76 Easter Dessert Recipes That Are *Almost* Too Pretty to Eat

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser

Our light-as-air take on classic Swedish semlor is as pretty as it is delicious. Every bite is like a frothy, warm-spiced cloud, so go ahead, have two slices (or three).

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, no bake, beginner-friendly

Tell your oven to sit this one out—the fridge and freezer have it covered. Make it even easier on yourself by using store-bought graham cracker crust instead of making your own.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead

Any Easter dessert recipe that comes together in 30 minutes is one we want on our menu. The simple cheesecake filling is marbled with a dollop of store-bought jam for a spring-inspired finishing touch.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser

Sweet, tangy and basically born to be Instagrammed. Garnish the gluten-free stunner with chopped pistachios for both color and texture (and serve it with vanilla ice cream if you're feeling decadent).

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly

Your favorite childhood lunchbox snack is all grown up. To ensure the cookies turn out supremely chewy, take care to not overbake them—when the edges are just turning golden, they’re ready.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: one pan, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser

Your cast iron skillet guarantees crispy edges and a soft, fluffy center. Crown it with a generous dusting of confectioners' sugar or lots of fresh whipped cream.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy

Isn't she lovely? Greek yogurt and condensed milk star in the filling, while coconut flakes and white chocolate chunks take the graham cracker crust over the top.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy

Frozen store-bought puff pastry makes this Easter dessert recipe a cinch to pull off, even for newbies. Vanilla ice cream is *technically* optional...but we don't know why you'd skip it.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes (plus freezing time)
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients

Ice cream machine? Never heard of it. Not only is it no-churn, but it'll also stay smooth for weeks in the freezer without getting icy, thanks to the silky Italian meringue base.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly

Just like its namesake, from the walnuts to the chocolate chips to the butterscotch. A modest dose of banana extract infuses every crumb with nostalgia.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, sheet pan recipe

Giant baking sheet > dainty pie plate. If you're serving a crowd, this 13-by-9-inch Easter dessert recipe is just the ticket. Finish it with turbinado sugar and whipped cream.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly

This simple sweet proves that sometimes, less is more. Bonus points for grilling each slice (outdoor on the barbecue if the weather allows, or indoor on a grill pan) before topping it with berries.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaszer

Just roll, chill, slice, bake and devour—such is the magic of icebox cookies. Prep the dough a few days ahead of Easter, then bake them fresh after dinner to wow your guests.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly

Who needs frosting? Start with the ripest, sweetest pineapple you can find (they're at peak deliciousness in spring), or substitute peaches, nectarines, apricots, strawberries or any other berry or stone fruit you'd prefer.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients

Warm, homemade blueberry syrup is a ridiculously easy way to dress up boxed cake mix. We won't tell your guests about the shortcut (as long as we get the first slice at Easter dessert).

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: make ahead, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly

Is it breakfast or dessert? Doesn’t matter—it’s delicious. The doughnuts are baked instead of fried, so they're decidedly low-lift and your house won't smell like oil when your relatives arrive.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead

There’s just enough frosting to sweeten the deal, but not so much that it becomes cloying. Plus, the barely-there application will make the cake look like you ordered it from a fancy bakery.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly

It’s like two desserts in one (think biscuit meets cupcake), and what could be wrong with that? Even the pickiest eaters at the kids' table will ask for seconds.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser

Everything can be prepared a day ahead, so assembling this Easter dessert recipe is a breeze. Add golden raisins to the batter for a pop of chewy sweetness in every bite.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: no bake, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser

You don’t even have to turn on the oven. (Good looking out, store-bought ladyfingers.) You also won't need to make your own fruit compote, since this Easter dessert recipe calls for jarred jam or jelly.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly

It’ll take you less time to make these than it will for the kids to find those hidden Easter eggs. The frosting gets its blush hue from freeze-dried strawberries, not food dye.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients

These summery treats look fancy and everyone will think they took significant effort. Don’t tell them the truth—and let the compliments roll in.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead

The topping gets its color from freeze-dried blueberries, making it the ultimate match for tart lemon filling. One crucial tip: Once you add the cornstarch, make sure to boil it for a full 30 seconds to cook off any starchy flavors and ensure your pie sets properly.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, make ahead

It takes 40 minutes from start to finish, and its texture is impossibly moist, thanks to Greek yogurt in the batter. Best of all, the leftovers will make a great breakfast (if there are any, that is).

