Food Recipes 33 Easter Desserts That Will Complete Your Holiday Meal Whether you’re serving brunch or dinner, we’ve got the sweet course covered. By Samantha Leffler Samantha Leffler Instagram Website Samantha is the senior food editor at RealSimple and previously launched the US Weekly food vertical, where she wrote about the intersection of food and pop culture. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on February 16, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Heami Lee No meal is complete without dessert, and that’s especially true for your annual Easter feast. While there aren’t any traditional Easter desserts per se, you can’t go wrong with chocolate confections or fruit-focused pies and pastries. Luckily, we’ve included plenty of those treats, and then some, in our Easter dessert roundup. For example, if you’re hosting an Easter brunch, you may want to give the Honey Whole Wheat-Strawberry Clafoutis a try, but if Easter dinner is more your speed, we suggest the Mini Chocolate Olive Oil Cakes.Keep reading for a collection of 33 Easter desserts that will complete your holiday meal—no matter what time you decide to serve it. 35 Easy Easter Dinner Ideas That Are Totally Celebration-Worthy 01 of 33 Marshmallow and Chocolate Shortbread Slices Caitlin Bensel These shortbread slices are like a homemade candy bar, thanks to their crunchy cookie base, marshmallow filling, and chocolate coating. For a sweet Easter touch, add a bit of food coloring to your marshmallow fluff layer so the bars boast a pastel hue. get the recipe 02 of 33 Honey Whole Wheat-Strawberry Clafoutis Kelsey Hansen Made with whole-wheat flour and sweetened with honey, this lightened up clafoutis could be served for breakfast or dessert. And don’t sleep on it if you’re hosting Easter brunch, either, as it pairs well with coffee and mimosas. Whatever you decide, just be sure to serve this confection immediately, as the center will sink as it cools. get the recipe 03 of 33 Banana Pudding Pie Bars With Meringue Brie Passano This recipe transforms the classic kid-friendly dessert into a giant slab pie that adults and little ones alike are sure to love. In this recipe, a buttery Nilla Wafer crust is topped with sliced bananas, then smothered with homemade vanilla pudding and layered with more cookies. After the filling sets in the fridge, the pie is topped with a mile-high meringue that you'll toast to perfection. get the recipe 04 of 33 Apricot Almond Cake Greg DuPree Canned apricots with a glaze of apricot preserves are studded throughout this bright cake, which would be especially irresistible as part of an Easter brunch spread. This dessert, which just so happens to be plant-based, also boasts an almond flour base that compliments the floral notes in the fruit. get the recipe 05 of 33 Marbled Cookies Caitlin Bensel Yes, these marbled treats technically feature Hanukkah colors, but they’d be pretty perfect for Easter too. You can also easily swap out blue for another color (or a color combo) if you prefer. While this recipe might look tricky, all you need to achieve the marbled look is to separate part of the dough and add just a few drops of food coloring gel. Then, a simple stacking technique and some kneading results in a rich cookie dough that's marbled with color throughout. get the recipe 06 of 33 Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti With White Chocolate Caitlin Bensel This sweet and salty biscotti is dipped in white chocolate and filled with white chocolate chips, which you can replace with Cadbury Mini Eggs in honor of the holiday. What we love about this biscotti is that it’s soft enough to take a gentle bite, while still holding firm for a quick dip in coffee or tea. Serve it as part of a brunch feast, or after Easter dinner with a fresh pot of coffee. get the recipe 07 of 33 Easy Chocolate Mousse With Croissant Crumbs Caitlin Bensel Since this mousse is topped with croissant crumbs, it’s an easy contender for an Easter brunch dessert. Plus, since this sweet course only requires 20 minutes of hands-on work, you’ll have plenty of time to devote to your other Easter dishes. get the recipe 08 of 33 Vanilla Sweet Potato Cheesecake Victor Protasio This vanilla sweet potato cheesecake is easy, but it looks gorgeously fancy, making it a shoe-in for Easter dessert. While this sweet treat still includes cream cheese and a brown butter-based graham cracker crust, the addition of sweet potato is a simple way to kick things up a notch. get the recipe 09 of 33 Rainbow Sprinkle Snacking Cake Greg DuPree Since this cake doesn’t call for butter or eggs (or a mixer for that matter), it’s ideal for those with dietary restrictions. And because it utilizes a handful of pantry staples, it’s