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    Home » Desserts

    Easy Dessert Recipes with 5 Ingredients (Or Less!)

    Published: Jun 6, 2023 · Updated: Mar 4, 2025 by Tammilee · This post may contain affiliate links

    Sometimes all you need is a yummy dessert without the fuss of fishing out ten different containers to make one dish. All the recipes in this collection are made with five or fewer ingredients, ensuring you’re never more than a few steps and ingredients away from sweet treat bliss.

    Collage of easy dessert recipes donuts, cookie, pie, and oreo bark

    Desserts with 5 Ingredients or Less

    Contents show
    Desserts with 5 Ingredients or Less
    Crockpot Caramel Sauce
    2-Ingredient Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie Cups
    2-Ingredient Lemon Bars
    Caramel Apple Dump Cake
    Saltine Cracker Toffee
    Snickers Salad
    2-Ingredient Coconut Macaroons
    Pumpkin Angel Food Cake
    Church Window Cookies
    Chocolate-Covered Potato Chips
    Cinnamon Roll Waffles
    Red, White, and Blue Angel Food Cake
    Earth Day Cookies
    Cherry Cheesecake Dip
    2-Ingredient Oreo Bark
    Booty Dip
    Classic Rice Krispie Treats
    Cinnamon Roll King Cake
    Kool-Aid Pie
    Marshmallow Fluff Fruit Dip
    Watergate Salad
    RumChata Pudding Shots
    Bailey’s Whipped Cream
    Hot Chocolate Dip
    Piña Colada Poke Cake
    No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie
    Bisquick Blueberry Cobbler
    How to Make S’mores in the Oven
    RumChata Fudge
    3-Ingredient Oreo Fudge
    Red, White, and Blue Cake Mix Cookies
    Lemon Dump Cake
    Strawberry Lemonade Cookies
    Cherry Fluff
    Golden Graham S’mores Bars
    Chick-fil-A Frosted Lemonade
    Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
    Fruity Pebbles Treats
    Dunkaroo Dip
    Lemon Icebox Pie
    Pie Crust Cookies
    Butterfinger Poke Cake
    2-Ingredient Cinnamon Roll Apple Cobbler
    No-Bake Peanut Butter Balls
    Maple Monkey Bread Bites
    2-Ingredient Pineapple Angel Food Cake
    Crockpot Lemon Blueberry Dump Cake
    3-Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Muffins
    2-Ingredient Peach Bars
    No-Bake Key Lime Pie
    Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Clusters
    Black Forest Cake
    Carnival Chocolate Melting Cake
    Berry Coconut Sorbet
    Biscuit Donuts
    Baking Tools We Love
    Recipe Tips
    Additional Recipe Collections

    These easy dessert recipes taste amazing. From no bake dessert, brownies, and cookie dough, to layers of goodness piled into a graham cracker crust, there is something for every occasion.

    While we love store-bought desserts there is something magical about bringing a homemade dessert that is quick and easy to make!

    Who knew cake batter could be turned into so many easy desserts!

    Spoon covered in caramel sauce coming out of a jar

    Crockpot Caramel Sauce

    Finding a one-ingredient recipe is rare, but the story begins here with this easy-as-pie caramel sauce. Who knew all you need to do to achieve perfect caramel sauce boils down to one simple step of submerging a can of sweetened condensed milk in a hot bath for a few hours?

    Icing drizzling onto a 2 Ingredient Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie Cups

    2-Ingredient Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie Cups

    These clever two-ingredient apple pie tarts use premade cinnamon roll dough for the cup portion and apple pie filling for the inside.

    However, you can also make homemade cinnamon apples if you feel crafty and don’t want to use a canned product. They’re incredibly delicious with caramel sauce, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or both - we won’t judge!

    2 Ingredient Lemon Bars with powdered sugar garnish

    2-Ingredient Lemon Bars

    Whether you go for classic lemon, as in this recipe, or another fruit, you can’t go wrong with bakery-fresh fruit bars.

    Switch up the flavor of these two-ingredient treats using a different canned or homemade pie filling variety. The angel food cake mix in these lemon bars makes them light and fluffy to the palate.

    Wooden Spoon scooping Caramel Apple Dump Cake from a glass pan

    Caramel Apple Dump Cake

    The fall carnival treat inspires this four-ingredient caramel apple dump cake made with a yellow cake mix.