• Time Commitment: 3 hours
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, make ahead

You'll need to cook the compote for this low-lift sweet, but we promise it's worth the work. The lemon zest in the filling is the trick to keeping this decadent Easter dessert recipe from tasting too sweet.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy

All you need is a few hibiscus tea bags to make the vibrant, sweet-tart frosting. If you’re craving extra oohs and ahhs, take things a step further with sprinkles or edible flowers.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser

There’s a little ray of sunshine in every bite. You don't *need* to torch the meringue topping, but we'd argue that it makes this Easter dessert recipe all the more Insta-worthy.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly

Which would you rather: a bunch of store-bought Easter candy or a homemade cake that tastes like candy? That's what we thought. Cinnamon sugar, chocolate chunks and two-ingredient chocolate glaze unite to create an irresistible mashup.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly

It's rhubarb's time to shine, and its tart flavor is just the thing to complement creamy rice pudding. Did we mention it's only eight ingredients away?

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy

No need to stop by that fancy (and expensive) bakery—you can make the gourmet treats at home. Each bun is finished with a bright raspberry or blueberry glaze for good measure.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly

Fluffy meringue + creamy lemon custard + sugar cookie crust = pure Easter magic. Be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice in the filling; the bottled kind doesn't compare.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients

Don’t tell anyone you used pre-made pie dough and they’ll be none the wiser. You'll only need four more ingredients for this Easter dessert recipe to boot, including the turbinado sugar on top.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients

Store-bought angel food cake gets gussied up with a few simple fixings, and suddenly it’s a fancy Easter dessert. Your guests won't mind the shortcut once they taste the zingy fruit sauce.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly

Enter this pretty-in-pink crowd-pleaser that’ll blow everyone away. The lattice is easier to accomplish than you may think, but you can opt for a double-crust pie instead if you're pressed for time.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients

Whip up a 20-minute classic and please everyone in one fell swoop without breaking a sweat. If you want to go the extra mile, serve the curd in tart crusts, atop pound cake or with fresh fruit.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, gluten free, <10 ingredients

One look at these cuties and your relatives will think you’re some kind of fancy pastry chef or something. Bonus? This Easter dessert recipe is gluten free, so your wheat-allergic guests can indulge all they want.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: no bake, gluten free, make ahead, crowd-pleaser

Wait, you’re telling us these are gluten free, vegan and delicious? Believe it, friends. The intensely chocolatey brownies have a base of pitted dates, almonds and cocoa powder.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients

It's light, airy and looks like something you'd see on The Great British Bake-Off. Color your dinner guests impressed. We're betting most of the ingredients are already in your kitchen, too.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly

This Easter dessert recipe is begging for a spot in your kid's lunchbox. Make sure you don’t over-bake the cakes, so they can be their softest, most delightful selves.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy

The key to a successful soufflé is in the mixing. Don't overdo it (and don't slam the sheet tray down on the counter when you take them out of the oven) and you'll be in the clear, baker extraordinaire.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients

This is so much better than those mediocre chocolate eggs you’ve been snacking on. The easy Easter dessert recipe is garnished with whipped cream, toasted hazelnuts and chopped dark chocolate for a fancy finishing touch.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy

It looks decadent but it's actually light enough that you could eat two slices if you wanted (warning: you’ll want to). It's basically an artfully arranged stack of meringue, lemon curd, raspberry jam and fresh fruit.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead

Fudgy in the center, chewy at the edges and deeply chocolatey. A chunk of milk chocolate is pressed into the middle of each of these cuties, in case your kids need more convincing.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours
• Why I Love It: gluten free, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly

What looks whimsical and fancy but is actually so simple to make? This guy. Think marshmallow-y meringue slathered with homemade grapefruit curd and vanilla-kissed whipped cream.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly

Yup, chocolate whipped cream is a thing—a heavenly, drool-worthy thing. If you want to swap the raspberries for strawberries, be our guest. It’ll still take 25 minutes to make.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser

This marshmallow-filled Easter dessert beats drugstore candy any day. With powdered gelatin on your side, this six-ingredient treat is actually a breeze to master.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, special occasion-worthy

Match your dessert to your blossoming garden. The key is using an assortment of edible flowers; violets, pansies, roses and lavender are all fair game.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy

Brunch favorite meets dessert favorite for an easy, photogenic home run. Take your pick of lemon curd, marmalade or Nutella for the eggs' filling.

• Time Commitment: 4 hours and 45 minutes (includes cooling time)
• Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser

If you’re more of a traditionalist when it comes to Easter dessert recipes, festively frosted sugar cookies are always a good idea. Let the kids help you decorate them after the egg hunt.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, make ahead

Keep it simple and frosted or adorn it with elegant edible flowers. Either way, the four-ingredient, tangy cream cheese frosting is mandatory.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy

We love the look of candied citrus, freeze-dried strawberries and pistachios on these simple cookies, but sprinkles would be cute (and kid-friendly) too.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, make ahead

Maybe next year, Cadbury. For now, we're all about this simple mix of Oreo cookies, cream cheese and a duo of chocolates for decorating. Make them up to a week in advance.

