40 Tiramisu Recipes That Make the Perfect Little Pick-Me-Up

While many Italian desserts are swoon-worthy, none are quite as impressive as tiramisu. It’s the ultimate easy, make-ahead dessert: The longer it sits in the fridge overnight, the better it tastes.

Tiramisu, which means 'pick me up' in Italian, is typically made with espresso-soaked ladyfingers layered with a custard-like mascarpone filling. Some people swear that there needs to be Marsala in the mix, while others use rum, kulula — or skip the alcohol entirely. Whatever you decide, you won't need many ingredients to make tiramisu, so it's an excellent choice for a variety of occasions.

Our recipe, perfected by the chefs in our test kitchen, features a traditional Marsala-flavored zabaglione — a cooked mixture of egg yolks and sugar — that becomes mousse-like with the addition of tangy mascarpone cheese. It has just the right amount of creamy richness. Once assembled, the ladyfingers soften sufficiently after 4 hours in the refrigerator, but if you can wait longer, the flavors will meld even more.

Two classic Italian recipes combined into one delectable dish — the best of both worlds! We topped espresso and rum-dipped ladyfingers with a rich cheesecake filling, then dusted the top with cocoa for a chocolatey finish.

Who doesn’t love a doughnut? These homemade yeasted doughnuts are fried, filled with a tiramisu-inspired custard, then dusted with cocoa powder and topped with a sweet Marsala glaze.

Alex says, "This is a dish that gets a creative twist in a lot of cases. It’s certainly the type of dish where you can imagine a lot of bells and whistles. Truth is, it’s a spectacular bitter and sweet symphony of flavors as-is, and that’s where we begin. On the one hand, there is the silky egg yolks and boozy flavor, and the other is the cocoa and whipped cream. You can use sponge cake in place of the ladyfinger cookies or rum in place of the cognac. The most important step is simply letting it sit for at least 24 hours in the fridge before eating. This gets better with age!"

Layers of creamy mascarpone pudding, bananas and coffee-soaked vanilla wafers bring the best parts of these two classic comfort desserts together.

If you love the bold, spiced flavors of café de olla and the creamy indulgence of tiramisu, this just might be your dream dessert. This delicious take swaps the usual espresso used to soak ladyfingers with café de olla, Mexico’s traditional spiced coffee that’s easy to brew up with just a handful of ingredients.

Ree Drummond swaps out the ladyfingers for store-bought frozen pound cake that she layers with coffee liqueur and three types of ice cream (coffee, chocolate and vanilla).

Rather than soaking and stacking ladyfinger cookies, we crush them with a rolling pin, then uses them to make a buttery crust. This dessert is then topped with an espresso-spiked tangy whipped cream, instant chocolate pudding and chocolate-covered espresso beans.

Tiramisu is an iconic Italian dessert, traditionally getting a jolt of caffeine from espresso-soaked ladyfingers. This lemon lovers’ version highlights the bright lemony flavor of the Italian liquor limoncello. Start by whisking together an easy lemon curd, then fold some into a mascarpone whipped cream. Soak ladyfingers in a combination of limoncello and lemon simple syrup. Then, build layers of the cream and soaked ladyfingers and chill. The result is the iconic clean slice of soft, creamy layers.

Tuscan-born chef Gabriele Bertaccini says, "This is the tiramisù I grew up eating — no shortcuts, no heavy cream — just eggs, sugar, mascarpone and strong espresso. It’s simple, elegant and exactly the way nonna made it."

Giada layers chocolate wafer cookies — not ladyfingers — with a homemade zabaglione and an espresso-chocolate cream in a round springform pan. The flavors meld together and the cookies soften as the cake sits in the fridge overnight.

By lining a loaf pan with plastic wrap, you're able to unmold a restaurant-worthy tiramisu (and have it dusted with cocoa powder and cut into picture-perfect slices) in no time!

Giada De Laurentiis has many tiramisu recipes, but this fan-favorite is the most classic. She uses egg yolks, sugar, mascarpone and espresso to make a really dense, rich, custard-like filling. Then, she quickly dips the ladyfingers in espresso and rum, so they can absorb that signature flavor without falling apart.

This pistachio tiramisu is a game changer that’s both familiar and unexpected. The custard here is streamlined for ease — simply whip the egg yolks until they’re airy and light, add rich, beautifully green pistachio cream, then fold in a luxuriously whipped mascarpone cream. The result is a smooth, creamy base with a delightful crunch from chopped pistachios. Both are layered with coffee-drenched ladyfingers that have a hit of hazelnut flavored liqueur for an extra layer of nutty depth. Together, the components meld to become a showstopper dessert.

For a fun, celebratory take on tiramisu, punch up the booziness by adding extra coffee liquor, then build it in martini glasses. It's the perfect finale for a cocktail party. If you want to send friends off with a sweet treat, wrap each with cellophane and gift everyone the martini glass.

This version of the Italian layered dessert swaps some of the traditional cream for a smooth, silky filling lower in fat and higher in protein than classic tiramisu. We whip 2-percent cottage cheese with creamy mascarpone for a rich, tangy filling for layering with coffee-soaked ladyfingers. A dusting of cocoa powder finishes this beautiful, healthy treat that easily feeds a crowd. And with just about 20 minutes of prep and a few hours of chilling needed it’s a make-ahead dream.

