Recipe Roundup

61 Easter Desserts, Each One Better Than a Chocolate Egg

Every Easter celebration should end with something sweet. But forget candy—our best Easter dessert recipes will have you wanting more.
Two layered bars with banana pudding on bottom and cheesecake on top on plates beside two cups of coffee.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou

Choosing the right Easter dessert (or Easter desserts—nobody said you had to stick to just one) can be a challenge. You could go the classic route with coconut or carrot cake or cap your Easter dinner with something more contemporary, like a burnt sweet potato cheesecake. Maybe you’re seeking the magenta hue that rhubarb lends to many spring desserts, or maybe you’ve been snacking on jelly beans and marshmallow bunnies from your Easter basket all day and want to continue the candy train with a chocolate-egg-inspired tart.

Below you’ll find an array of Easter dessert ideas for any celebration. If it’s light work you’re after, there are plenty of no-bake options, plus easy cake and cookie recipes. For those eager to take on a baking project, we have fluffy homemade honey buns, a multilayered chocolate-hazelnut showstopper, and an Italian lemon tart to star on your brunch spread. Scroll down for all the sweet, delicious Easter treats.

  • A twolayer carrot cake being sliced and served.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Sean Dooley
    1/61

    Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

    This easy cake recipe is just about as classic as it gets: Thick layers of carrot sponge swathed in cream cheese frosting. It’s one of our all-time favorite Easter desserts.

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  • A slice of Marjolaine cake with a cup of espresso.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    2/61

    Marjolaine

    Reminiscent of a candy bar, this cake, made with nutty meringue, rich chocolate ganache, and vanilla and hazelnut buttercreams, is perfect for special occasions.

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  • A slice of pineapple upsidedown cake on a dessert plate.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    3/61

    Fresh Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

    Use fresh pineapple, not canned, to bring a brighter flavor to this sweet, caramelized classic.

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  • Photo of matcha strawberry and milk tea flavored gem cakes.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou
    4/61

    Glazed Sour Cream Gem Cakes

    These mini cakes are dressed in assorted glazes for a simple, sophisticated springtime snack. Sweet rice flour and sour cream make them plush, tender, and wonderfully moist.

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  • A lemon meringue pie in a pie plate with a server.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    5/61

    Lemon Meringue Pie

    A sharp lemon filling, sweet-and-salty meringue, and shatteringly crisp crust combine to make a balanced update to this classic.

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  • Gourmet's Coconut Macaroons on a serving plate.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    6/61

    Coconut Macaroons

    This truly easy coconut macaroon recipe strips the classic cookie down to the basics: Sweetened shredded coconut, an egg white, a small amount of sugar, a pinch of kosher salt, and a few flavorings.

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  • Four honey buns on a serving platter with two additional honey buns on plate and two mugs of tea on the side.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    13/61

    Honey Buns

    This jazzed-up version of classic honey buns has caramelized edges, pillowy-soft centers, and floral notes of honey, making it the perfect pastry for Easter brunch.

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  • A lemon sugar flour and egg mixture baked on top of a shortbread base and cut into squares and covered with...
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    14/61

    Lemon Bars

    Dust these bars with powdered sugar just before you plan to serve them—if left for too long, the sugar will absorb into the tangy lemon filling.

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  • Herbinfused lemonstrawberry loaf with two slices on separate plates.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kate Buckens
    15/61

    Herb-Infused Lemon-Strawberry Loaf

    Fresh herbs (choose thyme, rosemary, fresh bay leaves—or use a combination) infuse this Easter cake with a floral flavor that beautifully complements the strawberry and lemon. Finish it with a simple lemon glaze.

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  • Photo of a kouign amann on a plate with three slices cut out.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    16/61

    Classic Kouign-Amann

    There are many easy Easter desserts on this list, but if you’re looking for a meditative project for a rainy Easter weekend, here’s your recipe. Small, hand-held kouign-amann are common in North America, but the traditional form of this classic Breton pastry is a sharable 9-inch round.

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  • Photo of Cobbler MacGuire in a pie dish with a slotted spoon on the side.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Liza Jernow
    23/61

    Blackberry Cobbler Maguire

    End the meal on a fruity note with this swirled blackberry cobbler. The technique used here is quite similar to making cinnamon rolls, but instead of a sugary spiced filling, this recipe calls for fresh or frozen blackberries.

