Tiramisu Cups

Tiramisu is a classic, irresistible dessert—and these tiramisu cups are no exception! A sweet and tangy mascarpone whipped cream is layered with spiked-coffee-dipped ladyfingers and then dusted with cocoa powder. These dreamy layers of decadence will be gone before you know it. 

This easy tiramisu recipe is no-bake and can be made in advance, so you can enjoy the dessert without stress—whether you’re making these mini tiramisu cups for dinner guests, an elegant bridal shower, or just to eat while you watch TV from the couch.

A styled tiramisu cup sitting on top a bed of lady finger cookies.

Tiramisu is a classic, irresistible dessert—and these tiramisu cups are no exception! A sweet and tangy mascarpone whipped cream is layered with spiked-coffee-dipped ladyfingers and then dusted with cocoa powder. These dreamy layers of decadence will be gone before you know it. 

This easy tiramisu recipe is no-bake and can be made in advance, so you can enjoy the dessert without stress—whether you’re making these mini tiramisu cups for dinner guests, an elegant bridal shower, or just to eat while you watch TV from the couch.

A styled tiramisu cup sitting on top a bed of lady finger cookies.

Why KJ Loves Tiramisu Cups:

Tiramisu is one of my absolute favorite desserts, and I love how these Tiramisu Cups mean I can have this delicious dessert without much work! Since this is a tiramisu recipe that is egg-free, it comes together without much hassle. The most work I have to do is exert my patience not to dig into these right away! Let the refrigerator do all the hard work for you. Trust me, I will never say “no” to one of these Tiramisu Cups!

All of the ingredients for Tiramisu Cups waiting to be assembled.

A Simple Twist on Classic Tiramisu

​​First thing’s first: we need to get it out in the open that this is not a classic tiramisu recipe. It’s more so a spin-off. Classic tiramisu is a time-consuming work of art and requires a little bit more love and attention. 

Tiramisu is an Italian dessert made of cookies dipped in espresso and layered with a light, creamy filling. 

The classic filling recipe includes eggs and requires some advanced cooking techniques. That’s all great, but these mini tiramisu cups can be done and assembled in around 30-45 minutes

This recipe is for egg-free tiramisu. You don’t have to temper any custard or worry about raw egg consumption. A quick and delicious dessert that tastes pretty darn close to the traditional dish. Count us in!

A bowl of whipped cream with whipped mascarpone waiting to be folded in.

Tiramisu Cups Key Ingredients

Amaretto

A little sweet. A little bitter. This almond-flavored Italian liqueur adds complexity and spirit to your dessert.  Want to make it alcohol-free? Use a little bit of almond extract instead!

Mascarpone

Marscapone is essential to the flavor of this dish. It’s a smooth, soft cheese from Italy and gives this dessert a creamy texture.

Lady Fingers

Weird name. Delicious cookies. Also known as Italian Savoiardi biscuits. You can find these at many larger grocery stores.

Coffee

Espresso is the best, but you can also brew a strong dark roast. You may want to go decaf if you’re serving these in the evening. (Unless you’re trying to stay awake!)

Whipped cream

Dreamy and light. We always love a good excuse for whipped cream. Use heavy whipping cream to make your own for a richer taste. (but don’t “whip it real good”…you might end up with butter)

A bowl of mascarpone filling ready to be layered into the tiramisu cups.

Layer It Up

Time to create your scrumptious work of art. 

01) Choose four medium size cups. You could use wine glasses, cocktail glasses, or small mason jars. 

02) Dip several ladyfingers in coffee to form the base layer, and place them in the bottom of your glasses. 

03) Add a layer of the whipped mascarpone mixture.

04) Repeat until you’ve reached the top of the glass, ending with the mascarpone mixture.

05) Sprinkle with cocoa powder and immediately transfer your individual tiramisu cups to the refrigerator. 

06) Enjoy the feeling of pride as everyone “oohs” and “ahhs” over your delightful creations. (They never need to know how easy it was!)

Espresso-soaked ladyfingers in the bottom of a cup ready to be layered with the mascarpone cream.

Tiramisu Cups Variations

Alcohol-Free Tiramisu

Want to forgo the booze? This treat will still taste amazing if you substitute almond extract for the amaretto liqueur. You’ll want to use ½ tsp. 

