Tiramisu is a timeless no-bake Italian dessert combining espresso-dipped ladyfingers and a lightly sweetened mascarpone cream. This recipe is from the late Maida Heatter and is easily the best homemade tiramisu recipe that I’ve ever tried.
I originally published this popular recipe in 2019 and have since added new photos and success tips. Lots of wonderfully helpful reviews below, too!
In 2019, I received a cookbook called Happiness Is Baking. This cookbook includes Maida Heatter’s favorite recipes with the foreword written by Dorie Greenspan. I, unsurprisingly, immediately fell in love with the newest addition to my cookbook shelves. This book is a collection of 100 foolproof and classic desserts including cookies, cakes, muffins, pies, tarts, and more that range from simple everyday cookies to outrageously indulgent chocolate soufflรฉ cake.
For those not familiar, Maida Heatter is an icon, and especially in the baking world. Dubbed the Queen of Cake, her expansive culinary career included 9 cookbooks, recipes for the Times, a restaurant, and three James Beard Awards. Baker and author Dorie Greenspan once said, “Whenever someone tells me they want to learn to bake, I tell them to start with Maida Heatter’s books. That’s what I did.” This latest cookbook is a testament to Maida’s legacy. She leaves behind an incalculable amount of inspiration to bakers and cooks all over the world.
Her tiramisu is unbelievable and I’m honored to share it with you. This is a classic no-bake Italian dessert combining espresso-dipped ladyfingers and a creamy, lightly sweetened mascarpone cream. Nothing triumphant comes for free, so expect a fair amount of prep work. This recipe requires several bowls and a couple mixing techniques, but it’s nothing you can’t handle.
One reader, Roni, commented: “Amazing recipe!!! My husband was having some people over and wanted to do an Italian-themed dinner, so he asked me to make tiramisu, which I have never made before. Well, let me tell you, this recipe is really scrumptious and received great reviews! It’s a little labor intensive to make the cream filling, but boy oh boy, is it ever worth it. It’s so light, fluffy, and simply scrumptious. I will definitely be making this again! โ โ โ โ โ “
Tiramisu Layers
There are 2 components and 4 layers in tiramisu. Each component is layered twice.
- Espresso-Dipped Ladyfingers
- Mascarpone Cream
It goes: espresso-dipped ladyfingers, mascarpone cream, remaining espresso-dipped ladyfingers, and remaining mascarpone cream. Dust the whole thing with a dense layer of unsweetened cocoa powder to finish. Maida’s recipe calls for homemade chocolate ladyfingers, and if you own this cookbook, I highly recommend using her chocolate ladyfinger recipe included in it. Most Italian bakeries make fresh ladyfingers as well. However, if you’re desiring a simpler and more convenient approach, use a store-bought variety.
What Are Ladyfingers?
Ladyfingers (savoiardi in Italian) are a sweet, pretty dry, finger-shaped sponge cookie/cake. They’re a main ingredient in many desserts including trifles and tiramisu; and when layered underneath cream, ladyfingers take on a lovely moist cake-like texture. You can find ladyfingers in most large grocery stores, Italian markets, or you can purchase them online. Homemade, as the book uses, is an option too.
Overview: How to Make Tiramisu
The full written and printable recipe is below.
- Whisk espresso and Grand Marnier. Grand Marnier makes this a boozier tiramisu because there is alcohol in both the coffee mixture and the mascarpone cream. Grand Marnier’s flavor is great in this dessert, but you can skip it if desired. If you don’t have espresso, purchase espresso powder and follow the measurements in the recipe Notes.
- Dip half of the ladyfingers in the espresso mixture. Ladyfingers soak up a lot of liquid within 1 second, so make it a very quick dunk. You don’t want them overly saturated and soggy, because as the tiramisu chills, they’ll soften up underneath all the cream.
- Line dipped ladyfingers in bottom of pan. If needed, cut some ladyfingers to fill in any empty spaces.
- Beat mascarpone and rum together. Use quality mascarpone. I like BelGioioso brand (not sponsoredโtruly what I always use).
