This delicious and Easy Tiramisu Recipe has layers of creamy pudding and coffee soaked lady fingers. It is such a delicious recipe that does not require any cooking and can be make ahead of time.
When our kids were younger I used to bake character cakes for their birthday. Strawberry Shortcake, Pokemon, and Star Wars are just a few that come to mind right away.
As the kids have gotten older, they have moved away from characters and have started to choose different types of cakes. Now they ask for things like this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake.
Our oldest son has recently started to drink coffee. It must be something about that age because I remember starting to like and drink coffee in my freshman year of college. So he is a little ahead of me on the coffee curve there.
This year he requested some type of coffee dessert for his birthday instead of a traditional cake.
Easy Tiramisu
Since we all love ordering tiramisu when we go out to eat at an Italian restaurant, I decided to make a simple tiramisu for his birthday dinner. I went with the much easier route because I love finding ways to make fancy desserts that are quick and easy.
We had cream cheese in the fridge and a box of instant pudding in the pantry, so I decided to incorporate both of those in my no cook version. A classic tiramisu recipe uses mascarpone cheese and a cooked custard, so my version is very, very different.
But like the title says, this is an easy super fast version of the same thing! Plus, I love that my Jello pudding tiramisu doesn't require any eggs or cooking, and that it is a kid friendly dessert!
What You'll Need
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this easy tiramisu recipe.
- Cream Cheese - set it out ahead of time so it is soft. You can also use mascarpone cheese for a true tiramisu.
- French Vanilla Pudding Mix - make sure it is instant, so it sets up right.
- Milk - 2% or whole will make the pudding set up better
- Cool Whip - gives it a fluffy texture. You can also use this Homemade Whipped Cream if you prefer that instead.
- Biscotti Lady Fingers - the crispy cookie soaks up the coffee really well
- Coffee - Strong brewed coffee or espresso is best. If you are serving this to adults, go ahead and add some liqueur.
- Cocoa Powder - adds flavor and color to the top of the finished tiramisu
How to make Easy Tiramisu
This easy dessert comes together in minutes and requires no baking. Make sure you plan enough time for the tiramisu recipe without alcohol to chill and set up before serving. This dessert definitely tastes better if you give the layers and flavors time to blend.
- Beat the softened cream cheese until creamy.
- Whisk together the instant Jello pudding and milk and let it set up slightly. Beat it into the cream cheese.
- Fold in an entire container of Cool Whip.
- Dunk biscotti ladyfingers in coffee and place one layer on the bottom of an 10-inch pan. You can use an 8-inch pan, but the tiramisu will end up taller.
- Refrigerate the no bake dessert for at least 4 hours, so the lady fingers soften up and the flavors come together.
- Grab a fork and go to town on the dessert. Or slice it and serve it to your favorite people. It's your call.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make tiramisu ahead of time?
Yes, this is a great dessert to make ahead of time because it needs time to set up. Plus, the flavors will deepen and blend as it sits. It will keep for a few days in the fridge.
What alcohol is in tiramisu?
Tiramisu can be made with or without alcohol. Classic tiramisu calls for some type of alcohol or liqueur to be added to the coffee before dipping the lady fingers in it.
Dark rum, amoretto, brandy, or a coffee liqueur are great choices for in this easy tiramisu.
How do you store tiramisu?
Keep this easy tiramisu in a covered container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Any longer and the dessert starts to get soggy.
You can also freeze this tiramisu made with pudding. Place it in a tightly sealed container and freeze for 1-2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and dust with cocoa powder right before serving.