also a solid option if you want a no-fuss dessert. Enjoy the cake as is, or to make it extra- special, stir up a cream cheese frosting and top it all off with more sprinkles. get the recipe 10 of 33 Lemon-Thyme Rhubarb Bread Pudding Victor Protasio Take advantage of rhubarb’s short season, which begins in the spring, by baking this seasonal bread pudding. In addition to the colorful stalks, this dessert includes lemon zest and thyme, which draw out rhubarb’s herbaceous notes. For a decadent upgrade, serve this with barely-sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. get the recipe 11 of 33 Cardamom Bun Cookies Caitlin Bensel These pinwheel cookies are reminiscent of a cinnamon roll, but they borrow their warm spiced flavor from trendy Swedish cardamom buns. For other festive flavor profiles, replace the cardamom with pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, or classic cinnamon. get the recipe 12 of 33 Sheet Pan Pavlova With Berries and Mangoes Greg DuPree Welcome spring, and Easter, by topping this sheet pan pavlova with fresh fruit. This recipe uses summer favorites such as mixed berries and mango, but in-season pineapple and kiwi also work well. get the recipe 13 of 33 Cranberry & Strawberry Crumb Pie Johnny Miller Tart cranberries and sweet strawberries (which you can purchase frozen) come together to create this fruit-filled pie. And don’t even get us started on the classic crumb topping spiced with cinnamon and ginger, which helps create a dessert that's vaguely muffin-y in all the best ways. get the recipe 14 of 33 Orange and Clove Basque Cheesecake Jennifer Causey Wow your Easter guests by whipping up this gorgeous, crustless cheesecake. The dessert originates from the Basque region of Spain, and this version is flavored with bright orange zest and ground cloves. For a gluten-free cheesecake, simply swap in an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. get the recipe 15 of 33 Vanilla Peaches in Rosé Victor Protasio Rosé, sugar, vanilla bean, and anise are blended together and then poured over ripe peaches to create this easy yet flavorful dessert. You can also use other stone fruits, like nectarines or apricots, and serve everything over a scoop of vanilla ice cream to complete the dish. get the recipe 16 of 33 Salty Coffee Toffee Bars It’s hard not to love these sweet, salty, and caffeinated treats, which would work served after Easter brunch or dinner. To make this dessert, you’ll top a buttery cracker base with toasted pecans and walnuts before pouring on a coffee vanilla syrup to make a batch of rich caramel-esque toffee bars. Following a short bake, chocolate and butterscotch chips melt into a pretty marble pattern that sets in the refrigerator, and scattering of flaky sea salt provides the finishing touch. get the recipe The Most Popular Easter Traditions, Explained 17 of 33 Lemon Coconut Nest Cake Hector Manuel Sanchez For a dessert that’s very on theme, consider this whimsical treat. This lemon coconut cake looks great when decorated with shredded coconut flakes, and even boasts a hole in the middle that you can fill with pastel-colored chocolate eggs. get the recipe 18 of 33 Mini Chocolate Olive Oil Cakes Victor Protasio If you’re hosting a small Easter gathering, making individual desserts might just be the way to go. Naturally vegan, these adorable cakes are flavored with brewed earl grey tea that goes directly into the batter, as well as good-quality olive oil. The rich chocolate glaze topped with candied orange peel ties everything together. get the recipe 19 of 33 Spiced Chocolate-Orange Pull-Apart Loaf Fred Hardy While some loaves can be dry and dense, this chocolate-orange treat is wonderfully tender and light. For this dessert, which would seamlessly fit into a larger brunch spread, you’ll make a dough spiced with orange zest, cardamom, and cloves, as well as a spiced dark chocolate filling. The whole loaf, which can easily be pulled apart, is then topped with a simple icing. If your Easter brunch to-do list is long, go ahead and make the dough the day before. get the recipe 20 of 33 Ginger Apple Tarte Tatin Christopher Testani A tarte Tatin is always an impressive dessert to serve, and this one requires just 40 minutes of hands-on work, partly because it calls for store-bought puff pastry to make the crust. You'll also infuse caramel with fresh ginger, and drape that thawed puff pastry on top so you can let it turn flaky and golden in the oven. Flip the entire thing over for the big reveal table-side, and expect oohs and ahs from your Easter guests. get the recipe 21 of 33 Pan de Elote courtesy This Mexican cornbread recipe comes from food blogger Esteban Castillo, who has eaten this treat since he was a child. Since