If you are looking for easy desserts with few ingredients, you are in the right place. These minimal-ingredient desserts are easy to make, satisfy the sweet tooth, and use pantry staples.

Table of Contents

1. My favorite few ingredient desserts
2. Cookies
3. Brownies
4. Baked goods and mug cakes
5. Bars and bites
6. Ice cream and frozen treats
7. Protein-packed desserts

Cookies

When it comes to minimal ingredient desserts, nothing beats cookies. They don’t need any chill time and are a blank canvas for multiple flavor combinations… or just as good on their own.

3 ingredient cookies

I think these are the most popular cookies here. It’s not quite your classic chocolate chip cookie, but they are just as soft and chewy as you’d expect.

2 ingredient peanut butter cookies

It doesn’t get much easier than mixing maple syrup and peanut butter together. Seriously. Once baked, the cookies practically melt in your mouth!

No bake oatmeal cookies

If you love oatmeal cookies, you’ll love this no bake version. I actually like to prep these on weekends and enjoy one with some coffee or tea in the afternoon. It also uses wholesome ingredients.

Keto peanut butter cookies

If you are watching your carbs, these low-carb peanut butter cookies are a saviour. They taste like classic peanut butter cookies, but they use a sugar-free sweetener instead of granulated sugar.

Almond butter cookies

Whenever I make a batch of almond butter, these cookies are the first thing I make. They don’t have an overpowering flavor, and they are great for those who have peanut allergies or just don’t like peanut butter.

Banana bread cookies

These soft-baked cookies are based on overripe bananas, oats, and peanut butter. They are healthy enough for breakfast or when you need to use up spotty bananas.

Brownies

We can always count on brownies to satisfy the sweet tooth in the most simple and indulgent way. Each of these brownie recipes need little prep and pantry staples to make.

No bake brownies

I actually developed this recipe by accident when I ran out of eggs. They are so fudgy and thick and taste like a mix between fudge and blondies.

3 ingredient brownies

Not only do these brownies need just a couple of ingredients, but they are absolutely guilt-free. They don’t need any refined sugar or butter whatsoever.

2 ingredient brownies

No, there is NO box mix with these brownies. A delicious combination of eggs and melted chocolate yields the most fudgy and gooey brownies ever.

No bake brownie bites

These bite-sized balls of chocolate goodness are ALWAYS in my fridge. My family loves to enjoy a couple of these at night when they need a little something after dinner.

Nutella brownies

Got a jar of Nutella gathering dust? Add some eggs and flour and whip up these brownies. They don’t taste too much like Nutella, but enhance the chocolate flavor.

Baked goods and mug cakes

You’d think that baked goods would need a laundry list of ingredients, but that is not the case. Each of these muffins, cakes, and mug cakes are just as fluffy and moist as their traditional counterparts.

Pumpkin spice cake

I don’t usually use cake mix, but when I have canned pumpkin to use up, I combine the two to make this pumpkin cake. It’s moist, fluffy, and always a fall classic.

3 ingredient mug cake

Okay, confession. I am obsessed with mug cakes, and I make this one almost weekly. It’s made in the microwave, so it takes less than two minutes.

Peanut butter mug cake

Confession #2. When I want a break from chocolate, this is the other mug cake I make. It’s so moist and rich and has so much peanut butter flavor (which I adore).

2 ingredient chocolate cake

Did you know that whipped egg whites and melted chocolate can yield a chocolate cake? Yes, it’s this one here. It doesn’t keep as long as a traditional chocolate cake, so make sure you enjoy it within 2 days (which isn’t hard to do).

3 ingredient banana bread

I’m yet to find someone who does not like banana bread, so why make it complicated to whip up a loaf? This quick bread requires no eggs or oil and yields the most tender, moist banana bread ever.

Bars and bites

Skip the oven and whip up one of these no bake treats for when you want a minimal fuss dessert in the quickest time. These recipes keep very well, so keep some frozen for when the sweet tooth strikes.

Coconut bars

These thick, chewy bars, loaded with coconut flavor, are essentially candy bars. You can even take it up a notch by dipping them in melted chocolate.

No bake oatmeal bars

These are a more dessert-like spin on my healthy granola bars. They need little prep and are perfectly thick, soft, and delicious.

Vegan rice crispy treats

Even if you don’t follow a vegan diet, these rice crispy treats are simple and delicious. They need just five minutes of prep and don’t actually need any marshmallows, either.

2 ingredient peanut butter fudge

This fudge uses vanilla frosting as the base. When mixed with peanut butter, it yields the richest and most creamy fudge ever. Bonus? It works with vanilla or chocolate frosting.

3 ingredient peanut butter balls

Soft and thick balls of sweet peanut butter. They are more sturdy than fudge, but just as delicious.

Chocolate peanut butter balls

Essentially my PB balls, but covered with chocolate. Many readers say this tastes like Reese’s peanut butter cups, minus all the fuss of setting them in candy cups.

3 ingredient fudge

This fudge is a holiday staple, and many of my friends and family receive it during the holiday season. It’s easy to make and tastes like Grandma’s classic fudge.

Cereal bars

A healthier dessert that tastes like store bought cereal bars. These are easy to make and keep fresh for a very long time.

Ice cream and frozen treats

Who can resist ice cream? Skip the store-bought pints and bars and make one of these homemade ice creams.

Keto ice cream

Trust me, this ice cream is so good, even my non-keto friends and family love it. Top it with my sugar free caramel for the most indulgent dessert.

Almond milk ice cream

Store-bought almond ice cream is pretty tasty but SO expensive. Luckily, my homemade recipe is pretty much foolproof, and you don’t even need an ice cream maker.

Strawberry ice cream

This is a summertime staple in my household. All you do is blend strawberries, maple syrup, and coconut milk together for the creamiest dessert. It’s accidentally dairy-free, too.

Peanut butter ice cream

I make this ice cream FAR too often. It doesn’t need an ice cream maker, and I even whip it up in the Ninja Creami, too.

Protein-packed desserts

I love high-protein desserts, but I love them even more when they require minimal ingredients. These protein-packed treats tick those boxes and are also ridiculously delicious.

Protein pudding

Not only does this creamy pudding take seconds to make, but it can be flavored any way you like.

Cottage cheese pudding

Cottage cheese is having its moment, and this pudding is one of the easiest recipes to start with. You won’t even taste the cottage cheese flavor.

Cottage cheese chocolate mousse
Made with just 3 ingredients, this high protein mousse works just as well as a post-workout treat. It’s just as airy and fluffy as you’d expect. 

Protein cookie dough

I don’t have an off switch when it comes to cookie dough, so this protein-packed version is a game-changer. You can even prep it ahead of time.