15 Desserts You Can Make in 15 Minutes or Less

Sometimes you need dessert fast – whether you forgot about a potluck, got a sudden craving, or just want something sweet without all the work. These 15 desserts prove you don’t need hours in the kitchen to make something delicious. Most use ingredients you probably already have at home and require minimal cooking skills. Perfect for busy weeknights, last-minute guests, or when patience isn’t your strong suit.

3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

These only need peanut butter, sugar, and an egg – that’s it! Mix them together, roll into balls, flatten with a fork, and bake for 10 minutes. They’re not the prettiest cookies but they taste amazing and you probably have everything you need right now. The texture is chewy and peanut buttery. Kids love helping make these since there’s basically no way to mess them up. Perfect when you need cookies fast or have a peanut butter craving. Get the link here.

Chocolate Mug Cake

This individual cake cooks in the microwave in about 90 seconds. You mix flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and a few other ingredients right in a mug and microwave it. The texture is somewhere between cake and brownie. Some recipes let you add chocolate chips or nuts if you want. It’s not fancy but it satisfies that chocolate cake craving immediately. Great for late night dessert emergencies or when you only want one serving. Get the link here.

No-Bake Chocolate Oat Cookies

These don’t require any baking – just mix everything in a pot, boil for a minute, then drop on wax paper to cool. They have oats, cocoa powder, peanut butter, and vanilla. The texture is chewy and they taste like chocolate peanut butter. They set up in about 10 minutes on the counter. My mom used to make these when it was too hot to turn on the oven in summer. Perfect for camping or when your oven’s broken. Get the link here.

Strawberries and Cream Parfait

Layer sliced strawberries with whipped cream (or cool whip if you’re in a hurry) and maybe some crushed cookies or graham crackers for crunch. Some recipes add a drizzle of honey or a sprinkle of sugar to the berries. You can make these in glasses or jars which look fancy but take no skill. The key is using really good strawberries when they’re in season. These look impressive but are basically just assembling ingredients. Get the link here.

5-Minute Fudge

This uses sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips melted in the microwave. Stir in some vanilla and nuts if you want, then pour into a lined pan. It sets up firm in the fridge in about an hour but you can cut it sooner if you’re impatient. The texture isn’t as smooth as fancy fudge but it’s really good and so easy. Great for holiday gifts when you need something homemade but don’t have time for complicated candy making. Get the link here.

Banana Ice Cream (Nice Cream)

Freeze sliced bananas ahead of time, then blend them in a food processor until they turn creamy like soft-serve ice cream. It takes about 5 minutes of processing. You can add cocoa powder, peanut butter, or berries for different flavors. The texture is surprisingly creamy for something that’s just fruit. This is healthier than regular ice cream but still feels like a treat. Perfect for hot days when you want something cold and sweet. Get the link here.

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

Melt chocolate chips in the microwave, dip strawberries, and let them set on wax paper. Takes maybe 10 minutes total including melting time. The trick is making sure the strawberries are completely dry before dipping or the chocolate won’t stick. These look fancy and romantic but are actually super easy. You can roll them in chopped nuts or sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet. Perfect for date nights or Valentine’s Day. Get the link here.

Rice Crispy Treats

Melt marshmallows and butter in a big pot, stir in Rice Krispies cereal, press into a pan, and cut when cool. These take about 10 minutes to make and everyone loves them. The key is not cooking the marshmallows too long or they get hard. Some people add vanilla or use flavored marshmallows for variety. These taste way better homemade than the store-bought ones. Great for bake sales or when you need to bring something to share. Get the recipe here.

Nutella Crepes

The crepe batter is just flour, eggs, milk, and a pinch of salt whisked together. Cook thin pancakes in a non-stick pan for about a minute each, spread with Nutella while warm, and fold or roll up. Fresh fruit like bananas or strawberries make them even better. The crepes themselves take practice but even weird-shaped ones taste good. These feel fancy but are really just thin pancakes with chocolate spread. Get the link here.

Oreo Truffles

Crush up a package of Oreos, mix with cream cheese, roll into balls, and dip in melted chocolate. They set up in the fridge pretty quick. The inside tastes like cookies and cream cheesecake while the outside is chocolate. These look professional but are so simple a kid could make them. You can use different cookie types or add sprinkles on top. Perfect for parties since they look fancy but cost way less than buying something similar. Get the link here.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Bark

Melt chocolate, spread it on a lined baking sheet, drop spoonfuls of peanut butter on top, and swirl with a toothpick. Let it set in the fridge then break into pieces. You can add nuts, pretzels, or whatever you like while the chocolate is still soft. This looks impressive but is basically just melted chocolate with stuff mixed in. Great for using up random ingredients or making gifts that look homemade and fancy. Get the link here.

Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

Cut up whatever fruit you have, mix honey with lime juice and zest, and toss everything together. The lime keeps the fruit from browning and the honey adds sweetness without being too heavy. Some recipes add fresh mint which makes it taste even fresher. This is healthy but still feels like dessert, especially if you use really good fruit. Perfect for summer BBQs or when you want something light after a heavy meal. Get the link here.

Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips with Fruit Salsa

Cut flour tortillas into triangles, brush with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and bake for about 8 minutes until crispy. The fruit salsa is just diced fruit with a squeeze of lime. Kids love this and it’s fun to eat. The combination of crispy, sweet chips with fresh fruit is really good. This is great for parties or after-school snacks. You can prep the fruit ahead and just make the chips when you want them. Get the link here.

No-Bake Cheesecake Cups

Beat cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla, fold in whipped cream, and spoon into cups over a graham cracker crust (just crushed crackers mixed with melted butter). These set up in the fridge pretty quick. They taste like real cheesecake but without the baking and water bath hassle. You can top with berries or chocolate sauce. Perfect for when you want cheesecake but don’t have hours to make the real thing. Get the link here.

Microwave S’mores

Put chocolate and marshmallows between graham crackers and microwave for about 30 seconds. The marshmallow puffs up and the chocolate melts just like over a campfire. You gotta eat them fast while everything’s still melty. These aren’t as good as real campfire s’mores but they satisfy the craving when you can’t have a fire. Perfect for rainy days when kids want s’mores or late night snack attacks. Way easier than trying to roast marshmallows on the stove. Get the link here.