I absolutely love ending a family dinner or a special meal with a dessert, but after preparing a huge dinner, the last thing I want to do is cook something else. That’s where no-bake dessert recipes come in. These recipes today all involve no cooking and take minimal time to put together. Many of them can be prepared in advance, so you can simply pull your dessert out and it’s ready to serve once you’ve finished your main meal.
20 Delicious No-Bake Dessert Recipes You should try
1. Oreo Balls No Bake Dessert Truffles
I love using Oreo cookies in desserts, and these dessert truffles from Who Needs a Cap are a grown-up twist on the classic cookie. They are the perfect bite-size treat for when you just need a little something sweet to finish off a good meal. You can prepare them in advance of dinner and just leave them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve dessert. The best thing about this recipe is that you can use any flavor of Oreo you like, so you can mix things up each time you make this recipe.
2. Chocolate Lasagna
Inspired by the popular dessert from Olive Garden, this recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen is ideal for a romantic date night meal, such as on Valentine’s Day. It features a crunchy Oreo crust, a cheesecake layer, and then chocolate pudding on top for a great combination of flavors that are bound to be a crowd-pleaser. This is a great alternative to chocolate cake when you don’t feel like baking.
3. Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Dessert
Using two of the most popular dessert ingredients, peanut butter and chocolate, this dessert from Let’s Dish Recipes sandwiches peanut butter cups in between layers of chocolate and peanut butter mousse. With a crumbly Oreo crust at the bottom, you and your guests will get to enjoy a yummy combination of textures.
4. No-Bake Cheesecake Jars
Cheesecake is one of the best no-bake dessert options, and these cheesecake jars from Sally’s Baking Addiction are great for when you are looking for a single-serve dessert option. My favorite thing about cheesecake is that you can have fun with different toppings and flavors, so you can add chocolate, fruit, or anything else you desire on top.
5. No-Bake Cappuccino Dessert
If you’re looking for a cool dessert for a summer barbecue or party, try out this delicious dessert from Taste of Home. Those major chocolate lovers can add even more cocoa powder to the dry pudding mixes. Refrigerate the dessert for eight hours overnight, and it will be ready to serve with lunch or dinner the next day.
6. Monster Cookie No-Bake Bars
You won’t have to switch on the oven to make these monster cookies from Dinners, Dishes & Desserts. They are perfect for the summer holidays when you’re looking for a sweet treat for your kids but don’t want to heat up the house with the oven. Combining peanut butter, M&M’s, chocolate chips, and old-fashioned oats, this is a rich dessert option that the whole family will adore.
7. Strawberry S’mores Icebox Cake
If you want to be taken back to your childhood, try out this layered strawberry cake featuring s’mores. With a heap of fresh fruit on top, this is a fresh and fun dessert that kids and teens will absolutely love. It’s a beautiful dessert that will make a fantastic centerpiece at any dinner party, thanks to this recipe from Stress Baking.
8. No-Bake Chocolate Ginger Dessert Balls
Scratch to Basics shares this delicious recipe which adds a hint of ginger to this bite-sized dessert. Using only five ingredients, these dessert balls take only five minutes to prep. They are ideal for a holiday party where you are serving a selection of desserts. Since you won’t need to bake anything, you’ll simply blend all of the ingredients together in your food processor before forming them into balls and coating them with cocoa powder.
9. No-Bake Crispy Peanut Butter Squares
Perfect for satisfying anyone’s sweet tooth, these are a great option for a summer treat that any peanut butter lover will enjoy. They are great for dessert, and the leftovers are ideal for adding to your kids’ lunchboxes. The best thing about this recipe from Cookstr is that you’ll probably have all of the ingredients at home already, so you can make them right away this evening to enjoy after dinner
10. No-Bake Pineapple Cream Dessert
For a creamy, tropical sweet, try this no-bake pineapple cream dessert from An Italian in my Kitchen. With a graham cracker or cookie crust and crushed pineapple and cream, this is a filling dessert that the whole family will enjoy after dinner. This recipe will take just twenty minutes of prep time and then needs five hours to set before serving.
