5 Ingredient or Less Dessert Recipes

Maura White
by Maura White

Here is an amazing list of 5 ingredient or less dessert recipes! I’m all about easy and frugal around here when it comes to recipes, and I love this go-to list for easy dessert recipe ideas!

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Pistachio Pudding Marshmallow Salad

Here is one of my favorite side dishes to bring to a summer pot-luck – Pistachio Pudding Cool Whip Salad! It is also perfect to have for an Easter Sunday side dish!


I remember as a child and teenager loving it when someone made a “salad” like this and brought it to picnics. I remember soon after I got out of college, and had to cook for myself, I decided I had to figure out how to make it myself. I was so super excited when I found out how simple it is to make.


3 Ingredient Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies are perfect for young and not-so-young alike. If you’re learning how to bake, this an ideal place to start. Or maybe you’re just learning how to dunk cookies, which comes more naturally to some than others. Remember: Practice makes perfect!


3 Ingredient Vegan Almond Cookies

This one stopped me in my tracks because in addition to being only 3 simple ingredients and easily made vegan, this was potentially a perfect Passover recipe too.


3 Ingredient Almond Butter Fudge

For my next Passover recipe, I decided to go vegan. And 3-ingredient. And fudge.

3 Ingredient Sugar Cookies

I cannot believe I stumbled across this recipe for 3 Ingredient Sugar Cookies. It’s insane, I tell you, INSANE. And far too easy to make cookies now. These 3 ingredient cookies are vegan and gluten-free.


3 Ingredient Oatmeal Cookies

These 3 ingredient oatmeal cookies are low in fat and packed with whole grains, and they’re ready to eat in less than 15 minutes flat. The perfect on-the-go breakfast or after-school snack!


Crushed Pineapple Dump Cake

This easy Crushed Pineapple Dump Cake Recipe is sure to become a favorite. While most dumps cakes are made in a baking dish, this pineapple dump cake is made in a bundt cake or angel food cake pan.

With just two ingredients that are easily stored in the pantry, you will always have the ingredients on hand to make this moist and delicious pineapple angel food dump cake.


Easy Chocolate Cookies – 4 Ingredients

The easiest chocolate cookies ever! Only 4 ingredients and 15 minutes from bowl to belly!

4 Ingredient Nutella Brownies

My mom was the one who told me about making brownies with Nutella. The recipe she heard about had 3 ingredients. So I tried experimenting with the recipe and came up with a bonus ingredient that makes these easy Nutella brownies just perfect!


Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies: Soft and chewy chocolate cookies bursting with M&Ms. Customize with your favorite candy!


3-Ingredient Chocolate Lava Dip

Just 3 ingredients and a couple simple steps! This decadent Chocolate Dip recipe is phenomenal warm or at room temperature — an easy recipe to take to any type of gathering! It’s an instant hit at picnics, a sure-to-impress chocolate fondue for parties, and a luxuriously indulgent dessert for romantic dinners. Seriously good ANY time!


3 Ingredient Nutella Cookies

These 3 ingredient Nutella cookies are tender and rich, and couldn’t be easier. Make the quick cookie dough in a food processor, and they’re ready to eat in about 15 minutes, start to finish.

4 Ingredient Chocolate Cherry Cake

With just 4 Ingredients, you can make this super easy Chocolate Cherry Cake. Perfect for potlucks, summer BBQ’s, or evening dessert.


3 Ingredient Apple Cake

If you are a fan of simple recipes, you will want to make this Easy 3 Ingredient Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Frosting. All you will need is a spice cake mix, apple pie filling, and eggs. Enjoy as is, add on whipped topping or frosting.


2 Ingredient Nutella Banana Ice Cream

This 2 Ingredient Banana Nutella Ice Cream is such a simple treat idea for the summer. Such a easy and delicious ice cream dessert to enjoy after a hot day in the sun. A rich and smooth ice cream that will quickly become a family favorite.


3 Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies

These Pumpkin Cake Mix Cookies are moist and flavorful with a tasty pop of chocolate to finish them off. With only 3 ingredients they are quick and easy to make so grab the items and let’s get started!

Strawberry Cheesecake Protein Pudding

Summer get togethers and potlucks are the sure path to derailing your fitness goals, right? Well, it doesn’t have to be! If you make and bring your own tasty — yet healthy — potluck dish, like this delicious strawberry cheesecake protein pudding recipe, then you know what dessert will fit your meal plan. You don’t even have to tell your friends that the pudding is a low carb high protein pudding. They might never know!


4 Ingredient Watermelon Sorbet

If you are looking for a refreshing dessert for this summer this Easy 4 Ingredient Watermelon Sorbet recipe is the answer. My hubby and I have been attempting to eat a bit better of a diet this past few weeks. He is one who is not a huge fan of fruit. I am slowly breaking him.

He has a recent obsession with Watermelon (he loves my Watermelon Salsa I shared) so this Easy 4 Ingredient sorbet was the ticket. He will now be eating Watermelon sorbet on a regular basis. He says it is his new favorite summer treat. So I am really making progress, ha ha.


Orange Fluff Cottage Cheese Salad

Have you tried this Orange Fluff Cottage Cheese Salad Recipe? This light citrus-flavored dessert is just lovely for brunches, parties, picnics (on ice), barbecues, pool parties, or even just as an afternoon snack.

Orange Fluff is fabulous for those of us who want the health benefits of cottage cheese without ACTUALLY eating cottage cheese. (Am I the only person who is not a cottage cheese fan?) As a BONUS: light, diet, or fat free versions of each ingredient can make this recipe even lighter or healthier.


