Easy Tiramisu Recipe

This easy tiramisu recipe is a creamy coffee-flavored traditional Italian dessert that is so quick to make, you will wonder why you waited so long to try it!

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Table of Contents

What is Tiramisu?
Easy Tiramisu Recipe Ingredients
Best Tiramisu Recipe Substitutions And Additions
How To Make Easy Tiramisu
How To Serve this Easy Tiramisu Recipe
Tiramisu Recipe Easy Storage
You Will Love This Recipe For Tiramisu
Tiramisu Recipe FAQs
More Recipes You’ll Love
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This easy tiramisu recipe makes such a decadent dessert. It is full of sweet, creamy mascarpone, crunchy ladyfingers dipped in a strong espresso and coffee liqueur blend and dusted with rich chocolate.

side shot of a slice of easy tiramisu recipe on a plate with a piece taken out with a fork

What is Tiramisu?

Tiramisu is a coffee-flavored Italian dessert that is made of ladyfingers dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese, flavored with cocoa.

Easy Tiramisu Recipe Ingredients

Easy Tiramisu recipe raw ingredients that are labeled

You will need:

1¼ cups of heavy cream
¼ cup of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
8 ounces of mascarpone cheese, room temperature
⅔ cup of cold espresso or cold strong coffee
2 tablespoons of coffee-flavored liqueur, such as Kahlua (optional)
1 package or 24 ladyfingers, unless they are small, then 34 ladyfingers
2 to 2½ tablespoons of cocoa powder

Best Tiramisu Recipe Substitutions And Additions

MASCARPONE CHEESE: Crème fraîche is about the closest substitute to mascarpone that you can get.

If you can’t find crème fraîche, we can help you with a similar option.

While the following substitution won’t produce the exact same taste as the mascarpone cheese, it will still work.

Replace it with a combination of eight ounces of cream cheese, a quarter cup of heavy cream, and two tablespoons of softened butter, mixed together well.

LADYFINGERS: Most grocery stores sell ladyfingers in the cookie aisle, but if you can’t find them, instead of ladyfingers, you can use sponge cake or biscotti.

ALCOHOL: Coffee-flavored liqueur such as Kahlua or Tia Maria is the classic choice, but you could switch it up with rum, amaretto, sambuca, or Irish cream.

You can also leave the alcohol out entirely for a family-friendly dessert.

How To Make Easy Tiramisu

Let’s have a look at the simple instructions for making this delightful dessert.

STEP ONE: Using either a stand mixer with a whip attachment or a handheld electric mixer at high speed, whip the heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks.

Then, reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add the granulated sugar and vanilla extract. Mix for 1 to 1½ minutes.

cream whipped to stiff peaks and then add sugar and vanilla

STEP TWO: Lower the mixer speed to low, add the mascarpone cheese to the mixture, and mix just until all the ingredients are incorporated. Set this aside.

before and after ingredients are blended in a bowl

STEP THREE: In a small shallow bowl, add the cold espresso or strong cold coffee.

If you are using the coffee-flavored liqueur, stir it in with the espresso.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

Once brewed, coffee can be kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days so you could make your morning espresso and then save the rest until you are ready to make this recipe.

STEP FOUR: Dip both sides, do not soak, each ladyfinger in the espresso mixture, and lay the dipped ladyfingers in a single layer in the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish.

PRO TIP:

If you line your pan with plastic wrap before laying the biscuits down, once chilled, you could lift it out of the pan easily to serve on a plate to show off your layered confection.

Laying the ladyfingers in a criss-cross pattern will help with the dessert’s stability if you are serving it on a plate rather than directly from the dish.

STEP FIVE: Using a silicone spatula, evenly spread half of the cheese mixture on top of the ladyfingers layer.

mixture being spread onto lady fingers in a dish

STEP SIX: Repeat the dipped ladyfingers layer and the remaining half cheese mixture layer.

STEP SEVEN: Using a fine sifter, dust the top of the cheese mixture with the cocoa powder.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least three hours or overnight.

PRO TIP:

While this cake can be served after chilling for a few hours, it really does taste even better after a day or two in the refrigerator once the flavors have been able to mingle and soak in nicely.

How To Serve this Easy Tiramisu Recipe

This easy tiramisu cake recipe is a decadent and tasty addition to any meal. It looks so elaborate yet is so easy.

Add a little bit of whipped cream and hot fudge on a plate beside the cake, and sprinkle some fresh chocolate shavings to wow your guests with your presentation.