    While we chose to bake ours, this recipe adapts readily to the Crock Pot if you prefer this preparation method.

    Pieces of Saltine Toffee with sprinkles on them on a white plate

    Saltine Cracker Toffee

    Our household also affectionately refers to this sweet and salty snack as “Christmas crack.”

    We made ours with red, green, and white sprinkles to go with the holiday theme, but you can use any color or combination that goes with your desired theme. This recipe also works fantastically with milk or white chocolate chips.

    Apple and Snickers Salad in a white bowl

    Snickers Salad

    We settled on the name “salad” after struggling with what to call this sweet combination of vanilla instant pudding, Cool Whip, apples, and Snickers chunks. We used green granny smith apples in our recipe.

    2-Ingredient Coconut Macaroons on a white plate

    2-Ingredient Coconut Macaroons

    These two-ingredient coconut macaroons are proof that making fantastic food doesn’t have to involve overcomplicated processes.

    Add chocolate to the mix by drizzling or dipping the macaroons in chocolate for more decadence. Hello, yum to a swoon-worthy sweet treat that comes together in minutes!

    Grab a bag of coconut flakes and sweetened condensed milk and you can make an easy dessert!

    Slice of angel food cake next to whipped cream with a cake in the background

    Pumpkin Angel Food Cake

    This pumpkin pie filling and angel food cake mix dessert can be made in a Bundt cake pan for an extra touch of elegance.

    Need a heavier topping than whipped cream? Vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce are great garnish options for this five-ingredient cake.

    Stack of Church Window Cookies with Coconut

    Church Window Cookies

    The stained glass effect on these classic four-ingredient Christmas cookies comes from multicolored pastel mini marshmallows, and the no-bake aspect makes them excellent for involving kids in their preparation during holiday gatherings.

    We have seen these prepared with pieces of pecans or other nut varieties. To add a bit of crunch to the no bake cookie.

    chocolate covered potato chips on a red plate

    Chocolate-Covered Potato Chips

    Pro-tip - you don’t always have to decide between salty and sweet when it comes to snack time, and when in doubt, you can combine both!

    Also, don’t be afraid to swap the Ruffles for pretzels if you prefer going that route; you’ll still be at a total of two ingredients for this recipe.

    Stack of Cinnamon Roll waffles covered in icing on a white plate

    Cinnamon Roll Waffles

    Serve brunch in a snap with this creative use of refrigerated cinnamon rolls, which is also the sole ingredient in this recipe.

    If you don’t want to use the cream cheese frosting in the package, you can whip up a topping using powdered sugar, butter, and maple syrup.

    Red white and blue angel food cake next to strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream

    Red, White, and Blue Angel Food Cake

    This three-ingredient mishmash angel food cake is refreshing with strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream; these additions also accentuate the Fourth of July theme.

    If you're making this cake for a different themed event, swap the red and blue food dyes for other colors and complementary add-ons.

    Earth Day Cookies on a dark slate board

    Earth Day Cookies

    Celebrate Earth Day any day of the year with these easy-peasy five-ingredient sugar cookies made with blue and green food dye.

    Easy, No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake in a white baking dish next to a bowl of graham crackers

    Cherry Cheesecake Dip

    No-bake, make-ahead desserts that can be quickly whipped up for a crowd we’re entertaining are winners in our book.

    We mix this four-ingredient cherry and cream cheese dip with a hand mixer to achieve the perfect consistency for dipping pleasure. For a flavor upgrade, blend in some vanilla extract.

    This dip takes no bake cheesecake to a whole new level of goodness.

    2-Ingredient Oreo Bark stacked on parchment paper

    2-Ingredient Oreo Bark

    Cookies and cream candy bark made with two ingredients? Yes, please!

    Booty dip covered in mini chocolate chips in a white bowl surrounded by graham crackers

    Booty Dip

    Although this cream cheese and chocolate chip dessert dip comes from the young world of TikTok, it is made with four classic pantry staples.

    Classic rice krispie treats on a white plate surrounded by mini marshmallows and a bowl of rice krispies

    Classic Rice Krispie Treats

    One of the keys to perfecting this four-ingredient schoolyard treat involves melting the marshmallows on low and slow heat so they don’t harden too much.

