35 Quick-and-Easy Dessert Recipes

June 01, 2012

Serve up no-fuss homemade desserts with our quick recipes for both warm and cold sweet treats. Find easy recipes for crisps, bar cookies, cake, cupcakes, cheesecake and more.

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Quick Whoopie Pies

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Love whoopee pies but don't have time to bake? Here's a quick and easy recipe for making a delicious three-ingredient homemade filling for purchased soft cookies. (PS, there's a peanut butter variation, too.)

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Quick Cherry Crisp

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Crumbled shortbread cookies and toasted pecans top succulent red cherries in this easy-to-make dessert.

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Strawberry "Cool Brûlée"

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This deceptively good, weeknight-easy dessert has a topping of yogurt and whipped cream with raw sugar that looks like creme brulee, but requires no cooking.

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Rocky Road Parfaits

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These lovely layered desserts feature the classic flavors of rocky road: chocolate, marshmallows and peanuts. 

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Spicy Chip-Chocolate Bark

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Sweet? Check. Salty? Check. Spicy? Check. (Well, just a little.) This three-ingredient bark made with chocolate, tortilla chips and chile flakes is a seriously addictive treat.

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Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Sundaes

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Quickly warm pineapple in butter and brown sugar, then spoon the softened fruit over crumbled pound cake and dulce de leche ice cream.

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Butterscotch Pretzel Bars

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This sweet-salty dessert goes together quickly with a no-bake bottom and a topping of butterscotch pieces and whipping cream heated on the stove. 

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Mocha Chocolate Mousse

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This delicious mousse is a snap to mix together. You can layer it over fresh fruit and top with your choice of miniature chocolate pieces, chocolate sprinkles or chocolate-covered espresso beans.

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Quick Strawberry Cheesecake

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Blend Brie cheese with cream cheese and layer with strawberries and sliced almonds for this cheesecakelike dessert. 

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Easy Cherry Crumb Bars

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Oatmeal cookie mix speeds prep time for these tart cherry bar cookies.

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Wonton Dessert Stacks

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Layer baked wonton wrappers with low-fat lemon yogurt and sliced strawberries and kiwis for this quick-and-easy treat.

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Quick Black Forest Cherry Cake

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This quick twist on the classic German chocolate-cherry cake uses boxed cake mix and cherry preserves. Don't skip the kirsch or brandy; it adds that signature Black Forest flavor.

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Easy Monster Cookie Bars

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Refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough cuts way down on prep time for these quick five-ingredient bar cookies.

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Spiked Chocolate Fondue

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This crazy-simple slow-cooker chocolate fondue has just three ingredients (plus the dippers, of course). We especially love it with strawberries.

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Easy Gingery Apple Sundaes

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Cook this easy apple dessert on your grill in summer or on your stove in cooler weather-it's great either way. For outdoor entertaining, scoop ice cream into plastic cups. 

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Candy Bar Doughnut Pop

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What could be sweeter than frosted doughnut holes paired with your favorite candy bar? These take only 15 minutes to make. Serve on lollipop sticks for a fun touch.

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Affogato Trifles

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Five ingredients and 15 minutes is all it takes to whip up this fresh take on a classic coffee dessert drink. Layer crushed biscotti or amaretti with softened vanilla ice cream, a cloud of whipped cream and strong, hot espresso. A light dusting of cinnamon adds a hint of sharpness.

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Cherry-Berry Smoothie

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This quick-and-easy blender drink, from the Michigan Cherry Committee, combines cherries, milk, yogurt, blueberries or raspberries, juice concentrate, honey and vanilla.

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Gingerbread Pudding Cake

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Store-bought gingerbread mix makes this warm, gooey dessert extra easy to assemble. 

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Chocolate Panini

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Put together this quick and easy dessert while your main dish cooks. Just before serving, toast the sweet sandwich until the chocolate filling is warm and gooey.

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Easy Spiced Pastries

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Store-bought piecrust is the secret to this dessert. Just brush with melted butter, sprinkle with brown sugar and spices, cut in squares and pop in the oven for a few minutes.

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Praline Crunch Bars

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Refrigerated sugar cookie dough makes preparing this quick dessert recipe a breeze. Toffee bits, chopped pecans and semisweet chocolate pieces transform the cookie dough into a delicious layered bar cookie.

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Blackberry-Banana Lemon Trifle

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There's a reason this is called a trifle-it's a breeze to put together! Instant vanilla pudding and pie filling mix and packaged shortbread cookies speed dessert prep.

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Cool Cheesecake Sauce

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Here's a smooth make-ahead dessert sauce that offers an easy way to get cheesecake flavor. Serve it over fresh fruit or layer in a parfait glass with fruit and cookies or cake for a special-occasion dinner finale.

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Warm Apple Spice Crumble

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You can put this warm, fresh-baked treat on the table in less than half an hour. Canned sliced apples and purchased granola cereal make the crumble easy to assemble.

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Easy Butterscotch-Toffee Bars

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Prep time is just 15 minutes for these easy bar cookies because they start with purchased yellow cake mix. Add in cashews or pecans, brown sugar, toffee pieces, butter and eggs, and you've got a quick blondie-style dessert.

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Ginger Fruit with Pineapple Sherbet

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This remarkable topping will impress guests with its zesty goodness. But easy ingredients-canned pineapple and mandarin orange sections tossed with orange marmalade, crystallized ginger and vanilla-make it a snap to create and pair with good-for-you sherbet.

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Brownie Parfaits

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This fast-fix dessert looks particularly appealing when served in clear sundae glasses. We layered store-bought brownies with a sweetened cream-cheese sauce and peppermint patties.

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Butterscotch Brickle Pudding Pops

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Chopped pecans and toffee bits add delightful crunch to creamy pudding pops. If you don't have plastic freezer-pop molds, use 5-ounce paper cups. Cover the filled cups with foil, make a small hole in the foil with a knife and insert a wooden stick.

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Honey-Berry Yogurt Frozen Yogurt Sundaes

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Fresh raspberries, blackberries, strawberries or blueberries star in our Honey-Berry Frozen Yogurt Sundaes, which take only 15 minutes to make from start to finish.

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Easy Berry Cheesecakes

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Transform vanilla cupcakes into a patriotic treat with a swirl of cream cheese frosting and a topping of fresh berries.

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Dark Chocolate Mint Bars

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Frosting with reduced-fat cream cheese tops no-bake bars designed for a lower-carb treat.

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Chewy Chocolate Caramel Bars

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This super easy dessert uses caramel candies and chocolate cake mix. Make it for a work party or as a sweet snack for the kids. 

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Bananas a la Mexican

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Purchased pound cake and canned whipped cream help this dessert go together fast. Bake the dessert topping in the oven instead of on the rangetop so you don't have to tend it as it cooks.

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Easy Peanut Butter Bars

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These sturdy bars travel well; pack them in lunch boxes or take to a picnic or potluck.

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Brie-Apple Quesadillas

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Crisp and tart Granny Smith apples pair beautifully with creamy Brie and walnuts, while a drizzle of gooey caramel adds sweetness to this quick and easy dessert.

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Tropical Berry Pops

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The season's best berries bring a color palette of red, purple and blue to star in good-for-you desserts. They're light on calories and heavy on flavor.

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