20 Easy Dessert Recipes That Don’t Require a Mixer

Dessert is always a good idea, but dessert that doesn’t require dragging out a mixer is even better. These easy recipes prove you don’t need special equipment to make something sweet, satisfying, and worth sharing. A whisk, wooden spoon, spatula, or fork will get the job done for everything from Malted Chocolate Brownies and Easy Cherry Dump Cobbler to Shortcut Cookies and Cream Ice Cream. The hardest part is choosing which low-fuss treat to make first.

01 of 20

View Recipe

“What I like most about this banana bread recipe is its flexibility. Sometimes I like it plain, with no mix-ins, warmed up in the microwave with a little butter. I also love it with chocolate chips or nuts mixed in, depending on what’s in my pantry. Chocolate chips add a touch of sweetness and make it feel like a dessert, while nuts add a little texture and a nutty contrast to the bananas’ sweetness.” —Haley Scarpino, Associate Editor

02 of 20

View Recipe

“Nothing beats an easy fruit-forward dessert. It’s even better when you only need four ingredients for the base, a can of pie filling, and your favorite vanilla ice cream to pair with it. This cherry dump cobbler checks all of those boxes.” —Molly Allen, Recipe Developer

03 of 20

View Recipe

“They’re not fancy by any means, but they’re wonderfully chewy with a slight crispiness on the outer crust. The flavor of brown sugar is more pronounced than a typical blondie recipe, making them the tastiest simple-to-make treat.” —Molly Allen, Recipe Developer

04 of 20

View Recipe

“Over the years, I’ve tinkered and tested and come up with an oatmeal cookie that packs in the same elements as baklava: honey, warm spices, nuts, and a buttery crunch, but in a cookie form. The recipe is quite easy as cookies go. I brown the butter in a saucepan and the rest of the ingredients get added right in—no mixer, no separate bowls, no sifting.” —Ivy Manning, Recipe Developer

05 of 20

View Recipe

“These muffins are exactly what I want constantly stacked up and on display in my kitchen. In this recipe, a vanilla-flavored sour cream muffin batter gets layered with a cinnamon brown sugar filling and topped with a buttery crumb topping. The result is a coffee cake-inspired muffin that’s plush, moist, warmly spiced, and as perfect on its own as it is with a hot cup of coffee.” —Kayla Hoang, Recipe Developer

06 of 20

View Recipe

“This dessert consists of a moist, thin, cake-like bar with cream cheese frosting, sprinkled with toasted nuts. Similar to a thin banana bread or snack cake, they are wonderful to eat throughout the day.” —Amanda Luchtel, Recipe Developer

07 of 20

View Recipe

“What someone in Massachusetts calls a grunt, someone from Vermont would call a slump. The dessert has roots in the steamed puddings of England. A fruit filling is simmered on the stove, then a biscuit or dumpling dough is dropped on top. The pot is covered, and the whole thing is steamed until the biscuits are fluffy and the fruit is jammy.” —Cynthia Christensen, Recipe Developer

08 of 20

View Recipe

“I truly believe that a brownie scooped from a skillet while still warm, fudgy, and just set is one of life’s greatest pleasures. And topped with vanilla ice cream? There’s not much else that’s as satisfying to me.” —Kayla Hoang, Recipe Developer

09 of 20

View Recipe

“Made with packaged corn muffin mix, these cookies come together with almost no effort, and have a warm, buttery sweetness and gentle corn flavor that feels nostalgic and comforting—like cornbread in cookie form. The texture is tender and slightly chewy, with crisp edges.” —Theodora Kaloudis, Content Updates Editor

10 of 20

View Recipe

“The ingredients are crushed Ritz, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and toffee bits. That’s it! I saw the recipe and couldn’t picture how they’d taste, so I made them. Then I had to make them again because my family ate them all.” —Sara Bir, former Simply Recipes Editor

11 of 20

View Recipe

“These cookies are the ultimate crowd-pleaser. If you want to surprise your friends or guests with a dessert they might never have experienced before, this is the easiest way to do it. They also seem much fancier than they really are, which makes you look like a pro, so it’s a win-win!” —Checka Ciammaichelli, Recipe Developer

12 of 20

View Recipe

“This take on the no-bake, hands-off dessert alludes to key lime pie with fresh lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, cream, and layers of salty crackers. It’s creamy, light, tart, sweet, and a little salty. With just five ingredients, easy lime icebox cake couldn’t be simpler or more delicious.” —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

13 of 20

View Recipe

“It is not necessary to beat the eggs with a mixer, you can beat them by hand with a fork. Make sure ingredients are well combined—the batter will be sticky.” —Steve-Anna Stephens, Recipe Developer

14 of 20

View Recipe

“These butterscotch haystacks are one of the easiest snacks to whip up. There’s no baking required, though they have a cookie-like appeal. You just melt butterscotch chips in the microwave, then fold in fried chow mein noodles and Goldfish crackers until everything is coated. Then it’s time to get a little messy.” —Megan Scott, Simply Recipes Editor

15 of 20

View Recipe

“The best part is how forgiving this cake is. There’s no mixer required and no complicated steps to follow, and it’s very hard to mess up. You simply open store-bought goods, layer, bake, and serve.” —Morgan Baker, Recipe Developer

16 of 20

View Recipe

“Is it a cobbler or a cake? I’d say cobbler edges out, since the base of lemon pie filling remains fairly distinct from the buttery, cakey topping. This is a dessert to serve shortly after baking, warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream slowly melting over the crispy top. A match made in heaven!” —Sara Bir, former Simply Recipes Editor

17 of 20

View Recipe

“Turns out, combining malt with a chocolate brownie was meant to be. The two work in tandem for a treat that has more depth than a classic brownie, plus a big crunch to keep it interesting. The Ovaltine provides an underlying malt flavor—it still tastes like a classic brownie, but it’s warmer and toastier.” —Melissa Knific, Recipe Developer

18 of 20

View Recipe

“The magic is in how simple it is. Just chocolate ice cream, whipped topping, and a full package of crushed chocolate sandwich cookies that get folded together and refrozen into something even creamier and softer. It’s nostalgic, a little over-the-top, and still one of the easiest desserts I know.” —Melissa Gray-Streett, Recipe Developer

19 of 20

View Recipe

“There’s no baking and very little prep, thanks to store-bought angel food cake, canned pie filling, and vanilla pudding mix. An extended chill in the fridge lets all the elements meld together into one sweet and creamy pan of utter delight.” —Sara Bir, former Simply Recipes Editor

20 of 20

View Recipe

“I love lemon bars. For some reason, they always feel like a bit of a production, so I don’t often make them. To help me get over that mental hurdle, these no-bake lemon bars are just the thing. Plus, they have way fewer ingredients than traditional lemon bars, so there’s less to wash up. The filling is packed with lemon flavor and reminiscent of creamy, tangy key lime pie.” —Sara Bir, former Senior Editor

Read the original article on Simply Recipes