Hosting a birthday sleepover with friends and family? The kids are going to love these sleepover snack ideas.
If you’ve got a slumber party coming up then you’re going to want to have the best sleepover snacks ready to keep the kids entertained. We’ve found all the best recipes, from gluten-free Rocky Road to air fryer s’mores to hidden veg cupcakes and flavour-packed muffins.
"Sleepovers for me are all about treat foods - anything covered in chocolate which can easily be shared," says Food Editor, Jessica Dady. "I also remember when I was younger making pizzas at sleepovers - it was such a fun activity; making funny pizza faces with whatever toppings you wanted. We were also lucky enough to wake up to freshly baked muffins and orange juice after the slumber party which was a lovely added touch."
So whether you have an air fryer and want to know about TikTok recipes, need some camping recipes for sleepovers under the stars, or want some picnic food ideas the children can make together, we’ve got you covered. Read on to find out about the 15 sleepover snacks that will earn you some serious Brownie points.
Easy sleepover snack ideas
1. Rocky road
Serves/makes: 16 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 2 hours 45 mins
Rocky Road is the perfect slumber party treat because the kids can make it themselves and it doesn’t involve any cooking. It only has seven ingredients - butter, chocolate, golden syrup, Maltesers, chocolate chips, marshmallows, and ginger biscuits - and takes just six steps.
Top tip: As Rocky Road needs a few hours to chill in the fridge before eating, you might want to make these with the kids the afternoon of the sleepover so they’re not waiting for them to be ready to eat too close to bedtime (cue late-night sugar meltdown!).
Get the recipe: Rocky road
2. Banana muffins
Serves/makes: 12 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 45 mins
These golden and moist banana muffins are a big hit at sleepovers and they have an added bonus for parents… bananas contain tryptophan, a brain-calming hormone that can also induce sleep! This is a great way to use up overripe bananas and as it only has four steps to make, is a good one kids can do together during the sleepover.
Top tip: For extra fiber, replace the flour with wholemeal plain flour and add 25g finely chopped dried apricots with the mashed banana.
Get the recipe: Banana muffins
3. Courgette muffins
Serves/makes: 12 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 50 mins
We love these courgette muffins with a hint of lime as you can batch cook them and freeze them ready for a sleepover night. They are also a great way to get kids to eat vegetables on the down low! They are super quick to make and have a zingy lime topping that kids will love.
Top tip: Ideally have your ingredients (eggs, butter, and milk) at room temperature before you start as this helps them to form a smooth mixture when they're combined.
Get the recipe: Courgette muffins
4. Maltesers popcorn balls
Serves/makes: 20-24 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 20 mins
This is another crowd-pleaser that the kids can make together on a sleepover. They also make a great snack during movie night, so the children can have fun making them and then settle down quietly (hopefully!) to watch a film before bed.
Top tip: This recipe makes quite a big batch so if you have leftovers, why not package them up like party bags to take home in the morning?
Get the recipe: Maltesers popcorn balls
5. Annabel Karmel English muffin pizzas
Serves/makes: 4 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 25 mins
These mini muffin pizzas are specifically designed for children and are quick, easy to make, and a lot of fun to do at a sleepover. They are also a great way to get hidden veg into the kids.
Top tip: Older children who know how to use a knife safely can be on chopping duty, while younger kids can make the faces at the end (just make sure the cheese and topping have cooled down before they start).
Get the recipe: Annabel Karmel English muffin pizzas
6. Apple muffins
Serves/makes: 6 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 35 mins
These tasty apple muffins have a sweet flavour with a hint of cinnamon and zesty orange making them an indulgent treat for sleepovers. The porridge oats, which contain the sleep-inducing hormone tryptophan, can also help to calm down overexcited children before bedtime.
Top tip: For a lower calorie option swap whole milk for semi-skimmed, or use a dairy-free alternative if you follow a plant-based diet.
Get the recipe: Apple muffins
7. Harry Potter cupcakes
Serves/makes: 12 | Skill level: Medium | Total time: 1 hour 20 mins
Harry Potter fans will love trying out this recipe, but it might be better for older kids to make it on a sleepover as the decorations take a little time and patience. The cupcakes can also be baked the day before by adults so they are ready to eat at the sleepover.
