This delicious and unbelievably easy Tiramisu recipe is made with coffee soaked lady fingers, sweet and creamy mascarpone (no raw eggs!), and cocoa powder dusted on top. It requires no baking and can be made in advance!
Who doesn’t love an easy no-bake dessert? That’s one of the best things about this tiramisu recipe. If you are looking quick no-bake dessert I also love No Bake Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars and Butterscotch Cereal Bars.
This recipe has been a long time coming, and I’m embarrassed to admit how much tiramisu has been made in the trial of this recipe (I literally bought out every package of Savoiardi lady fingers at two different stores!) but I wanted to nail down the right approach.
By “right approach”, I mean how traditional of a tiramisu recipe I wanted to share. (In case you’re not familiar with it, Tiramisu is a popular Italian dessert made with lady fingers (or spongecake), coffee, liqueur, and mascarpone cheese topped with chocolate powder). Should I make the lady fingers from scratch? Does it matter? And more importantly, do I make it with raw eggs?
What makes my recipe different:
My tiramisu does not use raw eggs. It’s the easiest tiramisu recipe to make, and there’s no sacrifice in flavor.
Traditional tiramisu uses raw egg yolks and sugar beaten and then combined with raw whipped egg whites and mascarpone. I’ve tried that method, but thought people would most likely be turned off by the raw eggs.
Then I tried using a double boiler to gently cook the eggs and sugar before adding them to the mascarpone, which is a really common method used in lots of modern recipes (the Pioneer Woman has a great recipe!). I found it tricky to get the thick and creamy mascarpone layer I wanted.
So, I ultimately decided to swap out the egg whites in favor of fresh whipped cream, because I like the flavor and texture more. The result is delicious and EASY! You’re going to love it!
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Ladyfingers: I buy them, but you could make them from scratch.
- Mascarpone: it wouldn’t be true tiramisu without mascarpone, but if you absolutely must, you could substitute cream cheese.
- Coffee: I use espresso
- Heavy Whipped cream
- Granulated Sugar
- Vanilla extract: or substitute imitation vanilla
- Cocoa powder: for dusting on top
How to make Tiramisu:
- Mix creamy filling. Beat the mascarpone, cream, sugar, and vanilla together until stiff peaks.
- Dip lady fingers. Add the espresso and liqueur (if using) to a shallow bowl and dip the lady fingers on both sides (don’t let them soak–just a quick dip!)
- Layer mascarpone. Smooth a layer of the mascarpone/whipped cream mixture on top of the lady fingers.
- Repeat. Add another layer of lady fingers (dipped in coffee and liqueur) and another layer of cheese mixture. Dust with cocoa powder.
What kind of alcohol is used in tiramisu?
Tiramisu can be made with or without alcohol. This recipe calls for coffee flavored liqueur because I like that it enhances the coffee flavor.
Alcohol free: Leave it out completely.
Alcohol variations: use dark rum, brandy, marsala wine.
Espresso substitutions: coffee, decaf
MAKE AHEAD AND FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS:
Tiramisu is even better when made in advance, allowing the flavors to blend! It will keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
To freeze, make completely, but don’t dust with cocoa powder. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and then tinfoil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and dust with cocoa powder a few hours before serving.
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Recipe
Tiramisu
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 8 ounce container mascarpone cheese ,room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups cold espresso
- 3 Tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur ,optional (Kahlua or DaVinci brands)
- 1 package Lady Fingers ,Savoiardi brand can be found in the cookie aisle at your local grocery store, or online
- Cocoa powder for dusting the top
Instructions
- Add whipping cream to a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed with electric mixers (or use a stand mixer). Slowly add sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until stiff peaks. Add mascarpone cheese and mix just until combined. Set aside.
- Add coffee and liqueur to a shallow bowl. Dip the lady fingers in the coffee (Don't soak them--just quickly dip them on both sides to get them wet) and lay them in a single layer on the bottom of an 8x8'' or similar size pan.
- Smooth half of the mascarpone mixture over the top. Add another layer of dipped lady fingers. Smooth remaining mascarpone cream over the top.
- Dust cocoa powder generously over the top (I use a fine mesh strainer to do this). Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or up to overnight before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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Check out my webstory! I originally shared this recipe April 2017. Updated January 2020 with process photos and instructions.
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
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OMG! This is absolutely delicious! My family went ga-ga over it. I will definitely make it again. The only thing I had to do was make sure that the bowl I was whipping the cream in was cold.Love this!
Could you please say about how many ladyfingers your recipe calls for? I have a severe wheat allergy so need gluten free, and the Schar brand has really nice gluten free ladyfingers which I want to use with your recipe, thanks!
The brand I buy has two packages of 12 but sizes may vary! Just make sure you have enough for a two layers!
So easy and really, really good!
Have made this recipe a few times now.
Is great fresh but tends to go soggy when defrosted.
I replace the coffee liqueur with vanilla tia Maria and I’ve made with coffee rum which also tastes great.
I add sugar, cream and vanilla – then whisk as no reason to seperate prior to whisking which saves half a step in the method.
Really tasty! Easy to make! I made it keto with almond flour poppyseed cake and monkfruit sweetener. Thank you Lauren!
The whipping cream just made it so thick and greasy . Not what you want in a tiramisu
Homemade whipping cream is not greasy or thick. It sounds to me like you overwhipped your cream. You can fix it by slowly whisking in cold whipped cream.
What would you substiute the heavy cream with?
You made butter. A little too much whipping will do that.
Definitely sounds like you’ve whipped the cream into butter!
I’ve made this recipe countless times and it’s perfect.