Dessert Recipes You Can Make in 30 Minutes—Or Less

Creamy Peach Icebox Cake
Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox

While we love when we get that chance to spend a day in the kitchen whipping up a homemade dessert like a beautiful layer cake or intricate pie, we understand that there are times when that's not doable. For instance, you may need a dessert recipe that's a little quicker when that after dinner sweet tooth hits or when you need to pull together a dessert to take to tomorrow's potluck. Lucky for you, each of these easy dessert recipes requires just 30 minutes or less of hands-on time in the kitchen to pull together.

Even though these desserts come together quickly, they still yield delicious results and no one will be able to guess how little time you spent in the kitchen. From no-bake cookies to icebox cakes to chilled pies and more, there are plenty of crowd-pleasing dessert recipes in this collection. So read on to find your new favorite dessert recipes that can come together in as little as 10 minutes.

01 of 16

No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Prissy Lee Montiel

Recipe: No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Yes, it's possible to make cookies without turning on the oven.

02 of 16

Strawberry Cheesecake Salad

Strawberry Cheesecake Salad
Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Melissa Gray Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Recipes: Strawberry Cheesecake Salad

Enjoy the flavor of cheesecake in just 15 minutes with this easy dessert.

03 of 16

Two-Ingredient Pineapple Angel Food Cake

a corner slice of Two-Ingredient Pineapple Angel Food Cake on a white plate with a fork
Jessica Furniss/Southern Living

Recipe: Two-Ingredient Pineapple Angel Food Cake

The two ingredients of this cake, angel food cake mix and crushed pineapple, are combined in just minutes. It bakes quickly, and you need only let it cool before you add a whipped topping, fruit, or other optional topping.

04 of 16

Creamy Peach Icebox Cake

Creamy Peach Icebox Cake
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling; Kathleen Varner; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Creamy Peach Icebox Cake

You can pull this cake together in just 20 minutes the day before you'd like to serve. Then let it freeze overnight.

05 of 16

Lemon Tiramisu

Lemon Tiramisu
Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist Heather Chadduck

Recipe: Lemon Tiramisu

Using packaged ladyfinger biscotti helps this cheerful dessert come together in just 15 minutes. Let it chill in the refrigerator while you enjoy a meal and bring it out to wow your guests with dessert.

06 of 16

Cookie Dough Fudge

Cookie Dough Fudge
Photography and Food Styling: Karen Rankin

Recipe: Cookie Dough Fudge

You may be surprised to learn that the only appliance you need to pull together this safe-to-eat cookie dough treat is your microwave.

07 of 16

No-Bake Strawberry Pie

No-Bake Strawberry Pie
Joy Howard

Recipe: No-Bake Strawberry Pie

The homemade crust and filling for this pie come together in just 30-minutes. The refrigerator will do the rest of the work while it chills.

08 of 16

Triple Chocolate Milkshake

Triple-Chocolate Milkshake
Antonis Achilleos

Recipe: Triple Chocolate Milkshake

Not just one, but three types of chocolate come together in this milkshake that is sure to satisfy any post-dinner sweet tooth.

09 of 16

Salted Caramel Fudge

salted caramel fudge
Photographer: Frederick Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Recipe: Salted Caramel Fudge

This fudge will be great on its own, but can me made even better by serving it alongside vanilla ice cream.

10 of 16

Heavenly Key Lime Pie

Heavenly Key Lime Pie
Jennifer Davick; Styling: Leigh Anne Montgomery

Recipe: Heavenly Key Lime Pie

Once you see how easy it is to make homemade Key Lime pie, you'll be tempted to make one even if you don't have a reason to.

11 of 16

Caramel Pecan Icebox Cake

Caramel Pecan Icebox Cake
Joy Howard

Recipe: Caramel Pecan Icebox Cake

You'll spend just 25 minutes assembling this decadent icebox cake.

12 of 16

Rum Balls

Rum Balls Recipe
Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Rum Balls

Only six ingredients are needed to pull together this classic boozy treat.

13 of 16

Grandma's Chocolate Drop Cookies

Grandma's Chocolate Drop Cookies
Katie Strasberg Rousso

Recipe: Grandma's Chocolate Drop Cookies

Using a cookie scoop to drop your cookies on the baking sheet will help keep them uniform in size.

14 of 16

Butterscotch Fudge

butterscotch fudge
Photographer: Isaac Nunn, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn

Recipe: Butterscotch Fudge

This fudge comes together in just 15 minutes. The hardest part will be waiting for it to set before taking the first bite.

15 of 16

No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars

No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars
Iain Bagwell

Recipe: No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars

Allowing parchment paper to hang over the sides of the pan will allow you to easily remove the toffee bars when you're ready to cut them.

16 of 16

Pecan Pralines

Pecan Pralines
Southern Living

Recipe: Pecan Pralines

The secret to mastering homemade pralines is using a candy thermometer.

Was this page helpful?
Related Articles