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  • A Sweet Potato Basque Cheesecake being sliced.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    24/61

    Basque-Style Sweet Potato Cheesecake

    This subtly spiced, sweet potato-based marvel borrows from the Basque cheesecake tradition. It’s baked until its exterior is a deep copper, with a pale, tender interior.

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  • Poppy seed and pecan strudel on a blue patterned plate.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    31/61

    Poppy Seed and Pecan Strudel

    It’s not a Ukrainian Easter celebration without makoviy rulet, a poppy-seed-and-nut roll. Here, cookbook author and Epi contributor Olia Hercules simplifies the process using store-bought phyllo instead of the traditional yeast dough.

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  • Chocolate mousse in dessert glasses with whipped cream on top and spoons on the side.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Simon Andrews
    32/61

    Chocolate Mousse

    Make this classic Gourmet dessert up to 24 hours in advance and top it with whipped cream when ready to serve.

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  • A wire rack of pistachiorose shortbread squares.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton
    33/61

    Pistachio-Rose Shortbread Squares

    Coat pistachio-studded shortbread in freeze-dried raspberries for a vibrant Easter cookie. Start at least a day in advance—the dough benefits from an overnight rest.

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  • Hibiscus pavlova in a white dish topped with hibiscus flower dust.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Rhoda Boone
    34/61

    Hibiscus Pavlova With Lemon-Hibiscus Cream

    Looking for fun desserts for Easter? This pretty, magenta-hued pavlova with lemon-hibiscus cream yields six individual servings, perfect for a small celebration.

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  • Orange upsidedown cake with a slice taken out.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Rhoda Boone
    37/61

    Orange Upside-Down Cake

    This upside-down cake is an easy and impressive dessert. While the cake bakes, the orange slices candy and infuse the caramel with their citrusy flavor.

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  • This pie is one of the best rhubarb recipes we've heard of. Photo of rhubarb coconut custard tart on a plate.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
    38/61

    Coconut Custard and Rhubarb Tart

    This spring-ready tart is made with a macaroon-inspired crust filled with creamy coconut custard. A syrupy rhubarb compote makes the elegant dessert pretty in pink.

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  • Two crème brûles with one spooned into.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton
    39/61

    Classic Crème Brûlée

    Sure, you can caramelize sugar for your crème brûlée under a broiler, but it’s not as effective (or fun!) as using a kitchen torch. We prefer turbinado sugar for the topping, because it melts easily and forms a crisp, easily shattered cover.

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  • Photo of a cassava cake cut into nine pieces with a serving utensil.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    40/61

    Bibingkang Cassava (Cassava Cake)

    This chewy Filipino dessert, made with frozen grated cassava and coconut milk, boasts a luscious sweetened condensed milk topping.

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  • Circular pan of baklava in pie form.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    41/61

    Pecan-Orange Baklava Pie

    Layer flaky, buttered phyllo with cinnamon-spiced pecans, then brush the baked tart with a fragrant honey-bourbon syrup before cutting it into Easter candy–size pieces.

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  • round carrot cake with pistachios and a sticky drippy carrot glaze
    Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Susan Spungen
    42/61

    Cardamom-Pistachio Carrot Cake

    Inspired by South Asian gajjar ka halwa, this spin on carrot cake has warm notes of cardamom and gets crunch from pistachios. The finishing touch? A vibrant orange glaze made from carrot juice.

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  • Valentine's Day Desserts like this one are sure to make your sweetheart swoon. Pictured Cherries jubilee in bowls.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    43/61

    Triple-Cherries Jubilee

    This variation on a New Orleans classic consists of ice cream topped with a saucy mix of sweet and dried cherries flavored with orange zest and cherry brandy.

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  • Image may contain Food Dessert Cake and Bread
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Anna Stockwell
    44/61

    Flourless Pistachio Cake With Strawberry Meringue

    This gluten-free Easter dessert features a rich pistachio cake base topped by an Easter-egg pink shell of chewy meringue.

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  • A lemon blueberry poke cake and a bowl of blueberries.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    45/61

    Lemon-Blueberry Poke Cake

    Easter surprises can go beyond candy eggs: Slice into this lemony poke cake, and you’ll be greeted with bold stripes of bright blueberry filling.

