It's no use debating that there's nothing better than a homemade dessert to make any occasion feel extra-special, from birthdays to anniversaries to potlucks and everyday dinners. But what if you’re, ahem, not super-confident in the kitchen? Fear not, these desserts look like a professional made them, but are actually so easy to put together! From cakes to cookie bars to pies and even cheesecakes, you’ll be able to master these 104 easy dessert recipes in no time.
What makes these recipes so easy, you may ask? We've included many desserts that are ready in under an hour (some even in 10 minutes!), so you're not slaving away in the kitchen prepping a towering dessert all day long. Our no-bake desserts couldn't be easier to prep ahead of time, with the majority of their time spent chillin' in the fridge 'til you're ready to serve. Of course, we didn't forget some of our favorite easy desserts: poke cakes and cheesecake bars. If you're unfamiliar with the former, it's all in the name—they’re baked, poked, then filled with a sweet syrup or milk to add extra flavor. Basically, they're foolproof delicious and a great way to impress without all the fuss of a layer cake. Ditto for cheesecake bars—they've got ALL the flavor you love without ever having to worry about a water bath or cracks.
With these recipes, we've found plenty of ways to create stunning-looking desserts without any finesse, from simple marbling to fruit toppings that don't need anything else for a stunning finish (well, some whipped cream never hurt).
Want more dessert recipes? Check out our list of easy fruit desserts for when you're looking for something fresh and fruity. Need more chocolate in your life? Peruse our list of chocolate desserts too.
1
Chocolate Caramel Coffee Pretzel Bars
Cookies usually get all the love, but
dessert barsare the real sleeper hit. Between the choose-your-adventure
Ghirardelli brownies(hello, cheesecake swirl) and the multi-layer classics like our
magic cookie bars, there’s a bar cookie out there for everyone. When the mood strikes for a salty-sweet crowd-pleaser chock-full of crunchy pretzels, gooey coffee-caramel, and chocolate, these check all the boxes.
Get the Chocolate Caramel Coffee Pretzel Bars recipe.
2
Dunkaroos No-Churn Ice Cream
This easy-to-make Dunkaroos-inspired no-churn ice cream will bring you back to the '90s! It’s chock-full of sprinkles and Annie’s bunny grahams, so every bite is filled with nostalgia.
Get the Dunkaroos No-Churn Ice Cream recipe.
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3
Magic Cheesecake Bars
Get your sweet tooth ready for a decadent
cheesecakebar experience. These magic cheesecake bars are the best iteration of any cheesecake dessert (or any magic cookie bars) with a buttery
graham crackerbottom, chocolate chip bits intertwined in rich cheesecake, and topped with
toasted coconutand walnuts.
Get the Magic Cheesecake Bars recipe.
4
Tiramisu Dip
Classic
tiramisuis a no-bake labor of love and the perfect ending to nearly any meal. We love the dessert’s rich, creamy flavors so much, we have created
cookie cups, a
tiramisu cake,
truffles, and
stuffed French toastin its honor. But what do you do when you’re craving tiramisu, but you don’t have the time or patience to chill it for hours? Enter tiramisu dip. It’s got all the right flavors—creamy mascarpone, rich espresso, and a generous dusting of cocoa powder—and it comes together in just 10 minutes.
Get the Tiramisu Dip recipe.
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5
Ice Cream In A Bag
Pssst: You don't need a fancy ice cream maker to make ice cream at home, all you need is a plastic baggie and 15 minutes! Add a different extract, throw in a little chocolate syrup, or top with candy for the sundae of your dreams.
Get the Ice Cream In A Bag recipe.
6
Caramel Crunch Tart
don’t have to mean complicated. Exhibit A: This
chocolatedessert that isn’t fussy and requires zero (yes, zero) baking. This tart is great for a last-minute dessert because it mainly uses store-bought ingredients, and the majority of time required for this recipe is just letting it chill in the refrigerator!
Get the Caramel Crunch Tart recipe.
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7
Cracker Barrel Coca-Cola Cake
One bite of this Cracker Barrel Coca-Cola cake, and you'll be instantly transported to a rocking chair on a covered front porch playing with that triangle peg board game (IYKYK). Even if you're not familiar with the Southern comfort food stylings of Cracker Barrel, you can trust us that this chocolate cake is real good.