Paleo Blackberry Instant Pot Cobbler

I don’t know about you but I love, love, love my Instant Pot! You can make just about anything in it! I even came up with a recipe for Paleo blackberry Instant Pot cobbler. Let me tell you, it is oh so good!

Because this cobbler is made in the Instant Pot, the crust/topping does not dry out as much as when you bake it. So the texter is a little different more on the soft and gooey side, but the taste is all there! If you did want it to dry out more, after removing it from the Instant Pot, you can place under a broiler for 2-3 minutes to brown it up more.

4 Ingredient, Gluten Free, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

You’ve probably seen the super easy pumpkin muffins/bars you can make using just a spice cake mix and a can of pumpkin.

I wanted to whip these up for some friends coming over for dinner that are on a gluten free diet, but realized they were not gluten free. I quickly needed a substitution for this easy recipe. Turns out it’s just as easy and delicious – even if it is gluten free!!!


No Bake Cheesecake Bites

Yum! That is what comes to mind when I think of Cheesecake. Its creamy sweetness just takes me to another place. Problem is its hundreds of calories for a piece. It also take a long time to make a really good one.

These No Bake Cheesecake Bites are so easy and it only takes 4 ingredients! So stop looking for that cheesecake recipe and make these.


Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana Treats

If you have been looking for an easy way to give the kids a healthier dessert, these Frozen Chocolate Covered Bananas are the perfect treat! With only three ingredients, these frozen bananas are super easy to make and can be created AND eaten by the kids themselves!


Peanut Butter Fudge – Just 4 Ingredients!

This vegan peanut butter fudge calls for just four ingredients and only takes a few minutes to make. It’s naturally gluten-free, grain-free, and dairy-free and has a paleo option. It can also be made with butter. It’s sweetened with maple syrup, which gives it a slightly caramel-like texture!

Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

Oh, yum. If I have to choose a favorite chocolate recipe, chocolate chip shortbread cookies would certainly be in the running. The appeal of this cookie? Few ingredients. Simple to mix and bake. Freezes great. Perfect shortbread taste with just the right amount of chocolate. Wows everyone.


Fritos Dessert Bars – Perfect Combo of Salty and Sweet

When it comes to bringing a dessert to parties there are several standards. Cookies and brownies are often the go to as they are easy for people to grab and eat. Next time it’s your turn to bring a dessert shake things up with these amazing Fritos dessert bars!


Lime Ball Dip: An Easy Appetizer or Dessert Dip

I love a good dip recipe, and I especially love this lime ball dip recipe because it’s so versatile. What you choose to serve to dip in it changes whether you use it as an appetizer dip or as a fun dessert dip. To me that really makes it one of the best party dips that I have.

4-Ingredient Homemade Mounds Bars

A homemade candy bar recipe that couldn’t be easier! 4-Ingredient Homemade Mounds Bars! This copycat coconut and chocolate treat is gluten-free, vegan, paleo, top-8 allergy-free, much healthier without the junk, but still delicious!


Almond Butter Oatmeal Cookies with 4 Ingredients

These quick, healthy, and easy almond butter oatmeal cookies are made with only 4 ingredients. This flourless dessert recipe is kid-approved and healthy enough to eat for breakfast or an after school snack!


3 Ingredient Mango Mousse

Mango is my favorite fruit, and I came up with the simplest dessert (ever) that you can make using mangoes. Whether you have frozen or fresh mangoes available, you can make this. It’s so easy, quick, and the result is always great!


Eggless Bundt Cake – 2 Ingredients

Hope you all had good Holi Celebrations yesterday. I am celebrating this weekend with yummy eggless Bundt cake that is made with only two ingredients. Absolutely divine when you have sudden sweet cravings.


These two ingredients are mostly available in our kitchen. On my younger son’s demand I made these fab Bundt cakes. You need to try it to believe it. You can serve your guests too when they come unannounced. It is not too sweet and just perfect for me. Oh my boys just loved it.

Lemon & Blueberry Dump Cake

Looking for a great dump cake recipe? This Blueberry and Lemon Dump Cake was a dessert my family and I enjoyed recently, so I wanted to let you know how easy it is to make!


Frozen Strawberry Cream Pie

Frozen Strawberry Cream Pie is absolutely delicious and a snap to put together. Another plus is, it’s a freezer pie, you can make it, throw it into the freeze a couple of days before you need it and pull it out. Make it on a weekday, put it in the freezer and your ready for summer holidays, and backyard BBQ’s.


Lemon Cream Pie

Lemon cream pie-the filling has 3 ingredients, using a premade graham cracker crust makes it a real time saver as well. it’s easy, fast to put together and absolutely delicious.


Lace Cookies

For this week’s dessert, I actually turned to my older sister’s recipe for lace cookies. I remember how her after-school ritual would include baking half a batch and sharing them with me while we completed our homework.


Peanut Butter Bars

Our friend told us that he just had the best Peanut Butter Bar at one of our favorite cafe’s. I have tried them before, they are huge in size and taste! I thought I would recreate these NO BAKE Peanut Butter Bars with only 5 ingredients.


Let me tell you they were a huge hit and everyone was asking for the recipe. Hubs took a dozen and a half to work and was hoping they all wouldn’t be eaten!


Want a blank recipe card to write down one of these recipes for your own collection or to share with a friend?


Fill out the form at the bottom of my blog post here, to get a PDF file of the image below, right in your e-mail inbox, that you can print and attach to a 3×5 card if you’d like.

Maura White
Want more details about this and other budgeting & minimalist living ideas? Check out more here!
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