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  • Photo of a mixed berry pie bar recipe cut into several small servings.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
    46/61

    Mixed Berry Pie Bars

    If you’ve ever wanted to eat pie like a cookie, these pie bar cookies are for you. Cooking the berries with cornstarch and fruit preserves helps them thicken into a sliceable filling.

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  • Coconut milk custard with strawberryrhubarb compote.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, prop styling by Brian Heiser, food styling by Rhoda Boone
    51/61

    Coconut Milk Custard With Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote

    End your meal with this creamy, coconut milk custard topped with a sweet-tart fruit compote and crunchy pistachios.

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  • Image may contain Confectionery Food and Sweets
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, food styling by Diana Yen
    52/61

    Two-Ingredient Truffles

    With just two ingredients, these might be the easiest dessert to hit the Easter table. Box the truffles to make a great hostess gift or party favor for guests.

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  • Phyllo cardamom pinwheels on a glass plate.
    Photo by Jenny Huang
    53/61

    Phyllo Cardamom Pinwheels

    These shatteringly-crisp phyllo pinwheels are not your average cookies. They’re swirled with cardamom sugar and rolled into a log—from there, it’s as simple as slice and bake.

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  • Strawberry shortcake on a plate with two slices next to it.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
    54/61

    Strawberry Shortcake With Thyme and Whipped Cream

    End your Easter meal with this beautiful layer cake, frosted with a tangy whipped cream topping and filled with fresh strawberries.

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  • A bowl of vanilla ice cream topped with key lime cubes.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    55/61

    Crunchy, Creamy Key Lime Pie Bites on Ice Cream

    Leftover Key lime pie? Cut it into cubes and use it as an ice cream topping. No Key lime pie on hand? Make your own pie bites with this simple recipe.

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  • Hello Dolly Cookies on a platter.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    56/61

    Hello Dollies

    With chopped nuts, shredded coconut, and Ritz crackers—plus chocolate and peanut butter chips—these Hello Dolly bars are chock full of goodness.

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  • A pear and frangipane tart in a tart pan with a plate of forks next to the tart.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Bill Clark
    57/61

    Pear and Hazelnut Frangipane Tart

    Finish an elegant Easter meal with a delicate pear-frangipane tart. Though it sounds pretty fancy, frangipane (a nut-based custard) is actually quite easy to make. Top it with the sliced fruit of your choice.

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  • A glass of Strawberry Eton Mess with whipped cream strawberries and meringues.
    Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    58/61

    Mini Strawberry Eton Mess

    For a minimal-effort spring dessert, layer fresh strawberries, whipped cream, and crisp store-bought meringues in individual serving glasses. Its simplicity makes Eton mess a perfect dessert for Easter.

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  • Hummingbird cake with cream cheese frosting.
    Photo by Oriana Koren
    59/61

    Hummingbird Cake

    In the mood to bake a layer cake? You can’t go wrong with the classic Hummingbird Cake, a staple of Southern celebrations.

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  • A ring of caramelglazed monkey bread on a platter crusted with pecans and pumpkin seeds.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    60/61

    Monkey Bread

    A super-speedy bread dough—which comes together in the food processor—forms the base for this sticky, chai-spiced, eminently-sharable Easter dessert. It’s a perfect choice for anyone who has little hands willing to help out in the kitchen.

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  • A twolayer carrot coconut cake with white coconut icing on a blue plate with a slice cut from it.
    Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    61/61

    Classic Carrot-Coconut Cake

    This recipe takes two classic Easter desserts—carrot cake and coconut cake—and turns them into one. The cake is seasoned with just a touch of ginger and cinnamon, and the addition of both buttermilk and vegetable oil keeps the cake moist.

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Following stints at StarChefs and Saveur, Joe joined Epicurious in 2016 where he’s written about how to make the very best biscuits, the singularity of third-culture cooking, and the ultimate cream cheese frosting. Currently, he works across both BA and Epi as the senior SEO editor for cooking stories, which ... Read More
Senior SEO Editor, Cooking
The Epicurious editorial team develops original recipes, and publishes stories about cooking better, faster, and more creatively, sustainably, and affordably. See our full masthead, here. ... Read More
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