26 Easy Dessert Recipes You Can Make In One Bowl Get ready to save time and cleanup with these one bowl dessert recipes. By Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon is a Digital Editor and has been on the Southern Living team since 2017. She helps run the brand's social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok, where she's happily behind the scenes. When she's not ruffling feathers with an etiquette poll via Instagram Stories, she's writing content for the website and assisting in various print projects like gift guides and home stories. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on June 4, 2025 Close Credit: Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabor Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Baking can be complicated. Whether you're trying to get those cake layers perfectly flat, figure out the science behind baking soda versus baking powder, or guess how high to fill that Bundt pan so it doesn't overflow, preparing dessert can get confusing. Luckily, you now have some of the easiest dessert recipes up your sleeve. If you need a recipe in a hurry, these favorites won't let you down. Quick cleanup, foolproof methods, and simple ingredient lists—these recipes are the answer to all your baking woes. 01 of 26 Cherry-Pistachio Olive Oil Cake Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling; Prop Stylist: Prissy Lee Montiel This cake is fool-proof, with just a quick mix and a sprinkling of cherries and pistachios before it heads into the oven. Rubbing lemon zest into sugar before using infuses the cake with a bright, citrusy flavor. Get The Recipe Save 02 of 26 Blueberry-Ginger Olive Oil Cake Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling; Prop Stylist: Prissy Lee Montiel For another fun twist on classic olive oil cake, this version is infused with fresh ginger, lemon zest, and studded with juicy blueberries for a vibrant, fruit-forward flavor. Made in just one bowl, it's as effortless to make as it is to enjoy. Get The Recipe Save 03 of 26 Banana Bread Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox The key to this one-bowl bread is to mix in the flour just until combined to keep the it from developing a dense or rubbery texture. Get The Recipe Save 04 of 26 Two-Step Pound Cake Credit: Beth Dreiling Hontzas You won't need to spend hours in the kitchen to make this delightful dessert that just so happens to double as a breakfast food. This pound cake really is as easy as mixing the ingredients together and baking them. A standing mixer with a paddle attachment makes it all work. get the recipe Save 05 of 26 Slow-Cooker Peach Cobbler Credit: Jennifer Davick; Food Styling: Vanessa Rocchio; Prop Styling: Missie Crawford With this easy recipe, the slow cooker has dessert handled. Aside from being quick and using relatively few ingredients, using a slow-cooker makes for easy cleanup and doesn't require cranking up the oven in the summer when peaches, and therefore cobblers, are at their best. get the recipe Save 06 of 26 Vanilla Mug Cake Credit: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster This cake is both mixed and baked (well, microwaved) in the same bowl (well, mug). That's what makes mug cakes so special and fun. They're the perfect for-one dessert when you're craving something sweet but you need it to be easy and mess-free, too. get the recipe Save 07 of 26 Rum Balls Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Originally published in 1993, we haven't spent a holiday season without making these since. Unlike many bourbon or rum ball recipes, these call for honey instead of corn syrup, which them a more complex flavor and keeps them from being overly sweet. The recipe couldn't be easier to make if you use a food processor to finely chop up the vanilla wafers and pecans. get the recipe Save 08 of 26 Two-Ingredient Pineapple Angel Food Cake Credit: Jessica Furniss/Southern Living Not only is this cake made in just one bowl, it requires just two ingredients: angel food cake mix and a can of crushed pineapple. It really couldn't be easier. For extra flavor and presentation points, frost it with whipped topping and decorate with fruit or sprinkles. get the recipe Save 09 of 26 Spiced Pecan Pie Bars Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Ground cinnamon and ginger give the classic pecan pie a welcome twist—in big-batch bar form! This is perfect for the school function you promised to make dessert for, or for a potluck birthday party. And once made, you will come back to these delights again and again. get the recipe Save 10 of 26 Easy Blackberry Cobbler Credit: John O'Hagan Make use of fresh blackberries this summer with this quick treat. This humble recipe evokes memories of my childhood summers spent roaming the woods, dodging brambles while plucking blackberries with purple-stained fingertips. And when we say it's easy to pull together, we mean it! get the recipe Save 11 of 26 Classic Southern Buttermilk Pie Credit: Iain Bagwell This old-school favorite came around in the era of desperation pies, and we're still making it today. With a simple ingredient list, a fantastic history, and an irresistible flavor, you'll want to add buttermilk pie to your table the next time you host company. get the recipe Save 12 of 26 Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: Kellie Gerber Kelley During the holidays, these are the best bite-sized treats to give as host gifts. With only 30 minutes of hands-on time, you'll spend less time making these morsels than you would picking out a present for someone at the store! If you want to make a few