This is the easiest tiramisu recipe you’ll ever meet! With creamy coffee and caramel flavors soaking into the soft ladyfinger cakes, this tiramisu is the perfect decadent summer or winter dessert.
I am an avid supporter of authentic tiramisu. If it is on the menu at a restaurant, I order it. If a grocery store sells it, I’m buying it. And if I’m making it, it is going to be good. I don’t have a t-shirt yet but I can come up with a pair of pom-poms if need be and I even wrote a little jingle for it this morning: “Tiramisu! It’s so good for you! Tiramisu! It’s so good for you!”.
This easy caramel tiramisu recipe is the best I’ve tasted to date and so very simple to throw together! Instead of mascarpone, I use cream cheese and no eggs. Add in a packet of cakes, instant coffee, some fluffy whipped cream, and a drizzle of delicious caramel sauce and you have a rich, decadent, and thankfully not-too-sweet dessert that is served cold.
I love the tiramisu layers. Dig your fork into a bite and you will get so many different flavors and textures: coffee and caramel-soaked lady fingers and that deliciously sweet whipping cream and cream cheese mixture. I can never stop at just one bite though!
It’s the perfect dish to take to a summer barbecue or party. If you’re looking for more summer desserts, I’ve got you covered. Check out these posts: 12 summer pie recipes, 5 freezer-friendly summer desserts, and 6 make-ahead summer cakes.
Recipe Ingredients
- Ladyfingers
- Light whipping cream (or regular), like Cool Whip
- Vanilla extract
- Cream cheese (check out my easy homemade cream cheese recipe)
- Sugar (or your favorite powdered sweetener. I use Swerve).
- Instant coffee
- Caramel sundae syrup
How to Make My Easy Tiramisu Recipe
To start with, take 3/4 a cup of hot water and add enough instant coffee to make two cups of it.
So I’m using two of these little sleeves.
Stir that up and set your aside.
Place your cream cheese, granulated sugar or sweetener, and vanilla in a mixing bowl.
Mix this with an electric mixer until well blended.
Add in the and mix again, scraping down the sides as needed, until smooth and creamy.
In the bottom of an 8×8 pan, place the bottom half of your ladyfingers.
Ladyfingers are little soft cakes that have been split in half so you may not think you have enough but once you take them apart you do.
Now just drizzle half of your coffee mixture over those with a spoon, trying to keep it kind of sorta even if you can.
Then do a little zig-zag of some caramel on top of that.
You don’t want too much, just a quick few lines. That way it will soak in and blend with the coffee flavor rather than having a runny goo at the bottom of your dish.
Spread 1/2 of your cream mixture over the and then repeat the process one more time.
So add another layer of ladyfingers on top of the cream cheese mixture…
Drizzle the coffee mixture over them…
Add the caramel sauce…
And finish with a final layer of our faux mascarpone.
End by sprinkling a little cocoa powder over the top, if you like.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours (preferably overnight).
Look at this photo. Guess what? It tastes even better than it looks.
I’ve heard that the word “tiramisu” is Italian for “pick me up”? I don’t know about you, but I think I need a little pick-me-up right about now!
As easy as this is to make, I hope you give it a try soon!
Storage
- When stored in an airtight container, your leftover tiramisu will last in the fridge for up to one week.
- Freeze your tiramisu in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature for about 20 minutes and then sprinkle with cocoa again before serving.
Recipe Notes
- You want to use thinner caramel syrup in this tiramisu recipe, not the thick stuff that comes in a jar. The thinner the syrup, the easier it will soak into the ladyfingers along with the coffee.
- Ladyfingers are sometimes hard to find. My Krogers usually have them, and Publix always does, but you may have to ask for help finding them at both places. They generally tend to hang around the bakery area. If you can’t find them, you can substitute angel food cake (sliced thin), pound cake (again, sliced thin), or even a homemade yellow sponge cake. However, these will make your end product a bit sweeter. That is fine, I just wanted you to know ahead of time.
- Many tiramisu recipes include alcohol, like Kahlua. If you like, you can add two tablespoons of your favorite liqueur to your coffee. Options include dark rum, brandy, or even Bailey’s.
- You can use whatever coffee you have on hand, whether that’s cold brew, drip coffee, espresso coffee, or even decaf. We just need two cups!
- The cocoa powder is optional, but you could also use or chocolate shavings instead.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use homemade whipped cream?
You sure can. Knock yourself out. Finding out how much heavy cream you’ll need is gonna be on you so play with it until you get 3 cups. Check out my homemade whipped cream recipe with evaporated milk here.
Can I make this tiramisu recipe ahead of time?
Yes, this tiramisu actually tastes better after a couple of days and will last in the fridge for up to one week, so you can definitely make it in advance.
You might also enjoy these other no-bake summer desserts:
Ingredients
- 1 package ladyfingers 12 split in half makes 24 pieces
- 3 cups whipped topping
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/3 cup sugar or sugar substitute, I use Swerve
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-1.5 cup instant coffee
- 3/4 cup hot water add more hot water as need to make about 2 cups total with the coffee
- 1/2 bottle caramel syrup ice cream topping
- cocoa powder for sprinkling on top if desired
Instructions
- Stir enough instant coffee into hot water until dissolved to make about 2 cups and set aside.1-1.5 cup instant coffee, 3/4 cup hot water
- In a large mixing bowl, place the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth and blended. Add whipped topping and beat again, scraping down sides as needed, until well blended and creamy.8 ounces cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 cups whipped topping
- Place 1/2 of the ladyfingers in the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish. Use a spoon to drizzle 1/2 of the coffee over them. Top your soaked ladyfingers with a few zig-zag squirts of the caramel topping.1 package ladyfingers, 1-1.5 cup instant coffee, 1/2 bottle caramel syrup ice cream topping
- Place 1/2 of the cream mixture over this and spread to cover. Repeat this process once more and then sprinkle a bit of cocoa powder on top to finish it off, if desired. Cover and refrigerate for several hours before serving. Serve cold.cocoa powder for sprinkling on top
Hey everyone!! I wrote it down as 1-1 1/2 tsp (teaspoons) instant coffee..for the 3/4 cup water..I love coffee tasting everything.
Bet u could put dry instant coffee into Cool Whip as a topping on a cake !!! I’m going to try it !!! Can’t hurt..it still will be yummy !!!
The written recipe says… 2 cups of instant coffee and 3/4 cup of hot water. That is confusing. You only want “enough instant coffee granules to make 2 cups” but only use “3/4 cup of water”.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I reworded it so hopefully it more clear.
Tiramisu is my all-time favorite dessert
You have good taste Donna!!
Could you please clarify for me whether the recipe uses 2 cups of coffee or 3/4 cup of coffee?
I plan to make this in a couple of days.
The amount of instant coffee for two cups, but dissolved into only 3/4 cup of water so it is very string like expresso. Hope this helps!
Can you use something besides coffee I don’t like coffee
“Hey Bo, why are you holding your head?”
“Christy Jordan beseeched me with a tiramisu last night!”
🙂 “Hey Christy, Why are you walking around with that goofy grin?”
“Bo Williams reads my blog.”