Looking for some sweet desserts that will effortlessly impress your guests, are easy to make ahead of time, and can be served at any event? These mini dessert cup recipes are the perfect solution; they’re easy to assemble, full of flavor, and almost too cute to eat. From chocolate-covered strawberry to bright and tangy lemon, there’s something for everyone in these delicious little cups.
There’s just something about desserts in tiny cups that makes them so much more appealing than regular-sized desserts. I love that these little layered treats feel fancy without being fussy, and they’re the perfect make-ahead option when you want to spend more time enjoying yourself and less time in the kitchen.
These mini dessert cup recipes are some of my personal favorites: Chocolate Strawberry Parfaits, Lemon Parfaits, and Strawberry Shortcake Pudding Cups. Each one comes together with simple ingredients and a little layering, and, if you like to mix and match flavors and textures like I do, you’re going to love all the combinations these dishes have to offer.
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Chocolate Strawberry Parfaits
Made with layers of Chocolate Crème Cake Roll, whipped strawberry mousse, a fresh strawberry compote, and topped with a decadent chocolate-covered strawberry, this dessert is the perfect showstopper for parties, holidays, or just because you deserve a treat. The best part? It’s easy to assemble and even easier to enjoy.
Lemon Parfaits
Looking for a dessert that’s light, bright, and bursting with citrusy flavor? These Lemon Parfaits are the perfect bite-sized treat! Layered with tangy homemade lemon curd, fluffy whipped cream, and sweet bites of a Lemon Crème Cake Roll, they’re everything you love about summer in one beautiful cup.
Strawberry Shortcake Pudding Cups
These Strawberry Shortcake Pudding Cups are a nostalgic nod to those ice cream truck treats you couldn’t wait to grab on hot summer days. Creamy cheesecake pudding, chunks of Strawberry Cheesecake Cake Roll, and a crunchy strawberry cookie crumble make these cups a perfect no-bake dessert for parties, cookouts, or just a sweet weekday surprise.
3 Best Mini Dessert Cup Recipes
How to Make Chocolate Strawberry Parfaits
What You’ll Need
- Food processor or blender
- Mixing bowls, multiple
- Saucepan
- Parchment-lined baking sheet
- Serving glasses/mini dessert cups
Storage Information
To store your Chocolate Strawberry Parfaits, cover each glass with plastic wrap or transfer the cups to an airtight container. Place the covered parfaits in the refrigerator. They can be stored for up to 2 days.
Chocolate Strawberry Parfaits
Course: DessertCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Easy8-10
servings10
Made with layers of Chocolate Crème Cake Roll, whipped strawberry mousse, a fresh strawberry compote, and topped with a decadent chocolate-covered strawberry, this dessert is the perfect showstopper for parties, holidays, or just because you deserve a treat. The best part? It’s easy to assemble and even easier to enjoy.
Ingredients
- Cake Base:
1 Dutch Apron® Bakery Chocolate Crème Cake Roll, slice into cubes
- Strawberry Mousse:
1 c. freeze-dried strawberries
1 c. heavy cream
3 tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. LorAnn Strawberry Bakery Emulsion
- Strawberry Compote:
1 c. fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. water
1 tsp. lemon juice
- Chocolate-Covered Strawberries:
Fresh strawberries, washed and dried
Chocolate melting wafers
Directions
- Make the Strawberry Mousse
- Pulse the freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor or blender until finely ground into a powder.
- In a bowl, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and strawberry emulsion until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold in the strawberry powder until fully combined. Set aside.
- Prepare the Strawberry Compote
- In a saucepan, combine the sliced strawberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice.
- Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until strawberries break down and the mixture thickens, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- Make the Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
- Melt the chocolate wafers in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring between each round until smooth.
- Dip each clean, dry strawberry into the melted chocolate and let any excess drip off.
- Place dipped strawberries on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let them set.
- Assemble the Parfaits
- Cut your Dutch Apron® Bakery Chocolate Crème Cake Roll into cubes. Place evenly in the bottoms of your serving glasses.
- Add a layer of strawberry mousse and spread evenly.
- Spoon over a layer of strawberry compote and a few fresh sliced strawberries.
- Repeat the layers until the glass is filled, finish with a swirl of strawberry mousse on top.
- Garnish with a chocolate-covered strawberry.
How to Make Lemon Parfaits
What You’ll Need
- Saucepans, one small and one medium
- Whisk
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- Piping bag fitted with a star tip
- Serving glasses/mini dessert cups
Storage Information
To store your Lemon Parfaits, cover each glass with plastic wrap or transfer the cups to an airtight container. Place the covered parfaits in the refrigerator. They can be stored for up to 2 days. If you do make these ahead of time, I recommend waiting to put on the whipped cream until just before you’re ready to serve.
For the simple syrup, I suggest storing it in an airtight glass jar or bottle. Place the jar in the refrigerator. It can typically last up to 4 weeks when stored properly.
Lemon Parfaits
Course: DessertCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Easy10-12
servings9
Looking for a dessert that’s light, bright, and bursting with citrusy flavor? These Lemon Parfaits are the perfect bite-sized treat! Layered with tangy homemade lemon curd, fluffy whipped cream, and sweet bites of a Lemon Crème Cake Roll, they’re everything you love about summer in one beautiful cup.
Ingredients
- Case Base:
1 Dutch Apron® Bakery Lemon Crème Cake Roll, cut into cubes
- Simple Syrup:
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. sugar
2 tbsp. lemon juice
- Lemon Curd:
2 tbsp. lemon zest
5 egg yolks
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. lemon juice
5 tbsp. butter
- Whipped Cream:
1 c. heavy cream
2 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
Optional: Additional lemon zest for garnish
Directions
- Build the Base
- Cut the Dutch Apron® Bakery Lemon Crème Cake Roll into small cubes.
- Place evenly in the bottoms of 10-12 mini dessert cups.
- Make the Simple Syrup
- In a small saucepan, combine water, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until sugar fully dissolves. Let cool.
- Spoon 1-2 tbsp. over the cake base in each glass. If you’d like, you can also add a layer of whipped cream here to give your parfait a richer flavor.
- Store any extra syrup in the fridge to use with other recipes.
- Prepare the Lemon Curd
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and egg yolks.
- Add the butter and cook over medium-low heat, whisking until thickened, about 6-8 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Spoon the lemon curd evenly into the glasses over the syrup layer.
- Refrigerate for 1-2 hours to set.
- Make the Whipped Cream
- In a large mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy.
- Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe onto the top of each parfait.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of lemon zest.
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake Pudding Cups
What You’ll Need
- Food processor or resealable bag and rolling pin
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Serving glasses/mini dessert cups
Storage Information
To store your Strawberry Shortcake Pudding Cups, cover each glass with plastic wrap or transfer the cups to an airtight container. Place the covered cups in the refrigerator. They can be stored for up to 3 days. If you do make these ahead of time, I recommend waiting to put on the whipped cream until just before you’re ready to serve.
Strawberry Shortcake Pudding Cups
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8-10
servings7
These Strawberry Shortcake Pudding Cups are a nostalgic nod to those ice cream truck treats you couldn’t wait to grab on hot summer days. Creamy cheesecake pudding, chunks of Strawberry Cheesecake Cake Roll, and a crunchy strawberry cookie crumble make these cups a perfect no-bake dessert for parties, cookouts, or just a sweet weekday surprise.
Ingredients
- Strawberry Crumble:
20 golden vanilla sandwich cookies
1/2 c. freeze-dried strawberries
- Pudding:
2 (3.4 oz.) pkg. Instant Jell-O Cheesecake Pudding
4 c. cold whole milk
- Pudding Cup Layers:
1 Dutch Apron® Bakery Strawberry Cheesecake Cake Roll, cut into cubes
1 1/2 c. fresh strawberries, diced
1 c. whipped cream
Directions
- Make the Strawberry Crumble
- Place sandwich cookies and freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor and pulse until finely crushed. You can also place the ingredients into a resealable bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- Mix the Pudding
- In a large bowl, mix together the cheesecake pudding mix and cold milk until smooth and thickened.
- Gently fold in the diced fresh strawberries. Let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken fully.
- Assemble the Layers
- Start by placing a spoonful of the strawberry cookie crumble at the bottom of each cup.
- Next, cut your Dutch Apron® Bakery Strawberry Cheesecake Cake Roll into cubes. Place evenly on top of the cookie crumble.
- Over the cake roll cubes, spoon on a layer of the cheesecake pudding.
- Add another layer of cookie crumble followed by one more layer of cheesecake pudding.
- Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Before serving, top each cup with a dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle on a little extra cookie crumble and add a fresh strawberry slice for a pop of color.
About the Author:
Jess Shirk is the genius behind many of the Dutch Apron® Bakery recipe blog posts. She joined the team back in 2022 as a social media manager, and, since then, she has become the brand’s resident photographer and baker. When she’s not perfecting pictures for Dutch Apron® Bakery’s social media feeds, she can be found spending time in nature with her two dogs, going on bike rides with her family, and trying new bread recipes.
