Tiramisu
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This classic tiramisu recipe is easy to make, perfect for making ahead, and every bit as good as what you’d get at your favorite Italian spot—if not better.
Tiramisu means “pick me up” in Italian, and this dessert truly lives up to its name! It’s made with layers of espresso-dipped ladyfingers and a rich mascarpone filling, then finished with a dusting of cocoa powder and chilled overnight before serving.
You might think that such an impressive dessert would be difficult to make, but that’s not the case at all! While tiramisu looks fancy, it’s surprisingly easy to make—essentially an Italian version of a no-bake icebox cake. With just a few simple ingredients and easy assembly, you can recreate this authentic Italian tiramisu recipe right in your own kitchen.
“This recipe is the real deal…Definitely the best tiramisu out there!”
Video Tutorial
What You’ll Need To Make Tiramisu
- Instant espresso powder & dark rum: The base for soaking the ladyfingers—strong, bold, and slightly boozy. Instant espresso is usually sold near the coffee or baking section (brands like Medaglia d’Oro or DeLallo work well). If needed, you can substitute instant coffee, but the flavor will be milder—use a bit more to bump up the intensity.
- Egg yolks, sugar, salt, mascarpone, heavy cream & vanilla: This is the rich, creamy base. The yolks add structure, the sugar lends sweetness, and the mascarpone gives it that classic silky texture (BelGioioso is my go-to—skip the Whole Foods brand; it’s too wet). Vanilla rounds out the flavor, and whipped cream lightens everything up.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: A dusting on top lends a bitter chocolate contrast to the sweetness of the filling.
- Ladyfingers (savoiardi): These crisp Italian biscuits soak up the espresso mixture without getting soggy. Be sure to use the firm, dry kind—not soft, cake-like ones.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Make the espresso mixture. Mix the boiling water, instant espresso, and ¼ cup of the rum in a shallow bowl. Set aside and let it cool to room temperature.
Step 2. Beat the egg yolks. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), combine the egg yolks, salt, and ⅔ cup of the sugar. Beat until thick and pale yellow, about 2 minutes.
Pro Tip: Since the eggs are not cooked, be sure to use fresh, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and ensure no contact between yolks/whites and the shell.
Step 3. Add the mascarpone. Add the mascarpone, vanilla, and remaining ¼ cup of rum to the yolk mixture and beat until smooth.
Step 4. Whip the cream. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream and remaining ⅓ cup sugar on medium speed until medium-stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.
Pro Tip: Watch closely near the end—overwhipped cream turns grainy. Stop as soon as peaks hold their shape with just a slight curl at the tip.
Step 5. Fold the mixtures together. Gently fold about ½ cup of the egg-mascarpone mixture into the whipped cream to lighten it, then fold in the rest until the mixture is fully combined and smooth. Set aside.
Pro Tip: Use a gentle hand and a wide spatula—vigorous folding can deflate the cream and make the filling runny.
Step 6. Set up your assembly station. Gather your ladyfingers, espresso mixture, and a baking dish so you’re ready to assemble.
Step 7. Dip and layer the ladyfingers. Working one at a time, quickly dip each ladyfinger into the espresso mixture (oversoaking can make the cookies soggy) and arrange in a single layer across the bottom of the baking dish.
Step 8. Add the mascarpone layer. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture evenly over the soaked ladyfingers and smooth the top. If you’ve got an offset spatula, that works nicely here.
Step 9. Dust with cocoa and repeat. Lightly dust the top with cocoa powder, then repeat with another layer of dipped ladyfingers.
Step 10. Finish, chill, and serve. Spread the remaining mascarpone mixture over top and dust again with cocoa powder. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 2 days ahead (alternatively, you can freeze the tiramisu for up to 1 month). When ready to enjoy, cut into squares and serve cold. Enjoy!
More Cool, Creamy No-Bake Desserts You’ll Love
Tiramisu
This homemade tiramisu is special enough for a celebration, yet simple enough to whip up any day of the week.
Ingredients
- 2 cups boiling water
- 3 tablespoons instant espresso powder/granules
- ½ cup dark rum, divided
- 6 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- 1½ pounds mascarpone cheese (three 8-oz containers), cold (see note)
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 14 oz (or two 7-ounce) Savoiardi biscuits or crisp ladyfingers (see note)
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl, mix the boiling water, instant espresso, and ¼ cup of the rum. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or beaters, beat the egg yolks with the salt and ⅔ cup of the sugar on medium speed until the mixture is thick, pale yellow, and forms a ribbon when the whisk is lifted out of the bowl, about 2 minutes. Add the mascarpone, vanilla, and remaining ¼ cup of rum and beat until the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute.
- Using another bowl for your electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or beaters, beat the heavy whipping cream and remaining ⅓ cup sugar on medium speed until medium-stiff peaks form, 1½ to 2 minutes. Be sure not to over whip the cream; otherwise it will curdle.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold about ½ cup of the egg-mascarpone mixture into the whipped cream just until combined. Add the remaining egg-mascarpone mixture into the whipped cream and fold about 20 times, or until the mixture is uniform (no streaks should remain). Set aside.