    Cinnamon Roll King Cake on a white platter surrounded by Mardi Gras Beads

    Cinnamon Roll King Cake

    While you may be tempted to purchase a New Orleans king cake to celebrate Mardi Gras, this two-ingredient take on the dessert is also a viable and effortless option.

    Slice of pink Kool Aid Pie on a white plate with heart sprinkles

    Kool-Aid Pie

    This fun four-ingredient recipe can be adapted to your desired color or flavor using different Kool-Aid mixes.

    For example, we used cherry in ours for a pink Valentine’s Day-friendly, but you can use the lime or green apple varieties if you prefer those flavors and colors. This pack of 22 flavors retailed on Amazon opens a world of possibilities for this no-bake pie.

    Marshmallow Fluff Fruit Dip in a white bowl surrounded by blueberries, raspberries, bananas, and strawberries

    Marshmallow Fluff Fruit Dip

    We love making a big bowl of this three-ingredient dip with a  fresh fruit platter and Graham crackers or Nilla wafers.

    Raspberries, blueberries, bananas, and strawberries are some of our favorite things to dip in this fruit dip.

    Green watergate salad with cool whip and maraschino cherries

    Watergate Salad

    As its name suggests, this five-ingredient pistachio pudding salad came from the same-named cake that became popular after the Watergate scandal.

    RumChata Pudding Shots spread around a bottle of RumChata

    RumChata Pudding Shots

    Sweet, milky, and lightly spiced like the Mexican horchata drink, these four-ingredients adults-only pudding shots are for when your pick-me-up needs to be boozy and dessert-like.

    Bailey's Whipped Cream swirled in a glass bowl

    Bailey’s Whipped Cream

    This whipped Irish cream is inspired by the epic bourbon version that my husband has made for many weekend brunches.

    hot chocolate dip in a white bowl topped with mini marshmallows surrounded by graham crackers

    Hot Chocolate Dip

    This sweet dip, which can be given a Mexican flair with cinnamon, is also featured in our hot cocoa recipe collection.

    Slice of pina colada poke cake on a white plate

    Piña Colada Poke Cake

    This five-ingredient pineapple poke cake with a whipped coconut topping has summertime flavor and indulgence written all over it, and we’re sure it’ll disappear in your household as quickly as it did in ours the first time we made it.

    Drizzle rum over the cake and let it absorb for an adults-only piña colada cocktail-inspired take.

    No bake peanut butter pie rimmed in reeses pieces

    No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie

    Per my husband’s suggestion, this five-ingredient no-bake pie is topped generously with Reese’s pieces and peanut butter cups around the perimeter.

    If you love peanut butter cookies you are going to LOVE this no bake pie. Drizzle a bit of chocolate sauce for a decadent no bake pie.

    Bisquick Blueberry Cobbler on a wooden spoon above a baking dish

    Bisquick Blueberry Cobbler

    Bisquick baking mix turns this simple five-ingredient fruit cobbler into a matter of pouring ingredients and baking to perfection. We highly recommend serving this with a side of vanilla ice cream.

    We also have a Bisquick blackberry cobbler, Bisquick Peach Cobbler, and Bisquick Apple Cobbler.

    Stack of smores made in the oven on a red checked plate

    How to Make S’mores in the Oven

    This how-to on oven-made s’mores lets you make the three-ingredient campfire treat any day of the year, rain or shine.

    RumChata Fudge on a white plate

    RumChata Fudge

    The hardest part about making this boozy four-ingredient holiday fudge recipe is waiting for the mixture to rest in the pan, but the idle time is almost entirely offset by the five minutes it takes to prepare it.

    We enjoy topping ours with crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal for a crunch and sweet cinnamon spice.

    3-Ingredient Oreo Fudge stacked on a white plate next to Oreo Cookies

    3-Ingredient Oreo Fudge

    Do you have white chocolate chips, cake icing, and a pack of Oreos in your kitchen? If so, you’re already halfway to making this homemade take on a confectionery delight.

    Red, White, and Blue Cake Mix Cookies piled on a white plate

    Red, White, and Blue Cake Mix Cookies

    This patriotic sugar cookie only requires four simple ingredients - boxed white cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and sprinkles.

    Lemon dump cake in a glass casserole dish with a bowl of lemons in the background

    Lemon Dump Cake

    The hardest part of making this zesty lemon pie filling and yellow cake mix dessert is waiting for the four-ingredient cake to bake in the oven.

