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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! Make sure to try my Pumpkin Tiramisu and Lemon Tiramisu too!
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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Tiramisu
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream , (360 ml)
- 8 ounce container mascarpone cheese , ,room temperature (225 g)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar , (67 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , (5 ml)
- 1 1/2 cups cold espresso , , prepared (360 ml)
- 3 Tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur , ,optional (Kahlua or DaVinci brands) (45 ml)
- 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 fold in 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 8×8'' 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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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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 I ate the entire desert myself in ONE day. it’s that good. Making another soon.
It was amazing, I loved it. I used vanilla extract to my hearts content so that did not going quite well but apart from that, IT WAS DELICIOUS
Made this for my daughter-in-laws for her birthday. Wow!! She loved it. It is so easy. Love that there are NO EGGS. Thank you
Did you check the sponge fingers did not have eggs?
You don’t use sponge fingers. The point of the recipe was no RAW eggs,but even so there are no eggs in the hard lady fingers .
“Sponge fingers” is the British name, same thing, and it IS a type of sponge cake biscuit. It is also an egg-based dessert, so most likely their lady fingers had eggs (not raw).
This was so delicious, tiramisu is my husbands favorite dessert and he said this was one of the best he’s tasted! So easy and I love that it has no raw egg!
I had never tried tiramisu because I don’t like coffee. But my daughters convinced me to try this recipe. OMG!!! It is soooo delicious! And it was really easy to make. I had read the comments and whipped up the mascarpone cheese so that it blended well with the whipped cream. This recipe is definitely one I will make again and again.
I had never tried tiramisu because I don’t like coffee. But my daughters convinced me to try this recipe. OMG!!! It is soooo delicious! And it was really easy to make. I had read the comments and whipped up the mascarpone cheese so that it blended well with the whipped cream. This recipe is definitely one I will make again and again.
This works out every time. I have made Tiramisu using the egg yoke added method as well, and I actually think this way is just as good! Really easy and fail proof recipe. Always get so many great compliments when I make it. Just make sure to very lightly dip your ladyfingers so it’s not too wet.
Followed the recipe to the tee. Kids love it since I made the coffee and Kahlua super subtle. I don’t like the idea of feeding children with raw eggs but used this even if Im lactose intolerant. 4 stars I gave because of the amount of dipping coffee that got wasted. Used the recipe 3x and made 4 n half cups of dipping coffee. I used the quick dip as described and it only used about a cup n half or less for 3 packs of Savoiardi. So went straight to the sink upon finishing. Recipe is ok. It doesn’t have that thick slightly eggy taste consistency. Its more of like same as fruit topped with whipped cream only its lady finger. This recipe is spot on for kids but if you’re an adult looking for the authentic taste then this is not it.
If you were making the egg version, the eggs would be tempted(cooked and pasteurized) so they wouldn’t be raw.
Very good yummy
Absolutely delicious . I did modify it according to what I had at home, to avoid the cold, slippery weather outside, and used what was in my kitchen, and according also to my dietary needs & budget. So I used a block of generic brand cream cheese, instead of mascarpone, 2 cups (half a container) Great Value whipped topping, (low sugar) reduced quantity granular stevia ,instead of sugar, and Milano (Canadian brand) Italian giant soft lady fingers, needing only 1 packet of 12. I loved the soft texture of these biscuits , more economical than Savoiardi where I live.By using the stevia I could enjoy the sugar-sweetened Lady Fingers. The next time I will reduce the Starbucks coffee liqueur by a third as, after dunking the fingers, I had a lot of liquid left over. This dessert looks grand and is tart, not too sweet and goes a long way. I got 15 servings – heavenly.
I made this for the first time. It came out fantastic! I’m going to make this a day or two ahead for Christmas Eve dessert.
Hi! If we omit the alcohol in this, should we replace it with the espresso/liquid? Or just omit and move on?! 🙂 Many thanks!
Omit entirely or replace with flavoured syrup
My only negative comment is how misleading the “fold in the mascarpone” step was. I left mine sit out for well over an hour to come to room temp and it did not fold in nicely. Lots of lumps which took a while to finally smooth out. Definitely blend this up before folding it into your whipping cream. Don’t follow the video procedure, it was misleading and unmanageable.
I totally agree about folding in the mascarpone. I left mine out for hours at room temperature and it was still difficult to fold in and get the lumps out. Will definitely blend it up first before making again! Otherwise, this is a totally awesome recipe and everyone loved it at my dinner party last night!
I just banged the mascarpone inti a dish of medium hot water for 5 , maybe 8 mins, to take the edge off fridge temp. Tipped into the mix and gave it a whizz or two with the mixer. No problem.
If it helps anyone else, I just microwaved my mascarpone on defrost for 2 minutes. Then I switched the stand mixer from whisk to beater and beat it in at medium speed, worked great!
Blend it up?.…meaning to use a hand mixer to soften?
Mrs. Allen, I want my cream mixture to be at least 2″s tall, should I use 3 cups of whipping cream and 2 mascapones or 4.5 cups of whipping cream and 3 mascapones?
I’m looking for a 4 to 5″ 8×10 deep dish pan with lid. Last question, can I doubled layer the ladyfingers?
The 2nd time I made it, I could barely see or taste them. I would like to make it perfect this 3rd time with taste and presentation.
What do you think about putting some torani chocolate sauce in between each layers on top of the cream mixture for a more decadent taste?
Good but Soggy
I DID NOT over soak the lady fingers 1-2 secs and out but to watery
Good but soggy
This is so delicious, very easy to make and better yet no baking involve. Thanks for sharing.
Delicious😋 Our favorite dessert and this is amazing!