- Gently cook egg yolks and sugar. Egg yolks are a main ingredient in tiramisu. Use a double boiler or makeshift bowl/saucepan double boiler to cook egg yolks and sugar together. Maida’s recipe also uses the egg whites, which come soon after this step.
- Beat egg yolks into mascarpone cream mixture.
- Whip heavy cream and vanilla extract into medium peaks.
- Fold whipped cream into mascarpone cream mixture (similar to what we do for our fresh fruit tart filling).
- Beat the egg whites and salt together until foamy, then slowly pour in sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Fold egg white mixture into mascarpone cream mixture.
- Layer half of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers. An offset spatula helps.
- Dip and layer remaining ladyfingers.
- Top with remaining cream mixture, then chill for for 2โ3 hours.
- Dust with cocoa. After chilling for a couple hours, dust the top layer with a dense layer of unsweetened or dutch-process cocoa powder. Use a sifter. This is a classic finishing touch to the entire tiramisu dessert.
- Chill overnight. You can chill it for up to 1 day, so it’s a great make-ahead dessert recipe.
The mascarpone, rum, and egg yolk mixture as well as the whipped cream:
The mascarpone mixture and whipped cream combined:
The whipped egg white mixture and the final mascarpone cream mixture:
Let’s layer:
How to Slice and Serve Tiramisu
As with most layered desserts, you can’t be nervous to just dive right in and start serving! Serve square portions. Make even cuts with a sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between each cut. A small metal serving spatula to remove the slices is massively helpful.
Tiramisu FAQ
This is one of the best homemade tiramisu recipes that I’ve hadโand I definitely encourage you to try it! Here are 4 common questions I receive, along with my answers that will help you get started:
Dark rum is best, but you can use brandy or your favorite coffee liqueur.
Most tiramisu recipes use whipped egg whites OR whipped cream in the mascarpone cream layers. Egg whites contribute a more airy texture, while whipped cream makes the filling a bit more rich. This recipe actually uses both, so you’re getting both delightful textures.
Tiramisu is a no-bake dessert. The egg yolks are gently cooked on the stovetop, but the egg whites are raw. Purchase pasteurized eggs because they are safe to consume raw. If you can’t find pasteurized eggs, you can omit the egg whites entirely. See the recipe Notes for instructions.
This particular tiramisu recipe yields a large volume and the pan will be very full. Make sure your pan is large enough. I recommend a 9×13-inch dish with at least a 12โ14-cup capacity. This 4-quart dish is wonderful too.
More Specialty Desserts
- Tiramisu Crepe Cake
- Crรจme Brรปlรฉe
- Amaretto Cheesecake
- Chocolate Soufflรฉ
- Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding
- Homemade Eclairs
Or view all my dessert recipes.
Print
Tiramisu
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 12 hours
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Review the recipe notes and video tutorial before starting. Tiramisu tastes best when chilled overnight, so this is a wonderful make-ahead dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240ml) very strongly prepared espresso, warm or room temperature*
- 5 Tablespoons (75ml) Grand Marnier (optional)
- 40โ45 ladyfingers*
- 16 ounces (about 2 cups; 450g) mascarpone, cold
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) dark rum
- 4 large pasteurizedย eggs, separated*
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar, divided*
- 2 cups (480ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- unsweetened natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder
Instructions
- You need a large 9×13-inch baking pan/dish with at least a 12-14 cup capacity. Set aside and have ready to go!
- Dip half of the ladyfingers: You will form 2 layers each of dipped ladyfingers and mascarpone cream. Let’s begin with the 1st layer of ladyfingers. Whisk the espresso and Grand Marnier together in a shallow bowl. One at a time, quickly dip each side of the ladyfinger into the espresso mixture. You don’t want to over-saturate the ladyfinger with liquid because then the ladyfingers will taste soggy. Just a quick dip on each side. Arrange the dipped ladyfingers in the baking pan to make one solid layer. If needed, cut some ladyfingers to fill in any empty spaces. Reserve remaining espresso mixture and ladyfingers for another layer.
- Begin the mascarpone cream: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the mascarpone and rum together on medium speed in a large bowl for a few seconds, just to combine. Do not overmix. Set aside.