- Set up a workstation with the ladyfingers, the cooled coffee mixture, and a 9x13-inch ceramic or glass baking dish.
- One at a time, dip the ladyfingers into the coffee mixture for 2 to 3 seconds each (do not oversaturate the cookies or they will fall apart), and place into the pan. Arrange the dipped cookies in a single layer in the baking dish (about 20 cookies), breaking or trimming them as needed to fit neatly into the dish.
- Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over top of the ladyfingers and, using a spatula, smooth into an even layer. Using a small sieve, dust the top of the cream layer with 1 tablespoon of the cocoa powder. Repeat with another layer of soaked ladyfingers, then top with the remaining mascarpone mixture and dust with the remaining 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge for at least 8 hours but preferably 24 hours. Cut into squares and serve cold.
- Note: This recipe uses raw eggs. Be sure to use only fresh, properly refrigerated and clean grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks/whites and the shell. If you’re nervous about using raw eggs, try to find pasteurized eggs. Pasteurized eggs have been briefly exposed to heat to destroy any potential bacteria. Whole Foods usually carries them but call your local store to be sure before making a special trip. (Note: eating raw eggs is not advisable for pregnant women, babies, the elderly, or anyone with a compromised immune system.)
- Note: It’s important to use a thicker brand of mascarpone cheese, otherwise you may end up with a runny filling. The best brand is BelGioioso, which is widely available at most large supermarkets. Do not use the Whole Foods brand; it is too soft.
- Note: Be sure to use crisp ladyfingers, aka Savoiardi biscuits — not the soft cake-like ladyfingers sold in the bakery section of the supermarket.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The tiramisu can be made up to two days ahead of time. It can also be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (14 servings)
- Calories: 428
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated fat: 16 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Sugar: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Sodium: 369 mg
- Cholesterol: 148 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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Hi Jenn,
Thank you for the quick response. The tiramisu was delicious!
Maria
Hi Jenn,
I purchased BelGioioso expresso mascarpone cheese accidentally. Do I have adjust the recipe in order to use it.
Maria
Hi Maria, You could cut back on espresso powder slightly – maybe use 2-1/2 tablespoons – but other than that I think it’ll be fine. Please LMK how it turns out!
Hello!
It says prepared pan but I missed in instructions -do I need to spray it, butter it?
Hi Dina, There’s nothing you actually need to do to prepare the pan – I’m sorry for any confusion and will remove the word “prepare.” Thanks for pointing that out and I hope you enjoy the tiramisu!
Hi Jenn,
Question: First this tiramisu flavor is fabulous!!!
But, the biscuits got soggy and I only dipped for a second.
Any advice? Could the coffee be just a bit too warm; I do let it cool. Thanks, Rose
Hi Rose, that’s kind of the nature of tiramisu – the biscuits eventually get soft as they sit under the other wet ingredients. That said, did you use the crisp ladyfingers? And, yes, the coffee mixture should come to room temperature before you dip the lady fingers into it. Please LMK if I can help in any other way.
Hi Jenn,
Yes, I used the crisp lady fingers.
I’ll try again.
Thanks so much, Rose
Hi!
I’m planning to make this for a Valentine’s party in a few weeks Can I make this with coffee rum? I wasn’t sure if it would make it too coffee heavy. Thank you!
Lisa K.
Hi Lisa, I’ve never had coffee rum, so I can’t say for sure, but if you really like the flavor of coffee, it should work. 😊
Please, LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Hi Jen,
I have been looking for Savoiardi biscuits, but several brands are not recommended by reviewers. Would you let me know what brand you use?
Thanks so much
Hi Carolyn, I really like Vicenzovo. Hope you enjoy the tiramisu if you make it!
Hi Jen. I’ve tried making your Irish Cream Tiramisu and now this. Both are so good! And for those wondering, yes it’s perfectly fine to “cook” the eggyolks using the double boiler method. As long as you keep whisking until the yolks reach the desired consistency called for in the recipe. Always works for me!
If you’re worried about the eggs and familiar with sous vide you can pasteurize the eggs using this method. Place eggs in water set at 135 degrees for 75 minutes then ice bath for 5 minutes.
Can we also have a metric version please.
Hi Lottie, they’ve been added. 🙂
Hi Jenn, I enjoy cooking and love your recipes! Would I do 1.5x this recipe for an 11×17 dish?
Yes, I think that would work. Enjoy!
Hi Jen, I love all your recipes and use them often. I am making this tiramisu for some guests who do not consume any alcohol. What can I substitute for the rum? Thanks so much!
Hi Jill, I’d replace the rum in the coffee mixture with water and omit the rum in the cream mixture. Enjoy!
This was so good! It isn’t too sweet and the texture is light. I’ve never had tiramisu before, and this was a great introduction to it. I’ll be making this recipe again. Thanks Chef!
Hi Jenn,
Can I replace the rum with Kahlúa or would that make the coffee flavor too overpowering?
Thanks!
As long as you like the flavor of Kahlua (and coffee), it should be fine. Enjoy1