Tiramisu is a classic Italian no-bake dessert made with layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and incredible custard-like mascarpone cream that contains no raw egg. Tiramisu dessert is elegant and divine, and this recipe is easy enough for beginners. Watch my video tutorial below and learn how to make a classic Tiramisu.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Helpful Reader Review
“Tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts, and this recipe is amazing! I’ve made it several times, and it’s always a hit.“ – Lisa ★★★★★
Italian Tiramisu Video
My homemade tiramisu recipe looks so impressive, tastes amazing, but comes together in only 5 simple steps. It’s a great make-ahead dessert since the flavors get better over time!
What is Tiramisu?
The word Tiramisu (tirami su in Italian) means “cheer me up” or “pull me up,” because one bite will put you in a good mood! Authentic Tiramisu dessert has 2 main layers: sponge cake (ladyfingers) soaked in coffee liqueur, and then topped by a decadent mascarpone cream layer. Classic Tiramisu recipes often contain raw egg yolks, but we use a different process to create the custard-like cream with the same amazing texture and flavor.
I love classic Italian desserts like Panna Cotta, Affogato, and let’s not forget the Berry Tiramisu. This classic Tiramisu recipe is probably the most iconic Italian dessert, which is why it’s on the menu in nearly every Italian restaurant. This homemade version does not disappoint!
Ingredients for Tiramisu
My easy Tiramisu recipe calls for a short list of ingredients, but be sure to check out the substitution ideas below.
- Espresso or strong coffee – Use espresso if you have an espresso machine, or use your favorite strong-brewed coffee. See substitutes below.
- Golden Rum – flavors the cream and the coffee syrup. The light color keeps the cream layer lighter in color.
- Ladyfingers – Lady Fingers, called “savoiardi” in Italian, are essentially sponge cake cookies, and they are easily found at grocery stores or online. Dry and crisp ladyfingers are preferred. Ladyfingers are great in other no-bake desserts like Charlotte Cake, Raspberry Mousse Cups, and my Berry Trifle.
- Egg yolks and sugar – heated in a double boiler to gently cook the yolks and dissolve the sugar. Use the leftover egg whites in an Omelette or to whip up delicious Pavlova.
- Mascarpone cheese – essentially the Italian version of cream cheese, stabilized with lemon juice or citric acid. It has a smoother consistency, is milder in flavor, and has twice as much fat as cream cheese.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – Use chilled right out of the fridge. Opt for Heavy cream instead of light or regular cream, since these could make the mixture runny.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – optional, for garnish.
Substitutions
My Tiramisu recipe uses classic ingredients, but you can get the same great result with these easy swaps:
- Rum – You can switch to dark rum, Grand Marnier, or amaretto, if needed, or you can omit it and add a bit of vanilla extract to taste.
- Coffee – if you’re concerned about caffeine, try decaf for the same traditional coffee flavor, but if you want a different flavor profile, check out our Berry Tiramisu.
- Mascarpone – substitute with full-fat cream cheese, like in our Tiramisu Yule Log
How to Make Tiramisu
- Soak the Ladyfingers – Mix coffee and rum in a bowl, and then quickly dip half of the ladyfingers in the coffee mixture. Arrange them in a 9×13 casserole.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a heat-proof bowl and then set it over a saucepan of simmering water to steam on low heat, but make sure the bowl isn’t touching the water. Whisk for 9-10 minutes. Remove from the steam and whisk for a few minutes to cool slightly.
- Beat mascarpone and rum together in a separate bowl with an electric hand mixer, and then beat in the cooled yolk mixture until blended.
- Whip cold heavy cream to stiff peaks. To get stiff peaks, start with a chilled bowl and whip the heavy cream until you can lift the beaters out of the fluffy cream and it stands straight up. If the tips fall slightly (soft peaks), whip a little longer. Fold half of the cream into the mascarpone mixture with a spatula, then fold in the rest.
- Spread half of the cream over the ladyfingers, and then dip the remaining ladyfingers and arrange them over the cream. Layer the remaining cream on top, and then cover and refrigerate overnight. Dust with cocoa powder and serve.
Tips for the Best Tiramisu Recipe
After years of making this recipe, here are a few of my tips to get the best result:
- Do not over-soak the ladyfingers, or the layers may collapse. A quick dip on each side is enough.
- Use cold HEAVY whipping cream to whip slowly to get stiff peaks for more stability. Don’t overbeat, or it will turn buttery and difficult to blend.
- Fold just until combined -when folding the cream into Mascarpone, do not over-mix or it may turn grainy.
- Chill the cake for at least 8 hours or overnight, and it will be very easy to slice and serve.