“I had a tiramisu in Rome that I absolutely fell in love with, and it was made with fresh strawberries. Because I love raspberries, I changed the recipe a little bit,” says Giada. Her fruity take on tiramisu features orange liqueur, seedless raspberry jam and a few pints of fresh raspberries.

“When I was pregnant and I couldn’t have that much coffee, I started drinking turmeric-spiced lattes and I just fell in love with them. I wanted to experiment by turning it into tiramisu and it’s so delicious,” says Molly Yeh. To make her caffeine-free tiramisu, you will start by toasting ginger, cardamom, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and turmeric in a skillet, then whisking in milk.

For a boozier version that’s perfect for fall, James Briscione dips ladyfingers into an Irish stout beer instead of espresso, then layers the cookies with a pumpkin mousse and candied pecans.

Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert that has many versions. This inspired ice cream pie uses both coffee and chocolate chip ice creams and coffee liqueur brushed lady fingers. The pie is frozen and topped with a rich, sweet coffee-flavored whipped cream and crunchy chocolate-covered espresso beans. To get a nice, clean slice of any type of ice cream pie, dip your knife in a glass of very hot water for a few seconds before slicing. Wipe it clean and dip again for each piece of pie.

Coffee and doughnuts are a classic pair — so it's only fitting that they appear together in this fun take on the classic Italian dessert. Cake doughnuts work best here but no need to buy a fresh batch — extras and leftovers work just as well.

This festive tiramisu is a cozy twist on the classic Italian dessert. Layered with gingerbread flavors and a rich zabaglione-mascarpone cream, each bite is infused with warm holiday spices to make it perfect for seasonal gatherings. Topped with fluffy whipped cream and adorable gingerbread man cookies, it’s as charming as it is delicious and great for a crowd. You can do most of the assembly up to a day ahead, making it ideal for entertaining or packing up for a holiday party.

Made in small glasses, Ree’s tiramisu is perfectly portioned for two.

Valerie Bertinelli adds the tiniest amount of whipped cream to the baking dish before adding the ladyfingers, so the cookies will stick to the bottom of the dish, making it easier to spread the mascarpone mixture evenly all over the cookies.

If you’re looking for a more traditional cake, this is the recipe for you. Layers of vanilla cake are brushed with coffee liqueur, then coated with a coffee-spiked frosting and chocolate ganache.

With 95 5-star reviews, pastry chef Gale Gand’s recipe is a tried-and-true crowd pleaser. She folds egg whites and whipped cream into her mascarpone custard to lighten up the filling a bit.

You won't find any espresso in this creative take on tiramisu — but we promise you won't be disappointed. The ladyfingers soak up a raspberry jam sauce before they're layered with a creamy peanut butter mascarpone for a sweet treat that's sure to give you a midday pick-me-up.

Consider this your complete guide for making tiramisu the Italian way. The finished dessert is creamy and light, with the perfect level of sweetness, which lets the coffee flavor shine.

In the test kitchen, we turn this buttery, flaky, irresistible pastry into appetizers, desserts and everything in between, but this was a first: We baked the sheets until they were crisp and used them in place of ladyfingers in tiramisu. It’s not exactly a shortcut, but it was too good not to share.

Homemade cake batter is baked in real coffee mugs, then drenched with an espresso-chocolate glaze (in the style of a “poke cake”). Cover it with a creamy mascarpone frosting and you've got a tiramisu-inspired treat that everyone is sure to love.

Hojicha brings a beautiful twist to classic tiramisu, infusing the dessert with its signature roasted aroma, gentle smokiness and nutty flavor. Unlike traditional espresso, hojicha’s low bitterness and warm, nutty notes create a softer, more nuanced soak for the ladyfingers. The tea’s caramel-like notes complement the rich, fluffy mascarpone cream spiked with a whisper of dark rum. The result is a refined, Japanese-inspired tiramisu that feels both comforting and sophisticated — light in caffeine, deeply aromatic, irresistibly smooth and just sweet enough.

No espresso maker? No problem! Jeff Mauro uses a mix of strongly brewed coffee, instant espresso powder and dark rum for his tiramisu. He also folds mini chocolate chips into the creamy mascarpone filling.

To make this treat suitable for anyone with a gluten intolerance, simply swap out conventional ladyfingers for a package of gluten-free ones.

When you need a quick-and-simple dessert that's sure to impress, try these individual tiramisus. These mini trifles are also a wonderful pick when you're craving a sweet treat for one!

This is a simplified version of the classic Italian dessert. Frozen pound cake replaces ladyfingers and cream cheese replaces mascarpone, making it an easy option if you can’t get fancy Italian ingredients at your local store. Just make sure you allow fridge time before you serve!

Katie Lee Biegel gives the Italian dessert a summery twist with the addition of another beloved Italian ingredient: limoncello. She skips the chocolate-espresso combination and instead leans into the bright flavors of lemon and adds a little ginger for some zing.

Assembling tiramisu in a trifle dish makes for an even prettier presentation. For this showstopper, we ditch the traditional espresso and chocolate combination, opting for lemon curd and fresh berries, instead.

In Italian, tiramisu means “pick me up.” By topping each slice with a splash of hot espresso and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, Trisha Yearwood is making sure this sweet really stays true to its name.

These chocolate-espresso sweets are ideal for a dinner party. Since they’re made in individual ramekins, every guest can get their own dessert (read: no need to slice or share!).