The Best Simple Easy Desserts
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Looking for ideas for Simple Easy Desserts? We have a HUGE collection of simple dessert recipes with basic ingredients, and most of them you can make with 5 ingredients or less! It doesn’t get much simpler than that!!
Simple Easy Desserts
I’ve rounded up over 25 of our easiest desserts, from cookies and cakes to ice cream and syrups — and everything in between!
Some are simple dessert recipes with basic ingredients and others may require one or two not-so-common additions.
Either way, every one of these simple dessert ideas can be made with 5 ingredients or less!
This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but I’ve done my best to come up with a wide variety of options so everyone is sure to find something they love.
I mean, I have 15 cheesecake salad recipes alone — most of which include a chop here, a whisk there, and tossing it all together to chill.
Whether you’re craving loads of chocolate or a lighter, fruity option, you’re sure to find a fix with these quick and simple dessert recipes!
Simple Dessert Recipes with Basic Ingredients
Not everyone has time to run to the store when a craving strikes… and now you won’t have to!
You can make a simple dessert with things you have in your pantry or fridge, and sometimes even in just a few minutes.
2 Ingredient Coconut Macaroons are beautifully toasted on the outside and moist and chewy in the middle.
Ready in just 30 minutes, they’re the perfect lazy day cookies for any coconut lover. Plus, you’ll get about 30 treats per batch!
Forget complicated machines, learn How to Make Ice Cream in a Bag in just 10 minutes with real ingredients!
This simple dessert is especially fun for kids — after plenty of shaking, they’ll watch their creations transform like magic!
No Flour Peanut Butter Cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with peanut butter.
Naturally gluten-free and just like great-grandma used to make, this simple recipe will be ready to go in the oven before it is done preheating!
Make Classic Chocolate Fudge with butter, chocolate chips, and sweetened condensed milk.
You’ll have to wait for it to set, but it’s one of the best quick and simple dessert recipes to customize for holidays and special occasions.
Make Nice Cream with Frozen Bananas — yes, this is a ONE ingredient recipe!
All you need to make it is a blender, and there’s no limit to the flavor options with sauces, syrups, and mix-ins. And since it’s made with fruit, you can say “yes” to ice cream for breakfast!
Quick and Simple Dessert Recipes — No Bake!
Who says you need an oven to whip up something sweet? These no bake recipes are just the trick when the kids want to help or it’s just too hot outside.
My No Bake Avalanche Cookies taste just like the ones from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, but you can make a whole batch at home for a fraction of the cost!
Imagine creamy peanut butter fudge speckled with Rice Krispies, fluffy marshmallows, and chocolate chips. YUM!!
Keep your blender out because you’ll want to make this outrageously Dreamy Strawberries and Cream Shake every single day!
Specks of strawberries and ribbons of cream are swirled throughout this fantastic creamy creation.
And if berries aren’t your flavor, try this Dreamy Orange Creamsicle Shake instead — it tastes just like the popsicle!
Homemade candies are always a favorite, and these Peppermint Patties are top-notch.
With a creamy, cool center surrounded by a thin layer of melted chocolate, you’ll need to make a double or triple batch of these irresistible treats. They’ll be gone in minutes!
Skip the drive-thru and make a Copycat Wendy’s Frosty at home! It’s one of our favorite simple easy dessert recipes, and it’s ready in minutes with 3 simple ingredients.
Simple easy desserts include dips too! This Mint Chocolate Cookie Dough Dip will tingle your tastebuds and satisfy your sweet tooth.
Scoop it up with cookies, graham crackers, pretzels, and more.
Don’t worry, I have regular and funfetti sugar cookie flavors if you’re not a mint fan!
Simple Easy Dessert Recipes
Many of my favorite treats are classic desserts made simple.
There’s no reason to spend extra time in the kitchen or use up a long list of ingredients when it tastes just as good with less!
Air Fryer S’mores bring the campfire favorite indoors! Enjoy this gooey, melty treat in minutes… no flame required.
Stick with the classic combo of graham crackers, marshmallows, and Hershey’s, or mix it up with one of our flavor variations!
