Dessert Pie Bar
Skip baking a bunch of pies and set up a DIY Dessert Pie Bar instead! With the best sauces, favorite toppings, and plenty of whipped cream, everyone gets to build their perfect slice. Perfect for parties, showers, or just because!
Servings: 12 guests
Cost: $37.09
Equipment
- See Note 1 for the supplies needed
Ingredients
Caramel Sauce
- 1 (10.8-ounce) bag soft caramels unwrapped
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
Chocolate Sauce
- 1 cup chocolate chips use good-quality chocolate
- 1/3 cup Nutella or other chocolate hazelnut spread
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil or vegetable/canola oil
Pecan Sauce
- 8 tablespoons salted butter 1/2 cup, cut into tablespoons
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Other Sauce Options
- 1 to 2 (13.4-ounce) cans Dulce de Leche or homemade
- 1 (21-ounce) can apple pie filling
- Creamy peanut butter
Pie Bar
- 12 mini graham cracker crusts or mini pie crusts or tart shells
- Homemade whipped cream or spray whipped topping
- Favorite pie toppings see note 2
- Free printable menu
Instructions
- Choose five sauces to prepare.
- Caramel Sauce: In a small pot over medium-low heat, melt the caramels with the cream. Stir continuously until smooth and well combined. Transfer the sauce to a wide-mouth mason jar.
- Chocolate Sauce: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips with coconut oil. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each until smooth. Mix in Nutella until well combined. Pour the mixture into a wide-mouth mason jar.
- Pecan/Nut Filling: In a small pot, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Once the mixture starts to bubble, add the heavy cream and pecans. Stir continuously for 1–2 minutes or until the sugar is fully dissolved. Pour the sauce into a jar.
- Transfer apple pie filling to a jar (right in the jar use a knife to slice into smaller pieces). Fill other mason jars with creamy peanut butter and dulce de leche.
- Fill a 6-quart slow cooker halfway with water and set it on high. Place the sauce-filled jars in the cooker. Stir the sauces occasionally to ensure even warmth.
- Arrange your chosen toppings (see note 2) in a lined muffin tin or small serving bowls.
- Prepare homemade whipped cream according to recipe directions (click link in ingredients). Transfer it to a chilled serving bowl that is set inside a bowl filled with ice. Alternatively, use spray whipped topping or thawed topping.
- Organize a serving station with warm cooker of sauces, mini graham cracker crusts, bowl of whipped cream, and toppings. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Note 1: Supplies:
- Jars: You’ll need wide-mouth mason jars for the pie sauces.
- Hot tub for sauces: Use a 6-quart Crock-Pot.
- Topping central: A muffin pan with liners does the trick. Or if you want to prepare less toppings, grab a few small bowls.
- Labels or signs (optional): Jazz things up with some labels or signs.
- Mini wooden scoops (optional): Perfect for digging into the toppings.
- Nut grinder (optional): A spice or nut grinder to quickly grind toppings like cookies, nuts, seeds, and candies.
- Mini chocolate chips
- Bananas (sliced or diced)
- Pretzels (crushed or coarsely chopped)
- Graham crackers (crushed or coarsely chopped)
- Sweetened coconut flakes
- Peanut brittle (coarsely chopped)
- Mixed nuts (coarsely chopped)
- Strawberries (sliced or diced)
- Blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries
- Crushed toffee bits
- Chocolate chip cookies (coarsely chopped)
- Crushed candy bar bits
- Mini peanut butter chocolate cups
- Vanilla wafers (coarsely chopped)
- Crushed Oreos
- Sauces: Store in sealed mason jars in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Crusts: Store unfilled crusts in a cool, dry place in an airtight container.
- Toppings:
- Dry: Store in airtight containers at room temperature.
- Fresh fruit: Refrigerate and use within a day.
- Whipped cream: Refrigerate homemade cream and use within 24 hours; re-whip if needed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving