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.
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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
Since I don’t like coffee, is there something I could substitute? Thank you in advance.
Hi Brenda! You may consider the Berry Tiramisu Cake instead.
Hello
Does your espresso contain sugar or not? I’m not sure if that makes a difference
Thank you
Hi Natalie! I use plain espresso, no sugar added.
Hi Natasha,
I made this recipe with the golden rum–it was delicious. However, I want to make it again using Kahlua instead–what do you think. Has anyone ever tried it?
Hi Edie! I haven’t but I think it would be just fine. It will have a slightly different flavor. Let us know how it is if you experiment.
Hi Edie – I always use Kahlua with my Tiramisu, but we like to taste the coffee flavor!
This recipe is amazing. First time making Tiramisu which is my and my daughter’s favorite dessert. We loved it as did the rest of my family. The cream was so yummy. Will be making again. Thank you Natasha for a great Tiramisu recipe!
Yay! Glad to hear that it was a huge success!
Can I use non-alcohol rum extract? and if so, what measurementwould you recommend.
Hi Missy, If you prefer to omit the alcohol altogether, leave out the rum or add a little bit of vanilla extract to taste.
Can I use pasty lady fingers instead of the hard ones I’m cooking it tomorrow for my girlfriends parents
Hi Adam. I haven’t tested that kind to know how they would hold up. Let us know if you experiment with it.
I use the pasty lady fingers instead of the hard ones. Be careful not to dunk them long in the espresso as they get soggy quick.
Hi Natasha, I am going to be making this but was wondering if I can use a Kitchenaid mixer with the whisk attachment, vs. the hand mixer (which I no longer have). Thanks!
Hi Michelle, that will work, just be sure to not over mix. I hope you love this recipe!
Hi Natasha. Are the eggs supposed to be room temp or cold? Thanks!
Hi M! No, they do not need to be a room temperature because you are going to be cooking them in step 2.
Where can I buy the Marcapone? I live in South FL, can’t seem to find it at any supermarket. Thanks
Hi Yanira! You may have to do some searching to see who carries it in your location but typically, mascarpone cheeses can be found at the specialty cheese department of your local grocery store or Whole Foods market if you have on in your area.
Natasha,
EVERY recipe of yours is absolutely fantastic! I made your tiramisu to take to a dinner party. I never have to worry “Will you it turn out?” Because everything I’ve tried from your collection of recipes has been perfect!
Hello Melody, thanks so much for your trust. I’m so happy that you’re enjoying our recipes. That helps us feel more inspired!
I made this recipe and it would have been fantastic but the marsacpone I used tasted horrible. Wasn’t out of date just didn’t taste good.Any suggestions for a brand to use? Thanks
Hi Claire, I’m sorry to hear that was your experience. I have the photo of the exact brand and mascarpone I used in the recipe post. See the photo right underneath the “Ingredients for Tiramisu:” section. I hope this helps and you find a brand that you love!
Can you use decaffeinated coffee? I would really like to know.
Hi Beth, yes you can absolutely use decaf coffee.
This was a quick and easy recipe. However, when using your recipe conversion for the size of the recipe, your instructions do not alter the amt of the ingredients. That’s a major faux pas! I converted to 6 servings and your recipe steps did not alter.
Hi Paj! It’s computer generated and unfortunately, it does not have an option to do that at the moment. Hopefully, in the future, we will have this feature but for now, only the ingredient list will convert and not the instructions.
Made this for Mothers Day and it was devoured before I even got to take a picture! Followed recipe exactly except I used vanilla extract instead of the rum and it was amazing! Will be making it again for sure!!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Vivian!
When I have had a hard time finding lady fingers I have thinly sliced and toasted Angel Food Cake and lightly brushed the slices with my coffee mixture. You just want to be careful not to make it soggy. It seems to make it more like the cakey Lady Fingers. We prefer the crispier Lady Fingers. We love the texture of this perfect mixture and I receive rave reviews whenever I serve it. Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Terri! That’s a great idea!
In the video that accompanies this recipe you specifically state that you should NOT whip the cream to stiff peaks, but in the written recipe it’s noted more than one time that the cream should be whipped to stiff peaks.
Hello Nick, I recommend following the written recipe as we sometimes update it to make it better.
This was my first time making tiramisu… and considering that it’s my most favorite dessert, I can’t believe I didn’t make it sooner. I was nervous, as this was my first attempt. Your recipe is INCREDIBLE!! I thought it turned out amazing, better than any I have had at restaurants in the past. I took it to work and received numerous compliments. It went so fast, I only had a few servings left. I ended up making a second one a few days later! Thank you, Natasha!
That’s amazing, Juliet! Thank you for trying my recipe. I’m so glad you loved it.
This is a good recipe. The ingredients and ratios are correct, however, I think it’s necessary to use a hand mixer instead of whisking the eggs and sugar by hand. I whisked them together as directed, and the whole mixture still came out very runny. I made it a second time with a mixer, same heat and timing, and it was much better. Any suggestions?
Also, I find the standard size lady fingers to be too large for my pans, and they didn’t hold up well. I did find some soft lady fingers in the bakery section of my local grocery stores, and they were smaller and spongy. Thankfully, I live where there are a lot of good Italian products.
Hi L, it worked well for us with a whisk, but if you’re struggling with it, you can definitely try a hand mixer.
Your mascarpone cream is the best recipe I’ve found, the closest to what we had throughout Italy. The only hack I did for my chocolate loving family is to substitute chocolate cake, with espresso in it, for the ladyfingers – so good! I use the King Arthur gluten free chocolate cake mix.
Hi Peg! That sounds wonderful. Thank you for sharing. So glad you loved the recipe.
Is there something else I can use as a substitute for the alcohol? We don’t use/drink alcohol.
Hi ZA, If you prefer to omit the alcohol altogether, leave out the rum or add a little bit of vanilla extract to taste.