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  1. Midwest Living
  2. Food
  3. Desserts & Baking
  4. 25 Quick-and-Easy Dessert Recipes

25 Quick-and-Easy Dessert Recipes

By Midwest Living editors Updated December 24, 2022
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Quick Whoopie Pies

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

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Quick Whoopie Pies

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.)

Related: Try Our Pumpkin Spice Whoopies

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Strawberry "Cool Brûlée"

Strawberry Cool Brulee
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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.

Related: Luscious Strawberry Dessert Recipes

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Hot Fudge Sauce

Hot Fudge Sauce
Credit: Jacob Fox
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This thick, gooey ice cream topping comes together in just 15 minutes. Melt butter, corn syrup, sugar, heavy cream, unsweetened chocolate and vanilla extract together to form this decadent sauce. 

Related: Irresistible Ice Cream Recipes

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Rocky Road Parfaits

Quick and Easy Dessert Recipes—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

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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Affogato Trifles

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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Quick Cherry Crisp

Quick and Easy Dessert Recipes—Quick Cherry Crisp
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Crumbled shortbread cookies and toasted pecans top succulent red cherries in this easy-to-make dessert. For another quick cherry treat, try Tangy Tea-Cherry Sorbet.

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Gingerbread Pudding Cake

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

Related: Divine Slow-Cooker Desserts

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Butterscotch Pretzel Bars

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. 

Related: Our Best Bar Cookies

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Chocolate Panini

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.

Related: Decadent Chocolate Dessert Recipes

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Tropical Berry Pops

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.

Related: 9 Easy Homemade Ice Pop Recipes

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Spiked Chocolate Fondue

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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Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Sundaes

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Sundaes
Credit: Blaine Moats
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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 Brickle Pudding Pops

Butterscotch Brickle Pudding Pops
Credit: Blaine Moats
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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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Easy Cherry Crumb Bars

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

Quick and Easy Dessert Recipes—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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Candy Bar Doughnut Pop

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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Easy Monster Cookie Bars

Easy Monster Cookie Bars
Credit: Jason Donnelly
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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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Cherry-Berry Smoothie

Quick and Easy Dessert Recipes—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.

Related: Refreshing Smoothie Recipes

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Maple-Walnut Banana Bars

Maple-Walnut Banana Bars
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The math on these homey bars couldn't be simpler: one pan, one ripe banana and less than one hour from start to finish.

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Mocha Chocolate Mousse

Quick and Easy Dessert Recipes—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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Praline Crunch Bars

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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Easy Spiced Pastries

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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Dark Chocolate Mint Bars

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

Related: 20 Peppermint Recipes

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Chewy Chocolate Caramel Bars

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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Quick Black Forest Cherry Cake

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.

Related: Ultimate Cake Recipes

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    Everything in This Slideshow

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    View All

    1 of 26 Quick Whoopie Pies
    2 of 26 Strawberry "Cool Brûlée"
    3 of 26 Hot Fudge Sauce
    4 of 26 Rocky Road Parfaits
    5 of 26 Spicy Chip-Chocolate Bark
    6 of 26 Affogato Trifles
    7 of 26 Quick Cherry Crisp
    8 of 26 Gingerbread Pudding Cake
    9 of 26 Butterscotch Pretzel Bars
    10 of 26 Chocolate Panini
    11 of 26 Tropical Berry Pops
    12 of 26 Spiked Chocolate Fondue
    13 of 26 Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Sundaes
    14 of 26 Butterscotch Brickle Pudding Pops
    15 of 26 Easy Cherry Crumb Bars
    16 of 26 Wonton Dessert Stacks
    17 of 26 Candy Bar Doughnut Pop
    18 of 26 Easy Monster Cookie Bars
    19 of 26 Cherry-Berry Smoothie
    20 of 26 Maple-Walnut Banana Bars
    21 of 26 Mocha Chocolate Mousse
    22 of 26 Praline Crunch Bars
    23 of 26 Easy Spiced Pastries
    24 of 26 Dark Chocolate Mint Bars
    25 of 26 Chewy Chocolate Caramel Bars
    26 of 26 Quick Black Forest Cherry Cake

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