Top tip: Save time by buying ready-made cupcakes at the supermarket so all you have to do is the decorating.
Get the recipe: Harry Potter cupcakes
8. Animal fairy cakes
Serves/makes: 18 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 55 mins plus cooling time
Who doesn’t love fairy cakes, with these cute animals' faces they are a guaranteed sleepover party win. This is also one of our favourite easy baking recipes for kids. Your guests will love picking from the different sweets to decorate these ckes.
Top tip: To give as a party favour, place each fairy cake in a paper gift bag and tie it with a ribbon.
Get the recipe: Animal fairy cakes
9. Banana and walnut cake
Serves/makes: 8 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 1 hour 15 mins
This fuss-free recipe is a great one for kids to make during a sleepover because it’s so easy. It’s also a good way to get some fruit into them. This recipe has nuts so if you have anyone with an allergy simply swap them out and use chopped dried apricots instead.
Top tip: Once cool you can freeze the cake for up to a month.
Get the recipe: Banana and walnut cake
10. Carrot cake cupcakes
Serves/makes: 15 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 50 mins
These moist and lightly spiced cupcakes are a nutritious sleepover snack that is nutritious and delicious. Kids won’t even realise they are eating vegetables - they are so tasty!
Top tip: Allow cupcakes to cool properly before you ice them. Store them in an airtight container for a few days if you’re not icing them. If you put icing on, however, they need to be refrigerated.
Get the recipe: Carrot cake cupcakes
11. Air fryer S'mores
Serves/makes: 12 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 5 mins
Fans of American snacks will love these s’mores - traditionally chocolate and marshmallows sandwiched between graham crackers or biscuits - because they are so fast to make and great to share.
Top tip: Keep kids away from the hot tray in the air fryer and make sure the marshmallows have cooled down a bit before they eat them as they will be molten hot.
Get the recipe: Air fryer S’mores
12. Vegan banana split ice cream
Serves/makes: 2-4 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 5 mins
The beauty of this vegan banana split ice cream is that it’s made with frozen bananas, so you don’t even have to wait for it to freeze before you can eat it! You just put all the ingredients into a blender and then you can enjoy it within minutes.
Top tip: The ice cream tastes best when it’s freshly made. If you store it in the freezer, let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes or so to soften before eating.
Get the recipe: Vegan banana split ice cream
13. Tomato, basil and courgette ribbon mini pizzas
Serves/makes: 8 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 45 mins
These mini pizzas make a great savoury snack for sleepovers and a good way to sneak some healthy veg into the kids, too. If your children are anything like mine and tend to have an aversion to anything green (i.e. the basil and courgette), you can simply blend them with the tomato sauce and use that as the topping.
Top tip: The tomato sauce can also be used to go with pasta or as the base for a Bolognese on another occasion so double up with measurements if you want to save time another day.
Get the recipe: Tomato, basil and courgette ribbon mini pizzas
14. Gluten free Rocky road
Serves/makes: 12 | Skill level: Easy | Total time: 2 hours 20 mins
Rocky Road is a fun sleepover snack to make because it doesn’t involve any baking, so is particularly good for younger kids, too. This recipe requires gluten-free products such as chocolate chip cookies and mini marshmallows which makes it slightly more pricey than regular Rocky Road, but it’s just as much as a crowd-pleaser.
Top tip: Rocky Road needs around two hours of chilling time so you might want to make these in the afternoon of the sleepover so they don’t eat them too late in the night.
Get the recipe: Gluten-free Rocky road
Looking for birthday inspiration? We've got plenty of easy birthday cake ideas for kids, as well as buffet food perfect for sharing with friends and family, not to mention kid's party food ideas.
Our Food Editor gives her top tips for making kid's birthday cakes as well as some tried and tested easy cupcake decorating ideas for kids which your little ones are sure to love. You might also want to have a look at our guide on how to cut a birthday cake for our top tips and tricks.
