Forgot about that bake sale? Unexpected company? An impromptu celebration? We know the feeling, and we're here to help with quick, easy desserts that get you to treat time fast.
37 Quick Dessert Recipes Perfect for Any Baking Emergency
Updated on Sep. 29, 2024
These days, life gets so busy that making homemade dessert feels decadent—almost as indulgent as eating it. That’s a shame, because nothing beats a tasty homemade treat, whether it’s a freshly baked cookie or a heaping ice cream sundae. If you need easy dessert ideas, turn to these quick sweets, no-bake treats and 15-minute desserts.
Get more of our sweetest recipes mailed straight to your inbox! Sign up for our free Desserts newsletter.
Chocolate Chip Blondies
If you’ve never tried blondies, you’re missing out. This recipe is reminiscent of chocolate chip cookies, except instead of pokily measuring out and baking individual cookies, you simply mix the batter, spread it in a pan, and bake. It’s the perfect recipe to bring to the block party.
1/37
2/37
Icebox Cake
Total Time
15 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
You don't have to bake to serve a wonderful dessert! This icebox cake is made from chocolate wafers and whipping cream. It is so delicious.—Cindy Hawkins, New York, New York
Because icebox cakes are a no-bake dessert, they’re usually quick and easy to make. And, as a bonus, they don’t heat up the kitchen in the summer. Simply whip cream and spread onto wafer cookies. The assembly is quick, but plan ahead, as icebox cakes need about four to six hours to set in the fridge.
3/37
Peanut Butter Pudding Pie
Total Time
20 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This peanut butter pudding pie is pretty enough to serve to company... if your family doesn't get to it first! No one can resist a sweet piece of this creamy chocolate and peanut butter dessert. —Valerie Sisson, Norton, Ohio
The custard-y filling of this pie comes together quickly thanks to a secret ingredient: a box of pudding mix. This recipe is very versatile; think of it as a template for all sorts of no-bake pies.
Looking for easy, no-bake pie options? Try these instead that are still as decadent and delicious as popular desserts that are baked, but they require only chilling time—no preheating or oven time necessary.
4/37
Pineapple Upside-Down Dump Cake
Total Time
2 hours 10 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
No matter the season, this dump cake recipe is wonderful! It works well with gluten-free and sugar-free cake mixes too. —Karin Gatewood, Josephine, Texas
When you need an easy dessert, it’s tough to beat a dump cake. Popular in the South, they’re a sort of deconstructed cake. To make, spread a mixture of fruit, nuts and/or jam into a pan, top with the boxed cake mix of your choice (gluten-free and other special mixes work just fine), and bake in the oven or slow cooker. Simple, but delicious!
5/37
Chocolate Peanut Treats
Total Time
20 min
Servings
about 2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
When I was in high school, I took these sweet and crunchy squares to bake sales— and they were the first to sell out. I still make them for family and friends who love the classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter. —Christy Asher, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Another easy no-bake recipe, these peanut treats come together quickly. Mix together a quick graham cracker cookie and slather with melted chocolate (you can use the microwave to melt the chocolate).
6/37
Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie
Total Time
10 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This old-fashioned banana cream pie recipe is full of flavor. Because it uses instant pudding, the no-bake dessert is ready in just minutes. —Perlene Hoekema, Lynden, Washington
This creamy pie conjures up our favorite vintage dessert recipes. Of course, conveniences like store-bought pie crust and pudding mix make it far quicker than in the good old days (but just as tasty).
7/37
Five-Minute Blueberry Pie
Total Time
15 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
If you like the taste of fresh blueberries, you'll love this pie. Since it's a breeze to whip up, I make it often, especially in summer. -Milda Anderson, Osceola, Wisconsin
Can you really make a pie in five minutes? Yes! The fresh fruit filling cooks on the stove-top for exactly five minutes, after which you simply pour it into a graham cracker crust. It’s a great summer pie to share at a picnic.
8/37
Cherry No-Bake Cookies
Total Time
30 min
Servings
about 5-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I always loved my no-bake cookie recipe, but I was never able to place at the fair with it. So I mixed in some maraschino cherries, added almond extract and voila! I won a blue ribbon at the county fair in 2010. —Denise Wheeler, Newaygo, Michigan
This blue ribbon-winning recipe relies on a classic flavor combination of almonds and cherries. Since the batter is made with quick-cooking oats, you can easily make these gluten-free cookies if you buy certified GF oats.