    Strawberry Lemonade Cookies on a wire rack next to a bowl of strawberries and lemons

    Strawberry Lemonade Cookies

    The strawberry lemonade flavor and color of these four-ingredient cake mix cookies come from strawberry and lemon cake mixes.

    Cherry fluff salad in a white bowl garnished with mini marshmallows and a maraschino cherry

    Cherry Fluff

    The world of food changes rapidly, and pulling out vintage favorites like this four-ingredient Cool Whip and marshmallow fluff salad is one of my favorite ways to celebrate the feeling of nostalgia.

    Pro tips - drain the pineapple juice so the extra liquid doesn’t affect the texture, and use a large bowl to combine everything.

    Serve in a trifle dish with cherries as a garnish for epic presentation.

    S’mores Golden Graham Bar in front of a baking dish with chocolate chips and marshmallows

    Golden Graham S’mores Bars

    These four-ingredient dessert bars are essentially s’mores reconstructed into Rice Krispie form.

    Frosted lemonade in a tall glass with a polka dot straw, surrounded by lemons

    Chick-fil-A Frosted Lemonade

    This scratch-made, four-ingredient copycat version of Chick-fil-A’s frosted lemonade features freshly squeezed lemon juice and two heaping scoops of vanilla ice cream.

    Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies on a wire rack with chocolate chips

    Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

    Mix some fun into these three-ingredient devil’s food cake mix cookies with chocolate chips, peanut butter cups, or M&M candies.

    We love this fun twist on a classic chocolate chip cookie.

    Fruity Pebbles Treat square on a white plate surrounded by Fruity Pebbles

    Fruity Pebbles Treats

    Let this colorful three-ingredient cereal bar bring cheer to your St. Patrick’s Day or Easter celebrations.

    Dunkaroo dip in a white bowl surrounded by animal crackers and cookies and rainbow sprinkles

    Dunkaroo Dip

    Plain and Greek vanilla yogurt work equally well in this three-ingredient dessert dip made with Funfetti cake mix.

    Slice of lemon ice box pie on a white plate with lemons and the full pie behind it

    Lemon Icebox Pie

    Did you know that the lemon icebox pie got its name from early nonelectric refrigerator models, which consisted of insulated boxes kept cold using a block of ice?

    The lemonade concentrate in this five-ingredient version makes it bright, sweet, and tangy.

    Stack of pie crust cookies on parchment paper

    Pie Crust Cookies

    Top these three-ingredient refrigerated pie crust cookies with jam or preserves for a sweet breakfast or brunch treat.

    Square of butterfinger poke cake next to a cake pan

    Butterfinger Poke Cake

    In case you couldn’t tell, we love our candy-inspired sweets! In this recipe, the poke cake format provides ample room for the crushed Butterfingers to melt and pool while baking in the oven, and Cool Whip gives the topping a stable base so that it slices and eats cleanly.

    In addition, chocolate cake mix is a valuable shortcut that cuts the ingredients needed to five pantry staples.

    2-Ingredient Cinnamon Roll Apple Cobbler in a glass baking dish

    2-Ingredient Cinnamon Roll Apple Cobbler

    Apple and cinnamon are a sweet combination that works, plain and simple. Apple pie filling and a tube of premade cinnamon roll dough are the only two ingredients needed to make this take on an apple cobbler.

    One of our favorite Fall Dessert recipes 

    No bake peanut butter balls lined up on a wood board

    No-Bake Peanut Butter Balls

    When making these four-ingredient peanut butter balls, we recommend using a cookie scoop to ensure each size is similar.

    Maple monkey bread bites on a dark board with icing smear

    Maple Monkey Bread Bites

    These four-ingredient maple syrup, cinnamon, and pecan monkey bread bites are oh-so-dippable with a side of classic cream cheese glaze.

    2 ingredient pineapple angel food cake cut into squares with one being held

    2-Ingredient Pineapple Angel Food Cake

    Take a homemade trip to the tropics with this two-ingredient angel food cake made with a heaping can of crushed pineapple.

    Lemon Blueberry Cake in a white bowl

    Crockpot Lemon Blueberry Dump Cake

    Boxed lemon cake mix and canned blueberry pie filling are the genius shortcuts behind this three-ingredient lemon blueberry dump cake made entirely in your Crock Pot.