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More Easy No Bake Desserts
- Cheesecake Fluff
- Nutella Oreo Icebox Cake
- Monster Cookie No Bake Bars
- Apple Snickers Dessert Trifle
- Peanut Butter Parfait
- Disney Dole Whip recipe
- No Bake Strawberry Pie
- Edible Cookie Dough
- Banana Split Lasagna
- Nutella No Bake Cookies
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Easy Tiramisu Recipe
The creamy cheesecake and coffee soaked cookie layers in this Easy Tiramisu will have everyone coming back for another slice. Great dessert to share at any dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese
- 1 - 3.4 ounce box instant French Vanilla pudding mix
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 - 8 ounce container Cool Whip, thawed
- 1 package crispy biscotti lady fingers
- 2 cups cooled strong brewed coffee*
- ¼ cup dark cocoa powder
Instructions
- Beat the cream cheese until creamy.
- Whisk together the pudding and milk. Let is set slightly before adding to the cream cheese. Beat until creamy again.
- Fold in the Cool Whip gently.
- Dip the lady fingers in the coffee one at a time and place them in the bottom of a 10-inch square baking pan.
- Once you have the bottom covered in cookies, spread half the cheesecake mixture on top.
- Repeat with another layer of cookies and top with the rest of the cheesecake. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- Sprinkle with cocoa powder and cut into 16 squares.
Notes
*To make this an adult version, use 1 ½ cups strong coffee and ½ cup brandy or Kahlua to dip the cookies in.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 126Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 90mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 0gSugar: 6gProtein: 2g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
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Lynda Estabrook
We converted your recipe and made enough for 34 large servings to go into meals for people that are homebound. It was an outstanding success and enjoyed by all. Thank you so much for helping us serve others.
Krista
Ok, so sooo much went wrong. I’m in Canada and some measurements were tricky. I also messed up and bought no name pudding at SS as the Jello brand was empty on the shelf. Not realizing until pudding not setting that it wasn’t instant! I improvised, cooked and tried to fast cool pudding only to find lumps then used hand mixer only to liquify further. Coffee mixture with Kaluha was too much as lady fingers went soggy. My fault as 8X11 pan yields 10 square inches smaller than 10X10 pan-less lady fingers used. No name dream whip stuff was 1 litre, so trying to figure out how much to add. Cocoa powder wasn’t sprinkled nicely even though I used a mini sifter. Well, luckily, my parents who are elderly and Mom (80th birthday) was tickled about a cake even being made for her, said they loved the flavour and said it’s just a pudding style! It did not stiffen/set even though refrigerated for hours. Hey, there’s far more worse things in life such as my kitchen mess which I’ll tackle tomorrow;)
Jocelyn
Oh, no! Recipes can be tricky when converting measurements from other countries and trying to find ingredients that work the same. It sounds like your mom loved it, and I love that you kept a positive outlook through all of it.
Krista
Thanks. Maybe I’ll give it another go someday:)
Sue
Two people asked you if they made this in a 9x13 pan if they would have to double the ingredients, in one answer you said no and then later in another same question asked you said yes to double. So I’m a bit confused, if you make it in a 9x13 should you double it or not? Thank you.
Jocelyn
I am so sorry about the confusion on that. The most recent comment saying no is correct. The pan I used was a 10"x10", so the ratio is closer to a 9x13 size. I did go back and fix the other comment to say no as well. I hope you enjoy the recipe.
Anelese
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit! I did use mascarpone cheese instead of cream cheese and fresh whipped cream instead of cool whip. But the pudding was such a smart idea, over making homemade custard (which I'm not brave enough to attempt). So yummy! This will be an absolute staple for holidays! SO easy!
dyan
can't find a 10 x 10pan. Can I use an 8 x8 pan or maybe a 9 x 9?
Jocelyn
Yes, the smaller pans will work too. Just watch as you are layering everything so it doesn't overflow. I hope you enjoy the tiramisu!
Ferryal Lackey
This sounds awesome! Would I double the recipe for a 9 x 13 pan please?
Thank you.
Jocelyn
I do not think you would want to double it for the 9x13 pan. I made this one in a 10x10 pan, so the ratio should be very similar. You may need a few extra lady fingers for the layers, but other than that I would keep the recipe the same. I hope you enjoy it.
