40 Easy Mother's Day Desserts Even Better Than A Gift

Nothing says chocolate decadence like a brownie, and our tried-and-true favorite recipe is no exception. Starring both melted chocolate and unsweetened cocoa powder, these dense, fudgy brownies deliver all the intense chocolate goodness your mom loves.

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We love a classic tiramisu and couldn’t imagine it getting much better—until raspberries entered the picture. We use a little orange liqueur instead of rum to amplify the bright flavors.

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This simple lemon cream cake was a beloved favorite at Olive Garden. Why they don’t have it on the menu anymore, we’ll never know. This copycat recipe is more than just second best, though. Even if you have never had the original version, this is the one worth making. The vanilla cake is soft and fluffy with a hint of lemon and gets a thick lemon cream filling that’s just tart enough.

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Carrot cake is great. But carrot cupcakes are even better. Every bite is filled with warm spice and sweet carrots and get topped with the most delicious cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

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This is a sweet chocolate cake that is filled and frosted with rich, sticky coconut and a pecan filling. It's not super chocolatey on its own, so we couldn't resist adding chocolate ganache to go in between the layers. Not only does it add decadence, but it helps keep the layers from falling apart!

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To make these cheesecake bars, we topped a simple graham cracker crust with a creamy cheesecake layer, a sweet pink fruit layer, and then crumbled a cinnamon-spiced streusel on top. The result is a cute, springy dessert that’s remarkable enough to serve for Mother's Day (and to make all season long).

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Red Velvet Ice CreamThis creamy homemade red velvet ice cream is made with a buttermilk base and cocoa powder for that iconic chocolatey, tangy red velvet flavor. It's an ideal treat for Valentine's Day and beyond. A cream cheese frosting is crucial to red velvet, so we added a swirl of the frosting throughout and crumbled some red velvet cake in too so you get bits in every bite. You can make your own cake or buy a few cupcakes from a local bakery to make it even easier.

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Envious of those bakery tarts in the window? This fruit tart will blow your mind with how easy it is to whip up. Be sure to press this shortbread crust to the top of your tart pan because it shrinks as it bakes.

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Inspired by the beloved coconut cream pie, these stuffed cupcakes have all the classic components of the original dessert, sans pie crust. You won't miss it though, because in its place are our soft and fluffy vanilla cupcakes. 😍

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If you’re a vanilla cake fan and have never tried a white cake, you’re in for a treat. This white cake is tender, light, fluffy, and moist and layered with satiny-smooth vanilla frosting. With three layers of cake and swoops and swirls of frosting, this dessert makes a statement, making it perfect for birthdays, weddings, and other celebrations.

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One of our top winter desserts, our lemon-cranberry cheesecake bars were a verified hit this holiday season. They were so well-loved, we knew we had to create a bright, fresh version worthy of the upcoming season and the warm weather to come. Instead of a cranberry filling, we used blueberries in this recipe to completment our lemony cream cheese mixture. The result is a sweet, creamy, and fruity filling layered between flaky pastry—basically, it's our ideal spring dessert.

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This copycat has creamy mango and Key lime cheesecake, a layer of fluffy mango mousse, and a layer of mango glaze, all encased in a vanilla-coconut crust. Topped with TCF’s signature whipped cream tower, this dessert is great for when you want a fruity, sweet indulgence that'll really make mom feel special.

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There are cakes, and then there’s Chantilly cake, a towering layer cake stuffed with fresh berries and blanketed in whipped cream frosting. The impressive dessert marries the delicious simplicity of a classic yellow cake with the berries and cream combo that makes shortcakes shine. What’s even sweeter? The all-American dessert has a charming origin story that started in a grocery store bakery.

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If you can't make it to Italy, our homemade gelato recipe will at least make you feel like you're living your best life, right at home. And if you’ve never experienced authentic gelato, then you might just surprise yourself with how much you love it (maybe even more than American ice cream, but don't worry—we won't tell 😉).

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Blondies are all about two things—brown sugar and vanilla—which pair perfectly with lighter, more delicate fruit flavors. The lemon and blueberry here help mellow out the overt sweetness of the blondies, making these bars reminiscent of blueberry muffins or lemon pound cake.

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Nothing says summer quite like a tart key lime pie. This mousse is every bit as refreshing, with a fluffy texture and crispy oat crumble you'll want to eat on its own. Key limes are more tart than traditional limes; they’re worth finding for this mousse.

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Classic buttercream is great and all, but have you ever had Italian meringue? The not-too-sweet frosting pairs well with the rich chocolate cake and looks great swirled or toasted on the outside. Pipe it on to make pretty swirls and rosettes, or use a kitchen torch for a s'mores vibe.

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Ice cream lovers, get ready to scoop, because this crave-able ice cream isn’t going to last! Plant-based, dairy-free, vegan… no matter what you want to call it, this ice cream is as good as—if not better—than any dairy counterpart, making it a favorite scoop of the summer. Thanks to the no-churn method, this vegan ice cream recipe is easy to make without an ice cream maker. The only equipment needed is a blender to whip up the base, then the freezer does the rest.

Get the No-Churn Strawberry Shortcake Vegan Ice Cream recipe.

Pucker up—these bars are sweet and citrusy and one of our favorite make-ahead desserts. Looking for more sour/sweet treats? Check out our Margarita Bars.

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While eclairs can be a difficult pastry to make (especially when it comes to pate a choux of profiteroles fame), we use graham crackers for this cheater version of the classic.

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