batches and save them to gift, they freeze well and can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week. get the recipe Save 13 of 26 Shaker Lemon Pie Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Ana Kelly Shaker cooks considered lemons an important part of a healthy diet, even though they were expensive and hard to come by, so they devised this pie to make use of every bit of the fruit. You can thank the Junior League of Charleston, West Virginia, for this old-school pie that uses every bit of the lemon—peels, too. get the recipe Save 14 of 26 Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies Credit: Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabor Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley These peanut butter cookies only require four ingredients and a few minutes to throw together, so you can satisfy your sweet tooth as quickly and easily as possible. The oil in the peanut butter and the proteins in the egg blend together with the sugar to make a cookie with a soft texture. get the recipe Save 15 of 26 Million Dollar Pound Cake Credit: Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox With just seven pantry staple ingredients, you can make one of our all-time favorite pound cake recipes. It is a simple recipe to create, and can be served freshly baked or made ahead and stored for a quick dessert option. This will definitely become a dessert go-to in your household. get the recipe Save 16 of 26 Easy Skillet Apple Pie Credit: Stacy K. Allen, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Fresh apple pie, made in your cast-iron skillet from start to finish. It just doesn't get better than that! Serve this skillet apple pie with vanilla bean ice cream for a dessert that gives all the right feels. get the recipe Save 17 of 26 Seven-Layer Cookies Credit: Southern Living This sweet recipe was the first-ever bar cookie featured in Southern Living. It's so easy, that you basically just stack the ingredients up and bake it! They are the perfect choice if you need a last-minute dessert to bring to the neighborhood potluck or are on the hunt for a decadent treat to add to your dessert buffet. get the recipe Save 18 of 26 Classic Chess Pie Credit: Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley, Food Stylist: Ana Kelly A Southern staple, chess pie is simple and sweet, which is all we need in a dessert. A chess pie will be a crowd-pleaser every time you serve it. Even better? Our recipe uses pre-made piecrust, so pulling one together for last-minute celebrations is a breeze. get the recipe Save 19 of 26 Pecan Pie Bars Credit: Lee Harrelson If you love pecan pie but need a recipe that feeds a crowd, here you go! These pecan squares are easier to make than traditional pecan pie, and use common and widely available ingredients. Your next potluck dessert promise will be filled with these exquisite bars. get the recipe Save 20 of 26 Our Easiest Pumpkin Pie Ever Credit: Photo: Greg Dupree We named this recipe "easiest ever," and it holds up to it—trust us. Using only seven ingredients, this pumpkin pie punches more than its weight in flavor. Our test kitchen didn't devise this recipe to be any harder than it needs to be, and we guarantee that you and your family will love it. get the recipe Save 21 of 26 Strawberry Swirl Cream Cheese Pound Cake Credit: Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayliss You can enjoy this beautiful pound cake with your morning coffee or as a pretty luncheon dessert. For the strawberry swirl, we used pre-made strawberry glaze for convenience. Dollop the glaze in layers throughout the pound cake batter to achieve this marbled look, and watch guests swoon as you cut into the cake. get the recipe Save 22 of 26 Chocolate Parfaits Credit: Southern Living The kids will love this quick dessert. Though we call for whipped topping and grated chocolate, this recipe is versatile. Try layering fresh fruit such as strawberries into the pudding to make it your own. get the recipe Save 23 of 26 Fudge Pie Credit: Iain Bagwell Every chocolate lover has to have a good fudge pie recipe in their collection. When this pretty pie comes out of the oven, you'll be thinking it looks a lot like your Thanksgiving pecan pie at first glance. But as soon as you slice into the decadent dessert, the oozing chocolate inside will put those thoughts to rest. get the recipe Save 24 of 26 Mini Pecan Pies Credit: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro, Laura Zapalowski Instead of standing at the dessert table to slice, make these mini pecan pies for easy serving. Made with frozen tart shells and a sweet, nutty filling that comes together in a single bowl, they make a fantastic addition to a dessert table or holiday buffet. get the recipe Save 25 of 26 Utterly Deadly Southern Pecan Pie Credit: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood You can have decadent pecan pie right from your cast-iron skillet. Serving it in the skillet is also easy and makes the dish even more Southern. You won't regret taking your pecan pie to new heights with this recipe. get the recipe Save 26 of 26 Mamie Eisenhower's Chocolate Fudge Credit: Photographer: Fred Hardy; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley This first-lady-approved dessert has had our hearts for years. Newspapers across the land printed the fudge attributed to Mrs. Eisenhower shortly after she became First Lady in 1953. It remains a benchmark for chocolate fudge. It's delicious, creamy, and fool-proof. get the recipe Save Explore more: Food and Recipes Desserts Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit