3-Ingredient Dessert Recipes You Can Easily Master

By Perry Santanachote

Published on 3/8/2016 at 10:32 AM

chocolate cheese cake, dessert for two
Courtesy of Dessert for Two
Courtesy of Dessert for Two

With these recipes around, "I didn't have time to make dessert" is no longer a reasonable excuse. With these three-ingredient recipes, a sweet, creamy finisher -- from Nutella brownies to peanut butter ice cream -- can be whipped up real fast.

Rice Krispies pie crust, foodiecrush
<a href="http://www.foodiecrush.com/4-ingredient-ice-cream-pie-with-peanut-butter-krispie-crust/" target="_blank">Courtesy of FoodieCrush</a>

Never make pie dough again, especially when peanut butter Rice Krispies will do. Recipe here.

Key ingredients:

  • Rice Krispies
  • Chunky peanut butter
  • Corn syrup
Peeps s’mores dip, how sweet eats
<a href="http://www.howsweeteats.com/2015/04/chocolate-peanut-butter-peeps-skillet-smores/" target="_blank">Courtesy of How Sweet Eats</a>

Your new Easter dip. Do it yourself here.

Key ingredients:

  • Chocolate chips
  • Creamy peanut butter
  • Peeps marshmallows
Chocolate cheesecake, dessert for two
Courtesy of Dessert for Two

What happens when you combine melted chocolate with cream cheese? Magic. This recipe shows you how to make salted caramel, too, if you're feeling so inclined.

Key ingredients:

  • Chocolate chips
  • Heavy cream
  • Cream cheese
Rocky road bark, brown eyed baker
<a href="http://www.browneyedbaker.com/rocky-road-chocolate-bark/" target="_blank">Courtesy of Brown Eyed Baker</a>

Rocky road ice cream without the brain freeze. Get the recipe.

Key ingredients:

  • Semisweet chocolate
  • Marshmallows
  • Walnuts
Homemade Thin Mints, averie cooks
<a href="http://www.averiecooks.com/2012/07/homemade-thin-mints.html" target="_blank">Courtesy of Averie Cooks</a>

When you're craving Thin Mints and there are no Girl Scouts around, you do what you've got to do. Learn how here.

Key ingredients:

  • Ritz crackers
  • Semisweet chocolate chips
  • Peppermint extract
Pumpkin donuts, le creme de la crumb
<a href="http://lecremedelacrumb.com/2015/09/3-ingredient-baked-pumpkin-donuts.html" target="_blank">Courtesy of Le Creme de la Crumb</a>

It's three ingredients not including the icing, but it's the donut part that tastes like pumpkin pie. Recipe here.

Key ingredients:

  • Spice cake mix
  • Canned pumpkin
  • Pumpkin pie spice
Nutella Brownies, Kirbie's Cravings
<a href="http://kirbiecravings.com/2013/02/easiest-3-ingredient-nutella-brownies.html" target="_blank">Courtesy of Kirbie's Cravings</a>

There's not even extra chocolate in here to taint the Nutella. Get the recipe here.

Key ingredients:

  • Nutella
  • Eggs
  • Flour
Peanut butter mousse, the minimalist baker
<a href="http://minimalistbaker.com/3-ingredient-peanut-butter-mousse/" target="_blank">Courtesy of the Minimalist Baker</a>

Eating peanut butter by itself just ends up coating the roof of your mouth in stickiness, but mix it with coconut milk and sweetener and you've got silky-smooth mousse. Recipe here.

Key ingredients:

  • Coconut milk
  • Creamy peanut butter
  • Agave nectar
Chocolate covered grapes, how sweet eats
<a href="http://www.howsweeteats.com/2014/12/embarrassingly-easy-chocolate-covered-grape-skewers/" target="_blank">Courtesy of How Sweet Eats</a>

If you're one to balk at fruit for dessert, coat it in chocolate and reconsider. What you need to know here.

Key ingredients:

  • Grapes
  • Chocolate
  • Coconut oil
?Shortbread cookies, Recipe Tin Eats
<a href="http://www.recipetineats.com/3-ingredient-shortbread-cookie-dulce-de-leche/" target="_blank">Courtesy of Recipe Tin Eats</a>

You can make shortbread without a mixer and using just three ingredients. Recipe here.

Key ingredients:

  • Butter
  • Powdered sugar
  • Flour
Red velvet cookies, oh sweet basil
<a href="http://www.ohsweetbasil.com/3-ingredient-red-velvet-chocolate-cookies.html" target="_blank">Courtesy of Oh Sweet Basil</a>

The chocolate filling is considered optional, but we recommend that over the pumpkin pie spice any day. Recipe here.

Key ingredients:

  • Red velvet cake mix
  • Canned pumpkin
  • Pumpkin pie spice
Peanut butter ice cream, a house in the hills
<a href="http://ahouseinthehills.com/2013/2/27/salted-banana-peanut-butter-ice-cream-with-chocolate-caramel/" target="_blank">Courtesy of a House in the Hills</a>

So, this recipe has no cream in it -- only frozen bananas -- but you can't tell because all you taste is the rich peanut butter. Make it yourself here.

Key ingredients:

  • Bananas
  • Peanut butter
  • Sea salt
Yogurt truffles, Honey and Figs Kitchen
<a href="http://honeyandfigskitchen.com/2014/08/3-ingredient-greek-yogurt-truffles.html" target="_blank">Courtesy of Honey and Figs Kitchen</a>

Taking fro-yo to a whole new level, this recipe transforms Greek yogurt into decadent chocolate truffles.

Key ingredients:

  • Greek yogurt
  • Chocolate
  • Coconut flakes or cocoa powder


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Perry Santanachote is Thrillist's Recipes editor. Follow her at @perrysant.