Desserts have the reputation of needing a fair amount of preparation, skill, and more often than not, an oven to prepare them! Well, that doesn’t have to be the case, even with many gourmet-style recipes. Our ideas for dessert recipes have easy no-bake ideas that you can use.
These are simple recipes that can be whipped up quickly, but still look and taste amazing.
Easy No-Bake Dessert Recipes You Should Try
1. Mini No-bake Cheesecakes
Look at these tiny cheesecakes! They look so adorable. But what I especially like here is that these small cheesecakes give you an option to add multiple flavors or textures as toppings to each batch. Or, just skip the toppings and enjoy these tiny cheesecakes as you would prefer.
One of the excellent things about these cheesecakes is that they’re bite-sized! You can just grab one for a quick, delicious treat, rather than having to down a whole large slice. On that note, this probably also warrants being careful about how many little cheesecakes you down!
2. No-Bake Blueberry Pie
This nice blueberry pie is rich, creamy, and full of flavor. The blueberry on top is a decent enough choice, though I think the texture would work much better to have the flavor in the cream. But, if you do enjoy the texture and flavor that comes with keeping the blueberries on top of the pie, by all means, go for it.
It’s something of a classic touch to the whole thing. And even though adding the blueberries wouldn’t be my top choice, it’s undeniable that fresh fruit really ties the whole thing together. The pie and the flavors really get a boost once you get the goodness of fresh fruit.
3. No-Bake Cheesecake
As one might guess, cheesecake is going to be hugely popular for many of the no-bake dessert recipes. This one is pretty much a classic no-bake cheesecake recipe with some cherry pie filling. I think the color and texture both go remarkably well with the cheesecake.
But perhaps one of the more striking features of this cheesecake is the literal cherry on top. Adding the fruit (and filling) on the top in a more distributed layer looks better than a sprinkling of some fruits. Well, it does help that the cherry is bright and photogenic, making it look so very inviting.
4. Gingerbread Cheesecake Trifle
Presentation often makes a recipe. For this one, I especially like the serving in a glass cup or bowl to show off the layering and add a more refined touch. The recipe makes use of no-bake gingerbread cheesecake, layers of caramel and whipped cream, and layers of gingerbread cookies.
You can use store-bought gingerbread cookies to keep things simple and make the recipe easy to prepare.
Also, you had me at gingerbread! And there’s loads of gingerbread in this recipe, so there’s a lot to love here. My focus on gingerbread aside, the caramel, whipped cream, and cheesecake are as much the highlight of this recipe as any other ingredient.
5. No Bake Oreo Dessert
This recipe is very close to being a no-bake Oreo cheesecake. However, rather than go the full cheesecake route, the crushed Oreo cookies find a way into the filling and mix, making this more of a rich and creamy dessert that could almost be a cheesecake. Basically, it’s not a cheesecake on a technicality!
It takes just around 10 minutes to whip up this recipe, making this a quick and easy way to a nice treat. It looks like something that would take a lot of time, so it’s quite surprising that all you need is a 10 minutes for this!
6. Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip
Following the general theme, this recipe starts with a classic no-bake cheesecake, and tops it with caramel dip and whipped topping. A touch of extra flavor and texture comes in the form of crushed peanuts at the top. Although, at this point, you might as well let your creativity shine through and choose a topping of your choice.
Perhaps slightly roasted peanuts would be good for that extra added crunch. Or even toasted almonds or cashews. And of course, there’s always the choice of going with fresh fruits for topping.
7. No-Bake Mango Lime Cheesecake
There is a bit of refinement and styling to this recipe that doesn’t come out so often in no-bake recipes. The mango layering on top with delicate lime flavors and freshness does wonders. But the heart of the recipe remains in the flavored cheesecake that brings texture and adds richness to the overall dessert.
That mango layering is going to take a little bit of effort, but if you know your way around it, the layering becomes easy enough. Besides, the rich mango topping is unique and brings richness and a burst of flavor to this delicious dessert.
8. Make-Ahead No-Bake Oreo Dessert
The simplicity and styling of this no-bake make-ahead Oreo cookie dessert would make this attractive even to the novice cook. Oreo cookies come together with cream cheese and some chocolate to make a wonderful dessert that quick and easy to whip up.
That chocolate flavor coming from Oreo cookies is rich enough, but the recipe also adds goodness of cream for that deep, lovely texture and rich taste. The lush dessert is layered with two fillings and a whipped topping, which makes it all the more inviting.
9. Nanaimo Bars
Suitable for a keto diet, this no-bake recipe has three tiers to tickle your tastebuds. There are a few ingredients here and it takes some skill to put it all together. However, there are three main visible layers. These are a chocolate layer, followed by a buttercream custard filling, and finally a nutty base with shreds of coconut.
Now that’s a droolworthy combination and the neat layering makes the mouthfeel quite interesting with each bite. And if you want to take it a step further, just stack these Nanaimo bars one on top of the other, and enjoy a decadent big bite.
10. Cookie Lasagna
This beautiful cookie lasagna looks almost like a gourmet pastry. It uses soft chocolate chip cookies and filling in multiple layers. It’s an excellent combination for texture and style, with plenty of tasteful goodness going for this unique cookie lasagna.
The dessert lasagna thrives in a rich and creamy setting with the chocolate chip cookies taking things a step further. But the biggest draw here is that this lovely dessert is remarkably easy to put together with some finesse and style.
11. This Lemon Mousse
This stylish and flavorful lemon mousse looks exactly like the decadent dessert we can all enjoy. The rich flavors and deep taste are accompanied by the freshness of lemon. The brilliant coloring and stylish serving should go a long way in making this a memorable dessert.
This lemon mousse is a simple, no-bake recipe that doesn’t need many ingredients. The simplicity of the ingredients is quite a nice contrast to the rich flavors of the dessert. While presentation is always important, I think the bright and rich color of this mousse is attractive enough to let it stand its ground without too much effort.
12. Strawberry Icebox Cake
The fresh strawberry topping pretty much makes the case for this cake! The combination of whipped cream and strawberry layered on soft graham crackers is simple and elegant. It’s a treat to serve and a wonderful dessert to enjoy. It also works well for a make-ahead situation, making it more useful.
In the image here, I like how the clean cuts of strawberry add color and texture to the recipe. Plus, the layering means there’s more to discover with the flavors of strawberry and the texture matching well with the overall feel and styling of this recipe.