11. No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars
Get your cookie dough fix with these bars from Tbsp. Using your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough, this recipe is perfect for a potluck dinner or birthday party. They simply set in the fridge after all of the ingredients are blended together, and then you’ll add a chocolate ganache topping to finish. With only ten minutes of prep time, this recipe will be a great addition to your next family gathering.
12. No-Bake Chocolate Twix Slice
If you have just minutes to spare to prepare your dessert for dinner, try this chocolate Twix slice from the Sweetest Menu. This chewy treat is quick to prepare and is topped with small chunks of Twix chocolate. The dessert has a great crunch to it thanks to the Rice Krispies that are added into the mix.
13. The Easiest Éclair Cake
This recipe from Princess Pinky Girl creates a crowd-pleasing dessert that you’ll be able to throw together in just minutes. With layers of cinnamon graham crackers, cool whip, and French vanilla pudding, this dessert is topped off with a rich dark chocolate frosting.
14. No-Bake Mascarpone Cheesecake
This is probably the easiest cheesecake you’ll ever make, courtesy of From Scratch Fast. With a biscotti crust that you’ll simply press into the dish and almond-scented filling, it’s a flavorful cheesecake that the whole family is sure to enjoy. Cheesecake is one of the best desserts for a family gathering and makes a great centerpiece to your dinner table.
15. Strawberry Cloud Dessert
For an easy no-bake summer dessert that will make a light and fluffy end to any meal, try this recipe from The Craft Patch. Tart strawberries help to balance out the sweetness of the chocolate graham crust, and then you’ll love the fluffy cream and marshmallow layer. After creating this dessert, leave it to set for two to three hours in the fridge until the topping is set before serving.
16. No Bake Turtle Dream Bars
For a fun dessert that everyone will enjoy, try out these bars from 365 Days of Baking & More. With an Oreo cookie crust as the base, a rich cheesecake layer, chocolate pudding, pecans, caramel, and Cool Whip, this recipe has so many delicious ingredients that come together to make the perfect finish to any meal.
17. Easy No-Bake Chestnut Trifles
If you are looking for a quick and festive dessert to serve during a holiday gathering, try these chestnut trifles from Del’s Cooking Twist. They are ready in just a few minutes and are served in individual portions which makes them a great choice for a holiday party. They will make a stunning addition to any dinner table, yet they only require twenty minutes of prep time.
18. No Bake Blueberry Dessert in a Jar
Blueberries are one of my favorite fruits to add to any dessert, so when you are looking for a light but sweet finish to your meal, try out this recipe from Vibrant Plate. It’s a vegetarian recipe, but you can easily make it suitable for vegans by replacing the butter and curd. After twenty minutes of prep time, these dessert jars will be ready to serve, so they’re ideal for when you have additional dinner guests unexpectedly.
19. No-Bake Fresh Fruit Tart
Baker Jo shares this simple yet colorful fruit tart that has an easy-to-create no-bake biscuit crust. You’ll top the crust with a cream cheese filling and then add your favorite fresh fruits on top to finish. While my favorite fruits for this type of tart would be blueberries, kiwis, and strawberries, you can mix things up by adding grapes or even mandarins if you prefer.
20. No Bake Bread Pudding
You might find it surprising to see a bread pudding on this list, but thanks to this recipe from Yummy Tummy you can create one without any cooking. You’ll mix the milk and condensed milk together before dipping the bread slices into it and arranging everything in your pan. Once finishing off the dish, you’ll simply leave it to set overnight before serving the next day.
This collection of no-bake dessert recipes will make creating a last-minute dessert an easy job, and you can simply call on one of these recipes when you have an unexpected dinner guest. There’s no excuse to not have a dessert ready for your family when you can make one in just minutes. With something for everyone on this list, whether you enjoy a fruity or chocolate dessert, you’ll have a whole list of quick and easy desserts to serve during dinner parties for months and years to come.
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