Get even more quick, easy desserts with these no-bake cookie recipes.
9/37
Macaroon Bars
Total Time
40 min
Servings
3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
Guests will never recognize the refrigerated crescent roll dough that goes into these almond-flavored bars. You can assemble the chewy coconut treats in no time. —Carolyn Kyzer, Alexander, Arkansas
Lots of our quick recipes come together thanks to store-bought shortcuts, like the crescent rolls used in this recipe. If you love coconut, these chewy macaroon bars are for you. Top with sliced almonds for a fancy presentation.
10/37
Black Forest Upside-Down Cake
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
The divine flavors of this simple Black Forest cake will impress your guests and leave you with many requests for the recipe! —Kimberly Campbell, Wheeling, West Virginia
This easy black forest cake is rich with layers of gooey cherries, silky cream cheese and chocolate cake. Since most elements are made with store-bought ingredients, it all comes together quickly.
This light, refreshing dessert is a perfect summer dessert. Made with freezer staples, it’s quick to toss together. Use whichever berries you have on hand.
12/37
Creamy Pineapple Pie
Total Time
10 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Creamy pineapple pie is a light and refreshing dessert that's quick to make and impressive to serve. This is one of our favorite ways to complete a summer meal. —Sharon Bickett, Chester, South Carolina
A can of sweetened condensed milk in the pantry gives you a head start on a variety of yummy desserts. It’s the perfect creamy balance to the sweet-tart pineapple in this tasty pie.
13/37
Yummy Chocolate Cake
Total Time
35 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My husband and I are trying to eat lighter but still crave sweets. This moist, healthy chocolate cake really helps with that. With the rich frosting, it makes a decadent treat! —LaDonna Reed, Ponca City, Oklahoma
Frosted chocolate cake seems like an indulgent treat, but it’s actually a sneakily light dessert. The trick? Baking a cake mix with light pudding mix, which yields a super moist, rich crumb.
14/37
Quick Cherry Turnovers
Total Time
20 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Refrigerated crescent rolls let you make these fruit-filled pastries in a hurry. My family loves these turnovers for breakfast, but they’re so delicious, they’d be welcome any time of the day. Feel free to experiment with other pie fillings as well. —Elleen Oberrueter, Danbury, Iowa
This brilliant recipe transforms refrigerated crescent rolls and a jar of pie filling into mouthwatering turnovers. Don’t love cherry? Experiment with other fruit and jam fillings—this recipe is adaptable.
15/37
Peanut Butter Cup Trifle
Total Time
20 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Using just five ingredients makes this recipe so simple. You can add a little extra decoration with chocolate jimmies, too. —Chris Nelson, Decatur, Arkansas
This trifle looks elegant but is delightfully playful, topping its layers of cake and cream with a generous scattering of peanut butter cups. A great way to use up leftover Halloween candy, you can swap out the peanut butter cups with another candy or crumbled cookies if you prefer.
16/37
Pistachio Bundt Cake
Total Time
1 hour 10 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Pistachio pudding mix gives this moist cake a pretty tint of green. As it bakes, the outside browns nicely to form a slightly crunchy crust. The cake slices beautifully and would make a fun dessert for St. Patrick's Day.
-Becky Gant, South Bend, Indiana
17/37
Cherry Cream Cheese Tarts
Total Time
10 min
Servings
2 tarts
From the Recipe Creator:
It's hard to believe that just five ingredients and few minutes of preparation can result in these delicate and scrumptious tarts! —Cindi Mitchell, Waring, Texas
Need a quick dessert for two? Make these adorable tarts. You’ll only need five ingredients, most of which you should have in the pantry already (if not, you’ll be better prepared next time!).
18/37
Easy Cake Mix Bars
Total Time
25 min
Servings
3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I take this dessert to work for Friday pick-me-ups. It's one of my favorite yellow cake bar recipes. I love to share them because they're so easy to eat, easy to make and easy on the wallet. —Amy Rose, Ballwin, Missouri
Need a party dessert, stat? Grab a big mixing bowl and make this one-bowl dessert. The easy recipe jazzes up yellow cake mix with white chips and sprinkles; you can change it up by using chocolate chips and brown jimmies, or butterscotch chips with your favorite color sprinkles.
19/37
Fluffy Key Lime Pie
Total Time
20 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
For a taste of paradise, try this no-bake Key lime pie recipe. It's low in fat, sugar and fuss. It truly is the best Key lime pie recipe ever! —Frances VanFossan, Warren, Michigan
This top-rated dessert is zesty, sweet and refreshing. It’s also low-sugar, low-fat and no-bake. If you don’t tell, nobody will ever guess!