the recipe calls for less flour and sweetened condensed milk, this dish tastes more like a pound cake than traditional cornbread. According to Castillo, each slice is rich and creamy with a tight but tender crumb. get the recipe 22 of 33 Pluot Crumble Heami Lee Pluots are stone fruit hybrids with the crimson color of plums, and the tart-sweetness of apricots. If you can find pluots for Easter, use a mix of fresh apricots and plums instead. Whatever stone fruit you use will pair well with the nutty and fragrant streusel topping made with pistachios and cinnamon. Serve this sweet crumble with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you’re all set! get the recipe 23 of 33 Lemon-Blueberry Cake Greg DuPree For an easy dessert that will wow any Easter guests, give this refreshing icebox cake a whirl. It calls for vanilla sandwich cookies, pillowy whipped cream, jammy blueberries, and tart lemon sorbet. Throw on some store-bought chocolate Easter eggs to get everyone in the holiday spirit. get the recipe 24 of 33 Carrot Cake Charles Masters While there really aren’t any traditional Easter desserts, carrot cake is pretty close. Studded with grated carrots, pecans, and raisins, this classic two-layer dessert is covered with a rich cream cheese frosting. get the recipe 25 of 33 Strawberry Dust Meringues Caitlin Bensel These light-as-a-feather meringues are dusted with freeze-dried strawberries, but freeze-dried blueberries or raspberries would also work well. In fact, opting for a variety of different colors will make for a festive-looking Easter dessert display. get the recipe 26 of 33 Frozen Strawberry Trifle Caitlin Bensel If you’re overwhelmed by your Easter prep and need a make-ahead dessert, this trifle is it. It's made with only five ingredients—fresh and frozen strawberries, sugar, cream, ladyfingers, and ice cream—and is refreshingly cool since your freezer will do most of the work. get the recipe 27 of 33 Slow-Cooker Angel Food Cake Victor Protasio It’s never a mistake to put your slow cooker to work, especially because this popular appliance gives angel food cake that super light consistency that can be tricky to master. Just make sure you use the cream of tartar called for in this recipe, as it helps stabilize the egg whites, which is crucial in a slow-baked dessert. get the recipe 28 of 33 Plum Cake Heami Lee Though this cake only calls for seven ingredients, it manages to look like it came from a chic Parisian bakery. In this dessert, which calls for just 20 minutes of hands-on work, bright plum slices are sprinkled with sugar and baked into a simple yet flavorful crust. To take this dessert to the next level, serve it warm with a scoop of your favorite ice cream. get the recipe 29 of 33 Classic Chocolate Layer Cake Con Poulos You can never go wrong with a classic chocolate layer cake, no matter what occasion you’re celebrating. This confection includes two layers of rich chocolate cake coated with homemade chocolate buttercream frosting. Since the cake is simple, you have plenty of freedom to decorate it with flowers, Easter eggs, and more. get the recipe 30 of 33 Peach Cobbler Trifle Greg DuPree Peaches and cream? Yes. please! Here, juicy peaches are bathed in sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon before being paired with heavy whipping cream and a store-bought pound cake. Pop this baby in the freezer so it gets a nice, refreshing chill just in time for your Easter brunch or dinner. get the recipe 31 of 33 Apple Coffee Cake Twist With Giant Crumbs Brie Passano The sweet-and-spicy cinnamon crumb topping is unquestionably the best part of any coffee cake. So naturally, we made it the star of this dessert. Here, the big, buttery crumbs sit atop an elegant crescent roll twist, which is more striking to serve (and simpler to bake) than a traditional coffee cake. While you can serve this cake at any time of the day, we think it’s the perfect way to finish your Easter brunch. get the recipe 32 of 33 Raspberry and Honey Marshmallows Caitlin Bensel Sure, you can stock up on Peeps before Easter, or you can make your own homemade marshmallows flavored with freeze-dried raspberries and honey. Once the marshmallows are done, you can use cookie cutters to transform them into festive Easter shapes. get the recipe 18 Creative Easter Egg Ideas That Are Easy and Fun 33 of 33 Glazed Lemon Pound Cake José Picayo This fresh pound cake is lighter than traditional versions because it’s made, in part, with creamy Greek yogurt. And if you like lemon, you’ll be happy to know that this dessert also includes both lemon zest and lemon juice. A simple sugar glaze balances out the zesty citrus notes. get the recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit