These individual tiramisu cups are made with layers of creamy mascarpone, and ladyfingers, and topped with cocoa powder.
These tiramisu cups are made by carefully layering different ingredients in small glasses or cups. At the bottom, you'll find ladyfingers, which are light and spongy cookies soaked in coffee.
On top of that comes a smooth and rich layer of mascarpone cream, which is a type of Italian cheese mixed with sugar and vanilla. This creamy layer is repeated, creating a tasty pattern of flavors.
To finish it off, the top is dusted with cocoa powder, giving the dessert its signature look and adding a hint of chocolate flavor.
These tiramisu cups are not only tasty but also look beautiful, making them perfect for parties or as a special after-dinner treat.
For more tiramisu variation recipes, check out my Baileys tiramisu, lemon tiramisu, strawberry tiramisu, tiramisu cheesecake, and tiramisu cake.
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Why this recipe works
- Creamy texture- these have a smooth, velvety texture that melts in your mouth, with the creamy mascarpone cream and soaked soft ladyfingers.
- Rich flavor- the combination of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cream which is topped with cocoa powder creates a perfect balance of sweet and slightly bitter tastes.
- Easy to serve- these are pre-portioned which eliminate the need for cutting and plating, making them ideal for parties or quick desserts at home.
- No bake- this is a no-bake recipe and is made without eggs. So there is no need to turn on the oven or cook it on the stove!
- Time- you will only need 20 minutes to prep these easy treats and is perfect when you are short in time but still want to make a delicious and impressive dessert.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Mascarpone cheese- is the most important ingredient, make sure that you put your mascarpone cheese at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before starting to make the recipe.
Heavy cream- make sure that your heavy cream is cold. Cold heavy cream whips better and quicker.
Espresso coffee- I made espresso coffee with our coffee machine, but you can use instant coffee and hot water and make a strong coffee as well.
Granulated sugar- you will need ½ cup of granulated sugar for this recipe. The dessert will be sweet, but not too sweet.
Liqueur- for an authentic tiramisu, it's best to use a coffee-flavored Italian liqueur such as Marsala wine or dark rum, which enhances the dessert's rich coffee notes and adds depth to its overall flavor profile.
Ladyfingers- I used store-bought ladyfingers, but homemade ladyfingers will work amazing for this recipe!
Dutch-process cocoa powder– I like to use Dutch-process cocoa powder for this because I like the deep and rich chocolate taste, but the natural cocoa powder will work great as well!
Instructions
Make the espresso coffee and let it cool for a few minutes. Set aside while you are making the mascarpone cream.
Into a large mixing bowl, add the heavy cream and the sugar and mix with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. (don't overbeat the mixture so you don't create butter)
Add the mascarpone cheese (which is at room temperature) and mix it lightly into the whipped cream using a spatula until a creamy mixture forms.
Transfer the mixture into a piping bag. We didn't use a piping tip, we simply cut a large but not too large hole in the tip of the bag.
Start to pipe the mascarpone cream into the glass, break the ladyfingers into 3 pieces and dip them in the coffee mixture, and top the layer of cream with the dipped ladyfingers.
Repeat with another layer of cream, and another layer of ladyfingers, and finish with another layer of cream.
Cover the glasses/jars with lids or plastic wrap and place them in the fridge to chill for at least 3 hours. Dust the glasses with cocoa powder, serve, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Make sure that you are using room-temperature mascarpone cheese in this recipe, this step makes it easier to mix the cheese with no unnecessary lumps, we don’t want that in your cream mixture.
- A single tiramisu cup will serve 2 people.
- Use high-fat mascarpone cheese. Using full-fat cream mascarpone ensures that your dessert will be stable.
- Avoid overmixing the cream. Overmixing can lead to a grainy texture and affect the overall consistency of your tiramisu. Mix the cream just until it reaches soft peaks, then gently fold it into the other ingredients.
- Choose the right ladyfingers. Look for Italian savoiardi biscuits, which are dry and crisp. These will hold up better when soaked in coffee and maintain their structure in the tiramisu.
- Dust with cocoa powder just before serving. To prevent the cocoa powder from absorbing moisture and becoming soggy, add this final touch right before presenting your tiramisu. This ensures a fresh, attractive appearance and adds a burst of chocolate flavor.
- Soak ladyfingers briefly. Dip each ladyfinger in the coffee mixture for just 1-2 seconds. Over-soaking can lead to a soggy tiramisu, while under-soaking results in a dry texture.
- Allow proper chilling time. Refrigerate your tiramisu for at least 4-6 hours, or preferably overnight. This allows the flavors to meld and the dessert to set properly, resulting in cleaner slices and a more cohesive taste.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently to ensure that you have a homogeneous mixture that has no cheese lumps.
- Make sure that you make this dessert with the best quality ingredients that you can find and afford. The quality of the ingredients is what makes this dessert delish.
Faq's
Yes! You can make this exact recipe into an eggless tiramisu in a regular rectangle pan. Simply follow the recipe as written and create layers of ladyfingers soaked in coffee and mascarpone cream. Finally dust with cocoa powder.
To prevent your dessert from becoming soggy, make sure that you dip your ladyfingers in the coffee for 1-2 seconds and do not soak it for a few seconds.
No. Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese made with heavy cream, and whipping cream is made with heavy cream that didn't go through the process of cheese making.
