22 Kosher for Passover Dessert Recipes

Skip the store-bought kosher-for-Passover cake mixes and cardboard-like cookies this year. Instead, indulge in these fabulous homemade desserts, from rich flourless cakes to creative twists on coconut macaroons — and more. One thing to keep in mind: Use ingredients like chocolate and confectioners’ sugar that have been certified kosher for Passover.

Dark chocolate and raspberry is a classic combination. For these coconut macaroons, we added finely chopped freeze-dried raspberries to the macaroon mix before baking. Once cooled, the macaroons are coated in a thin chocolate shell and topped with more freeze-dried raspberries before the chocolate sets.

Meet Molly Yeh’s Passover rendition of a Midwest potluck staple. Magic bars usually have a graham cracker crust, butterscotch chips, chocolate and nuts, but Molly uses matzo meal and coconut oil for the crust to make them kosher for Passover. Peanut butter chips, rainbow chips and dried fruit take this dessert over the top.

Macaroons of all sorts are a cherished sweet of the Passover holiday, but this recipe takes the timeless combination of flaked coconut and chocolate to a whole new level. A crust of crispy yet chewy macaroon is blanketed in a layer of fudgy brownie. We recommend holding off on the whipped cream if you're enjoying this dessert after meat.

This recipe turns up the volume on the classic combo of sweet and salty by covering salted matzo in sticky toffee and rich dark chocolate. Extra sea salt amplifies the combo. If you'll be eating this treat with meat, swap the butter for a vegan option. Be sure to stock up on a few extra boxes of salted matzo, as you will most certainly crave this treat year-round.

Of course matzo is delicious covered in chocolate, but you will find it is also great as a cake ingredient. You can purchase matzo meal or make your own by grinding matzo into a powder, like coarse flour. Once done, use it to make a sponge cake like this one. No one can resist the charm of a jelly roll cake and this lemon scented masterpiece is no exception. The sweet raspberry center makes an ideal foil for the tart lemon and creamy coconut.

This recipe makes great use of a pan you already have. It’s also a great fit for families with lots of young ones. We love the dainty size of these tea cakes for little hands. The cakes are dusted in cinnamon sugar and sweetened with fresh apple, making them an ideal after dinner sweet that also saves well for breakfast.

This iconic cake gets a Passover-friendly revamp with a combination of matzo meal and potato flour. In fact, one will find potato flour is a prized substitute for wheat flour when baking for Passover. The result is a dense cake that feels indulgent and celebratory. Covered in fluffy cream cheese frosting (feel free to use a vegan version to cut the dairy), this showstopper makes feeding a holiday crowd quite easy. The cake layers can be made well in advance, and frozen until the holiday arrives.

We would be amiss to have a lineup of Passover treats and not include coconut macaroons in their many forms. No matter the size, shape or additional flavors, coconut macaroons are timeless for good reason — they are easy to prepare, require minimal ingredients and result in a treat that is both pleasantly chewy and sweet. Macaroons also make for the perfect holiday dessert for large gatherings, as they are sturdy enough to pack and send home with guests after the meal. While we love them all, this chocolate coconut variation is amongst our favorites. Use kosher for Passover confectioners’ sugar if you do not eat kitniyot during the holiday.

These colorful, salty-sweet bars are packed with loads of store-bought kosher for Passover sweets and treats, from coconut macaroons and fruit slice jelly candies to halvah and gluten-free pretzels. They’re pareve so they can be served as a fun addition to the holiday table and are also a great way to use up leftovers. When selecting the ingredients for the bars, just be sure to look for brands that are kosher for Passover.

Orange zest, cinnamon and ginger perfume this moist carrot cake. Instead of classic cream cheese icing, the bundt gets drizzled with luxurious orange juice-vanilla bean glaze (be sure to use kosher for Passover confectioners’ sugar if you do not eat kitniyot during the holiday). Reviewers note that the cake stays moist days after it’s baked, so it’s perfect for snacking on during all of Passover.