- Prepare a double boiler for the egg yolks: If you have a double boiler, use it in this step. If you don’t, place a heatproof bowl over a small pot of simmering water over medium-low heat. Don’t let the water touch the bottom of the bowl.ย Using a whisk or eggbeater (I simply use a whisk), whisk the egg yolks and 1/4 cup (50g) of granulated sugar together until light and foamy, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately pour into the mascarpone mixture. Beat on medium speed until combined.
- Whip the heavy cream: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream and vanilla extract together on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3 minutes. Medium peaks are between soft/loose peaks and stiff peaks and are the perfect consistency for the tiramisu cream. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture.
- ย Beat the egg whites: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a *clean* whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt together on medium-high speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase to high speed and slowly pour in the remaining 1/4 cup (50g) of sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 minutes. (Do not over-beat as the egg whites will become dry.) Fold into the mascarpone cream.
- Spread half of the mascarpone cream evenly over bottom layer of ladyfingers. An offset spatula helps spread it neatly and evenly.
- Dip remaining ladyfingers:ย Dip remaining ladyfingers into remaining espresso mixture and arrange one-by-one on top of the mascarpone layer. Gently press each down so they are nice and compact. Using an offset spatula, spread remaining mascarpone mixture evenly on top. If you’re using a large enough pan, it should all fit (but it will definitely tower high!). Refrigerate uncovered for 2-3 hours.
- Add cocoa layer, then chill: After a couple hours in the refrigerator, sift or strain a dense layer of cocoa powder all over the top. Wipe the rim of the baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then refrigerate for at least 8-9 more hours and up to 1 day.
- Using a sharp knife, slice chilled tiramisu into servings. Wipe knife clean between cuts. A small metal serving spatula is helpful for removing the slices.
- Cover leftover tiramisu and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions:ย Prepare tiramisu through step 8. Tightly cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer, evenly dust the top with cocoa, then thaw in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. (Can thaw covered or uncovered.)
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Baking Pan | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Egg Separator | Double Boiler | Offset Spatula | Fine Mesh Sieve | Small Metal Serving Spatula
- Smaller Recipe: Halve this recipe for a 9-inch or 10-inch square baking pan.
- Espresso: For the espresso, combine 4 Tablespoons instant espresso powder with 1 cups hot water. This is stronger than brewed espresso and perfect for tiramisu. In a pinch, use super-super-strong black coffee.
- Grand Marnier: This addition makes this a boozier version of tiramisu because you have alcohol in both the coffee soak mixture and the mascarpone cream. Grand Marnier’s flavor is lovely in this dessert, but you can skip it and stick with just the dark rum.
- Ladyfingers: Ladyfingers (savoiardi in Italian) are a sweet, pretty dry, and finger-shaped sponge cookie/cake. They’re found in most large grocery stores, Italian markets, or you can purchase them online. You can also make them from scratchโthere are many recipes online! I use 2 standard packages of ladyfingers for this recipe.
- Eggs: The egg yolks are gently cooked in this recipe, but if you’re concerned with eating raw egg whites, purchase pasteurized eggs because they are safe to consume raw. If you can’t find pasteurized eggs, you can omit the egg whites entirely. Skip step 6; and in step 4, cook the egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
- Non-Alcoholic Version: Omit the Grand Marnier and replace the rum with milk.
Recipe reprinted in partnership with Little, Brown and Company. Recipe adapted from Happiness is Baking by Maida Heatter, foreword by Dorie Greenspan.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I have made this recipe twice and both times it received rave reviews.
I am a loyal fan of your recipes but this one is over the top. Made it tonight for only a 4 person dinner party so made it in 4 smaller containers. Froze one gave 2 to neighbors and saved the biggest for tonight. It was like a cloud of yum. The guests could not stop raving over it. Never dreamed one of your recipes would top your Cocconut Cream Pie but this one has. You never cease to amaze me. Thank you for making me a better baker.
