17 Simple Desserts for a Sweet Treat Anytime

Sometimes you just need a sweet treat that’s easy to make and totally satisfying. These desserts deliver amazing flavor without any complicated steps or fancy ingredients. You’ll find creamy custards, chewy cookies, and fruity no-bake options that come together quickly. They are perfect for a weeknight craving or when you have friends coming over and need something impressive. No matter what kind of sweet you’re in the mood for, there’s a simple and delicious recipe here for you.

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Table of Contents

1 Sour Cream Apple Squares
2 Mexican Sprinkle Cookies
3 Flan
4 Easy No-Bake Vegan Mini Cheesecakes
5 Orejas (Palmiers)
6 Summer Fruit Pizza
7 Gluten Free Apple Pie Bars
8 3-Ingredient Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies
9 Tres Leches Cake (Pastel de Tres Leches)
10 Pan de Polvo Cookies
11 Creamy Oat Milk Chocolate Pudding
12 Dulce de Leche Ice Cream
13 Giant Maple Cinnamon Roll Cake with Butterscotch Glaze
14 Carlota de Limon (keylime icebox cake)
15 Vegan Coffee Cake
16 Giant Kitchen Sink Cookies
17 Smooth Blended Chocolate Chia Mousse

Sour Cream Apple Squares

A square slice of cake with white frosting and sprinkled nuts on top, served on a white plate. Sliced apples and a small jar of chopped nuts are nearby, resting on a paper background. — Sour Cream Apple Squares. Photo credit: Hey Snickerdoodle.

A soft cake layer is topped with sliced apples and a sweet, creamy sour cream mixture. Sour Cream Apple Squares are a comforting, old-fashioned dessert that’s easy to share.
Get the Recipe: Sour Cream Apple Squares

Mexican Sprinkle Cookies

Colorful cookies topped with rainbow sprinkles are arranged on a light brown parchment paper. The sprinkles add a pop of color to the textured surface of the cookies. — Mexican Sprinkle Cookies. Photo credit: Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

Soft sugar cookies are rolled in colorful sprinkles before baking for a festive look. Mexican Sprinkle Cookies are a cheerful, buttery, and kid-friendly treat.
Get Recipe: Mexican Sprinkle Cookies

Flan

This is a smooth, baked custard dessert with a layer of liquid caramel on top. Flan is a classic, silky, and elegant treat that feels special but is simple to make.
Get the recipe: Flan

Easy No-Bake Vegan Mini Cheesecakes

Three stacked mini cheesecakes, a delightful no-bake dessert, are topped with whipped cream and a raspberry on a white plate. Additional berries and chocolate pieces are scattered around the base. The background is softly blurred, highlighting the creamy texture of the desserts. — Easy No-Bake Vegan Mini Cheesecakes. Photo by Nuts Twigs

A nut and date crust holds a creamy, sweet filling made from cashews. These Vegan Mini Cheesecakes are a healthy, delicious, and no-bake dessert option.
Get the recipe: Easy No-Bake Vegan Mini Cheesecake

Orejas (Palmiers)

A close-up photograph of various baked goods, with a prominent heart-shaped pastry in the foreground. The pastries rest on a lace doily atop a wooden surface. Other baked items, including a concha and a mini muffin, are also visible in the background. — Orejas. Photo credit: Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

These are thin, crispy pastries made from puff pastry dough rolled in sugar. Orejas are a flaky, buttery, and delightfully simple Mexican cookie.
Get Recipe: Orejas

Summer Fruit Pizza

The image shows a vibrant fruit pizza on a white surface. The pizza is topped with bananas, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Some slices are cut and slightly separated from the whole, making the colorful toppings stand out. — Summer Fruit Pizza. Photo credit: Plant-Based on a Budget.

A giant cookie crust is topped with a sweet cream cheese spread and fresh fruit. A Summer Fruit Pizza is a fun, colorful, and refreshing dessert perfect for a party.
Get the recipe: Summer Fruit Pizza

Gluten Free Apple Pie Bars

A close-up of a dessert bar topped with chopped nuts and a caramel drizzle. The textured topping appears crunchy and golden brown, with hints of the gooey filling peeking through. The lighting highlights the rich, inviting colors. — Gluten Free Apple Pie Bars. Photo credit: Get Inspired Everyday.

