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 soufflé 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! ★★★★★“
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 sponsored—truly 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 2–3 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 had—and 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 12–14-cup capacity. This 4-quart dish is wonderful too.
More Specialty Desserts
- Tiramisu Crepe Cake
- Crème Brûlée
- Homemade Chocolate Mousse
- Amaretto Cheesecake
- Chocolate Soufflé
- 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)
- 40–45 ladyfingers*
- 16 ounces (about 2 cups; 450g) mascarpone, cold
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) dark rum
- 4 large pasteurized 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. 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.
- 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: 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: 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 scratch—there 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
Hi, can I omit the egg whites? Do I have to increase the cream ratio to compensate if I do?
Hi SV, you can leave out the egg whites. Add that sugar and salt with the heavy cream and vanilla extract when you make the whipped cream.
Hi Sally,
Instead of granulated sugar can I use caster sugar or dark soft brown sugar?
Just made it yesterday. It was the first ever tiramisu that I have made. Is AMAZING!!! Love it a lot. Even my husband approved and he is very hard to please. Could not keep my hands of it the day I made it, was already very tasty, but the next day is definitely better. The cream is very light and airy, not too sweet. With coffee and some fresh berries, a desert from a fridge for a summer day: the best.
SO GOOD. 5/5!
I halved the recipe and made this tiramisu in a 8x8inch square glass pyrex, since the whole recipe would be too much for my family and it fit perfectly. Tastes better the next day after all the flavors have time to meld together as well as letting the mixture firm up in the fridge. I followed the recipe exactly, but subbed Kahlua for the Grand Marnier and rum. Key is QUICKLY dip the ladyfingers or else it will be too soggy fast.
Not too sweet which is always an A+ in my book! Delicious!
Great recipe. First time was perfection. Thank you
Thank you SO much for this incredible easy to follow recipe! I cut this recipe in half to make an 8×8 for my boyfriend’s birthday. It was a HUGE hit! I used Kahlua for all the alcoholic portions and it gave the Tiramisu an extra hint of sweetness. It was so delicious, everyone had to go back for seconds. Will definitely be keeping this in our dessert rotation and can’t wait to experiment with different dark spirits.
Absolutely divine tiramisu! Everyone loved it. Thanks for this recipe! It’s definitely a keeper.
I tried out this amazing Tiramisu recipe for the very first time. Whilst it is rather time-consuming, the result is well worth the effort. I was told that the portion was way too big but it was polished off a couple of hours later. Sally, you are a Godsend!! Marina
I wonder if I can use Cointreau liquer instead of Grand Marnier?
Hello,
I have a question. Maida’s recipe for lady fingers says it makes 25, and her tiramisu recipe says to use one batch of lady fingers, however your recipe says to use 40. Should I make 2 batches of lady fingers or just one? Thank you!
Hers come out a little larger than store-bought (at least the store-bought I can find!), so you can definitely follow her homemade recipe.
Wow this recipe was amazing! I’ve always been afraid to attempt tiramisu but this came out wonderful. Thank you so much for the detailed instructions and videos!
I omitted the alcohol and have no complaints on flavor. I did however run short on espresso for my lady fingers since I didn’t add the grand mariner. Next time I’ll add an extra ounce or so to be safe.
My store also had the option of soft cakey ladyfingers from the bakery and hard dry ones from the cookie aisle. I wasn’t sure which would be better so I got the hard ones and it was great!
Would the soft ones yield a mushy result?
Hi Alex! They would– definitely go with the harder/crunchier options. You picked the right ones! So glad you enjoyed this.
This was my first time making tiramisu. I followed the recipe word by word and since I only wanted to make it for 4 people, I halved the ingredients as suggested by Sally.
This turned out to be perfect! And I have never been so proud! Thanks Sally!
I just put mine in the fridge. Used orange peel for the GM and rum extract for the rum, taking it to work and don’t want to get the boot for making everyone drunk. I have one medium and one large bowl, started out with the medium bowl for the mascarpone as I needed to use the large one for the double boiler. When I got to that point I just switched bowls, so I had the mascarpone mix in a very hot bowl. Anyway, it didn’t set up as I had hoped. Banking on the refrigeration doing the trick to set it up, but hopefully if it is mushy, it will be mushy in a delicious sort of way.
10/10 would make this recipe again. SO GOOD. Restaurant quality. Thank you!
Hi Sally,
The Tiramisu flavour was great once it had been in the fridge over night. Great balance between alcohol, cream and coffee. I’ve tried the recipe twice and the cream layer both times has ended a bit runnier than I would have liked. Any reason why this could be happening?
Hi Vikash, I’m glad to read that you enjoyed this tiramisu recipe. I wonder if your whipped cream is too thin and it’s making the entire cream layer too runny. Are you using heavy cream or heavy whipping cream? If you decide to try the recipe again, try whipping it into sturdier peaks (closer to stiff peaks). That will definitely help.
Hi Sally, how do you prevent having a runnier whipped cream layer. Which is preferable, using heavy cream or heavy whipping cream?
Thank you, mine turned out beautifully. Thanks for the clear instruction and also introducing me to Maida Heatter. I will be ordering one of her books and checking out more of your recipes.
