If you have kids in elementary school, or heck, just live in a suburban community, you’ve probably been asked to contribute something to a bake sale or fundraiser at some point.

If you don’t have a favorite recipe or don’t want to be the 14th chocolate chip cookie or brownie recipe on the table, here are 3 simple and very quick recipe options that you can make in 15 minutes or less and will still leave a great impression.

Oreo Bark

Take one bag of chocolate chips. You can use white, semi-sweet, or dark. Really anything will work so choose your favorite.

1. Melt the chocolate chips either in a double boiler or in short bursts in a microwave. Don’t rush it.
2. Chop up 15-20 Oreos. Set a little aside to sprinkle on top.
3. Mix the chopped oreos and melted chocolate. Pour the mixture into an 8×8 pan lined with parchment.
4. Sprinkle the remaining Oreos on top.
5. Chill for 15-20 minutes until the entire pan is solid.
6. Lift out of the pan and break into pieces.

Simple Shortbread

There are plenty of shortbread recipes out there and plenty of techniques to try to get the most tender cookie. This recipe has just 3 ingredients, is dead simple, tastes really good (maybe not great but really good for the time investment), and if you dip it in chocolate looks like you spent half the night in the kitchen.

• 1 c. softened butter (if you use unsalted butter, add in 1 teaspoon salt.)
• 1 c. confectioners’ sugar 
• 2¾ cups all-purpose flour

1. Add the butter to a large mixing bowl and whisk or beat until smooth.
2. Sift in the confectioners’ sugar and cream with the butter until fluffy and combined. 
3. Add in the flour all at once and fold to combine. When the mixture looks like sand, transfer to a clean working surface and knead just a few times then form into a ball and flatten a little. Chill in the refrigerator for one hour.
4. On a cookie pan roll the dough out until ½ inch thick. Then cut the dough rectangles with a pastry scraper. Pierce the tops with a fork, which will prevent bubbling and help cookies bake evenly. Bake at 300 degrees F. for about 45 minutes, or until light golden brown.
5. When the cookies come out of the oven, while still hot, cut again and then let cool completely on the pan.

Once cool, you can also optionally dip the ends in chocolate and decorate with sprinkles. Be careful of cookie monsters!

Chocolate Dip Sticks

These work best with Pocky, the Japanese slightly sweetened breadsticks, but you can also just make them with any thin breadstick you can find at your local supermarket. I tend to have the best luck finding Pocky at Walmart, of all places. 

1. Melt chocolate (type is your choice) and pour into a tall, narrow glass (something like a shot glass works well).
2. Break breadsticks in half (optional)
3. Dip (broken) end into chocolate
4. Quickly decorate
5. Place on wax or parchment paper to harden

That’s it. Those are my 3 go-to recipes to go beyond the traditional chocolate chip cookie or brownie for the local bake sale. They are just as easy, but just a little different. Perfect when you’ve completely forgotten about the bake sale and have to whip something up before the next morning. Good luck!