This is the best tiramisu recipe because the flavors are classic and decadent, but the easy-to-follow directions make it simple enough for beginners! Impress your guests with this elevated and supremely delicious dessert.
Make-Ahead and Storage
The eggs are cooked in my tiramisu recipe, so the dessert can be kept longer in the fridge. The flavors taste better the longer it rests!
- To Refrigerate: Cover and chill for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Cover in a freezer-safe, airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge.
Tiramisu Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups espresso , (or strong coffee), room temperature
- 6 Tbsp golden rum, divided
- 40 ladyfingers
- 6 egg yolks, (large)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 16 oz mascarpone, cold
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold*
- 2-3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, to dust the top
Instructions
Soak the Ladyfingers
- Dip – In a bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups espresso and 3 Tbsp rum. Quickly dip half of the ladyfingers, one at a time, and then arrange them in a single layer in the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Dip once on each side so they are moist, but do not soak ladyfingers or the cake will collapse.
Mix the Tiramisu Mascarpone Cream
- Whisk – In a separate rimmed* medium glass bowl, whisk together yolks and sugar. Place over steam (on a saucepan with simmering water) and whisk 10 minutes on low heat until the mixture is lighter in color, slightly thickened, and not grainy when you rub between your fingers. Remove from heat and whisk for a few minutes off the heat to help it cool down. Then set it aside to cool while doing step 3.
- In a separate bowl, beat together 16 oz mascarpone and 3 Tbsp rum. Use an electric hand mixer to beat in the warm yolk mixture until well incorporated.
- Whip – In a separate chilled bowl, beat cold heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form*. Use a spatula to gently fold half of the whipped cream into mascarpone cream, then blend in the remaining whipped cream, just until incorporated. Do not overfold, or it will become grainy.
Layer the Tiramisu
- Spread half of the cream over the first layer of ladyfingers. Dip and arrange the remaining ladyfingers on top, and then spread the remaining cream on top. Cover with foil and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Dust with cocoa powder before serving. It is ok to dust with cocoa ahead of time – the color will just darken from the moisture.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Dessert Casseroles
These are the best-rated and most requested desserts that fit conveniently into a 9×13 casserole dish:
- Tres Leches Cake
- Lemon Bars
- Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
- Apple Crisp
- Baklava
- Pumpkin Cake
- Easy Cinnamon Rolls
- Peach Crisp
- Strawberry Pretzel Salad
I made this recipe for my family and it turned out perfect. So delicious 😋.
Your instructions are perfect.
Waiting the 24 hours is a key before eating.
I’m making it again this weekend for a dinner party.
Yes, totally agree with the waiting part. Thanks for your good comments and review, Denise!
Turned out great! Just the right amount of sweetness and rum. I was careful to lightly dip the cookies and I’m glad I did.
Thank you
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Dara!
Why is my egg mixture super grainy? I whisked it a couple mins longer to see if it’d go away but I feel like it got worse. I can feel the sugar crunch 🙈 I used 3/4 cups granulated sugar like I always use for baking with 6yolks.
Hi Is, it’s hard to say without being there, it could be the brand/ type of sugar used, or it may need a little more time to fully dissolve/ incorporate. I hope it all works out!
Hi, just add a tablespoon of warm water until the sugar dissolves. The problem is there isn’t enough moisture to dissolve the granules & the more you whip the more the mixture dries. Add hydration.
Good morning Natasha,
Merry Christmas and happy new year.
Can I use French cream cheese as a replacement for mascarpone cheese in tiramisu cause I can’t find it?
Hello Rania, in some cases, you can substitute with cream cheese like in our Tiramisu Yule Log but the flavor and texture will be different.
Hi natasha
How many Tablespoons to make 1 1/2 cups of caffe expresso.
Thank so much.
Hi Fanny, I would make it based on the package instructions. Please share with us how it goes!
Hi natasha
I want to tell you tiramisu was really good this is my second time everyone loved.
I add 2 tablespoon per cup.The flavor was omg really good and I add it 1 tablespoon of vanilla.
Thanks for this amazing recipe.
I am planning to make for a wedding👰.
Sounds like a great plan, Fanny. Great to hear that it was a success! Thank you for the review, we appreciate it.
Sounds like a great plan, Fanny. Great to hear that it was a success! Thank you for the review, we appreciate you sharing that with us.
This was the best tiramisu I ever tasted. This was the first time I ever made it. I followed Natasha’s recipe to a “t”, and watched the video 3 times! It came out perfect. I served it to guests at Christmas. They raved! Thanks Natasha for another great recipe!
Wow! That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your excellent feedback, Carol!