Michael Wszola
I found these biscotti lady fingers at my local Woodmans grocery store
Karen
How long does this last in the refrigerator?
Jocelyn
It is best for about 1-2 days. After that it is still good, but starts to get a little bit soggy. I hope you enjoy it!
Anelese
I was brave enough to eat this 5 days after thanksgiving and it was still gold!
Vanessa
Thank you for sharing this recipe! It is amazingly delicious! It caught my eye because it doesn't have eggs in it. I love tiramisu but I have high cholesterol and while whip cream has cholesterol in it egg yolks have significantly more. So, having some of this won't terribly affect my ldl.
Robin
I just finished putting this together....it's in the fridge for its 4-hour stay. I'm a bit concerned about the cookies being mushy. I see in your notes that part of why its supposed to set for 4 hours is for the cookies to get soft. My cookies....crispy biscotti ladyfingers....were quite wet even though I dipped them quickly. I sure hope my dessert isn't ruined...but I don't know what I could've done differently.
Jocelyn
As long as you dipped the biscotti quickly, it should turn out ok. We have made it so many times, and never had a problem with it setting up. Have you tried it yet? I hope you enjoyed it!!
Sarah
Won't the cool air in refrigerator dry it out a little.
I'm going to try graham crackers in a stack unless i decide to go to store. I use whip cream in all my desserts
Jocelyn
No, the cool air does not dry it out at all. Let me know how it is with the graham crackers. (Just don't dip those in the coffee because they will disintegrate.)
joyce
could you use french vanilla coffee creamer in place of French vanilla.
Jocelyn
The French vanilla in the recipe is the type of instant pudding you use in this recipe. You could use the creamer in place of the milk if you like.
Mary Mastronardi
Can I use vanilla pudding instead of French cannot find French vanilla.?
Jocelyn
You sure can :-). I hope you enjoy it!
Sherry Ferl
Please...Where can I find the biscotti ladyfingers? I’ve never seen them before in our grocery stores.
Jocelyn
I usually find these Alessi Lady Fingers Biscotti at our Publix grocery store in the cookie aisle. They are usually in the specialty section of the cookie aisle though. I have also used Stella D'oro-Margherite cookies for this tiramisu. Those I have found at Walmart and Meijer.
Michael Wszola
I found these biscotti lady fingers at my local Woodmans grocery store
Judy DeJong
Cocoa is a very bitter taste so I’m concerned it won’t taste good sprinkling it on top of this dessert. This will not ruin this dessert?
Jocelyn
You are only sprinkling a tiny bit on top of the tiramisu, so it doesn't make it taste bad. I agree that cocoa is not sweet, but it adds an amazing dimension to this sweet dessert.
Lori Yundt
This looked so good, I couldn't wait to run to the store for the ingredients!! I made it last night and it did not disappoint! I did use whipped cream for the cool whip. This will be my go to recipe from now on!!
Jocelyn
Yay! I am so excited you tried it and loved it. It's definitely one of our favorites too!
Donald Granger
I don't see where I missed answering the * questions. Please explain.
Jocelyn
Are you asking about the * after the 2 cups of coffee? If so, there is a note at the bottom of the recipe that explains how to add alcohol to the dessert with the coffee.
Donald Granger
Can I use regular lady fingers or would they be too soft? I'm having trouble finding biscotti ones.
Jocelyn
I think the regular ones would be just fine too. I just use the biscotti ones because that's all I can find. If you make it the regular ones, keep me posted on how it is.
Donald Granger
Will do. Going to try it tomorrow.
Donald Granger
Made then today with the regular lady fingers. The flavor was great, but I think I would like to try the biscotti fingers. I think they would be a bit firmer to the bite. All in all I would make these again.
Donald Granger
I was thinking, if I can't find the biscotti fingers, I'll leave the reg ones out to get real stale. Maybe that will improve the final outcome.