Get the Cracker Barrel Coca-Cola Cake recipe.
8
S'mores Brownies
Step aside, chocolate bars—s'mores brownies are the BEST way to eat s'mores. Whether you want to skip the campfire or make this camping classic for crowd, these brownies are the perfect way share this summer treat.
Get the S'mores Brownies recipe.
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9
Brownie Batter Croissants
Is there anything more wonderful than buttery, flaky croissants in all of their various forms? Inspired by the viral cookie dough-stuffed croissant, we have arrived at our newest croissant creation: the brownie batter croissant. It's made like an almond croissant—pastries plus delicious filing—and its flavor is almost like a pain au chocolat, but even richer.
Get the Brownie Batter Croissants recipe.
10
Chocolate Pie Cookies
If you love the richness and the comfort of homemade
French silk pie, then these
chocolate piecookies are just what you need. Inspired by the classic, but with the ease and convenience of a
cookie, this recipe offers a unique twist on beloved flavors.
Get the Chocolate Pie Cookies recipe.
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11
Carmelitas
Layered with a buttery brown sugar oat mixture, a homemade caramel sauce, and melty chocolate chips, these bars have everything we could ever want. Plus, they’re ready in under an hour, making them the perfect last-minute addition to your holiday party (or even when you’re just craving a sweet treat).
Get the Carmelitas recipe.
12
Cannoli Bites
The crunchy exterior and creamy interior of a cannoli is one of the world’s best bites. Unfortunately, that bite is usually a messy thing to navigate, with the shell and filling going in all sorts of directions. That’s where these one-bite wonders come in!
Get the Cannoli Bites recipe.
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13
Jell-O Cake
This Jell-O cake is a delicious and easy dessert that was all the rage at potlucks and parties in the '70s and '80s, and we want to bring it back. It's giving nostalgia, kitsch, and strawberry shortcake vibes, and we are here for it.
Get the Jell-O Cake recipe.
14
Shortcut Citrus Upside-Down Cake
Looking for something sweet to brighten your day? Bake this upside-down citrus cake. Made with a convenient boxed cake mix and crowned with a layer of shining orange and grapefruit wheels, this cake is equally easy to make and stunning to look at.
Get the Shortcut Citrus Upside-Down Cake recipe.
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15
Biscoff Trifle
You may be most familiar with these cookies as a beloved Delta in-flight snack. In fact, Biscoff’s partnership with the airline is what first introduced American consumers to the cookie in the 1980s. We love eating them all year long, but especially around Christmastime. So we decided to celebrate speculoos with this show-stopping holiday trifle.
Get the Biscoff Trifle recipe.
16
Crescent Apple Dumplings
Stay with us here: These dumplings are essentially poached in a lemon-lime soda, which may seem a little odd, but trust us on this one. The dumplings come out slightly doughy and gooey, and the soda turns the whole thing into a sweet sauce that you can drizzle over the whole thing.
Get the Crescent Apple Dumplings recipe.
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17
Mason Jar Ice Cream
We’ve got lots of magic shortcuts for you, from no-churn options to ice cream made in a bag, and now this recipe, ice cream in a mason jar. It really is as easy as it sounds: Simply put heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt into a jar, then shake it!
Get the Mason Jar Ice Cream recipe.
18
No-Bake Buckeye Cheesecake Bars
Buckeyes are a beloved truffle made of a rich peanut butter filling and dipped in chocolate. This no-bake cheesecake might be even easier. The cheesecake is lighter and creamier than the truffle, but still has all of the peanut butter and chocolate elements you love.
Get the No-Bake Buckeye Cheesecake Bars recipe.
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19
Cookie Brittle
Cookie brittle is a particularly great hack for the holidays or any time you’re entertaining when you don’t have time or the oven space to bake multiple trays of cookies. Think of it like a faster, easier way to make a big batch of chocolate chip cookies. 😍
Get the Cookie Brittle recipe.
20
Birthday Cake Pie
This fun dessert encompasses both birthday cake AND pie with a no-bake cake batter-flavored filling that makes it as easy to assemble as it is to finish in one serving. Feeling indecisive? Need something OTT to celebrate with? This celebratory dessert is for you.
Get the Birthday Cake Pie recipe.
