The 12 best dessert plates - finish off your hosting in style
The 12 best dessert plates help to cap the evening with a serving of something truly stylish, offering not just a sweet treat but a visual one, too
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Dessert plates are an elegant way to present your favorite sweet treats at the end of a meal. Yet, whether you use a plate or a dessert bowl will depend on the type of dessert you're serving.
Anything sliced, like a piece of apple pie, pavlova or cheesecake will look best served on a dessert plate, as it will retain its shape, and allow space for a drizzle of cream or sauce.
The best dinnerware sets usually contain dessert plates. However, if you want to buy extra, or something special, we've scoured the best home decor stores for a round up of the best dessert plates so you can serve sweet treats with style.
Best bold dessert plates
Price: $16
Maximalists will love the contrasting tones and clashing prints on this colorful hand-painted, stoneware patterned plate. Mix it with bowls, mugs and even teaspoons in similarly coordinating colors and patterns.
Price: $21.24 for set of 4
Suitable for salads, pastries, cakes or desserts, these porcelain Mandala plates are inspired by traditional hand-painted crockery, and will bring a beautiful boho feel to your table. They can go in the oven, microwave and dishwasher too.
Price: $64 for set of 4
We all love octopus and now these clever sea creatures are immortalised on these graphic blue plates. There's a sister set with a fish design, so mix it up with both, if you're catering for a crowd.
Best elegant dessert plates
Price: $49.50
Beautifully boxed, this plate from Halcyon Days makes a great gift. Made from fine bone china, the repeating trellis pattern is made up of tiny antler motifs, inspired by the antler heads which used to adorn the dome ceiling of Gordon Castle in Scotland.
Best rustic dessert plates
Price: $45
Crafted from stoneware, this Marcus plate from Blue Pheasant is available in a soft grey or dappled white finish. Style it with the rest of the collection, including dinner and side plates, bowls and mugs, for a charming farmhouse feel.
Price: $139.99 for set of 6
Part of one of the best dinnerware sets for six, and made in Italy, this is inspired by nature and available in grey or sand tones. To appreciate their full glory, team them with the accompanying dinner and soup plates in complementary patterns.
Best simple dessert plates
Price: $45 for set of 4
We're huge fans of Our Place cookware and dinnerware and this set of four midi plates is one of the many reasons why. These stackable ceramic plates are just the right size for a slice of cake, piece of pie, scoop of pudding and much more.
Price: $6.95
The distinct contours of Paul McCobb's original 1959 design has had a dynamic update with CB2's reissue of the Contempri Appetizer plate in new bone china, with a shiny white glaze. Its slight coupe form and straight, lifted edge is effortlessly modern and easy to stack.
What is the best size for a dessert plate?
Dessert plates in dinnerware sets are often interchangeable with salad or side plates. Formal dining rules have relaxed but there are guidelines based on practicalities.
'Traditionally a 8"-9" diameter is considered a good size for dessert plates,' says Louise Rosie, Head of Design at Wedgwood . 'However, people are becoming increasingly inventive in their use of tableware and a variety of sizes and shapes are now acceptable.'
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Jacky Parker is a London-based freelance journalist and content creator, specialising in interiors, travel and food. From buying guides and real home case studies to shopping and news pages, she produces a wide range of features for national magazines and SEO content for websites
A long-time contributor to Livingetc, as a member of the team, she regularly reports on the latest trends, speaking to experts and discovering the latest tips. Jacky has also written for other publications such as Homes and Gardens, Ideal Home, Red, Grand Designs, Sunday Times Style and AD, Country Homes and Interiors and ELLE Decoration.
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