in shrink film or slide them in a ziptop bag and freeze. The day of the event or the night before take them out and put on a small 5" cardboard round with either shrink film or put into a small box. They look like tiny versions of the originals and we can get 4 or 5 dollars a piece for them.This is something I do over the course time so it's no big deal to pull them out and defrost.

As a matter of fact, I do these for Christmas gifts too for people at work in a small pretty box and they seem to get good reviews because people drop a hint of what kind they want every year. If you want the recipes for the good to freeze cheesecake or upside down cake PM me.

Other items: muffins (anything with a crumb top), small caramel apples, small candied apples, caramel/choc pretzel rods with quins, seasonal breads (those freeze well too!), flashy cut out cookies w/ royal icing (also good ahead of time item), petit fours, and don't limit yourself to traditional baked items. Small gift sets go too! I am getting ready to do the decorated sugar cubes with a package of tea - we put these in a clear box (Michaels has them) and with a piece of ribbon it's a perfect take away for some people.
Cookies in take out boxes are also fun and you can put a label of your group on it.

Oh and we do mini pies - 4-6" premade shells with fillings - they sell for $5 too.

Also, don't forget diabetic/sugar free-reduced options.
I always do something that is specifically reduced and provide a little card with info on ingredients etc. That way if anyone says I can't or I am on a diet there is something there you can tell them about before they make their get away....

AND we mark items with either nut/allergy disclaimers or have a little sign saying products are made on equipment not free or allergens. You would be surprised how many people are appreciative of that - oh and gluten free items as well. A lot fo kids and adults can't have certain glutens and when they find an item it's like they hit the jackpot.

Ok, so I rambled....lol
We do these 4-6 times a year and merchandise the stuff up - people look forward the the booth and we make good money on the items. I want to say the last one was $675 for a 3 hour booth with donated items. Our mission is a fiver - anyone who stops can choose an item or a group of them for $5 - no one leaves without dropping the five usually because if you are spending 4 you might as well spend the $5. LOL

Hope this helps and I think the key is people eat with their eyes first so if you merchandise your stuff well you can actually charge a bit more and move things really fast. Invest in some little boxes, clear clamshell containers, or of all things - chinese take out containers (100 for $15 at rest supply).

If I remember anything else I will pop in to add it.

 

[KiKi Mouse]

We just did this...I had bought 2 of those brownie pans where they make the individual squares. I made brownies in these and when they popped out I took a cake tip and put a dollup of choc frosting on then and then a candy pumpkin. They were really cute and sold like hot cakes.

I like this I've been using my mini muffin pans to make brownie bites.

Cake balls are all the rage right now.

 

[MnMomtoboys]

Tweevil you might as well save yourself the time and post those recipes. I know I want them and I won't be the only one.

 

[almburr]

Popcorn cake sells out fast here. It is also the first thing to go at cake raffles. When people see the popcorn cakes everyone rushes. I think I might make one now after thinking about it.

 

[Maridw]

Reese's Treats - put 2 or 3 to a bag. These are quick and easy to make.

Buy Pillsbury peanut butter cookie roll and mini reese's peanut butter cups. Slice the cookie roll into 9 slices and then quarter each slice. Put one quarter in each muffin cup. Bake in mini muffin tins for time stated on cookie roll instructions. Once you take them out of the oven, put a reese cup in each cookie. Place in freezer for about 10 minutes to set chocolate and then remove from the muffin tin. One roll makes 36 treats.

I make these all the time and the kids love them at dance recital rehearsal or our dance Christmas party.

You can also use sugar cookies and Kisses. At Christmas I used sugar cookies and the candy cane kisses. I put them in upside down (wide part up). Lots of variations to this with all the different types of kisses.