Five oven-free desserts, from key lime shooters to peanut butter cheesecake, with the catch for each.

A no-bake dessert saves you from a hot kitchen. It also saves time on party day, since most of the work happens ahead. You mix, chill, and serve.

This guide picks five recipes from popular dessert blogs. Each one gets a short intro, the key amounts, and a “Watch out” line with the catch. We kept the numbers from the original recipes, so click through for the full steps.

Want more ideas? Browse our guides to no-bake cheesecake recipes, no-bake chocolate desserts, and no-bake recipes for kids.

In this article

Quick Answer: What Are the Easiest No-Bake Desserts?

The easiest no-bake desserts take about 10 to 15 minutes of work and then chill in the fridge. S’mores fluff is a four-ingredient dip you mix in one bowl. Key lime pie shooters layer a creamy filling and graham crumbs in small glasses. Both need no oven and no special pan.

Other desserts take more time to set. A lemon ladyfinger cheesecake chills for at least an hour. A peanut butter cheesecake sits about 4 hours before slicing. A lemon panna cotta chills at least 4 hours or overnight.

Most of these desserts need to stay cold, so plan fridge space before you start. Check the Watch out line under each recipe for the catch, and make the dessert ahead when you can.

Key Lime Pie Shooters

These shooters turn key lime pie into a party-sized dessert. You layer a tart cream cheese filling with graham cracker crumbs in small glasses, so each guest gets their own serving.

The Domestic Superhero recipe beats 4 ounces of cream cheese with 14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk. You stir in the juice of 3 limes and half the zest. Chill the filling at least 2 hours. Pulse 15 graham crackers into crumbs, then layer crumbs and filling in glasses. Top with whipped cream and the rest of the zest.

Yield: 20 or more shooters.

Make ahead: the filling can be made in advance. Assembled shooters keep up to 6 hours in the fridge.

Watch out: assemble on the day you serve, and add whipped cream just before serving. The page does not say whether the filling freezes, or how to stop the crumbs from going soggy. Both questions went unanswered in the comments.

No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake

This is the rich, dessert-table showpiece. An Oreo crust holds a peanut butter filling, and a chocolate ganache covers the top.

The Dinners, Dishes and Desserts recipe presses 24 crushed Oreos mixed with 5 tablespoons melted butter into a 9-inch springform pan. The filling beats 3/4 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and 8 ounces cream cheese, then folds in 1 1/4 cups whipped cream and crushed peanut butter cup Oreos. Chill 1 hour, pour on ganache from 1/2 cup hot cream and 1 cup chocolate, and top with more crushed Oreos.

Yield: 10 servings.

Time: about 4 hours of chilling before you slice.

Storage: leftovers keep 4 to 5 days in the fridge.

Watch out: the recipe card lists a serving size of “1g,” which looks like a mistake, so treat the listed nutrition (534 calories) as a rough guide. A thawed 8-ounce tub of whipped topping can replace the homemade whipped cream.

No Bake Lemon Ladyfinger Cheesecake

This cheesecake looks fancy, thanks to a ring of ladyfingers around the edge. The filling is light and lemony, and it needs no oven.

The Self Proclaimed Foodie recipe crushes 9 ounces of lemon cookies with 1/2 cup melted butter for the base. Stand 4.75 ounces of soft ladyfingers around the inside of a 9-inch springform pan. Beat 8 ounces of cream cheese with 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, then mix in 10.5 ounces of lemon curd. Fold in 3 cups of stiffly whipped cream, spread it in the pan, and chill.

Yield: 12 servings.

Time: 30 minutes of prep, then at least 1 hour of chilling.

Storage: make it a day ahead and keep it in the fridge up to 4 days.

Watch out: the cookie base must be dry and crisp, not soft. Stop whipping the cream at stiff peaks, since overwhipping can make it grainy. For clean slices, freeze it about 30 minutes before cutting.

Lemon Panna Cotta with Raspberry Sauce

Panna cotta is a creamy Italian dessert that sets with gelatin. It looks elegant in a small ramekin and takes only 20 minutes of work.

The Culinary Ginger recipe warms 1 1/2 cups cream, 1/2 cup milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1 3/4 teaspoons gelatin with 1/3 cup sugar. Pour it into four ramekins and chill at least 4 hours. The sauce simmers 6 ounces of raspberries with 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons water for about 5 minutes, then you blend and strain it.

Yield: 4 servings.

Storage: in ramekins with plastic wrap on the surface, 3 to 5 days. Unmolded, eat within 24 hours.

Watch out: do not let the mixture boil, because boiling can stop it from setting. Use just enough gelatin for a gentle wobble. The listed total time on the page does not match the steps, which add up to about 4 hours 20 minutes. The sheet gelatin swap on the page is unclear, so check your packaging.

S’mores Fluff

This is the easiest dessert on the list. It is a fluffy dip that tastes like a campfire s’more, and you serve it with graham crackers and fruit.

The Fake Ginger recipe beats 1 cup marshmallow creme with 1 cup prepared chocolate pudding. Fold in one 8-ounce container of Cool Whip, 1/2 cup chopped chocolate bars, and 1/2 cup mini marshmallows. Chill until you serve it. It makes about 8 servings.

Time: 10 minutes of prep.

Watch out: use prepared pudding, not a dry packet mix, per the author’s reply. One reader found the batch runny, and the page does not give a fix. The page gives no storage time, so keep it cold and eat it within a day or two.

Conclusion

No-bake desserts work for any occasion. A fluff dip or a set of shooters suits a casual night. A cheesecake or panna cotta looks right at a dinner party.

Pick the one that fits your time, and start the chilling early. Most of these desserts get better when you make them ahead. For more ideas, read our guide to no-bake cheesecake recipes.