Bake sale ideas for your next fundraiser
Bake sales have long been one of the most popular fundraising events, suitable for schools, workplaces, community events, and social clubs. Whether it’s the smell of freshly baked cookies or homemade pies, bake sales are a time-honored tradition that brings people together to raise money for a good cause.
Beyond just satisfying a sweet tooth, a bake sale fundraiser is the perfect way to raise awareness and strengthen community spirit.
In this article, we’ll explore bake sale ideas for fundraising and top tips for the big day, so you have all the ingredients to make your event a sweet success. Preheat your ovens and grab your aprons.
Bake sale fundraiser tips
Before you start creating bake sale treats, there are a few things you’ll need to consider when organizing your event to ensure a successful bake sale. Let’s take a look at some of our top bake sale fundraiser tips:
- Ask for help: You can’t do everything by yourself, so make sure you recruit some volunteers to help organize the bake sale, promote the fundraiser on social media, set up on the day of the event, bake some goods, collect money, and clean up.
- Consider a theme: Think about possible bake sale idea themes, whether it’s tailored towards a particular time of year, such as Easter, Halloween, Christmas, or a specific event like World Book Day. Make sure decor, such as tablecloths and signage, is in keeping with the theme.
- Finalize event details: Consider the date, time, and location, so you can start to spread the word about your fundraiser. When deciding on these details, make sure you try to make it convenient for as many people as possible.
- Check your local health codes: Make sure you do your research beforehand. Make sure you consider dietary requirements and clearly mark items that may carry allergens. Include gluten-free options.
- Set up an online fundraiser: To maximize the amount of funds you raise, use an online fundraising platform to help boost donations leading up to and after the event. It’s a great way of increasing awareness about the fundraiser and topping up the funds you receive.
- Seek partnerships: Partnering with local businesses and grocery stores to support your initiative may help you with sourcing baked goods or ingredients.
Bake sale ideas for fundraising
Americans love a sweet treat, but there’s more to bake sale preparation than meets the eye. For ease, you want baked goods that are simple to hand out as individual portions and prioritize tried and tested bestsellers to maximize the funds you raise. You can easily find bake sale recipes online.
Here are our favourite fundraising ideas for bake sales:
1. Brownies
Rich, gooey, and universally loved, brownies are easy to bake in large batches and distribute individually.
- Classic fudge brownies
- Salted caramel brownies
- Peanut butter swirl brownies
- Blondies
2. Cinnamon rolls
Soft and sweet with a slightly crisp and flaky exterior, cinnamon rolls are a decadent option that caters to the tastebuds of adults and children alike.
- Classic cinnamon rolls
- Apple pie cinnamon rolls
- Pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls
- Chocolate hazelnut cinnamon rolls
3. Cookies
Who doesn’t love cookies? Classic and versatile, they can be tailored to suit any flavor preference and are perfect for grab-and-go sales.
- Chocolate chip cookies
- Sugar cookies
- White chocolate macadamia nut cookies
- Maple cookies
4. Pies
Appropriate for fans of both sweet and savory goods, pies appeal to a wide audience and can be sold by the slice.
- Classic apple pie
- Lemon meringue pie
- Pumpkin pie
- Chocolate Whoopie Pies
5. Bars
Incredibly easy to portion and pack, this handheld tasty treat can be baked on a big scale and allows bakers to get creative with different flavors.
- Lemon bars
- S’mores bars
- Nanaimo bars
- Peanut butter chocolate bars
6. Bread
Loaves of banana, zucchini, or sourdough bread always go down a treat and can be sliced up before your cake sale for convenient distribution. Also, a good choice for those seeking a slightly healthier alternative.
- Banana bread
- Zucchini bread
- Cinnamon swirl bread
- Pumpkin bread
- Pretzels
7. Cakes
Beautifully decorated and crowd-pleasing, cakes can be the perfect showpiece at your bake sale – helping to elevate your table of treats. They can be sold whole as smaller versions or in slices.
- Vanilla layer cake with buttercream
- Red velvet cake
- Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
- Chocolate ganache cake
8. Cupcakes
Miniature, individually portioned cakes are easy to decorate and tailor to a particular theme, offering customization opportunities and variety.
- Funfetti cupcakes
- Chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting
- Lemon cupcakes with raspberry frosting
- Vanilla cupcakes with sprinkles
9. Scones
Ideal for savory lovers, scones are a slightly less sweet option and pair really well with coffee or tea, should you wish to offer drinks.
- Blueberry scones
- Cheddar and chive scones
- Maple pecan scones
- Chocolate chip scones
10. Muffins
Easy to handle and wholesome, muffins are a popular baked item at any time of day. A light and fluffy treat for people of all ages.
- Blueberry muffins
- Chocolate chip muffins
- Pumpkin spice muffins
- Banana muffins
11. No-bake recipes
OK, we know it’s a bake sale, but no-bake recipes are easy-to-make crowd pleasers that shouldn’t be ignored. These are super simple to make with kids at home.
- Rice Krispie treats
- No-bake cheesecake
- Rocky road
- Cookie dough
Start a bake sale fundraiser with GoFundMe
Have our bake sale ideas for fundraising whet your appetite and inspired you to get creative in the kitchen? Bake sales are an excellent method of raising money for a worthy cause, bringing members of the community together to bake, eat, and be merry.
However, don’t just rely on sales on the day to hit your fundraising goals, make sure you create a fundraiser online to help promote the big day and maximize your donations.
If you want to make a difference in the lives of Americans and raise as much funds as possible, GoFundMe is here to help. We offer market-leading tools to enhance your fundraiser and boost the amount you raise at your bake sale fundraiser.