Tiramisu
This is hands down the best tiramisu recipe I’ve ever eaten. Ladyfingers are dipped in coffee and layered with a creamy mascarpone mixture. A dusting of cocoa powder finishes off this stunning dessert!
What Is Tiramisu?
If you’ve never made this delectable Italian dessert before, you may be scratching your head wondering what tiramisu even is.
In essence, tiramisu is a coffee-flavored dessert comprised of ladyfinger cookies that have been dipped in coffee and layered with an egg and mascarpone cheese mixture. It’s then topped with cocoa powder and chilled for several hours.
What I’m sharing with you today is hands down the best tiramisu recipe I’ve ever eaten. It’s almost completely homemade (I used store-bought ladyfingers, but I figured you wouldn’t mind) and it’s so easy to make. Win-win!
Ingredients in This Recipe
I kept this a classic tiramisu recipe, because I didn’t see the point in messing with something that’s already perfect. Here are the tiramisu ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe:
- Egg yolks: Be sure to use large egg yolks. You can save the egg whites for an omelette or egg scramble (they’ll last about 24 hours in an airtight container in the fridge).
- Granulated sugar: Just 2/3 cup is all you need to sweeten this dessert. This isn’t an overly sweet tiramisu, but you do need some sugar to balance out the coffee.
- Salt: Enhances the rich vanilla flavor of the mascarpone filling.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract will deliver the best flavor.
- Mascarpone cheese: Not to be confused with cream cheese. You’ll find it near the other spreadable cheeses in the dairy aisle. Make sure that your mascarpone is cold too. Room temperature mascarpone has a tendency to curdled sometimes, so be sure to take it straight out of the refrigerator right before you use it.
- Heavy whipping cream: Some tiramisu recipes use whipped egg whites and some use heavy cream that’s whipped to medium or stiff peaks. While both are delicious, I prefer to use heavy cream. Your cream should be very cold so that it whips up properly. Be sure to use a heavy cream that’s at least 36% fat.
- Espresso: To make things easier, I prefer to buy Delallo instant espresso powder and mix it with warm water to get 2 cups of espresso. Just be sure the espresso is chilled before dipping the ladyfingers in it.
- Kahlua: This is completely optional, so feel free to omit it from the recipe. I used 1/4 cup in this recipe, but you can increase it to 1/2 cup.
- Ladyfingers: Make sure to use crunchy ladyfingers so that they hold up in the tiramisu. You will need about 40 to 45, which is equal to about two 7-ounce packages.
- Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder. For best results, use a metal sieve to create a fine dusting of cocoa powder on top of the dessert.
How to Make Tiramisu
Homemade tiramisu looks impressive, but it’s actually quite easy to make. You’ll start by making the mascarpone filling. To do so, combine the egg yolks, sugar, and and salt in a large bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water to cook the eggs.
You’re looking for the mixture to thicken and turn pale in color (this will take about 10 to 13 minutes). Note that the eggs and sugar need to be whisked constantly and reach a temperature of 165°F-170°F.
Once thickened, set the mixture aside to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
Once the egg mixture has cooled just slightly, add the cold mascarpone cheese and vanilla extract and whisk until well combined. Make sure not to mix too much as this could cause the mascarpone to curdle.
In a separate bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream with an electric mixer. It should be beat to medium-stiff peaks, in other words, they’re whipped enough to stand up firmly but curl just at the tip. Fold in about half of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture, then fold in the remaining whipped cream.
Now, it’s time to assemble the tiramisu dessert! Combine the Kahlua (if using) and the coffee in a shallow dish. Dip the ladyfingers into the coffee and arrange along the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Don’t let the ladyfingers sit in the espresso for too long, otherwise they can end up being soggy. Just a quick dip on each side is all they need.
Once the bottom of the pan is covered in an even layer of ladyfingers, spread half of the mascarpone mixture over top. Repeat this process once more, ending with the remaining half of the mascarpone mixture.
Dust the top of the tiramisu with cocoa powder, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 8 hours before serving. This gives the dessert time to set and for the flavors to come together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Prep This Dessert in Advance?
Absolutely! Homemade tiramisu can be made up to 24 hours before you plan on serving it. This is one of the few desserts that gets better the longer it sits in the fridge.
How Long Does Tiramisu Last?
This dessert will last up to 4 days in the fridge. Keep it covered tightly the entire time to prevent it from drying out.
Are the Egg Yolks Safe to Eat?
Yes, as long as you are not allergic to eggs they are safe to eat. This recipe has you gently cook the egg yolks and sugar over simmering water until the mixture reaches a temperature of 165°F-170°F.
Baking Tips
- I recommend separating the egg yolks from the whites in a separate bowl before combining them with the sugar. This way, if any shells sneak into the yolks or you accidentally crack in a whole egg you won’t have to start the entire recipe over.