These bars have a buttery crust, a spiced apple filling, and a crumbly topping. Gluten-Free Apple Pie Bars are a simpler, portable version of the classic pie.
Get the recipe: Gluten Free Apple Pie Bars

3-Ingredient Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

A plate of round peanut butter cookies with fork marks on top, creating a crisscross pattern. The light brown cookies, reminiscent of no-bake desserts, appear freshly baked and are arranged closely together. — 3-Ingredient Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies. Photo by Strength and Sunshine

These cookies are made with just peanut butter, sugar, and an egg. 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies are chewy, satisfying, and couldn’t be easier to make.
Get the recipe: 3-Ingredient Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

Tres Leches Cake (Pastel de Tres Leches)

A slice of white cake topped with whipped cream and fresh raspberries is placed on a white plate. A blurred background with a textured cloth and additional berries can be seen. The cake appears soft and moist, with a golden brown edge and a light, fluffy interior. — Tres Leches Cake. Photo by Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

This cake is famously soaked in a sweet mixture of three different kinds of milk. Tres Leches Cake is incredibly moist, light, and a classic favorite at any gathering.
Get the recipe: Pastel de Tres Leches

Pan de Polvo Cookies

These simple Mexican cookies are flavored with plenty of cinnamon and have a soft, crumbly texture. Pan de Polvo Cookies are often enjoyed during holidays but are great any time.
Get Recipe: Pan de Polvo

Creamy Oat Milk Chocolate Pudding

A dessert topped with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkled with chopped peanuts and a dusting of cocoa powder. The dessert is set in a dark, round cup against a light background. — Creamy Oat Milk Chocolate Pudding. Photo credit: Sunglow Kitchen.

This rich and chocolatey pudding is made creamy with oat milk instead of dairy. Oat Milk Chocolate Pudding is a simple, dairy-free dessert that everyone can enjoy.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Oat Milk Chocolate Pudding

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

A close-up of a scoop of caramel ice cream in a waffle cone. The ice cream is drizzled with a thick, glossy caramel sauce, creating a mouth-watering and indulgent treat against a plain, light gray background. — Dulce de Leche Ice Cream. Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

Sweet, caramel-flavored dulce de leche is mixed into a creamy homemade ice cream base. Dulce de Leche Ice Cream is an incredibly rich and delicious no-churn dessert.
Get Recipe: Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

Giant Maple Cinnamon Roll Cake with Butterscotch Glaze

A freshly baked cinnamon roll in a skillet, drizzled generously with caramel sauce. Surrounding the skillet are a measuring cup of caramel chips, a towel, a small bowl, and a pie server on a marble countertop. — Giant Maple Cinnamon Roll Cake with Butterscotch Glaze. Photo credit: xoxoBella.

This dessert bakes all the flavors of a cinnamon roll into one big, gooey cake. The Giant Maple Cinnamon Roll Cake is topped with a sweet butterscotch glaze.
Get the Recipe: Giant Maple Cinnamon Roll Cake with Butterscotch Glaze

Carlota de Limon (keylime icebox cake)

A slice of Carlota de Limon served on a white plate next to the cake. — Carlota de Limon. Photo by Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

Layers of lemon-lime cream and Maria cookies are stacked in a dish and chilled. Carlota de Limón is a refreshing, no-bake dessert that’s both tart and sweet.
Get the recipe: Carlota de Limon

Vegan Coffee Cake

A slice of crumb cake drizzled with icing rests on a white plate next to a silver fork. Nearby, there are vibrant red berries and green foliage, and part of the whole cake is visible in the top right corner. — Vegan Coffee Cake. Photo credit: Get Set Vegan.

This sweet cake has a buttery cinnamon streusel topping and a soft, tender crumb. Vegan Coffee Cake is a delicious dairy-free and egg-free treat that pairs perfectly with a hot drink.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Coffee Cake

Giant Kitchen Sink Cookies

A baking tray with freshly baked cookies featuring large chocolate chunks, nuts, and raisins on parchment paper. A small bowl with salt is nearby, and a white cloth partially visible on the marble countertop. — Giant Kitchen Sink Cookies. Photo credit: Foodess.

These huge cookies are loaded with chocolate chips, nuts, pretzels, and anything else you like. Giant Kitchen Sink Cookies are the ultimate chewy, sweet, and salty treat.
Get the Recipe: Giant Kitchen Sink Cookies

Smooth Blended Chocolate Chia Mousse

Overhead view of two glass cups filled with chocolate mousse, garnished with fresh blueberries and coconut flakes. Scattered coconut flakes are also visible on the white surface around the cups. — Smooth Blended Chocolate Chia Mousse. Photo credit: My Chef’s Apron.

Chia seeds are blended with cocoa and milk to create a thick, pudding-like mousse. Chocolate Chia Mousse is a healthy, dairy-free dessert that tastes incredibly indulgent.
Get the Recipe: Smooth Blended Chocolate Chia Mousse