This recipe is excellent. My son-in-law requested tiramisu for his birthday dinner a couple months ago & I had never made it before. Searched the internet for recipes but Sallyโs site is often my โgo-toโ so chose this one. Glad I did – it was a hit! My daughter said it was better than the tiramisu they served in the Italian restaurant she worked at years ago. Have made it twice more for celebrations since. 4 double shots of espresso from my espresso machine is pretty much perfect. I skip the egg whites as my chickens donโt lay pasteurized eggs – lol. I have also used Kahlua in place of the Grand Marnier & it works well too, but I usually reduce to just 2-3 tbsp of liqueur in the coffee soak – just a personal preference. Personally, I donโt actually find it very labour intensive at all, maybe b/c I skip the egg white step which simplifies it further.
I would like to make this for our Christmas dessert in a 9โ or 10โ springform pan. Do I cut the recipe in half? Thank you!
You could absolutely arrange this recipe, as is, in a springform pan (10-inch or larger). It will hold shape nicely. Hope itโs a hit!
My husband used a springform pan to make a spectacular one. He lined up some savoyardi around the outside of the pan ( cut to height with the rounded side just above the edge.
Without using egg whites, the quantities worked well
Has anyone made this recipe in individual portions (cups, etc) for a bigger event? Any tips? Thanks!
Hi, which brand of instant espresso powder did you use for the tiramisu? Thanks!
Hi Kimberly! We like to use King Arthur brand.
The other day I made tiramisu from a different recipe, and I didnโt like it. The recipe did not include egg whites and I thought it was way too rich with only the mascarpone and whipped cream. I also held it in the refrigerator for a little more than a day, and the savoiardi lady fingers were soggy (even though I was careful not to dip them too long). Iโm guessing that 6 to 8 hours would be enough time in the refrigerator. For flavoring I used my homemade coffee liqueur and it enhanced the coffee flavor and offset the creaminess and that was the best part of my tiramisu!
Today Iโm looking at Sallyโs recipe, and it looks like it is a much better recipe, thanks to the many review comments. I think the egg whites will offset the rich cream. So, today I deleted the old recipe!
this was fantastic. i didnt have Grand Ma so I didn’t get to try it with that. And I wansn’t buying a whole bottle of dark rum for this recipe so I used a little airplane bottle of spiced rum. my aunt said it was the best shes ever tasted. second time around i made my own lady fingers, and ill be taking it to my sister for her bday tomorrow.
I just made this and my issue with it is the sizing was off. It didnโt list how many boxes of lady fingers to get so I got 2. I used a foil 9×13 which should be the same as a glass one right? But for whatever reason it only went a little over half way.
What was the issue? The amount of lady fingers or the size of the pan?
Hi Nina, see Notes after the recipe for details on ladyfingers. We use 2 standard packages for this recipe. Do your slices look like the photos above?
Hello! I have a follow up rating to my earlier comment. This recipe works and is easy to put together. Read the recipe through and be organized. I made the non alcoholic version and omitted the egg whites. The mixture did not curdle as promised. I found the ladyfingers at TJ Maxx. I trust Sallyโs Recipes moving forward.
hi can I halve this recipe please
Hi Janice, yes! You can halve this recipe for a 9-inch or 10-inch square baking pan. Enjoy!
Can I make this in a springform pan, chill overnight, and line the outside with lady fingers? I want it to be a pretty presentation.
Hi Christina, You could absolutely arrange this in a springform pan (10-inch or larger). It will hold shape nicely. Hope itโs a hit!
I came here after seeing a gal post on TT how she leaned to bake cuz of this site. I know how to bake but dont really trust internet sites for good recipes. I usually use a books I have, or one of the books I got in baking and pastry school. But when someone says they learned how to bake because of the page I knew I could trust the recipes. And this recipe was fantastic. I didn’t have the Grand Ma and didn’t have the funds to go buy it, but I used the rum, vanilla beans, some vanilla sugar that I made previously and this Tiramisu was FIRE!
Will the mascarpone curdle if the warm egg/sugar mixture is mixed with the cool/cold mascarpone? The recipe states to immediately mix them together.
Hi Brenda, the mascarpone/rum mixture will warm just slightly after you combine the two and it sits while you gently cook the eggs. It shouldn’t curdle when added with the eggs/sugar.