- Be sure to use heavy whipping cream in this recipe, half and half or whole milk won’t work.
- Make sure to let this chill for at least 8 hours, overnight is even better! This will give the ladyfingers time to soften and make it easier to slice and serve the tiramisu.
More No-Bake Desserts to Try!
- Classic No-Bake Cookies
- No-Bake Cheesecake
- No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie
- No-Bake Berry Cheesecake Trifle
Recipe Video
Tiramisu
Ingredients
- 6 large egg yolks
- 2/3 cup (135 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 24 ounces (680 grams) cold mascarpone cheese (straight from the refrigerator)
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) cold heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups (480 ml) cold espresso
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) Kahlua (optional)
- 40 to 45 ladyfingers
- 1/4 cup (22 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Combine the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and salt in a large heat-proof bowl.
- Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, whisking constantly to ensure that the eggs don’t scramble.
- Once the mixture has thickened, is pale in color, and reaches a temperature of 165°F-170°F (it should take about 10 to 13 minutes) remove the bowl from the saucepan and set aside to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Whisk the cold mascarpone and vanilla extract into the egg mixture until well combined and no lumps remain (make sure not to overmix).
- In a separate cold mixing bowl with clean beaters, beat the heavy whipping cream to medium-stiff peaks.
- Fold half of the whipped cream into the mascarpone egg mixture until fully combined, then fold in the remaining whipped cream. Set aside.
- In a shallow dish, combine the cold espresso and Kahlua.
- Dip the ladyfingers into the coffee mixture, one at a time, and arrange half of them in a single layer in a 9x13 inch baking pan.
- Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers and top with another layer of dipped ladyfingers.
- Spread the remaining mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers and dust with cocoa powder.
- Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
This was amazing, I made it for Thanksgiving for my granddaughters birthday, it was the best she ever had. Everyone loved it.
Hi! Would this be okay to freeze?
I haven’t personally tried it. It may be okay, but I’m not sure how well it would thaw out.
Could you tell me what brand of lady fingers to buy from Amazon .. I can’t wait to try this recipe
I usually use either Goya or Alessi lady fingers.
I finally found lady fingers! 😅 Can I remove the eggs in this recipe?
You do need the eggs in this recipe. If you need an eggless version, I’d recommend searching for an eggless tiramisu.
Made it the night before. I was wondering if I should dust with cocoa night before or before serving it the next day?
I usually add it right after I assemble it, but either way is fine!
Can’t find lady fingers anywhere! Can I substitute with Lotus Biscoff cookies?
It may work, but I haven’t personally tried it. I have a pound cake recipe here that may be a good option, you could bake it in a loaf pan and slice it up. Or you could make your own lady fingers instead.
I played a bit around! Didn’t have enough mascarpone so I stretched it with thick, creamy plain yogurt and a bit of whipped cream! Used also frozen berries in between! It came out great! Everybody loved it!
I forgot to sprinkle the coco powder on the first layer before I started to add the second coating of the cream mixture 🫣I hope it will still taste as good as it looks
It will be fine! I only dust the top with cocoa powder 🙂
The most wonderful dessert, I have had in a long time (or even my life?!). Truly, brighten my entire day, thank you for sharing this recipe.
Is there a gluten free substitute for the lady fingers?
You could order some gluten-free lady fingers on Amazon, but if you do a quick Google search you can find several homemade recipes too.
My son wanted tiramisu for his birthday after trying it at a restaurant awhile back, I was worried at first because I am not very good at making desserts. This recipe was easy to follow, I loved that I could make it ahead of time, didn’t need to heat up the oven in July and the results were fantastic. Thank you for sharing a wonderful recipe, it was declared a new family tradition.
This recipe is AMAZING. I made for Father’s day since it is my husband’s favorite dessert. I have never made before and decided to use your recipe. The only thing I changed was I used vanilla wafers, only because no lady fingers in our super markets here. It truly is the best tiramisu I have ever had, my husband loved it and both our adult kids thought it was the best. Thank you soooo much for this recipe!!
Can I half this recipe in a 8×8 pan? Store only had one package of lady fingers. Thank you!
Yes, that would be fine!
I made this Tiramisu recipe, my first time every making Tiramisu. The instructions were great! My only suggestion would be to read the recipe all the way through. There were a couple moments I was like “aww crap”, lol. My husband can’t wait till I make it again ?!
I made this for Christmas and it was absolutely delicious. Everyone loved it. I couldn’t believe that I actually made something that divine.
Thank you for sharing. This is my forever go to recipe.
Amazing! I used Baileys and it turned out amazing!
Have you tried feeezing it?
