We can all agree, dessert is one of life’s greatest joys. Cookies, cakes, pies… we truly love it all! We can only think of one way to love dessert more, and that’s to make it smaller so we can eat twice as much. Whether you’re looking to do the same, are looking for kid-sized desserts, or are looking for ways to celebrate on a smaller scale, we’ve got a recipe for you. Check out our 30 mini desserts for ideas—they’re small, but mighty!
We’re big bakers here at Delish, but even the best of us will admit to being overwhelmed sometimes at the prospect of embarking on a big baking project. You’ve really got to be in the right mood, and be willing to expect things not turning out exactly as planned—sometimes we just don’t have it in us! We love turning to these mini desserts to hit all those sweet cravings, without all the drama. Love pie, but hate rolling out the pie crust, crimping the edges, and latticing the top? Try our chocolate-covered key lime pie bites, our apple cutie pies, or our peach pie pops instead. Want to celebrate with layer cake, but worried yours will come out more baking fail than win? Check out our mini Boston cream pies (traditionally more cake than pie, and here we eliminate it all and use Nilla wafers), our mini Easter cakes (cute enough for year-round), or our mini chocolate raspberry cake. They're sure to make even small celebrations feel extra sweet. Big cheesecake fan, but scared of the water bath? (Us too!). Check out our cheesecake cupcakes, our lemon-blueberry mini cheesecakes, or our mini death by chocolate cheesecakes. Eat one, or five! Your sweet tooth will thank you.
Want even more easy dessert inspiration? Check out our icebox cake recipes and our no-bake desserts too.
Mini Boston Cream Pies
Boston cream pie is a favorite at Delish and these mini ones are the easiest and cutest of all. Nilla wafers are used as the cake with pudding sandwiched in between and rich ganache drizzled over top. What could be better?
Get the Mini Boston Cream Pies recipe.
Mini Chocolate Raspberry Cake
Not having a big gathering? Not to worry, this cake is perfect for a mini celebration, and you only need one cake pan to make it!
Get the Mini Chocolate Raspberry Cake recipe.
Lemon-Blueberry Mini Cheesecakes
Even though these cheesecakes might be miniature, they deliver maximum flavor. Bonus: no finicky water bath!
Mini S'mores Tarts
These mini chocolate ganache-marshmallow tarts will satisfy all your s'mores cravings, without a campfire!
Get the Mini S'mores Tarts recipe.
Cheesecake Cupcakes
Who doesn't love an ultra-creamy slice of cheesecake? This mini version is super-easy to make (no water bath!), but just as delicious as its full-size counterpart, and much easier to take along with you on a picnic. Feel free to swap out the fruit for whatever's in season!
Get the Cheesecake Cupcakes recipe.
Chocolate-Covered Key Lime Pie Bites
We hate the idea of turning on our ovens in the summer, so we turned our favorite key lime pie into mini frozen pies. These no-bake treats get covered in chocolate and topped with more zest to get that punch of key lime flavor. We dare you to just eat one. 😈
Apple Cutie Pies
What's easier than homemade apple pie from scratch? These cute little cookies! They have everything you love about traditional apple pie—flaky crust, spiced apples, and even a little caramel. 😋
Get the Apple Cutie Pies recipe.
Mini Bailey's Cheesecakes
These might be small, but they're bursting with creamy, boozy, chocolaty flavor. We're hooked. Wanna supersize it? Try our classic Bailey's cheesecake too.
Get the Mini Bailey's Cheesecakes recipe.
Mini Apple Berry Crumble Pies
We used tayberries (a blackberry/raspberry hybrid) for these mini pies, but feel free to replace them with any of your favorites. Blackberries will give the most similar flavor, but really, anything works!
Get the Mini Apple Berry Crumble Pies recipe.
Mini Death By Chocolate Cheesecakes
Mini cheesecakes are the best way to get a party started...or rather, the best way to end one. Either way, lots and lots of chocolate are always the best. These cupcakes are rich and creamy, and chocolate is involved from top to bottom. They're the perfect indulgence.
Piña Colada Mini Cupcakes
On days when you can't lounge poolside with a tropical piña colada, these cupcakes are the next best thing.
Get the Piña Colada Mini Cupcakes recipe.
Mini Eggnog Cheesecakes
Eggnog is one of the best ways we know how to celebrate the holidays so, naturally, we had to turn some into mini cheesecakes. Using a gingersnap for the crust makes these extra easy and makes them taste even more seasonal.
Get the Mini Eggnog Cheesecakes recipe.
Peach Roses
Use store-bought puff pastry and peach jam to turn out these beautiful desserts in no time! Dust with powdered sugar to make them extra sweet.
Get the Peach Roses recipe.
Toffee Bites
Chocolate toffee makes for the best gift, snack, or dessert, and these mini bites are extra perfect for sharing.
Get the Toffee Bites recipe.
Mini Key Lime Pies
Here's a quick key lime pie tip: If you don't live in paradise, key limes might be a little hard to find at the store. That's OK! We use store-bought key lime juice (check the juice aisle) all the time, and it tastes very similar to the real thing.
Get the Mini Key Lime Pies recipe.
Pretzel Ice Cream Sandwich Bites
These mini ice cream sandwiches are equal parts adorable and delicious. As far as the ice cream goes, the possibilities are endless. Go as crazy as you'd like!
Mini Upside-Down Peach Cobblers
Cooking these mini cobblers in a muffin tin creates a delicious caramel layer on the bottom that, once flipped, makes a beautiful topping. Serve these babies warm with some whipped cream for the cutest individual desserts.
Strawberry Sundae Bites
These poppable bites are perfect for mini celebrations. The best part? Unlike an ice cream sundae, you can eat a ton of them!
Get the Strawberry Sundae Bites recipe.
Nutella-Stuffed Pretzel Bites
Years ago, we fell in love with nutella-stuffed cookies, and our lives were never the same. Since then, the question has been: What else can we stuff with Nutella? The answer: mini soft pretzel bites.
Get the Nutella-Stuffed Pretzel Bites recipe.
Camille Lowder is the digital food producer at Delish, otherwise known as our resident queen of recipe galleries. Previously, she attended the Natural Gourmet Institute for culinary school and worked at/managed a number of New York restaurants. She loves anything vegan, foods masquerading as other foods (hello, cauliflower), and a well-used Oxford comma.