Companies are also starting to make non-alcoholic liqueurs, sold in stores like Walmart. 

Tiramisu Without Mascarpone

While mascarpone is a key flavor in this dessert, you can substitute cream cheese if you can’t find the mascarpone anywhere. Less tiramisu-y. Still creamy and delicious. 

Tiramisu Without Ladyfingers

If you can’t find ladyfingers, Nila Wafers can be substituted. The vanilla flavor will be much stronger.

An overhead photo of the assembled tiramisu cups ready to be eaten.

Print

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A styled tiramisu cup sitting on top a bed of lady finger cookies.

Tiramisu Cups


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (7 votes, average: 4.43 out of 5)

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4.4 from 7 reviews

  • Author: KJ & Company - Kate Poskochil
  • Total Time: 45 minutes prep + 1 hour refrigeration
  • Yield: 4-6 servings 1x

Description

Tiramisu is a classic, irresistible dessert—and these tiramisu cups are no exception! A sweet and tangy mascarpone whipped cream is layered with spiked-coffee-dipped ladyfingers and then dusted with cocoa powder. These dreamy layers of decadence will be gone before you know it. 

This easy tiramisu recipe is no-bake and can be made in advance, so you can enjoy the dessert without stress—whether you’re making these mini tiramisu cups for dinner guests, an elegant bridal shower, or just to eat while you watch TV from the couch.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 oz mascarpone cheese, softened
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup strong coffee
  • 1 teaspoon brandy
  • 1 teaspoon amaretto liqueur
  • 8 oz lady fingers, about 4045 lady fingers
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together the heavy cream and sugar on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 3-5 minutes, being careful to not over-whip the whipped cream. Use a rubber spatula to gently transfer the whipped cream into a separate bowl.
  2. Using the same mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the mascarpone cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy, about a couple minutes. Gently fold the whipped mascarpone into the whipped cream until combined.Transfer the whipped cream mixture into a piping bag or large plastic food storage bag with an end cut off for easy piping. In a small bowl, combine the coffee, brandy and amaretto.
  3. To assemble the tiramisu cups, choose 4 glasses about the same size. Wine glasses, cocktail glasses or small mason jars all would work great. Build the tiramisu cups by equally layering dipped lady fingers, piping the whipped cream mixture, adding another layer of dipped lady fingers, followed by another layer of piped whipped cream mixture. Dust all the tops of the tiramisu cups evenly with the cocoa powder.
  4. To dip the lady fingers, simply dip each side of the lady finger into the coffee mixture before adding it to the layers. Depending on the size of your lady fingers and your glass, you may need to break some of the lady fingers in half to make them fit.
  5. You can serve them immediately or allow them to refrigerate for an hour or up to 24 hours in advance. Allowing them to refrigerate for at least an hour will allow the flavors to marinate together even more.

Notes

  • These cups can be made into 4 standard servings, or used in smaller glasses to make double the servings.
  • If you are making these tiramisu cups a day in advance, I would recommend waiting to dust them with the cocoa powder prior to serving.
  • Make this dessert alcohol-free by substituting in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the brandy and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract for the amaretto.
  • Nutritional information for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour refrigeration
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: No-Bake

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 486
  • Sugar: 30.9g
  • Sodium: 230mg
  • Fat: 21.9g
  • Carbohydrates: 64.3g
  • Fiber: 1.1g
  • Protein: 9.1g
  • Cholesterol: 107mg

Keywords: Tiramisu Cups

A tiramisu cup with a few spoonfuls taken out from it.

Share the love!

If you make this recipe and love it as much as I do, I’d love to hear from you! Comment below, rate the recipe, or share a picture tagging @kjandcompany or using #kjandcompany so that I can see your fun pictures 🙂

Thanks for following and cooking along with me!

 

Affiliate Links

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that KJ & Company would receive a small commission if anything is purchased. Thank you for supporting KJ & Company in all the ways that you do!

Recipe originally posted on September 3, 2019 – updated on June 23, 2022.

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4 Comments

  1. Whitney

    Stunning photos!! Looks incredible!

    Reply
    • KJ

      Thank you so much, Whitney!

      Reply
  2. Sabrina

    These look perfect!

    Reply
    • KJ

      Thanks, Sabrina! 🙂

      Reply

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