I’m sorry to report the custard portion on mine did not set-up well- even after 24 hours of refrigeration. However, the flavors were on spot! I suspect the whipping cream was not stiff enough. The peaks were exactly as the recipe called for, but I think they do need to be more on the stiffer side. I’m disappointed about the amount of money I spent on the ingredients.
I just made this and had a problem with the custard part being too runny (not fluffy like the video). I put it in the refrigerator anyway but I suspect I had the same problem. It was too runny to build the and real layers and so I didn’t have enough to cover the top layer of cookies
A couple of tips to help troubleshoot. The yolk mixture may have been too warm, let this cool well. Be sure to use very cold HEAVY whipping cream and not light cream. Beating heavy cream slowly will help the cream remain more stable without turning watery. Start on low speed then increase to medium speed over the next 5 minutes or until thick and stiff peaks form. Use a spatula to fold the whipped cream into mascarpone cream just until incorporated. Do not overfold or it will become grainy and runny. I hope that helps.
The best tiramisu recipe I have ever made!
I find that counting a quick beat of 4 each time gives me perfectly dipped ladyfingers. 🙂
Great idea! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Elisabeth!
I made this for Christmas Eve and it was fantastic. I used the Amazon ladyfingers and watched the video a few times and also as I made the recipe. I’ll never have to buy it again!
Homemade is always best! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha, what substitutes can I use for rum? I was thinking maybe vanilla extract but I’m not sure…
Hi David, if you prefer to omit the alcohol completely, you can leave out the rum or add a little bit of vanilla extract to taste.
I made the tiramisu, it is probably one of the best tasting desserts I have ever made! I made it for the holidays and it was gone the next day! I only had saki on hand so I used 2 tablespoons of saki and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, it sounds odd but it turned out perfect!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, David! I’m so glad you loved the flavor!
I made this recipe few times and I love it. Few times Mascarpone and rum didn’t like each other…it didn’t incorporate well (crumbled). Does it matter if you use cold or room temp Mascarpone?
Hi Lana, the mascarpone and heavy whipping cream need to be cold.
Best Tiramisu ever! Made this for our Xmas dinner dessert and it was such a hit. My husband even told me that it is the best tiramisu he has ever had and that I need to make it again and not change a thing about it. Thank you Natasha, I have made some of your recipes and they never disappoint 🙂
I am so hapy to hear that! I actually made this dessert also for Christmas dinner. Thank you for sharing that with me.
I am so happy to hear that! I actually made this dessert also for Christmas dinner. Thank you for sharing that with me.
Seriously the absolute best I’ve ever had. Made this for Christmas and my family went crazy for it. Thank you
You’re most welcome, Anne-Marie. Thank you for your review and great feedback!
If I could leave a 10 star rating, I would. I made this for Christmas, and people couldn’t stop eating it. So good. Thank you Natasha for such a delicious recipe.
That is sweet of you, Carol Thanks for the awesome feedback, we appreciate it!
A little disappointed, just dipped the lady fingers in the espresso and rum, and it turned out dry. Also custard wasn’t sweet enough.
Hi Sylvie, I hope you love the finished product as much as we do! Also, it’s a quick dip but it should not be dry. Maybe your are too quick?
Hi!
I am looking forward to making this today !
About how long do you beat the heavy cream total?
Hi Lency, please see this note in the recipe “***Beating heavy cream slowly will help the cream remain more stable without turning watery. Start on low speed, then increase to medium speed over the next 5 minutes or until thick and stiff peaks form. ” I hope this helps!
I followed Natasha’s instructions to a t, and my whipped cream came out so good. The whole cake was out of this world.
Great to hear!
Hi Natasha. I have kahlua on hand. Do you think I could use that instead of rum?
I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe!
I have made it with kahlua many times already – taste is amazing! (could add slightly more than rum for stronger flavor).
For me, somehow the cream comes out too runny. I tried starting with slow mixing and then to medium etc but still same problem. It is ok but would prefer it to be firmer. Any tips? Mascarpone and eggs mix reminds me almost like kefir mixture.
Hey Hanna, I recommend making sure you’re using HEAVY whipping cream.
thank u so much for all ur good and tacking the time of showing all this good racpes
You’re welcome! I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.
made tiramisu for uncles birthday, i used creamcheese instead of mascarpone since its not available in my place, still turned out great. thank you for the recipe! wish i could post a photo of my finished product. 😊
I’m so glad it worked out, Trisha! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I made your Tiramisu cake for Thanksgiving and it was a big hit! Absolutely delicious! I am a big fan!
I’m so glad it was a hit, Chris! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi Natasha, this turned out great. The directions were easy to follow and a bonus that the ingredients were all easily found and available. Thank you for the step by step instructions and notes.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it and happy to hear the instructions were helpful, Andrea!