Sally brandt
I love love love tiramisu and can’t wait to try this easy recipe. I may have a problem finding the biscotti so I will probably use pound cake to substitute. No Italian shop or bakeries in my area. Thanks for this recipe
Marlyn
Hi....the milk and pudding powder what to do with it? To set slightly where? Keep it in the fridge? Or whisk? Or what? I dont understand? Coz when you fold it in the whip cool it become soft?
Jocelyn
The pudding and milk will set up very quickly because you aren't using the full amount of milk that is called for on the box. You can either refrigerate it or just set it aside until it's time to add it to the mixture. It is supposed to be soft, but firm enough to cut squares out.
Brenda
Awesome. Thank you
Harmony
My family loved this recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Kim
How long do you soak the cookies in the coffee?
Jocelyn
You are dipping them in pretty quick. I just put them in, roll them around, and flip over and then out. They will soak up the coffee pretty quick!
qasim khan
This is possibly the best recipe I have ever tried
Stella
What size dish did you use? 9x9? Can this be doubled to fit a 9x13 or 11x15?
Jocelyn
I actually used a pan that was 10x10. I think doubling it would be too much for a 9x13.
Michael Wszola
I bought a Nordic Ware 9x9 square cake pan with storage lid off Amazon and the 4 sleeve packet of lady fingers shown in the recipe fit perfectly.
Christine
Hi - I'm in Australia and we don't have "Cool Whip" can you tell me what it is so I can find an equivalent here. I'm looking forward to making it up for my boys.
Christine
Jocelyn
Cool is a non-dairy version of whipped cream. You can beat 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream with 6 Tablespoons powdered sugar until it is stiff. That should double in volume and use that in place of the Cool Whip. I hope you and your boys enjoy it!
Christine
Thanks - that makes sense - i'm going to make it on the weekend
Karly
This looks amaaaazing! Could definitely use some tirimisiu in my life. Love this!
Mary Ellen
Do you think this would free well. I'm thinking of having this during the holidays and usually bake ahead of time.
Mary Ellen
I mean freeze well
Jocelyn
I actually do not think this would freeze well at all. I'm afraid the cookies would be totally mushy after it thawed out. There is no baking involved in this dessert though. It literally only takes about 15-20 minutes to mix up the pudding layer and dunk the store bought cookies in coffee. I hope you enjoy it!
judy martin
Just to let you know um Yes it will be alright frozen, I worked at TFM and bakery had Tiramisu and it came in frozen they barely made any of those type of desserts in store, 1 year for Christmas family dinner I ordered a tiramisu cake which they sold out of so instead the bakery manager gave me the big sheet cake of tiramisu that they cut and sell slices of in place of my missing cake and since it was frozen I was concerned but bakery manager said it should be fine as long as I keep it frozen til use and after refrigerate if any left over which none was left of course, Cookie texture will not change if they are not mushy before freezing will not make them mushy unless they are exposed,
Aimee Shugarman
UGh, why does time have to go so fast??? I love that your son requested this as his cake 🙂 Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, haha!!!
Bryn
My youngest loves the looks of tiramisu and always asks for a serving at potluck meals. However, she really dislikes the taste of coffee and never eats more than a bite. As a dessert for her, do you think the recipe would work with chocolate milk to dip the cookies in?
Bryn
Oh! And trust me...I completely understand how annoying it must be to get a comment about replacing the coffee in a coffee dessert. I apologize profusely! If I didn't love that little nugget so darn much I wouldn't have asked.
William
I suppose the best way to know is to try it once and see if she likes it.....doesn't matter as this is not a true Tira Misu recipe anyway......experiment !
Jocelyn
I totally understand the comment, and I'm glad you asked. Chocolate milk would be an awesome substitution to make this dessert more kid friendly. In fact, now you have me wanting to make it that way with chocolate pudding layers & chocolate chips 🙂
Bryn
Yum! Thanks for the help and further inspiration.
Teresa
This looks so good...I can't wait to make this one! Good luck with your move!
Melissa
I cannot wait to make this! Wishing you a stress-free move!