These 3-ingredient desserts are so easy and impossible to resist!
From ice cream and fudge to chewy cookies, these quick treats are the perfect ending to your meal.
Easy Desserts Made with Few Ingredients
Baking is my passion.
I truly love sweet treats, whether it’s eating them, prepping them, or spending hours scrolling for inspiration.
But we all have those moments when the craving hits and you need something fast!
Luckily, these 3-ingredient desserts are fast and made of things you probably have in-house already. Woo hoo!
1. 3-Ingredient No-Churn Ice Cream
An ice cream maker is never going to be a bad investment. I promise you won’t regret having one on hand!
That being said, you can have a loaf pan full of creamy vanilla ice cream in a matter of minutes with this recipe.
Use vanilla paste or top quality extract. You will taste the difference in this case.
Gently fold the condensed milk with the whipped cream so as not to deflate it, and try to be patient as it freezes.
2. Tiger Butter Fudge
This recipe is a cross between fudge and bark, with a layer of peanut butter and white chocolate swirled with dark or milk chocolate.
It’s thinner than fudge, but the peanut butter brings a chewy texture to the chocolate that is to die for.
The creamy peanut butter will give you the prettiest swirls, and be sure to get good quality chocolate. The cheap stuff just doesn’t melt the same.
3. 3-Ingredient Easy Apple Cobbler
When a cobbler can taste this good with just three ingredients, it’s going to be hard to go back to any other recipe.
Using canned cinnamon rolls is such a brilliant option.
Not only are they fluffy and tender, but they’re also packed with flavor and can save you hours in the kitchen.
Apple pie filling is a classic option that will complement the cinnamon well, but honestly, any good pie filling will do the trick.
4. 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Bars Recipe
I’m always amazed at how things come together, even without eggs, butter, or flour.
These bars are so simple and call for just bananas, peanut butter, and oats.
Of course, there are a couple of extras if you want to add chocolate and nuts to the top.
If you use ripe enough bananas, there really is no need for any added sugar.
And if you use chunky peanut butter, you won’t need to add nuts.
5. 3-Ingredient Chocolate Almond Clusters
When making cookie boxes during the holidays, I always like to include something like this.
They are made using dark chocolate, almonds, and sea salt. That’s it!
After a day spent making and rolling doughs, it’s so lovely to have something deliciously simple.
These would work with all kinds of nuts, and you could use semi-sweet or even milk chocolate if you prefer.
6. 3-Ingredient Mounds Bar Recipe
Another super simple treat with just a few ingredients. These are even better than what you find in the stores.
The condensed milk will add sweetness and moisture to the coconut, which will stay tender and tasty.
I love dark chocolate on these, as the richness works so well with the subtle coconut. But if you like it less bitter, semi-sweet would work, too.
7. 3-Ingredient Homemade Butterfingers
Much like the real thing, these are very sweet!
The filling is made using candy corn and peanut butter, so you’ll know you’re getting a good shot of sugar!
But isn’t that the fun part?
Though these make great little homemade candy bars, they would also work well as little truffles.
8. Chocolate Covered Strawberries
When they’re in season, I have to admit I usually go strawberry crazy.
I make jam, cookies, cakes, and more!
But there’s nothing like a big bowl of chocolate-covered strawberries. They’re actually my favorite thing to decorate a cake with!
Be sure to wash and thoroughly dry your fruit; otherwise, the chocolate won’t stick.
If topping with nuts, coconut, or sprinkles, do so right after dipping.
9. 3-Ingredient White Chocolate Peppermint Pretzels
When it comes to salty and sweet, I love to use pretzels.
They have a unique flavor already and add crunch and salt in the perfect proportions.
Be sure you have your candy canes crushed and ready to go and use good quality white chocolate.
Alternatively, you could use almond bark for extra flavor.
10. Disney Dole Whip Recipe
This classic Disney recipe can be made with just a few ingredients. Vanilla ice cream, pineapple juice, and frozen pineapple come together for the perfect summer treat!
Put everything into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
11. 3-Ingredient Roasted Almond Toffee Bark
Chocolate bark is always going to be a safe, sweet treat.
The base is chocolate, so you know it’s going to be good!
You’ll be roasting the almonds to enhance their flavor before chopping them into fine crumbs for this version.
Once mixed into the chocolate with the toffee bits, you’ll have a great homemade chocolate bar, full of crunch and flavor.
12. 3-Ingredient Low-Sugar Cranberry Chocolate Almond Bark
These bark drops are a little different from the standard recipes.
Usually, you make a tray, spreading the chocolate over a parchment sheet and breaking it into shards once set.
For this recipe, you’ll be dropping the chocolate into rounds and topping with dried cranberries and almonds.