Creamy Vanilla Rice Pudding is the epitome of simple easy desserts! Rich, silky, and utterly delicious, make it in 30 minutes on the stovetop or in a few hours in a slow cooker.
All you need are 2 simple ingredients!!
These 3 Ingredient Brownies are moist, chewy, and oh-so-fudgy with a hint of hazelnut flavor. Combine Nutella spread with flour, eggs, and a pinch of salt, then bake and slice!
They are sweet enough to be a treat but not overly decadent — definitely my go-to everyday brownie recipe.
Crockpot Candy is the easiest and most impressive homemade candy ever — and a staple during the holidays!
With 4 ingredients, you can make a rich, chocolaty, peanutty treat in the slow cooker. Toss everything in, stir a few times, and scoop it out. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
A favorite for bake sales and cookie swaps, these 4 Ingredient Peanut Blossom Cookies are soft, chewy, and loaded with peanut butter flavor.
As if that isn’t enough, they’re topped with a chocolate Kiss. Incredible!!
BONUS!! Need SUMMER treat ideas??
If you’re looking for easy treats for summertime, we have you covered. Check out our collection of easy summer desserts!!
Cake Recipes Under 5 Ingredients
I know what you’re thinking… There’s no way you can make a cake with just a few ingredients, but it’s true!
These simple easy desserts may use a few shortcuts, but no one will know they aren’t made from scratch.
Outrageous Cherry Dr. Pepper Cake has an incredible flavor and is so moist, you’d never know it was made with just 5 ingredients!!
This one bowl recipe is one to tuck into your recipe box — you’ll be making it again and again!
This easy No Bake Cheesecake can be made with a store-bought or homemade graham cracker crust… it’s up to you!
Whip together 3 ingredients for the filling, smooth it into the crust, and chill until set. Easy peasy!
Blueberry Dump Cake tastes just like blueberry cobbler, but it’s so much easier to make.
Spread pie filling into a baking dish, “dump” cake mix on top, and top with pieces of butter and fresh berries. It bakes into a fluffy and gooey masterpiece!
Oreo Ice Cream Sandwich Cake is probably the most impressive dessert on this list, but also one of the easiest to make!
Layer Oreo cookies, ice cream sandwiches, and Cool Whip into a pan, then top with plenty of chocolate syrup and crunchy candies. Perfect for birthdays!
This Nutter Butter Cake in a Mug is just what you need when you’re baking for one. Mix everything into your favorite coffee mug and pop it in the microwave.
It fluffs into a scrumptious cake in just over a minute, perfect for portion control!
Simple Dessert Sauces
While these technically go in or on top of your sweets, they still count in my book!
Pick your favorite and pair it with one of these other simple easy dessert recipes for an over-the-top treat!
My Super Simple Homemade Chocolate Syrup is better than Hershey’s and made with 4 ingredients that you can pronounce — sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and salt.
I always have a jar in my fridge, ready to drizzle on ice cream, cakes, cookies, and more!
Make a luscious Strawberry Syrup with just 3 ingredients and 15 minutes of your time!
It’s the perfect dessert topping when you’re craving something sweet but are tired of chocolate — if there is such a thing! Use fresh berries or frozen… whatever is easiest!
My No-Fail Caramel Sauce is a no-muss, no-fuss dessert topping that’s ready in a flash.
I love how it has a hint of butterscotch flavor, making it so much better than anything you’d find at the store.
This one’s actually two recipes in one… Make a batch of homemade Lemon Curd, plus these adorable meringue nests, and combine them into a classy dessert!
Each can be made with 5 simple ingredients, or you can use the curd as a tangy topping for other treats.
Homemade Magic Shell will transport you right back to your childhood! It’s easy to make with just 2 ingredients and tastes delicious on more than just ice cream.
Drizzle it over fresh berries or dunk a frozen banana for a quick popsicle, then add sprinkles or chopped nuts for extra crunch.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
Don’t miss a thing! Follow us on
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
Originally published March 2020, updated and republished June 2024
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.