    3-Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Muffins in a white bowl

    3-Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Muffins

    These three-ingredient pumpkin spice muffins are a warm complement to a brisk fall morning.

    2-Ingredient Peach Bars on a white plate

    2-Ingredient Peach Bars

    All is peachy-keen with these two-ingredient peach bars made with boxed angel food cake mix and a can of peach pie filling.

    No bake key lime pie garnished with lime slices next to key limes

    No-Bake Key Lime Pie

    No dessert evokes instant feelings of Florida sand and sunshine like the zesty Key lime pie. But did you know this signature dessert comes not from the sunshine state but from a 1931 Borden test kitchen in New York City?

    Fresh or prepared Key lime juice work equally well in this five-ingredient no-bake recipe. Store in the fridge for a quick and easy party dessert that can be made ahead of time.

    Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Clusters on a slate board

    Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Clusters

    There’s little a Crock Pot can’t do in the kitchen, including making these delectable four-ingredient chocolate peanut clusters. These can be made with milk chocolate or dark chocolate, try using almonds instead of peanuts for a different chocolate cluster.

    mini black forest cake garnished with maraschino cherries on a small plate

    Black Forest Cake

    These five-ingredient mini loaf cakes are a throwback to our spectacular 2016 trip to Germany.

    Carnival Chocolate Melting Cake in a white ramekin

    Carnival Chocolate Melting Cake

    You’d never guess that only five ingredients are behind this Carnival Cruise indulgence.

    Berry Coconut Sorbet in a white bowl

    Berry Coconut Sorbet

    This tropical and berry-filled sorbet proves that healthy treats can be easily made.

    Biscuit Donuts piled on a white plate with cinnamon sugar

    Biscuit Donuts

    Don’t forget the donut holes when making this two-ingredient refrigerator biscuit recipe!

    We hope these easy dessert recipes helped fulfil any craving you were having!

    Baking Tools We Love

    These are my go-to baking tools that I use with every recipe.

    Hand Mixer - A hand electric mixer makes this recipe easy to mix. You can also stir with a wooden spoon or spatula. A stand mixer with the paddle attachment would also work.

    Large Mixing Bowl - We are big fans of this glass batter bowl that has a handle. It makes it easy to mix ingredients and keeps the mixing bowl steady on the counter

    Cookie Scoop - A scoop helps get even cookie sizes.

    Parchment Paper - We suggest using parchment paper to make it easier to remove the cookies.

    Baking Sheets - We are huge fans of these baking sheets with sides. You don't have to worry; you will remove cookies from the oven and have them slide right off.

    Heat resistant potholders - A couple of years ago, we had a fire scare when we didn't realize we had turned a stove burner on, and a cloth potholder caught fire. Thankfully we walked by the kitchen and saw the smoke and were able to get it out ourselves. Since then, we have only used these heat-resistant potholders.

    Recipe Tips

    Printable recipe card instructions are available in each recipe post.

    Nutrition information, including calories, protein, calcium, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin c, potassium, cholesterol, sodium, trans fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and more, will vary depending on the products used.

    Additional Recipe Collections

    Easy Bisquick Recipes - Everything from breakfast to snacks, to comfort food, and more! All of these recipes with Bisquick are made with simple ingredients and are quick and easy recipes!

    Road Trip Snacks - Easy and Budget-Friendly Recipes for the Open Road! This collection of road trip snacks and treats includes both salty, sweet, and savory!

    Cherry pie filling recipes - These cherry pie filling recipes, which range from Crock Pot favorites to boxed cake mix treats and pies.

    Easy Dump Cake Recipes - including crockpot dump cakes and oven-based dump cakes! These are the perfect potluck and holiday desserts.

    Epic Cream Cheese Recipes - Everything from cream cheese dips, desserts, entrees, appetizers, and so much more! Great ways to use cream cheese in recipes.

    Banana Recipes - Wondering what to do with the ripe bananas on the counter? Don't worry we have a banana recipe you will love.

    Do you love recipes? Check out our copycat recipes, dessert recipes, and our CrockPot Recipes.

    Follow Tammilee Tips on MSN, Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for all of our recipe posts.

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    About Tammilee

    Lifestyle blogger who travels the world and drinks too much Chai tea. Travel blogger, award winning photographer, sunset hunter, Birkenstock girl, bird nerd
    You can find Tammilee on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

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