Food Recipes Desserts 24 Easy, Fast Desserts to Try Now By Food & Wine Editors Food & Wine Editors This is collaborative content from Food & Wine's team of experts, including staff, recipe developers, chefs, and contributors. Many of our galleries curate recipes or guides from a variety of sources which we credit throughout the content and at each link. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 20, 2023 Trending Videos Photo: Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Creamy and cloud-like, buttery and rich, or gooey and chocolatey, these recipes make dessert magic happen in an hour or less — coming together with simplicity and ease for sweet, stress-free endings to any meal. Some rely almost exclusively on pantry staples, like fragrant, fluffy vanilla cupcakes and pecan-topped bananas foster, while others require seasonal fruit or a container of your favorite ice cream (or both), such as roasted peach cobbler with balsamic syrup. Turn to these delectable confections to satisfy your sweet tooth without sacrificing taste for time. 01 of 24 Vanilla Cupcakes Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee These vanilla cupcakes are the answer to any birthday party, picnic, potluck, or event that deserves a little treat. What sets these cupcakes apart is the rich vanilla flavor. Don't skimp on the quality of the vanilla extract you use here; the simplest recipes require the highest quality ingredients. Get the Recipe 02 of 24 Air Fryer Brownies Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis With the help of an air fryer, these gooey, fudgy brownies — baked in ramekins and reminiscent of a molten chocolate cake — are less than an hour away. Serve them on their own, or with your favorite ice cream. Better yet, top them with berries, whipped cream, chopped nuts, or caramel sauce to make a brownie sundae. Get the Recipe 03 of 24 Mixed Berry Cornmeal Biscuit Shortcakes Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen For these shortcakes, macerated fresh berries and homemade whipped cream — flavored with vanilla and lemon zest — are served atop a buttery, tender split cornmeal biscuit for a summery dessert. Stacking and patting down the dough as opposed to kneading helps you avoid overworking it and encourages even lamination. Cornmeal provides great texture and flavor. Get the Recipe 04 of 24 Bananas Foster Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle These bananas cooked with a citrusy brown sugar-rum sauce and topped with crispy pecans are so good, we eat this dessert straight from the pan. With ice cream, of course. Get the Recipe 05 of 24 Candied Almond Affogato Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Ali Ramee This Italian dessert is simplicity at its finest — all you need to make it is a scoop or two of gelato and a shot of hot espresso. Here, we've added almond liqueur to the mix for a little extra flair, plus candied almonds and crushed amaretti cookies for some crunch. The elegant treat comes together in just a few minutes, making it an easy and impressive option for entertaining. Get the Recipe 06 of 24 Shortbread Cookies Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee A classic treat in Scotland and beloved all over for buttery flavor and a crumbly texture, shortbread cookies are an ideal treat with afternoon tea or for dessert with ice cream, fruit, or chocolate. Get the Recipe 07 of 24 Almost-Instant Soft-Serve © Greg DuPree In 2018, Food & Wine named this recipe one of our 40 best. The creamy, sherbet-style dessert is one for the ages: It uses just four ingredients and comes together with a quick whirl of the food processor. Make it with strawberries, mangoes, or blueberries. Get the Recipe 08 of 24 Giant Chocolate Cookie with Cacao Nibs and Flaky Salt Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland The only thing better than a dark cocoa cookie with a hint of chewiness and a generous sprinkle of flaky salt is an impressively oversized one that’s designed to feed a crowd. Cut into wedges, the cookies resemble chocolate shortbread, but these treats — studded with chopped bittersweet chocolate and cacao nibs — are far more indulgent. Get the Recipe 09 of 24 Mini Black-Bottom Cheesecakes © Tina Rupp In these single-serving desserts, rich and creamy cheesecake is baked atop a chocolate wafer base. You don't need any special equipment to make them — just a muffin tin and foil liners. Get the Recipe 10 of 24 Molten Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Filling © James Baigrie More decadent than molten chocolate cake: one filled with warm