You can find mascarpone cheese in the deli section of your grocery store, where all the cheeses, hummus, and meat products.
Storing
Store this dessert in the fridge (because it contains dairy) covered tightly with plastic wrap for up to 3 days. I like eating this the day after.
Freezing
Put the tiramisu in a container that won't let air in. You can use plastic wrap or foil to cover it tightly. This keeps ice from forming on top.
Then, put the freezer-friendly container in the freezer. It's best to eat the tiramisu within a month. When you want to eat it, take it out of the freezer and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours.
This helps it thaw slowly and keeps it tasting good. Once it's soft enough, you can enjoy your frozen tiramisu!
Substitutions
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the ladyfingers with gluten-free ladyfingers.
Cream cheese- if you can't find mascarpone cheese, you can use cream cheese instead.
Make it in advance
To make tiramisu cups ahead: follow the recipe, omitting the final cocoa powder layer, then cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Before serving, add fresh cocoa powder. This method allows flavors to meld, softens ladyfingers, and ensures a chilled dessert. It saves time and reduces stress when hosting, letting you focus on other preparations.
Variations
Chocolate- if you would like a more chocolaty flavor in your dessert, top your tiramisu cup with cocoa powder, and grated dark chocolate.
Kid-friendly- leave out the alcohol and use decaf espresso for a kid-friendly dessert.
Berries- top the dessert with a berry compote or fresh berries to make it a fresh summer dessert.
Flavor- you can make mascarpone cream in various flavors like strawberry, lemon, and baileys. Click on each flavor for the full recipe for the mascarpone-flavored cream.
Equipment
- Dessert cups- these are perfect for events, entertaining, and this type of dessert!
- I also recommend using an electric hand mixer to make sure your mixture is smooth and perfect. You can also use a stand mixer for this with a balloon attachment.
- Rubber spatula
- Mixing bowl (set of 3)
- Pastry bag
- Round piping tip
More tiramisu recipes
Tiramisu cake with mascarpone cream- This tiramisu cake is made with genoise cake layers soaked with espresso and filled with creamy and silky mascarpone cream, then topped with plenty of cocoa powder.
Easy eggless tiramisu- This easy tiramisu is made with coffee-soaked ladyfingers, easy eggless mascarpone cream, and topped with cocoa powder!
Mascarpone whipped cream- This mascarpone whipped cream is the perfect not-too-sweet and stable frosting that goes perfectly on everything!
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below. We love hearing from you.
If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Easy Tiramisu Cups
Ingredients
- 1 lbs Mascarpone cheese room temp
- 2 cups Heavy cream cold
- ½ cup Granulated sugar
- 14 Ladyfingers
- 1 cup Espresso
- 1 tablespoon Liqueur optional
- 2 tablespoon Cocoa powder
Instructions
- Make the espresso coffee and let it cool for a few minutes. Set aside while you are making the mascarpone cream.
- Into a big mixing bowl, add the heavy cream and the sugar and mix with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. (dont overbeat the mixture so you dont create butter)
- Add the mascarpone cheese (which in in room temperature) and mix it lightly into the whipped cream using a spatula until a creamy mixture forms.
- Transfer the mixture into a piping bag. We didn't use a piping tip, we simply cut a large but not too large hole in the tip of the bag.
- Start to pipe the mascarpone cream into the glass, break ladyfingers into 3 pieces and dip them in the coffee mixture, and top the layer of cream with the dipped ladyfingers.
- Repeat with another layer of cream, and another layer or ladyfingers, and finish with another layer of cream.
- Cover the glasses/jars with lids or a plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for at least 3 hours.
- s with cocoa powder, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure that you are using room-temperature mascarpone cheese in this recipe, this step makes it easier to mix the cheese with no unnecessary lumps, we don’t want that in your cream mixture.
- A single tiramisu cup will serve 2 people.
- Use high-fat mascarpone cheese. Using full-fat cream mascarpone ensures that your dessert will be stable.
- Avoid overmixing the cream. Overmixing can lead to a grainy texture and affect the overall consistency of your tiramisu. Mix the cream just until it reaches soft peaks, then gently fold it into the other ingredients.
- Choose the right ladyfingers. Look for Italian savoiardi biscuits, which are dry and crisp. These will hold up better when soaked in coffee and maintain their structure in the tiramisu.
- Dust with cocoa powder just before serving. To prevent the cocoa powder from absorbing moisture and becoming soggy, add this final touch right before presenting your tiramisu. This ensures a fresh, attractive appearance and adds a burst of chocolate flavor.
- Soak ladyfingers briefly. Dip each ladyfinger in the coffee mixture for just 1-2 seconds. Over-soaking can lead to a soggy tiramisu, while under-soaking results in a dry texture.
- Allow proper chilling time. Refrigerate your tiramisu for at least 4-6 hours, or preferably overnight. This allows the flavors to meld and the dessert to set properly, resulting in cleaner slices and a more cohesive taste.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently to ensure that you have a homogeneous mixture that has no cheese lumps.
- Make sure that you make this dessert with the best quality ingredients that you can find and afford. The quality of the ingredients is what makes this dessert delish.
LD
Just made these last night and they were delicious. We added in 0.75 teaspoon of vanilla to bring it up a notch. Ratio was perfect.
We will make these next week for our baby shower! Thank you.