food “Go Back Better” in Partnership with Boar’s Head Hummus
By Katherine Gillen
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Published Sep 23, 2020
Look, we love a pint of Ben & Jerry’s as much as the next person, but sometimes you want to be a little more adventurous—without throwing your entire kitchen into disarray. Or spending all day baking. These 25 easy dessert recipes require a measly five ingredients or less (plus the occasional, optional whipped cream topping or rainbow sprinkles).
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Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
1. 3-ingredient Blood Orange Granita
Granita is a lot like a snow cone. You know, one that’s chic and not limited to the summer months.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
2. 3-ingredient Coconut Ice Cream
It’s sweetened with honey, but you can use maple syrup to make it vegan. Bonus points for dishing this up in a halved pineapple for presentation.
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Photo: Matt Dutile/Styling: Erin McDowell
3. Easy Chocolate Marshmallow Cups
These lil’ cuties are rich, velvety and a treat you’d pay top dollar for at a fancy bakery (but they taste even better than that).
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
4. Cheater’s Mini Rhubarb Galettes
Want to know a secret? We use store-bought pie dough to make this recipe a breeze.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
5. Frozen Chocolate Soufflé
A typical soufflé is intimidating (and makes us feel like Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina). Our solution? Freeze it.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
6. One-ingredient Watermelon Sorbet
This sounds too good to be true, but we promise it’s not.
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Photo: Matt Dutile/Styling: Erin McDowell
7. Blackberry Jam Pie-crust Straws
If you, like us, crave pie once every 5 seconds, these flaky pastries have you name on them. They take 35 minutes to make and half that time is totally hands off.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
8. Cold Brew Ice Pops
This might be the most delicious way to get your caffeine fix.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
9. Rosé Poached Pears With Ginger And Vanilla
Fruit for dessert is usually a snooze-fest…unless it’s cooked in an entire bottle of wine.
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Photo/Styling: Katherine Gillen
10. 3-ingredient Ice Cream (with Endless Variations)
Start with vanilla and add any mix-ins you want. Caramel swirl? Crushed cookies? Sounds delish.
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Erin McDowell
11. Mini Caramel Apples
Psst: The caramel comes from melted store-bought candies, but you don’t have to tell anyone.
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Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell
12. 3-ingredient Strawberry Ice-cream Shell
You can swap the strawberry for any flavor, but the rainbow sprinkles are nonnegotiable.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
13. Ruby Red Grapefruit Panna Cotta
This classic Italian dessert is really easy to make and lightly cleanses your palate—instead of filling you up—after a big meal.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
14. Raspberry Prosecco Ice Pops
Frozen Bellini on a stick? Don’t mind if we do.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
15. Ice-cream Cupcakes
They can be kept in the freezer for up to two weeks, so make a batch now and eat them whenever.
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Tara Donne/Cooking Solo
16. Cantaloupe-mint Sorbet
What has four ingredients and tastes like the essence of sunshine? This sorbet is what.
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Yumna Jawad/Feel Good Foodie
17. 3-ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
When a cookie craving strikes, there’s no time to fuss over a complicated recipe. These take 20 minutes to make and we bet you have every ingredient already in your pantry.
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Aubrie Pick/Cravings: Hungry for More
18. Chrissy Teigen’s 3-ingredient Chocolate Mousse
The salty puffed rice hazelnut crackle is optional (but worth the extra effort).
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
19. Berry-coconut Rocket Pops
They’re just like the ones from the ice cream truck of your childhood, only grown up and even more delicious.
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Matt Russell/Tin Can Magic
20. Salted Coconut Sorbet With Peanuts
Here’s proof that you don’t need an ice-cream maker to make homemade sorbet.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
21. Watermelon-kiwi Ice Pops
While you could use special molds for these pops, paper cups also do the trick.
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Taryn Pire
22. The Easiest 3-ingredient Brigadeiros, Two Ways
It’s the next best thing to hopping a flight to Brazil.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
23. Cookies-and-cream Ice Pops
They’re cold, frosty and no-cook. The hardest part is waiting for them to come out of the freezer.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
24. No-bake Sugar Cookie Truffles
Switch up the sprinkles for a festive dessert that’s ready for any celebration (or Tuesday night).
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
25. Fresh Fruit Ice Pops
If you ask us, you’re never too old to enjoy an ice pop.
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Katherine Gillen
Senior Food Editor
Katherine Gillenis PureWow’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City...
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