20/37
Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake
Total Time
15 min
Servings
1 serving
From the Recipe Creator:
I've tried different variations of these cakes for my family and this chocolate peanut butter mug cake is a winner! I have made it with almond milk and melted coconut oil, and both ways are delicious! —Angela Lively, Conroe, Texas
Mug cakes are brilliant—they quickly satisfy a craving for cake and make exactly one serving, so you’re not committing to eating cake for days and days. This simple recipe is easy enough for bigger kids to make for themselves too.
21/37
Easy Fresh Strawberry Pie
Total Time
35 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
For my mother's birthday, I made this strawberry pie recipe instead of a cake. Since it was mid-May in Oklahoma, the berries were absolutely perfect. It was a memorable occasion for the whole family. —Josh Carter, Birmingham, Alabama
Many fruit pies rely on cream. This fresh berry pie uses fresh strawberries and strawberry gelatin, which delivers maximum fruit flavor without a drop of dairy. Use a gluten-free pie crust to make it both gluten- and dairy-free.
22/37
Root Beer Float Cake
Total Time
45 min
Servings
15 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I add root beer to both the cake batter and fluffy frosting of this summery dessert to get that great root beer float taste. Serve this moist cake to a bunch of hungry kids and watch it disappear! —Kat Thompson, Prineville, Oregon
What’s more nostalgic than a root beer float? Root beer flavors both the cake mix and the frosting, making this a sweet treat that appeals to kids and grown-ups alike.
23/37
Dream Cupcakes
Total Time
45 min
Servings
2-1/2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
My grandchildren absolutely love these cream-filled cupcakes, and I hope the chocolaty treats become a favorite in your home as well. —Dorothy Bahlmann, Clarksville, Iowa
Simple chocolate cupcakes made from a mix get a huge upgrade in this recipe: a whipped cream cheese filling studded with chocolate chips. Adding a spoonful of filling to each cupcake does add a bit of time to the recipe, but you’ll save it in the end as these don’t need to be frosted.
24/37
Blueberry-Lemon Upside-Down Cake
Total Time
45 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I was young when I married, so I watched my mother-in-law to learn baking. This cake with fresh blueberries is one of her beauties. —Bonnie Roberts, Newaygo, Michigan
Some of our most popular dessert recipes start with a cake mix—it’s just an easy, foolproof base for so many different treats. This cake is lemon-scented and dotted with bursts of juicy blueberries as well as a surprising secret ingredient: sweet, gooey mini marshmallows.
25/37
Dipped Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
Total Time
25 min
Servings
15 sandwich cookies
From the Recipe Creator:
You’ll love to give tins of these chocolate-coated cookies to your lucky friends. The shortcut holiday recipe is almost too simple to believe! Here's how to make peanut butter cookies without eggs. —Jackie Howell, Gordo, Alabama
These “cookies” are the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Start by spreading Ritz crackers with peanut butter, then dip the sandwiches into melted chocolate—easy peasy!
26/37
Chocolate Hazelnut Pudding Torte
Total Time
15 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This recipe is a busy mom's twist on a favorite dessert—tiramisu. The dish is simple to assemble and perfect to make the day before you want to serve it. The hardest thing about this recipe is waiting for it to chill so you can eat it! —Cheryl Snavely, Hagerstown, Maryland
A casual twist on tiramisu, this layered dessert is a cinch to make. The secret ingredient? Nutella! The hazelnut chocolate spread is a kid-friendly alternative to the traditional espresso flavor, and it adds moisture and richness to packaged ladyfingers.
27/37
Raspberry Almond Strips
Total Time
35 min
Servings
32 cookies
From the Recipe Creator:
Get ready to pour yourself a cup of tea, because you won’t be able to resist sampling one of these cookies. Almonds add taste and texture to the simple strips that are dressed up with raspberry pie filling. —<i>Taste of Home</i>Test Kitchen
These elegant cookies are perfect for dipping in a cup of tea or coffee. Refrigerated sugar cookie dough studded with almonds par-bakes before getting slathered with yummy raspberry filling. Feel free to use another fruit filling if you prefer.
