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Individual tiramisu cups layer rich, creamy mascarpone mousse in glasses with espresso-soaked ladyfingers and top it off with a dusting of cocoa for an easy 10-minute take on the classic Italian dessert.
Does anyone else remember the mini dessert trend from about 15 years ago? Restaurants all over started serving mini portions of their popular desserts in shot glasses or small cups and frequently called it “dessert shooters”.
The beauty of mini desserts is two-fold: 1) they’re cheaper (at a restaurant) or they help you stretch dessert (at home), and 2) they allow you to indulge, but with a sized-down portion. You don’t feel like you’re missing out on what a lot of people consider the best part of the meal: dessert!
Tiramisu is a good choice for a mini dessert because it’s layered anyway (and the layers look pretty in small glasses), and because it’s easy to make a no-bake version without sacrificing flavor. Just like the classic Italian dessert, in this portioned-out version we layer coffee-soaked ladyfingers (“savoiardi” in Italian or “boudoirs” in French) with a sweet, creamy mascarpone filling, and top with a dusting of cocoa powder. Bliss.
Why This Recipe Works
- It’s quick and easy. It takes 10 minutes to whip this up! Unlike a traditional tiramisu recipe that contains an Italian custard (called zabaglione), here we make a fast mascarpone mousse. Zabaglione is rich, creamy, and delicious, but it’s a process to make. You separate the eggs and whisk the yolks with sugar over a double boiler until they’re thickened. Then you use an ice bath to cool the egg yolk mixture down, beat in mascarpone cheese, and fold in whipped egg whites. In this simplified version, we whip mascarpone with heavy cream and sweetener.
- This version is made without eggs. If you’re dealing with an egg allergy, this tiramisu without eggs is a good recipe to have up your sleeve! However, if you’re using store-bought ladyfingers, just make sure you check the ingredient label to make sure they’re also egg free. (Or use an egg-free substitute, such as shortbread biscuits.)
- It’s as elegant as it is easy. These dessert cups are dinner party-worthy for sure!
- Use it as a meal prep dessert to help with portion control. If you’re trying to lose weight or watch your intake but still enjoy sweets, a smaller sized dessert can be a good option. Over the years a lot of people have told me that they need just a taste of something sweet every day. If you’re the same way, you can make a mini version of this dessert in 4 ounce meal prep cups with lids and keep them on hand in the fridge for a mini dessert when your sweet tooth kicks in instead of having a full-sized dessert.
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
Mascarpone Mousse Ingredients
- Mascarpone – This is a spreadable Italian cheese with a milky flavor that’s similar to cream cheese, but much less tangy. Mascarpone is a classic ingredient in Italian tiramisu that’s typically whipped into zabaglione (a type of custard). However, here we skip the custard for eggless tiramisu and make mascarpone mousse.
- Heavy whipping cream – For the most volume and creamiest texture, make sure to use cold heavy cream straight from the fridge. Heavy cream whips up light and fluffy, and helps lighten up the mascarpone’s rich creaminess to create a beautiful airy mousse.
- Powdered sugar – Here we use powdered sugar, which blends beautifully into the mixture and creates a smooth texture.
- Vanilla extract – For flavor and aroma.
- Almond extract – This is optional, but I like to use it for depth of flavor. If you just use 1/4 teaspoon like the recipe calls for, you won’t be able to pull out the flavor of almond, but it’ll add dimension to the overall flavor profile. Another option is to use hazelnut extract, or even pistachio extract! And if you want to really put some thought into this dessert and make it extra special, pair your extract with your alcohol and garnish; for example, use almond extract in the mascarpone mousse, add amaretto (almond liqueur) to the espresso, and serve garnished with chopped toasted almonds.
Other Ingredients
- Cooled espresso – Or you can use double-strength brewed coffee.
- Brandy – Other options are marsala wine, dark rum, hazelnut liqueur, almond liqueur, or coffee liqueur. Alternatively, if you don’t want to use alcohol, use more espresso or coffee instead.
- Ladyfingers (aka savoiardi) – These are dry finger-shaped sponge biscuits that are frequently used in desserts where they will absorb the flavors around them, such as tiramisu and trifles. Make sure you break them in half or thirds so they fit into the glasses you’re using.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – Just like the classic version, here we dust a little bit of unsweetened cocoa powder on top. Not only does it add a touch of chocolate flavor, but its bitterness helps balance the flavor of the sweet cream.
- Dark chocolate curls or shaved dark chocolate – This is completely optional. It bumps up the chocolate factor just a touch, and it looks really pretty on top.
Pro Tip: What Size Glass to Use
Here I used 12 ounce glasses for serving; these tiramisu cups aren’t miniature, and I wouldn’t consider them dessert shooters. It’s essentially just a regular-sized pre-portioned dessert. But you can make this to suit your needs; assemble them (like a parfait) in any size glasses you want!
In 4 ounce glasses (which are often called juice glasses), you can get 12 miniature tiramisu cups out of this recipe. Another option is to use cute shot glasses to make tiramisu dessert shooters! Just make sure you break the ladyfingers smaller as needed to fit in the glasses you’re using.
