Dessert shooter glasses

I've written a lot of dessert shooter articles - articles about mini desserts served in shot glasses or any other small glass. These miniature desserts are served in dessert shooter glasses which are generally just 2 to 5 ounces in size.

You might ask why, If dessert shooters are so good, are they so small? After all, isn't bigger always better? Oh no, my friend - not necessarily. These delicious mini desserts are designed to be small to give dinner guests just a taste of something sweet after a filling dinner. Another great reason to serve desserts in dessert shooter glasses is so your guests may sample more than one. What more could one ask for after a great dinner than a few tasty desserts served in shot glasses along with a good cup of coffee?

Come along with me and find what I've uncovered as the best dessert shooter glasses on the market. I'll also give you some tips on some surprising places to find these small glasses. And, as a bonus, how about a recipe that I made up recently - make your dinner guests a simple Cheesecake Kiss Me Goodnight dessert shooter!

Photo credit: Those Rossetto dessert glasses in the picture above are available on Amazon.com at this link: Rosseto Liteware Party Dishes Set of 10 Cups with Stem.

These 2 ounce glasses are just perfect to serve your dessert shooter. Try any of these delicious Dessert shooter ideas and you're sure to spark after dinner conversation.

I love the fact that these sets come with the dessert shooter glasses, spoons (long handled to get every tasty drop) and even ideas for making your own dessert shooters. And, they're really not expensive at all. Just click on any link below to get more details about any particular dessert shooter glass set.

Any full sized dessert can be adapted to a tasty dessert shooter but why bother when you can get easy recipes right from a great cookbook? "Petite Sweets" was my first purchase when I started looking for recipes for dessert shooters and it's often my first 'go-to' book.

There are some totally delicious dessert shooter ideas in this youtube video. The demonstrator, Rose Reisman, shows how she creates the featured dessert shooters at her restaurant, Glow.

The below are fun glasses in which to serve your guests your delectable mini desserts. And, since they are disposable that means clean up after a picnic will be a breeze. Some of these dessert glasses are dishwasher friendly; I always read the product information as I reuse these glasses all the time.

Dessert Cups, 2 1/8" x 2 3/4" high capacity 100 ml.

(3.4 oz), sold as pack of 100

3oz. Small Wonders Tall Cube Clear Plastic Mini Dishes / Shot Glass 10ct.

Small Wonders 2.5 oz Clear Plastic Slanted Cube Mini Dish 10ct.

Disposable Plastic Straight Wall Shooter Cups

1.75 oz:

Pack of 50 Cups

5 ounce Dessert Cups / Hard Plastic Souffle Beverage Cups with Lids Package of 50

Jello Shot Glasses Durable Plastic Clear 2oz. 125/Pkg Pkg/1

I make up most of my own dessert shooter recipes and this Cheesecake Kiss Me Goodnight dessert shooter is no exception. My Mom loved this particular dessert shooter although it was still a bit large for her. I used one of the hand blown martini glasses for my dessert shooter glass but should have picked a 3 ounce glass instead - at least for her.

I think these wine glasses would make a beautiful presentation for a dessert shooter even though they are a bit big at 8 ounces. What I would do is make up a very light in texture dessert shooter in this glass - something like an airy chocolate mousse layered with cooking crumbs and a fluffy whipped cream. Yum!

As mentioned above, I made up a lot of dessert shooters for my darling Mom. Sadly, she died Feb 15, 2012 but that hasn't stopped me from continuing to create these demure desserts in shot glasses. The below are links to all of my dessert shooter articles.

I love these Rosetto dessert shooter glasses and so will your guests. One of my favorite things about them is that they're very different - you'll rarely see these dessert shooter glasses on someone else's table.

The display is just so dramatic and beautiful when you present them to the table. Stock up on them as they're small so your guest will probably want 2 or 3 different dessert shooters.

One of my favorite things about making up these mini dessert recipes is that you just can't go wrong. Just pick your favorite dessert items such as pound cake, chocolate brownies, ice cream, whipped cream, you name it and layer them in a glass. Dessert shooters really are about presentation and I have yet to make one that was turned down by anyone!

The below items are some tips I've figured out in my dessert shooter career. But, don't take my word for it - try these tips out yourself on your friends and family when you make your own dessert shooters. I will bet you just get raves of compliments!

1. Using different textures in your dessert shooter will elevate the taste and sensation of the mini dessert. I used to make sort of boring desserts in mini glasses until I got a bit more creative and mixed in a few mini chocolate chips and nuts between the dessert layers. I immediately saw the delight on the faces of my dinner guests, and then I was off and running! Even a thick layer of coconut between chocolate and vanilla puddings elevates the taste experience. Mix in some cookie crumbs (any type) between layers for a bit of crunch or add in some of crushed candy bar pieces. Oh yum! I've gotta go!
2. Use colors of dessert ingredients to your benefit. If you're making a banana pudding dessert shooter (which might just be a bit boring and yellow), add in a layer of chopped maraschino cherries (for color) and some crushed vanilla wafers (for texture). Top with whipped cream and a few colorful jimmies for a nicely presented dessert shooter.

   For a really special touch, top your dessert shooter with these maraschino cherries soaked in liquor (from France) - ooh la la!

3. I prefer to use clear glasses for the prettiest presentation. But, that said, opaque glasses are fine also and, in fact, for some darker dessert shooters (chocolate, coffee, etc), you might not care as much about seeing the mini dessert. If you do use opaque dessert shooter glasses, pay particular attention to the top as that's what your guests will see. Get real creative and add toppings which are interesting, such as mini marshmallows rolled in colored sugar.
4. Don't go overboard with making your own homemade dessert shooter layers. A store bought cake can be every bit as good a layer in your dessert shooter as a cake you slaved all morning over. The key to having the most fun putting together dessert shooters is to keep them easy. And, for the very easiest of easy dessert offerings, read over my Treat guests to a dessert shooter bar - DIY" where you'll find ideas for setting out dessert fixings which your guests can put together themselves. Can't get much easier than that!
5. Make your dessert shooters in different type and different sized glasses. Serving dessert shooters en mass makes the prettiest presentation and having different glasses gives a beautifully visual appeal to your desserts. Serve some dessert shooters in smaller glasses for dinner guests who might want to try more than one or in larger glasses for those who just want more of a good thing. Arrange the desserts on a beautiful silver or glass tray and set them in the middle of the table. I guarantee you'll get "oohs and aahs" of delight.

These little dessert shooters are my Mom's favorite after dinner treat and I'm glad to mix them up for her. Please give them a try to drop me a comment about your experience. Heck, I'd like to hear from you anyway...