Absolutely amazing recipe. Even after messing it up beyond recognition and needing lawyers above my tax bracket to explain it still is a tiramisu without having a single redeeming quality for a tiramisu it still tasted amazing and made my friends believe that I was capable of making an edible food item. The only problem is that I have added amaretto to the espresso mixture and after realising that the cherry wine I drank a full bottle of did not even faze me I have decided to not let the amaretto go to waste and took a VERY big swing, not realising it was sickeningly sweet even after consuming it in the tiramisu, and right now I am suffering from the abomination that I have created inside of my stomach.
I’ve been using your recipes for some time, my favorite is Tiramisu. My family loves it, better than any I’ve had in Boston’s north end. Keep up the good work.
I’m making this a second time now the first time was suuuper delicious. However I find the 240 ml coffee barely covers 11-12 ladyfingers, what am I doing wrong? I’m not using any alcohol. I just made more coffee in my Moka pot and the taste is just fine but I’m still curious.
Hi Rebecca! How long are you dipping the ladyfingers? Just a quick dip on each side should suffice; you don’t want to over-saturate them so that they become soggy. We’re glad you’re enjoying this recipe!
This recipe is soooo good! Might be my new favorite dessert. It does make a lot so I ended up freezing half of it, just scraped the cocoa powder off of the top. I had it in the freezer for about two months, put in fridge to thaw and in a couple hours it was pretty much all the way thawed and tasted just the same as the day I made it. Excellent recipe A++++
Can you use rum extract in place of the rum for the flavor?
Hi Alina! You can replace the rum with milk (as instructed in the recipe notes) and you can try adding a 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of rum extract if youโd like.
Hi I will sometimes use vanilla wafers or the lady fingers but I always dip them in the coffee brandy / Kahlรบa. Iโve also stood up the lady fingers on the side of a spring form pan after I put a little frosting on the side of each to stick them together. I then do my layers of tiramisu then top with shaved chocolate.
I have never made tiramisu before, so I followed this recipe exactly. It was amazing. I then decided to make it again and substitute the coffee and alcohol with root beer. I took two cans of root beer and reduced it down to 1 1/2 cups of liquid. It was a huge hit. The only thing I would do different next time is use three cans of root beer and incorporate root beer extract in somewhere. I would have liked a stronger root beer flavor.
Would it be possible to prepare this in a springform pan in order to remove it just prior to serving for photos? Interested in recreating this for a wedding.
Hi Rachel, you could absolutely arrange this in a springform pan (10-inch or larger). It will hold shape nicely. Hope it’s a hit!
I looked at your cookbook but could not find the price. I need the price before I order.
Hi Kay, you can see a full list of retailers on this page: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/sallys-baking-101/ Follow any of those links to see the price for purchase at that particular retailer. Thank you!
in my country, we don’t have mascarbone…. what else i can use??
Hi Ahmed, mascarpone is is a key ingredient in tiramisu, and we havenโt successfully tested any substitutes. You might try a quick Google search to see if there are any recipes developed with a different substitute. Hope you can give it a try soon!
Hey bit late but you can make a makeshift marscapon by cooking heavy cream and adding lemon juice just search up a recipe for it!!
I was planning to make this for my class party, but with cups. Class is around 30 people. Is it possible to transfer this recipe and make tiramisu cups instead?
Hi Hannah, we havenโt made a mini tiramisu before but it sounds like a fun idea! What about serving them in a jar or small cup, similar to our no-bake cheesecake jars.
Could liquid egg whites from a carton be used for Step 6?
Hi Shelly, you can use egg whites from a carton in this recipe.
I was wondering if you think it would be a good swap flavor-wise to switch amaretto for the Grand Marnier? And if so, would you suggest using the same amount?
Hi Kathleen, the flavor profiles between the two are different so it’s hard to say without testing it ourselves, but let us know if you do give it a try!
Ive made this recipe a few times now as its my boyfriend’s favourite and I’ve used amaretto at a 1:1 ratio in place of grand marnier and it wasnt too overpowering. It was very tasty. Ive also just used rum and about 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract and it also turned out very well.