Made in smaller glasses, this is a great no-bake party dessert to add to your buffet table. It works well for a Christmas party, New Year’s Eve menu, birthday party, game-day get together, or potluck.
How to Make Individual Tiramisu Cups
- Add all ingredients for the mascarpone mousse to a large bowl.
- Use a handheld electric mixer to beat until smooth and creamy. Be careful not to over-mix or it’ll curdle.
- Add the cooled espresso and brandy to a shallow bowl, and stir to mix. Break the ladyfingers in half (or in thirds or quarters if you’re using smaller glasses) so they fit into the glasses you’re using.
- To make each tiramisu cup, spread a bit of cream in the bottom of a 12-ounce glass. Dip 2 ladyfinger halves in the espresso mixture so they’re saturated, but not fully soaked (1 to 2 seconds per side is good; don’t soak them or they’ll leak out coffee). Place the dipped ladyfingers on top of the cream in the glass. Repeat with 1 more layer of cream, then 1 more layer of ladyfingers, and end with 1 more layer of cream. Repeat this process with 5 more individual glasses so you get 6 servings.
Sift the unsweetened cocoa powder on top, and sprinkle on the shaved dark chocolate.
Storage
Once these are made, cover them with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze tiramisu cups for up to 3 months; thaw before eating, or serve them frozen for an ice cream-like treat.
Pro Tip: Have Fun With the Flavors
You aren’t limited to the base recipe! You can play with the extract in the mascarpone cream, the alcohol that’s added to the espresso to soak the ladyfingers, and the garnish on top. Here are a few ideas to inspire you:
- Almond – Add almond extract to the mousse, amaretto to the espresso, and garnish with toasted chopped almonds.
- Hazelnut – Use hazelnut extract in the mascarpone cream, hazelnut liqueur (such as Frangelico) mixed with the coffee, and chopped toasted hazelnuts on top.
- Cherry – Go with cherry extract, cherry liqueur (or cherry brandy, such as kirschwasser), and a fresh cherry or amarena wild cherries in syrup to garnish the top.
Frequently Asked Questions
You have a ton of options here! You can use sponge cake, pound cake, Nilla wafers, shortbread cookies, Biscoff cookies, or even graham crackers. Just note that whatever you go with will impact the overall flavor.
Traditional Italian tiramisu contains marsala wine, which is a sweet, fortified wine. But the sky is the limit in terms of options. You can use brandy, rum, or a liqueur, such as coffee liqueur (like Kahlúa), hazelnut liqueur, or almond liqueur.
In this recipe, instead of making zabaglione (a classic Italian custard), we skip the eggs and make a mascarpone-based mousse. It’s a simple mixture of mascarpone, heavy whipping cream, and powdered sugar.
More Easy No Bake Dessert Recipes
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Individual Tiramisu Cups Recipe
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Equipment
- 12 ounce glasses see Notes
Ingredients
Mascarpone Mousse:
- 8 ounces mascarpone at room temperature
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold from the fridge
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract or hazelnut extract (optional)
Other:
- 2/3 cup cooled espresso or double-strength brewed coffee
- 2 tablespoons brandy or marsala wine, rum, hazelnut liqueur, almond liqueur, or coffee liqueur (optional; or you can use more espresso)
- 12 ladyfingers each broken in half
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder for topping
- 2 teaspoons dark chocolate curls or shaved dark chocolate (optional)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients for the mascarpone mousse to a large bowl. Use a handheld electric mixer to beat until smooth and creamy. Be careful not to over-mix or it’ll curdle.
- Add the cooled espresso and brandy to a shallow bowl, and stir to mix.
- To make each tiramisu cup, spread a bit of cream in the bottom of a 12-ounce glass. Dip 2 ladyfinger halves in the espresso mixture so they’re saturated, but not fully soaked (1 to 2 seconds per side is good; don't soak them or they'll leak out coffee). Place the dipped ladyfingers on top of the cream in the glass. Repeat with 1 more layer of cream, then 1 more layer of ladyfingers, and end with 1 more layer of cream. Repeat this process with 5 more individual glasses so you get 6 servings.
- Sift the unsweetened cocoa powder on top, and sprinkle on the shaved dark chocolate.
- If you have the time, let the tiramisu set for 10 minutes in the fridge (or up to 4 days) before serving.
Notes
- Storage: Once these are made, cover them with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze tiramisu cups for up to 3 months; thaw before eating, or serve them frozen for an ice cream-like treat.
- Ladyfingers Substitutions: You can use sponge cake, pound cake, Nilla wafers, shortbread cookies, Biscoff cookies, or even graham crackers instead of ladyfingers in this recipe. Just note that whatever you go with will impact the overall flavor.
- What Size Glasses to Use: Here I used 12 ounce glasses for serving; these tiramisu cups aren’t miniature, and I wouldn’t consider them dessert shooters. It’s essentially just a regular-sized pre-portioned dessert. But you can make this to suit your needs; assemble them (like a parfait) in any size glasses you want!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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