Serve with a hot cup of coffee on the side. In the summertime, how about adding some fresh berries to the plate?

If you love this simple tiramisu recipe with whipped cream, try some other no-bake desserts such as our strawberry delight, blueberry delight, and Oreo delight.

Tiramisu Recipe Easy Storage

To ensure your dessert stays fresh and delicious, here’s how to store it.

MAKE AHEAD: While tiramisu is traditionally made fresh, you can prepare it a day ahead.

In fact, many enthusiasts believe that allowing it to chill in the fridge overnight enhances its flavors.

Simply assemble your tiramisu, cover it well with plastic wrap to prevent any air exposure, and refrigerate.

IN THE FRIDGE: Cover any leftovers with plastic wrap and keep them refrigerated for up to three days.

Can You Freeze Tiramisu?

You can freeze this dish for up to three months. Let the dish thaw overnight before serving.

close up shot of easy tiramisu recipe in a baking dish with a slice missing

You Will Love This Recipe For Tiramisu

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN FLAVORS: It captures the authentic flavors of traditional tiramisu with layers of creamy mascarpone, coffee-soaked ladyfingers, and a dusting of rich cocoa powder.

MAKE AHEAD MAGIC: This dessert can be prepared in advance, making it perfect for dinner parties and gatherings. It even gets better as it chills in the fridge, allowing you to enjoy the convenience of prepping ahead.

CROWD-PLEASER: Tiramisu is a universally loved dessert, and this recipe stays true to its classic taste. Whether you’re serving it at a family dinner or a special occasion, it’s sure to win everyone over.

This is the best tiramisu you will ever make. This homemade, eggless dish is absolutely irresistible, brimming with cream and coffee flavors that are soaked into delicate ladyfingers. No one will believe how quick and easy it was to make.

Tiramisu Recipe FAQs

Does tiramisu have alcohol?

Traditional tiramisu does have alcohol. It is usually made with marsala wine and coffee liqueur.

Does tiramisu have caffeine?

Since coffee is an ingredient in this dish, there is caffeine in tiramisu.

Does mascarpone need to be room temp for tiramisu?

Mascarpone should be cold when added to tiramisu.

What is the difference between Italian and American tiramisu?

Authentic Italian tiramisu is made with raw eggs. While American tiramisu is often made by tempering the egg yolks and substituting heavy whipping cream in place of the egg whites.

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Tiramisu Recipe (Easy)

5 from 5 votes

This easy tiramisu recipe is a creamy coffee-flavored traditional Italian dessert that is so quick to make, you will wonder why you waited so long to try it!

Prep Time 15

Total Time 3 15

Servings

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Ingredients

1¼ cups heavy cream
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 ounces mascarpone cheese room temperature
⅔ cup cold espresso or cold strong coffee
2 tablespoons coffee-flavored liqueur Kahlua (optional)
1 package ladyfingers or 24 ladyfingers unless they are small then 34 ladyfingers
2-2½ tablespoons cocoa powder

Instructions

Using either a stand mixer with a whip attachment or a handheld electric mixer at high speed, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks.
Reduce the mixer speed to medium, slowly add the granulated sugar and vanilla extract. Mix for 1 to 1½ minutes.
Lower the mixer speed to low and add in the mascarpone cheese. Mix just until all the ingredients are incorporated. Set this aside.
In a small shallow bowl, add the cold espresso or strong cold coffee. If you are using the coffee-flavored liqueur, stir it in with the espresso.
Dip both sides, do not soak, each ladyfinger in the espresso mixture.
Lay the dipped ladyfingers in a single layer in the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish.
Using a silicone spatula, evenly spread half of the cheese mixture on top of the ladyfingers layer.
Repeat the dipped ladyfingers layer and the remaining half cheese mixture layer.
Using a fine sifter, dust the top of the cheese mixture with the cocoa powder. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Notes

Once brewed, coffee can be kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days so you could make your morning espresso and then save the rest until you are ready to make this recipe.
If you line your pan with plastic wrap before laying the biscuits down, once chilled, you could lift it out of the pan easily to serve on a plate to show off your layered confection.
Laying the ladyfingers in a criss-cross pattern will help with the dessert’s stability if you are serving it on a plate rather than directly from the dish.
While this cake can be served after chilling for a few hours, it really does taste even better after a day or two in the refrigerator once the flavors have been able to mingle and soak in nicely.

Nutrition

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This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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