There’s nothing I love more than dessert. For most of my life, my mom owned a bakery and I always had easy access to any cake, cookie, and pastry my heart desired. However, now that I’m a little less than 3000 miles away from it, I can’t just have any dessert I want in an instant. Baking takes a while and when you’ve got classes, work, and clubs it’s hard to find time to treat yourself. When I do bake, I don’t want the recipe to be overly complicated or require a million ingredients. So, I’ve compiled a short list of some of my top easy to make desserts below! Also, for all the vegetarians/vegans out there: check out the bottom of this list for quick and easy ways to make almost all these recipes work for your diet!
1. Chewy brownies.
These homemade brownies taste just as good as any bakery’s and only require 10 minutes of prep time before you pop them into the oven. Their secret to being extra fudgy: drizzle in some melted chocolate into the batter before baking.
2. Giant Crinkle Chocolate Chip Cookies.
The recipe’s creator, Sarah Kieffer, says that the key to making this cookie as beautiful (and tasty) as it looks is the ‘pan bang’ that gives the cookie its unique crinkle-y texture that’s crispy on the outside but soft on the inside.
3. Lemon Bars.
Lemon bars are the perfect, tangy dessert for Spring. The lemon in this particular recipe is not too strong, so if you love a good tarty taste definitely add around 2/3 cups or more rather than the suggested ½ cup.
4. Flourless Chocolate Cake.
This rich gluten-free cake is perfect for you if you prefer dark chocolate over anything else. It’s also incredibly indulgent so it goes great with a glass of milk or a scoop (or two) of vanilla ice cream.
5. Tiramisu.
There are few things better in this world than a good Tiramisu (at least, in my book). While it looks and tastes fancy, it’s actually super easy to make. Ladyfingers, smooth mascarpone, coffee, and rum are layered together and chilled to make something between a custard and cake.
6. Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Blondies.
11 ingredients combine in 4 easy steps to make an indulgent sweet + salty bar that is a surefire crowd pleaser. If you’re a huge fan of salted caramel, you can easily swap out the chocolate chips for these to upgrade the recipe.
7. Cannoli.
If you’re ever missing Mike’s Pastry’s cannoli, this recipe is for you. It’s a little bit more difficult than the rest of the recipes on the list to make but definitely worth it. This recipe also makes enough Cannoli for a small family so grab some friends and make it together!
8. Bread Pudding.
I personally think bread pudding is one of the most overlooked desserts out there. You can eat it warm or cold, personalize your own add-ons and sauces, and it’s super easy to make. It’s one of those desserts that feels ‘home-y’ and is so good on a cold day. You can add whatever sauce you like: spiced rum sauce, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, or whatever your heart desires.
Most of these desserts can be made vegan or vegetarian with a few easy tweaks! Here is a list of vegan-friendly substitutes for dairy products and eggs. If you’re not a fan of any of these substitutes, there are tons of articles available listing different alternatives and you can easily find one that suits your specific taste. Bon Appetite everyone!
Want to keep up with HCBU? Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, check out our Pinterest board, and read our latest Tweets!