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
Made this a couple of days ago and it was great, but I’d recommend putting the powdered cocoa on as soon as it’s assembled. I put it on the next day right before serving, and it felt like I was inhaling the cocoa powder. Putting it on right away gives it time to settle in and stick. I made it exactly following the recipe, but next time I’m going to try it with Kahlua instead of rum.
Thank you for your suggestion, Kathy! I’m glad you enjoyed this Tiramisu recipe.
Delicious !
I made this Tiramisu a few days ago for my birthday…. yes I did. I have tried many recipes over the years with ok results and finishes. But this one…. THIS ONE IS THE BEST I’VE EVER MADE ! The custard is light as air and the consistency is above all others. I made one change since I’m not a rum lover…. I substituted Amaretto in place of the rum… OMG so delicious.
I am so glad to hear that, Ronni! Thank you for the wonderful feedback.
What can I use that is non alcoholic in place of the rum. Love your recipes!
Hi Joann, if you prefer to omit the alcohol completely, you can leave out the rum or add a little bit of vanilla extract to taste.
so I LOVE tiramisu and decided to try this recipe for my first go at it… Came out AWESOME…. Only thing I did is change out kahlua for the rum and only put in 4 tblsp… Kinda had a bit of a disagreement with my wife on how to fold in the whipped cream… 🙂 Other than that this was excellent…. Thank you..
You’re very welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Made it yesterday and I am engulfing it right now. Oh my God, sooo goooooooooddd!!!
My son it’s at his second portion :)))
Happy New Year! 🙂
We love tiramisu around here! So glad you loved the recipe too. Happy New Year!
I am now an accomplished Tiramisu creator. This is SOOOO good. Rave reviews. Tomorrow, I serve it to my Italian sister-in-law for Christmas
That’s awesome, Mary! Merry Christmas. I hope they all love it!
I made this yesterday. It is very yummy. The only thing I cannot figure out is, why is my tiramisu runnier that it should be? It is not holding together at all and just looks like a blobby mess that should be in a bowl.
Hi Rebecca! Be sure to use HEAVY whipping cream and not just whipping cream which is a light cream. The heavy whipping cream needs to be very cold, and it needs to reach stiff peaks. If it’s too soft, it won’t add much structure to the cream. Also- you’ll want the egg mixture to have cooled off enough and not be too warm when folding in the cream. I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha, could you please advise me on what size round pan I could use in cm. Thank you! 😄
Hi Ann, I haven’t tried this recipe in that size pan, but I recommend using THIS Adapt Baking Recipes to Fit Different Pan Sizes Guide. Have you tried my Russian Tiramisu recipe? It is made in a round pan
I’ve been using your tiramisu recipe for a couple of years and I get rave reviews every time! Even from Italians!
Thanks
That’s wonderful to hear, Cathy!
Hey! I’m excited to make this later today! However, I noticed that the recipe calls for cold mascarpone cheese. That seems odd to me and I don’t want to risk my opportunity to use room temperature. Is there a reason why the recipes calls for it to be cold? Would it really be that different to use room temp?
Hi Rebecca. Room temperature mascarpone has a tendency to curdled sometimes and if it’s too warm, when added to the heavy cream, it can affect the texture and cause the mixture to be too soft. We’ve had great results with using cold mascarpone. I hope you love the recipe.
Natasha,
The only ladyfingers were the ones cut in half and smaller so there were three rows on each level. Thus the cream did not seem as thick between. Do you think this will affect the taste?
Hi Diane! Possibly it will affect the taste and texture. If you had to use more cookies then it can be more dry.
Hi Natasha, can only the cream mixture be made ahead of time and frozen to then assemble the cake a week later?
Hi Lorraine. I have not tested that. I don’t know how the texture of consistency will hold up once it’s thawed.
Hi there. When it calls for Golden rum, I’m coming across either straight up rum or rum extract. Which is it?
Hi Allison! You can reference the image above in the blog post to see the type I used. Not extract, you want actual rum. I hope you love the recipe.
Hi there. I can’t seem to find HEAVY whipping cream anywhere. Can I use double cream instead?
Hi Lulu! That should be fine, but it will be more rich since double cream has a higher fat content.
Hi Natasha, how many days can I make ahead this recipe?
Thanks xoxo
Tiramisu keeps well so you can make it a day or two ahead.
I am so confused. Your written instructions say you want stiff peaks, but in your video it says “you don’t want still peaks.” Which one is it?
Hi Andrea, I recommend following the written recipe, we update recipes to make them better and unfortunately, theres no way to update the video.
Hi Natasha, I love your recipes and videos! I made this tiramisu recipe today, but when I was spreading the cream mixture , I noticed it was much less thicker than yours. I could literally pour it on. I whipped the cream till there was soft peaks but maybe it wasn’t quite enough. I’m not sure what I did wrong. I just put it in the fridge, so I’m hoping it’s thicker by tomorrow…,
Hi Angela! It needs to reach stiff peaks (not soft). Watch my video to see what my cream looked like. Also- be sure to use heavy cream and not just whipping cream which is lighter with less fat. I hope that helps.
Thanks Natasha! I am in Canada, so I used 35% cream… do you consider that heavy cream? Anyway, I did try the tiramisu and it turned out and it set fine. 😊😊😊
As long as it turned out fine, that’s great!
Hi Natasha, I was wondering if I am making one and a half recipes (18) servings would it be okay to triple the layers? Or would it be too heavy? Thanks
Hi Marcia! I think it would be fine. You may need to use a taller pan. Also, keep in mind, sine this is a soft cake, the taller the cake, the taller the slice which may collapse when served.
Best tiramisu recipe!
My go-to. Always better 24 hrs+ later so definitely make in advance where possible!
Yesterday I made it for a smaller crowd, I halved the quantities using the thing provided on the page to change the serving to 6.
Side note for any brain farters out there like me… the quantities written in the method don’t change when you amend the serving size, only the ingredients list changes. I noticed my error at the start luckily, e.g. serving for 6 people is 3 tbsp whisky but the description still says 6tbsp whisky. I didn’t notice & blindly following the method, I added 6 tbsp in the coffee mixture rather than half there and half in the mascarpone mix. No biggie (could have been worse things than a double up of whisky!!) but just in case anyone else doesn’t realise 😊
Also, I didn’t have mascarpone on hand. Google search advised cream cheese sweetened with icing sugar could work. I wasn’t 100% convinced but got on with it and I have to say, I will use cream cheese again when in a mascarpone squeeze as the flavour (especially the next day) is actually really good and the slight tang from the cream cheese works nicely with the coffee and whisky.
Just make sure to sweeten the cream cheese enough to take out most of the tang, and whisk it well so mixes well.
Thank you, Natasha, for your great recipes!!
You’re very welcome! Thank you for sharing.
Hello Natasha!
I made the tiramisu today and I’m getting a bit worried that it’ll be too strong… in your recipe it said 1 1/2 cups coffee so I pulled 2 shots each time, until I got to 1 1/2 cups.. do you think that would be a problem at all?
Hi Vicka! Espresso shots are stronger, you may water it down to your preference.
Your recipe is so good! I have made couple of times and it is perfect!
Glad to hear and thank you!