I absolutely love coffee so tiramisu is my favourite dessert! I’m such a novice at baking, making every mistake there is in the book but this recipe is AMAZING!! It’s absolutely delicious and it’s restored my family’s faith in me that maybe I can make something that’s yummy lol. Thank you so much for this recipe as it’s definitely one to save for future cravings
Hi Sally, I have yet to try this recipe but plan on it soon…it looks heavenly. Quick question, can Kahlua be used in lieu of espresso or rum or combine it with either? I really want to use Kahlua 🙂
Thank you and I will keep you posted on results.
Hi Laurie, though I haven’t tested it, you can definitely try using Kahlua instead of the espresso or rum. One reader commented above that he used it instead of rum and loved the results.
I have always been intimidated by the idea of making homemade tiramisu but this recipe is amazing! It was fun to make and turned out to be one of the best tiramisu’s I’ve ever had! Thank you so much! (and we also made the ladyfingers because we couldn’t find them locally, but they were very easy to make!)
The best! I’ve made this twice, and my wife went ecstatic. She never orders tiramisu in restaurants because it’s always too sweet and heavy. This is light and has just the right sweetness. One thing though, I didn’t have rum so I substituted Kalua, which has rum in it. Turned out with an even more potent coffee flavor. Delicious!
This is the BEST Tiramisu that I have had. I was a little bit nervous because tasting As making it the flavors were meh, but after it chilled and all together…my god It was SOOO GOOD.
If i make this today (friday) will it be okay to serve on sunday? i’m trying to surprise my mom for mother’s day since she’s at work today, but if you think it will be too soggy then i’ll make it tomorrow instead? thank you!!
Hi Ashley! You can make this 2 days in advance, no problem. Cover tightly and keep refrigerated. Hope your mom loves it!
I’ve made Tiramisu for years. However, this recipe’s addition of the whipped cream and egg whites noticeably improved the finished dish. Thanks for the tip!
Hi, I am not a Tiramisu fan – when I want sweet I want out of this world sweet! But, my wife’s most favourite desert is Tiramisu ( I suppose opposites do attract! ) and any time she made me try it I always thought that it looks like it should taste good – but it was always so bland. So, for her birthday I decided to try my hand at baking and searched the internet for a recipe. I found several but yours just sounded better. One thing your recipe doesn’t cover is how much a mess 1 man can make in the kitchen!! I think it took me longer to clean than to actually make the desert. But, I made it and it actually looked like it was supposed to! That in itself was a victory for me! But, I had to wait 24 hours for the big reveal. My wife was shocked when I brought her the Tiramisu the next day ( I think she was more shocked that there was no mess in the kitchen! ) She cut into it eagerly and I agreed to have a piece to celebrate her big day. I watched her to see her reaction and it was way more than I expected! She absolutely LOVED it! So, I thought, “ ya, but you always like this stuff so that isn’t saying much” so I tried a bite. It was amazing! So, I finished my piece and immediately cut a second! The first time in my life that I actually enjoyed Tiramisu! It still isn’t as sweet a desert as I like ( give me a pound of fudge and I am a happy man) but I will definitely look forward to this desert again. However, the next time my wife can make it!!!! Thanks for this amazing recipe!
Is there a good substitution I can use for the ladyfingers? I’m having trouble finding them where I live. I know the texture may be different, but it should taste the same, right?
Hi Sandy, If you can’t find them in stores you can order them online (see the link in recipe note #6). You can also make them from scratch– I don’t have my own recipe but there are many recipes online!
Hi Sally! Super excited to make this recipe. Question on the alcohol – I’ve seen a number of other recipes that use brandy instead of dark rum. Would Grand Marnier and brandy work together in this recipe or should I stick to Grand Marnier and rum combo? Thanks!
Either would fine! You can also use all Grand Marnier or all rum.
I made this to finish off our quarantine Italian night and it was a hit! Part of me thinks I should have made a half batch because it’s just the two of us and we can’t have anyone over to share it and part of me regrets nothing and isn’t upset at all that we’re going to need to eat it ourselves. Will definitely make again as soon as we can be social!
I just made this recipe and it looks so good. I don’t want to wait another 8-10 hours for it to sit in a fridge. Do we really need it wait?
dear sally ,
what a fantastic recipe no need to tell u that i show off to friends and family 🙂
we had holidays to Italy last summer and was a really great day
to learn how to make this delicious coffee-flavored dessert with a professional chef.
your recipe step by step was very easy and so so delicious
thank you dear
dessy
Sofia
I halved the recipe (apart from the eggs, I used 3 as they weren’t that big) and used cognac instead of rum (just because it’s what I had handy). Also followed the recommendation to make the lady fingers. Incredibly impressed with it, the flavours were perfectly balanced, it’s not too sweet or too heavy. Just delicious.
I tried making this recipe yesterday, it tastes amazing!!! Best trimasiu I have ever tasted, and the first one I have ever made! I was really craving for it, since all the trimasiu in the local shops have Alcohol which i can’t have being a Muslim, but it turned about just as good!
Thanks for the recipe