I haven’t tried it, but it may change the texture of the filling if you freeze it and thaw it.
Made this for our Christmas office party. Everyone loved it! Really easy!
it was my first time making tiramisu, and the result was absolutely delicious.
Thank You !
Made the recipe for a family lunch and it’s delicious.
Really excellent.
So delicious! First time making tiramisu and it’s turned out wonderfully with this recipe. I will be trying a little booze next time, didn’t get the Kahlua at the store because I forgot. May try some gold rum as well. I also used the special dark cocoa and it smelled amazing. So easy to make and a complete hit. Make it!
Can you make this in a round cake instead of 9×13? Like just arrange the lady fingers in a circle?
Yes, that would be fine! It makes quite a bit, so you may need to divide it between two round cake pans.
I made this night before last for my boyfriend. Tiramisu is his favorite dessert. He LOVED it! I haven’t had a lot of tiramisu in the past, but this recipe was delicious! Not too too sweet, but definitely rich & creamy! We will definitely make it again!
It is delicious
Which brand of lady fingers did you use there are so many types?
I’ve used Alessi and Goya, they both worked great!
Made this for lunch with family and friends. Everyone loved it. Fabulous!!!
I used 2 cups of strong coffee and 1/4 cup kahlua. After dipping the lady fingers, I still had 2 cups of the mixture left over. Should I have left them in the mixture longer?
No, that’s normal. You won’t use all of the coffee mixture, but you do need that much to be able to easily and quickly dip the lady fingers.
This was the best tiramisu I’ve ever had, and I literally just got back from Italy where I had tiramisu every night at every restaurant I ate at. To top it off, the two grocery stores I went to were out of heavy cream so I even had to use Ready Whip canned whipped cream and it was still ridiculous, I’m looking forward to using this with really good homemade whipped cream. It was only sitting for about an hour or two when I ate it so I’m also looking forward to trying it tomorrow after it’s really set. I will be keeping this recipe forever. Thank you for sharing this – phenomenal!
Thank you, Cassidy! So glad you loved the tiramisu recipe!
This is an absolutely amazing recipe! I LOVE tiramisu, and yet I never thought to attempt making it myself, it always appeared to be too elaborate…. but it’s actually quite easy!! It came out so great, I was so proud that I actually made it!
Is there a substitute for the Mascarpone?
You may be able to use cream cheese, but I haven’t tried it. There are a lot of mascarpone substitutes online that use a mixture of cream cheese, heavy cream, and sometimes sour cream. It may be best to use something like that so that it’s more similar to mascarpone.
The first time I made this, after I’d assembled & dusted the tiramisu, I found I had left the custard (steps 1-3) in the fridge where it was cooling. Yikes! I scraped as much of the mascarpone/cream mix into the neglected custard and “reapplied” it to the ladyfingers. Needless to say it was a bit of a mess, but (hey) it’s tiramisu and gets mixed up anyway. And it didn’t last long! I now see that step 4 begins “Whisk **in** the cold mascarpone…” (I’d only whisked **together** the mascarpone & vanilla, then folded in the whipped cream.) I assume I was to have combined the mascarpone with the custard at step 4 (which I’ll do next time).
Sorry about that confusion on that step! I’ve updated it to make it more clear, so hopefully that doesn’t happen again. You’re correct, you do whisk the mascarpone and vanilla into the custard. Glad you still enjoyed the recipe though!
Just made for team pot luck at work. Made a small one for me to try.. AMAZING!
Made this Tiramisu recipe for my husband’s birthday (Tiramisu is his favorite dessert) last week, and it was outstanding! Last month, we bought a piece of Tiramisu made from the Bakery at Eataly, West Los Angeles. It was NOTHING like the Tiramisu I’ve tasted in Italy, or in excellent Italian restaurants both in the US and in Italy. Disappointing is an understatement. Your recipe was light, creamy, with just the right amount of softness and texture in the Ladyfingers. The Tiramisu was a hit with my husband, our neighbors and I. It is the best Tiramisu recipe I’ve made – hands down!
If there was one thing (which is a personal preference) to adjust the next time I make it, it will be to add an additional teaspoon of instant espresso to emphasize a bit stronger coffee taste .
Thank you Danielle for this excellent Tiramisu recipe. It will be made several times, for many occasions!
Thank you, Colette! So glad you loved the tiramisu!
Where do you find Lady Fingers at? I never seen that anywhere before?
I can usually find them at my local grocery store, but you can also order them on Amazon.
I kept looking in my bakery section unsuccessfully or when I did find them they were way too spongy. But if you look in the cookie aisle close to Oreos and stuff like that they should be there
i just bought all the stuff today, and i struggled to find them too. they weren’t in the baking isle, or the cookie isle, they were actually in the produce section right beside the angel food cake!