Craving a delicious dessert but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen? You can certainly whip up some mouthwatering treats with just five simple ingredients!
Whether you’re a busy parent, a college student, or just someone with a sweet tooth, this collection of simple dessert recipes is perfect for you.
1. Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream Bar

These creamy chocolate ice cream bars are a treat for any chocolate lover. You’ll need vanilla ice cream, melted chocolate, and a bit of butter to create the chocolate coating. Simply freeze the ice cream in bar shapes, dip them in the chocolate mixture, and freeze again until solid.
2. Pie Crust Cookies

These are sweet and crispy cookies made from pie crust dough. Just roll out store-bought pie crust, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, then cut into shapes and bake until golden brown. They’re quick, easy, and deliciously crunchy!
3. Homemade Crème Brûlée
This classic dessert is rich and creamy with a crisp caramelized top. For this simple version, you’ll need egg yolks, sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Mix the egg yolks with sugar and vanilla, then combine with heated cream.
2025 & 2026 Digital Planner Now 50% Off!
Note: This is an affiliate link and we may earn a small commission if you purchase at no additional cost. This helps keep our website free to use.
Bake in ramekins and caramelize the top with a torch for a perfect finish.
4. Poached Pears
These pears are gently simmered in a flavorful syrup. You’ll need ripe pears, sugar, water, and a touch of spices like cinnamon or vanilla. Cook the pears in the sweetened water until tender, and they’ll be ready to enjoy warm or chilled.
5. White Chocolate Covered Strawberries
These are delightful treats with fresh strawberries dipped in creamy white chocolate. Just melt white chocolate and dip the strawberries in it. Let them cool on a parchment-lined tray until the chocolate hardens for a sweet, elegant snack.
6. Mini Tiramisu Cups
These mini tiramisu cups are a fun twist on the classic Italian dessert. You’ll need ladyfingers, strong coffee, mascarpone cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder. Start by dipping the ladyfingers in coffee, then layer them with a mixture of mascarpone cheese and sugar. Top with a sprinkle of cocoa powder for a deliciously creamy treat.
Beaded Fidget Hedgehog Crochet Pattern
Note: This is an affiliate link and we may earn a small commission if you purchase at no additional cost. This helps keep our website free to use.
7. Basque Burnt Cheesecake
This cheesecake is famous for its rich, caramelized top and creamy center. To make it, you’ll need cream cheese, eggs, sugar, heavy cream, and a bit of flour. Blend the ingredients together, pour into a high-sided pan, and bake until the top is dark and the center is still slightly wobbly.
8. Danish Butter Cookies
These buttery cookies are crisp and delicious. The ingredients you’ll need are butter, sugar, flour, and a pinch of salt. Mix the butter and sugar until creamy, then add flour and salt to form a dough. Pipe or shape the dough into rings and bake until golden brown.
9. Mazapan Recipe (Mexican Peanut Candy)
Mazapan is a sweet, crumbly candy made from peanuts. You’ll need roasted peanuts, sugar, and a little bit of salt. Blend the peanuts into a fine powder, then mix with sugar and a touch of salt. Shape the mixture into small rounds or bars and let them set.
10. No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
These cookies are quick and easy to make with no baking required. Combine peanut butter, oats, sugar, and a bit of milk in a bowl. Mix until well combined, then scoop and shape the mixture into cookies. Let them cool and set, and you’ll have a sweet, chewy treat.
11. Lemon Bars
These tangy lemon bars have a buttery crust and a zesty lemon filling. For these, you’ll need flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and lemon juice. Start by mixing the flour and butter to make a crust, then bake it until golden.
Mix sugar, eggs, and lemon juice for the filling, pour it over the crust, and bake until set. Let cool before cutting into squares.
12. Banana Ice Cream
This creamy, dairy-free ice cream is made with just bananas. You’ll need ripe bananas and a splash of milk or a milk alternative. Slice the bananas and freeze them, then blend with a bit of milk until smooth and creamy. It’s a simple and healthy frozen treat!
13. Chocolate Dipped Pretzels
These sweet and salty snacks are easy to make. You’ll need pretzels and chocolate chips. Melt the chocolate chips, dip the pretzels in the chocolate, and let them cool on a parchment-lined tray until the chocolate hardens.
They’re a crunchy, sweet treat with a hint of salt.
14. Berry Yogurt Parfait
This refreshing dessert layers yogurt with fresh berries and a bit of honey. You’ll need Greek yogurt, mixed berries (like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries), honey, and granola.
Layer the yogurt, berries, and granola in a glass, drizzling honey on top for a tasty and healthy treat.
15. Cinnamon Sugar Apple Chips
These crispy apple chips are sweet and lightly spiced. You’ll need apples, sugar, cinnamon, and a touch of salt. Slice the apples thinly, sprinkle with a mix of sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and bake until crispy. They make a great, healthy snack or dessert.
So next time you’re craving something sweet, remember that all you need are five ingredients and a little creativity to satisfy your taste buds.
Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.