Easy Desserts

Apple-Pomegranate Cobbler
Photo: David Cicconi

Delicious and easy to make, these recipes range from mini black-bottom cheesecakes to swirled summer berry soufflés.

01 of 13

Citrus Gratin with Toasted Almonds

Citrus Gratin with Toasted Almonds
© Dana Gallagher

This warm citrus dessert is an updated version of the old-fashioned half grapefruit broiled with brown sugar. In addition to vitamin C, the recipe provides vitamin E from the scattering of sweet and crunchy almonds on top.

02 of 13

Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes
© Kana Okada

One of the easiest desserts to make, these chocolate cupcakes are made of buttermilk, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract.

03 of 13

Mini Black-Bottom Cheesecakes

Mini Black-Bottom Cheesecakes with Jam.
© Tina Rupp

Parisi made several versions of these brilliant little jam-topped cheesecakes, substituting fromage blanc and other tangy soft cheeses for the usual sour cream. Some versions were sweeter, others more tart; all were delicious.

04 of 13

Coconut Arborio Rice Pudding

Coconut Arborio Rice Pudding
© Quentin Bacon

Arborio rice is great for Stephanie Prida's pudding, because the plump grains stay perfectly firm and chewy.

05 of 13

Mascarpone-Stuffed Dates

Mascarpone-Stuffed Dates
© Francesco Lagnese

A dusting of unsweetened cocoa adds an appealing bitterness to this simple one-bite dessert.

06 of 13

Jam and Bread Pudding

Jam and Bread Pudding
© Tina Rupp

This dessert is also a terrific breakfast topped with maple syrup.

07 of 13

Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies

Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies
© Tina Rupp

A perennial family favorite, these peanut butter cookies are both crunchy and chewy, no easy feat.

08 of 13

Port-Mulled Cherries with Ricotta

Port-Mulled Cherries with Ricotta
© Wendell T. Webber

"I top fresh ricotta with cherries that I've picked in the spring and frozen. The cherries absorb the natural sweetness of the port,"; explains pastry chef Gale Gand about one of her favorite three-ingredient desserts.

09 of 13

Gianduja Mousse

Gianduja Mousse
Frances Janisch

As if the chocolate-hazelnut spread gianduja isn't delicious enough straight off the spoon, we've folded in whipped cream and crème fraîche to create a truly decadent (and ridiculously easy) mousse. For a supereasy ice cream sandwich, spoon the mousse between chocolate wafers and freeze overnight.

10 of 13

Dulce de Leche Bread Pudding

Dulce de Leche Bread Pudding
© Deirdre Rooney

This gooey bread pudding made with caramel-like dulce de leche from Latin America is so much more than the sum of its five parts. To add even more flavor, throw in a handful of fresh or frozen raspberries or blueberries before baking.

11 of 13

Swirled Summer Berry Soufflé

Swirled Summer Berry Soufflé

A nutrition course at the Culinary Institute of America in New York's Hudson River valley put chef Annabel Langbein on the course to healthier eating, teaching her how to prepare low-fat dishes that didn't make her feel deprived, like this decadent-tasting soufflé, a swirl of berries and marshmallowy meringue.

12 of 13

Toasted Bread and Bittersweet Chocolate

Toasted Bread and Bittersweet Chocolate
© Quentin Bacon

Nothing could be easier than slapping a piece of chocolate on a slice of bread: Spanish children do it all the time as an after-school snack. But by sprinkling the melted chocolate with sea salt and extra-virgin olive oil, Ferran Adrià turns kid food into something parents will want to try.

13 of 13

Apple-Pomegranate Cobbler

Apple-Pomegranate Cobbler
David Cicconi

This juicy and bright apple cobbler is just the right amount of sweet, with an irresistibly tender and crunchy crust on top.

Was this page helpful?
Related Articles