Chocolate and matzo are a match made in heaven. Add some vegan ice cream or sorbet and you’ve got an undeniable Passover hit. We love these sandwiches because they are easy to prepare in advance, wrap in parchment paper and pull out of the freezer just before serving. These will please family members of all ages, so we recommend using a variety of ice cream flavors so they can pick and choose.

Effortlessly indulgent, this recipe is the ultimate dessert for any chocolate lover. For your seder, swap the butter for a vegan version and serve this with fresh raspberries rather than whipped cream. Be sure to remove this cake from the oven while the center still looks a bit jiggly. This ensures that the cake will set into an irresistibly fudgy texture as it cools.

Thanks to egg whites folded into the batter, this cake is extra light and airy. It’s brushed with lemon-honey syrup and crowned with candied lemons, almonds and pomegranate seeds — tasty and the picture of elegance.

We all can agree that the best part of a cinnamon roll is the sweet and spicy mixture on the inside, right? Just imagine that spread on top of a pancake of crispy yet soft Matzah brei. Swirl some cream cheese frosting on top and you’ve got the making of a modern Passover dessert that doubles as an awesome breakfast too. Traditionally, Matzah Brei is matzo that is fried in butter and eggs, which can be made sweet or salty. This recipe puts a whole new spin on sweetened Matzah Brei and we are here for it. If you're enjoying this rendition with meat, make sure to swap the dairy for vegan equivalents. And if you do not eat kitniyot during the holiday, use kosher for Passover confectioners’ sugar.

You may be under the false impression that Poached Pears are too simple of a dessert preparation for a holiday gathering, but we promise these will impress. With the addition of fresh grapefruit zest and white wine, average pears are reborn. The best part? It’s all done in the microwave! Hold off on the optional whipped cream if you're keeping dairy out of your meal.

Low in refined sugar, this cake gets most of its sweetness from nature’s candy — pitted dates. Imagine sticky toffee pudding, but instead of caramel, this cake is dripping in a chocolate honey glaze — who could say no to that? You can prepare this cake in advance and pour on the glaze, which comes together in mere minutes in the microwave, just before serving. A sprinkling of toasted walnuts takes this cake to an unforgettable level.

This recipe delivers a flavor punch by grinding peeled pistachios into a fine flour rather than calling for traditional almond flour and pistachio extract. This results in a cookie that is soft and blissfully nutty, the perfect contrast to a filling of sweet yet tart raspberry jam. Use kosher for Passover confectioners’ sugar if you do not eat kitniyot during the holiday.

Similar to angel food cake, this sponge cake is made light and fluffy with matzo meal and beaten egg whites. If you are in search of a low-fat Passover dessert, this certainly fits the bill. Just be sure to bake in advance, as both the lemon glaze and the jammy strawberries need time to set before this cake can be sliced. You will also want a sharp knife, as this cake has a very tender crumb.

Studded with salty macadamia nuts and sweet white chocolate, these cookies are exploding with flavor. Pressed flat and round, they resemble traditional cookies but taste nothing like them. Swap the butter for a vegan version to keep things kosher if you plan to enjoy them at your seder.

We can’t recommend this dessert enough to those celebrating Passover in a warm climate. Fire up the grill for a sweet finish that involves no sugar at all. These kebabs are beautiful with strawberries alone, but we love to stack on other hearty fruits like pineapple or mango. Their natural sugars caramelize on the grill, becoming more intense in mere minutes. These ultra-sweet fruits are in harmony when drizzled with the tart lemon-mint sauce.

Here, a stunning centerpiece for any holiday table that’s particularly germane for Passover. Dacquoise is a French specialty that layers nutty meringues with creamy custard for an incredible contrast in texture and flavor. Our version layers ganache, whipped cream and hazelnut-strewn meringues. Keep in mind that this dessert does include dairy so if you're keeping kosher for Passover, you shouldn't enjoy it at a meal with meat.