Of course, you can make it into a sheet like normal, but I like the look of the individual bites.
13. Easy Fruit Sorbet
Just like making banana ice cream with only frozen bananas, this recipe is essentially blended frozen fruits.
But unlike with the bananas, you will need to add some sugar to the mix.
Whether using blueberries, strawberries, or peaches, you’ll almost always need to add a little sugar to bring out the fruit’s flavor.
Making a simple syrup with water and sugar is the easiest way to incorporate sweetness, and it can be stored and used for everything from coffee to smoothies.
Once blended, you can eat it immediately or keep it in the freezer.
For something a little creamier, try adding some coconut cream to the mix.
14. 3-Ingredient Microwave Peanut Butter Fudge
Fudge is such a fun, simple, and tasty treat.
This peanut butter recipe is creamy and chewy, and there’s no need for a candy thermometer.
You can make this in the microwave and have it ready in just a few minutes.
When heating in the microwave, always use 30-second intervals, carefully stirring in between to avoid burning.
Be sure to use a large enough bowl so that you can safely stir without the mixture overflowing.
I know adding sea salt or a chocolate drizzle would make it 4-ingredient peanut butter fudge, but I won’t tell if you won’t.
15. 3-Ingredient Homemade Thin Mints
If you’re team Samoas, you can skip to the next recipe.
But for those of you that have a box of Thin Mints tucked away in the freezer, this one’s for you.
I know it sounds crazy, but using butter crackers is such a genius way to recreate these family favorites at home.
Be careful when adding the peppermint, as it will be quite strong.
16. Microwave Baked Apples
Don’t tell your grandma, but you can make a batch of baked apples in a matter of minutes. You just need a microwave and a few simple ingredients!
I know it seems blasphemous to use a microwave for baked apples, but it really does work.
Not only do they become wonderfully tender, but they also keep their shape much better.
These would be great served with a scoop of ice cream or as a topping for your oats or pancakes.
17. Pineapple Angel Food Cake
This is technically a 2-ingredient cake. But it’s not the same without the whipped topping, so that makes three!
The cake comes together with just angel food cake mix and crushed pineapple – juices and all.
It’s super light and fluffy, and wonderfully fruity.
18. Haystacks Recipe
Whoever thought to use chow mein noodles for these sweet treats deserves a medal.
They’re just the right texture and make for the cutest little haystacks!
Although you could use chocolate for these, I love the color and flavor you get from the butterscotch morsels.
Any chopped nuts will work will this recipe. And as always, a sprinkling of sea salt wouldn’t be a bad idea.
19. 3-Ingredient Shortbread
I used to make shortbread all the time as a kid, and I still go back to it now.
It’s so buttery and straightforward and often better than most elaborate sugar cookies.
For me, the simpler, the better.
And it doesn’t get much easier than three ingredients!
20. 3-Ingredient Chocolate Truffle Recipe
Chocolate ganache is such a magical thing. With just the right amount of cream, the chocolate will set but stay soft and silky,
Once set, scoop the ganache into truffles and coat them in pure chocolate, cocoa, nuts, sprinkles – whatever you like.
21. S’mores Dip
Whether you have last-minute guests or just a late-night craving, this recipe is super easy and always a winner.
We all love to pick at dips and chips, and this dessert dip is no exception.
All you’ll need is a good layer of chocolate topped with a covering of marshmallows.
Bake until the marshmallows are golden and the chocolate has melted. Easy!
22. Easy 3-Ingredient Coconut Macaroons
Since coconut can be quite subtle, I often find it gets lost when mixed into other recipes.
For this, coconut is the star of the show!
When mixed with the condensed milk, it will be sweetened and become creamy and sticky.
After baking, the edges will turn slightly crisp, leaving a perfectly chewy center.
23. 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
These gluten-free cookies are so simple to make and so hard to resist.
You won’t need flour or butter. Amazingly, all you need is peanut butter, sugar, and eggs.
The dough will be quite soft, but it bakes into the most delightful cookies.
24. Rolo Pretzels
Did you know that you can bake Rolo candies on top of pretzel squares and create a simple, sweet snack?
It’s true. And they’re so good, I ate half the day I made them!
The M&Ms on top add nice color and texture. But they’re optional – or you could swap them for nuts or Reese’s Pieces.
25. 3-Ingredient Banana Bread
This might not look fancy, but you can’t beat how easy it is to make!
Like the pineapple cake above, you’ll mix boxed cake mix with fruit (mashed bananas). Only here, you’ll add eggs, too.
Feel free to add frosting or glaze. Or try it with a smear of peanut butter!
Love these simple recipes to make with the patients at the nursing home I work at.