28/37
Buttery 3-Ingredient Shortbread Cookies
Total Time
40 min
Servings
16 cookies
From the Recipe Creator:
With only a few ingredients, these butter shortbread cookies are so simple to prepare. —Pattie Prescott, Manchester, New Hampshire
A cookie made with just three ingredients seems impossible, but these tender shortbread cookies are one of our top-rated recipes for both flavor and ease. The butter flavor is the star, so use a good quality butter—we taste-tested several butters to find the best.
29/37
Easy Mint Thins
Total Time
40 min
Servings
5 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
My friends often try to guess the ingredients, but I never tell them how simple they are to make. They taste just like the Girl Scout cookie, and they're perfect for Christmas and bake sales. —Jennifer Setser, Morgantown, Indiana
These simple cookies don’t need to be baked, just assembled. The crispy part comes from Ritz crackers, which add a subtle savory, buttery flavor to the rich mint-chocolate topping. They taste just like your favorite Girl Scout cookies.
30/37
No-Bake Pumpkin Pie
Total Time
20 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This no-bake pumpkin pie includes a delicious cream cheese layer. It's a terrific make-ahead dessert because it needs to refrigerate a few hours.
—Donna Freund, Dubuque, Iowa
31/37
Pina Colada Lush
Total Time
3 hours 20 min
Servings
15 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Pina colada lush is such a fantastic warm weather dessert—it's so light and refreshing, and a breeze to make! I love how the tart pineapple pairs with the sweet coconut. —Jennifer Stowell, Deep River, Iowa
This dessert is a tropical vacation on a plate. Sweet coconut balances tart pineapple beautifully. This recipe makes quite a few servings, making it a perfect party treat.
32/37
Pumpkin Mousse
Total Time
10 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
If you've had your fill of pumpkin pie, this cool and creamy pumpkin mousse is perfect for you. Its light and fluffy texture won't make you feel "stuffed" after your favorite turkey dinner. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
33/37
Fancy Fuss-Free Torte
Total Time
15 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Thanks to frozen pound cake and a can of pie filling, this torte is easy to make. If layers slide, keep them in place with toothpicks around the edges as you build. Just remove them before serving. —Joan Causey, Greenwood, Arkansas
This layered confection looks worthy of a showstopper round in the Great British Baking Show, but it only takes about fifteen minutes to put together. Layers of fruit, pound cake and whipped topping are delicious any time of day. The chopped pecan topping adds a pleasant crunch, but you can swap in your favorite nuts (or omit nuts entirely).
34/37
Lemon Pudding Dessert
Total Time
40 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
After a big meal, folks really go for this light lemon treat. The shortbread crust is the perfect base for the fluffy top layers. I've prepared this sunny dessert for church suppers for years and I always get recipe requests.
—Muriel DeWitt, Maynard, Massachusetts
After a rich meal, this zesty lemon pudding dessert hits all the right notes. The buttery pastry crust is homemade, but it only calls for two ingredients (and no rolling or chilling). A middle layer of cream cheese is dense and tangy, while the final layer of lemon pudding is light. Make sure to budget a little time for chilling before serving.
35/37
Peppermint Puff Pastry Sticks
Total Time
30 min
Servings
3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I wanted to impress my husband's family with something you'd expect to find in a European bakery, and these chocolaty treats are what I came up with. The flaky pastry melts in your mouth. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
Need a last-minute addition to the holiday dessert table? Whip up these simple puff pastry cookies. Just slice and bake puff pastry into slim cookies, then dip in melted chocolate and minty candies.
36/37
Crazy Cake
Total Time
35 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I have made this dessert—otherwise known as crazy cake—for more than 50 years. It is classic, tender and moist, and requires only three easy steps. —Devota Angell, Allenstown, New Hampshire
Some of the ingredients in this chocolate cake don’t sound like they belong in dessert: water and vinegar? It sounds impossible, even silly—hence the name—but it results in an easy, rich cake. Being dairy- and egg-free is a bonus.
37/37
Colorful Candy Bar Cookies
Total Time
45 min
Servings
about 3 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
No one will guess these sweet treats with the candy bar center start with store-bought dough. Roll them in colored sugar or just dip the tops for even faster assembly. Instead of using miniature candy bars for the centers, you can also slice regular-size Snickers candy bars into 1-inch pieces. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
These crowd-pleasing, simple sugar cookies (made with store-bought dough) have a present hidden at their centers: tiny candy bars! Use your favorite bite-sized candy for this (Snickers, Milky Way, etc.), and pop them in the freezer for a few minutes before baking, which helps hold their shape.