• Time Commitment: 4 hours
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly

Complete with sweet-and-sour lemon cream cheese frosting. When you cut a slice, the candy eggs will pour out in piñata-like fashion, so ready your camera before serving.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly

Confession: We’d eat these any time of year. But they feel especially appropriate as winter turns to spring. Crushed Ritz crackers offer the optimal dose saltiness to every spoonful.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly

This triple threat is one for the books, if you ask us. We can’t decide what we love most: the chocolate cookie “dirt,” the bunny booties or the painless 20-minute baking time.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly

Set this stuff out in a candy dish and watch it disappear in 30 seconds flat. Besides the saltine cracker base, they're endlessly riffable, so use whatever candies or sprinkles you'd like.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser

We always had a hunch banana bread would be better with frosting. The brown butter (aka liquid gold) in the batter takes it over the top with rich nuttiness.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser

They’re just like the ones your mom used to make, but so much easier. This Easter dessert recipe starts with a four-ingredients shortbread crust that picky eaters will gobble up.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, sheet pan recipe, beginner-friendly

Leave the stuffy crystal trifle bowl in your Aunt Sandy's bag. (After a few mimosas, she won't even notice.) A sheet pan is less fussy, plus makes the Easter dessert recipe easier to share.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly

Name a recipe that cream cheese hasn't improved, we'll wait. Ideally you'd let the cake cool completely before frosting it, but we won't judge if you can't wait that long. (Warm chocolate chip cookie cake sounds pretty magical to us.)

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly

Gooey caramel (read: easy store-bought dulce de leche), soft bananas, airy whipped cream and crisp graham cracker crumbles? This will do.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients

A galette is just a freeform pie, so it’s easy to assemble and bake—even if you’re having company. The store-bought frozen pie crust can stay between us.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours
• Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients

Thick, photo-worthy and oh-so festive. Experiment by swapping the vanilla extract in the recipe for other varieties, like coffee or peanut butter (both would pair well with the almond flavor).

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, make ahead

This super moist Easter dessert recipe is begging to be served with Earl Grey lattes. Swap the Meyer lemons for easier-to-find regular lemons if you want to simplify it further.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly

We’ve moved on from dyeing eggs—this year, we’re coloring doughnuts. Use a wooden skewer to swirl the food coloring through the easy glaze to create a Pinterest-approved marbled look.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly

These simple cookies scream spring. Fill them with fruit jam or Nutella, then dust them with confectioners' sugar for a dainty finishing touch.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, beginner-friendly

Inspired by Polish sernik, this spin on cheesecake requires no crust or water bath to come together. Pro tip: Smother it in caramel, melted chocolate or berry compote.

• Time Commitment: 4 hours
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, make ahead

The sweet-and-salty graham cracker crumble tastes like pie crust, but is delightfully low-maintenance. The meringue is also cooked already, so you can serve it without baking or torching it for maximum ease.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, beginner-friendly

Nine ingredients and 20 minutes stand between you and this Easter dessert recipe. The secret to the dough's pale pink color is freeze-dried raspberries, which also infuse the cookies with sweet-tart, spring-inspired flavor.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, special occasion-worthy

Whether you serve it for brunch or dessert, drench it in every drop of lemon glaze. The cake can be made with whole milk yogurt or from-scratch cashew-coconut yogurt if you'd prefer the dessert to be dairy free.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly

This picky eater-proof masterpiece is only nine simple ingredients away. Malted milk powder makes the cookies nutty and toasty, but you can add crushed freeze-dried berries to the dough for a sweet-tart twist.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes (plus chilling time)
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, <10 ingredients

This riff on a French classic is totally plant-based, and you'll only need eight ingredients to pull it off. Aquafaba (aka chickpea water) and vegan butter make it possible.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes (plus chilling time)
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy

Think of this sweet-and-salty Easter dessert recipe as a key lime pie-lemon meringue hybrid. Its signature flavor is courtesy of a buttery saltine cracker crust, while the key to the filling is sweetened condensed milk.

• Time Commitment: 45 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser

You technically only need seven ingredients to pull these vibrant, dangerously poppable cookies off, considering the recipe calls for homemade or store-bought lemon curd. Your shortcut is safe with us.

• Time Commitment: 4 hours and 30 minutes (includes chilling time)
• Why I Love It: no bake, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly

This fruity spin on tiramisu is coffee-free, but it's still no-bake and a breeze to assemble. You'll only need to cook the raspberry sauce; the rest is soaking, stacking and waiting for it to chill.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy

We don't care what season it is: Chocolate is always invited to dessert. Gluten free, elegant and finished with a flourish of flaky salt, this tart is sure to satisfy picky kids and hard-to-please relatives alike.