raspberry, reveals former F&W editor Grace Parisi. Get the Recipe 11 of 24 Vanilla Ice Cream Bread Pudding with Whiskey Caramel © John Kernick Ice cream maven Jeni Britton makes this genius bread pudding with store-bought brioche and melted vanilla ice cream, eliminating the need to make a custard. The simple whiskey-tinged caramel sauce comes together with just four ingredients. Get the Recipe 12 of 24 Cherries Poached in Red Wine with Mascarpone Cream © Ben Dearnley The classic combination of fruit and cheese is an age-old pairing that will always be delicious. Thick mascarpone cheese mixed with honey makes a luscious topping for poached summer cherries. You can serve the dessert either warm or cold. We love it both ways. Get the Recipe 13 of 24 Citrus Gratin with Toasted Almonds © Dana Gallagher This warm citrus dessert is an updated version of the old-fashioned half grapefruit broiled with brown sugar. A scattering of sweet and crunchy almonds on top dresses up the fruit with a lovely contrast. Get the Recipe 14 of 24 Mixed Berry Dutch Baby © Hallie Burton A Dutch baby always makes for a stunning presentation — and it's easier than making pancakes since you cook it up all at once. For a dessert that fits right in at the breakfast table and as a seasonal after-dinner treat, you only need a handful of simple ingredients. Serve warm with scoops of good vanilla ice cream and a dusting of powdered sugar. Get the Recipe 15 of 24 Over-the-Top Ice Cream Sundaes with Homemade Caramel Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Fully loaded with creamy fudge, salty pretzels, crunchy toffee, and chewy, bittersweet candied lemon peel, this over-the-top sundae gets drenched in homemade caramel sauce for a grown-up take on a nostalgic childhood treat served at chef Dan Kluger's Loring Place in New York City. Get the Recipe 16 of 24 Roasted Peach Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream and Balsamic Syrup © Fredrika Stjärne "I'm no pastry chef, but I bake a killer cobbler," says chef and TV host Andrew Zimmern. He tops this roasted peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream and thick, rich aged balsamic syrup for a summer-ready dessert, each baked individually in an eight-ounce ramekin. Get the Recipe 17 of 24 Zabaglione with Strawberries © Stephanie Shih An Italian dessert made with egg yolks, sugar, and sweet wine, zabaglione can be served hot when it's just made. If you want to prepare the dish ahead of time, mix the zabaglione with whipped cream and refrigerate it as described in the first variation. Get the Recipe 18 of 24 Rio-Style Ginger Beer Floats © John Kernick Chef Eric Ripert's sweet, fizzy drink, made with orange juice, passion fruit, and mango sorbet, is his Brazilian take on a typical American root beer float. Get the Recipe 19 of 24 Blackberry Fool with Calvados © John Kernick A classic British dessert of pureed fruit folded into whipped cream, a fool is one of the first things designer Peter Ting learned to make after moving to England in 1976. To give this one a little extra sophistication, he macerates half the blackberries overnight in Calvados, then tops the fruit with dollops of whipped cream he's mixed with blackberry puree. Get the Recipe 20 of 24 Espresso Granita with Whipped Cream © James Baigrie Top the granita with a hefty portion of whipped cream; you'll need the mild sweetness of the cream to balance the strong espresso. Get the Recipe 21 of 24 Miracle Peanut Butter Crunch © Tara Fisher This flaky candy combines layers of crisp caramel, creamy peanut butter, and crunchy peanuts. Incredibly, it takes just 20 minutes to make and the only special equipment you need is a heatproof candy thermometer. Be sure to buy the freshest, highest-quality peanut butter and peanuts you can find. Get the Recipe 22 of 24 Swirled Summer Berry Soufflés © Kieran Scott Celebrity cook Annabel Langbein's luscious soufflé is made with a swirl of berries and marshmallowy meringue. Get the Recipe 23 of 24 Rich Baked Chocolate Puddings © John Kernick Although this deep, dark chocolate pudding is easily made in ramekins, it's fun to bake and serve in small glass jars — and they're ready in 40 minutes. Get the Recipe 24 of 24 No-Bake Chocolate Custard © Amy Sims Our absolute favorite thing about this easy, no-bake chocolate custard is that it takes just 20 minutes to make and can be eaten right away at room temperature. This super-silky, chocolatey dessert is also delicious when chilled. It just depends on how long you can wait before you devour it. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit