40 Easy Mother's Day Desserts That Are Even Better Than A Gift

We're not against boxed brownie mix. In fact, we rely on it often when we want to reimagine what a brownie can be. Think: Cookies 'N' Cream Brownies, Brownie "Lasagna", or Brownie Bottom Cheesecake. But, when the craving strikes for a classic fudgy brownie, you gotta make your own.

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The imperfections in the frosting are what makes a rustic, naked cake so beautiful. To set yourself up for success, check out our tips for how to make perfect buttercream.

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This no-bake cheesecake gets a stunning, swirly topping of blackberries that looks more like art than dessert. The cheesecake is tart and fluffy with the creamiest texture.

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These delicate French cookies are somehow simultaneously crispy, chewy, soft, and light as air. Looking for macaroons instead? Try our coconut macaroons!

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Making pudding from scratch is surprisingly simple and so satisfying. With little effort—and butter...and chocolate—you'll have a rich serving of luxury right in your own home. You won't even think about store-bought pudding after these.

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This is where the fancy, high-quality Madagascar vanilla comes in handy. Cupcakes this perfect deserve our Perfect Vanilla Buttercream.

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Bring New York to wherever mom is with these addictive copycat cookies made famous by Levain Bakery.

Get the Copycat Levain Bakery Cookies recipe.

Envious of those bakery tarts in the window? This fruit tart will blow your mind with how easy it is to whip up. Be sure to press this shortbread crust to the top of your tart pan because it shrinks as it bakes.

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Golden sandwich cookies (like Oreos) and freeze-dried strawberries are the secret to the irresistibly crunch topping for this spin on strawberry shortcake.

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This three-layer masterpiece is sure to be a dessert table showstopper at your next barbecue.

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We love a classic tiramisu and couldn’t imagine it getting much better—until raspberries entered the picture. We use a little orange liqueur instead of rum to amplify the bright flavors.

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Nothing says summer quite like a tart key lime pie. This mousse is every bit as refreshing, with a fluffy texture and crispy oat crumble you'll want to eat on its own. Key limes are more tart than traditional limes; they’re worth finding for this mousse.

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Classic buttercream is great and all, but have you ever had Italian meringue? The not-too-sweet frosting pairs well with the rich chocolate cake and is great for toasting the outside.

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Pucker up—these bars are sweet and citrusy and one of our favorite make-ahead desserts. Looking for more sour/sweet treats? Check out our Margarita Bars.

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While eclairs can be a difficult pastry to make (especially when it comes to pate a choux of profiteroles fame), we use graham crackers for this cheater version of the classic.

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Pre-baking the crust gives the pie a jumpstart on caramelization. If you’re looking for a truly no-bake lemon option, check out our lemon icebox cake.

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These are so bright and delicious, with even a cheeky bit of tequila and a sprinkle of sea salt in the frosting to really make you feel like you're enjoying a refreshing margarita.

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Carrot cake is great. But carrot cupcakes are even better. Every bite is filled with warm spice and sweet carrots and get topped with the most delicious cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

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Half carrot cake, half plain cheesecake, this hybrid dessert is for all you cream-cheese frosting freaks out there.

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We upped the ante with a flavorful twist on the classic: the addition of Earl Grey tea and citrus zests adds serious depth and an aromatic bitterness. And cracking that glassy sugar surface right before your first bite? Delightfully fun.

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A sweet, chewy but tender treat from Hawaii, butter mochi is one of our favorite things to bake. This recipe offers two options for topping: shredded coconut, or with some granulated sugar and fire for a brûléed, nicely bittersweet, crunchy exterior.

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Bigger is better, especially when we're talking cookies. The key to baking a cookie cake is pressing the dough into a round cake pan, rather than freehand it on a baking sheet, which ensures that it'll bake evenly.

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We skipped the flour and butter and still managed to create the most fudgy cookie with the crispiest edges. If she loves rich flourless chocolate cake, these will be a new favorite.

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The secret to this sweet stunner is sour cream, which lends a moist, tender crumb to this spin on an upside-down cake.

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We love a good stuffed cookie and we're obviously obsessed with all things red velvet. Naturally, we had to make a stuffed red velvet cookie and we are soooo happy we did.

Get the Inside Out Red Velvet Cookies recipe.

This no-churn ice cream is absolutely not short on flavor. We love grilling slices of pound cake (yes, really) before mixing them in!

Get the Strawberry Shortcake No-Churn Ice Cream recipe.

Don't want to deal with making a legit strawberry cheesecake from scratch? No sweat, this super delicious no-bake pie is here for you.

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These cupcakes look so intricate, but the truth is that they are beyond easy to make! Use whatever colors you love. Once you master the piping technique, use it to create a sunflower cupcake!

Get the Succulent Cupcakes recipe.

You know those thick, soft sugar cookies from the grocery store that had an even thicker layer of frosting on top? These are the homemade version and just as good. Dye the icing any color you like and top with a variety of sprinkles, just like the grocery store bakery would do.

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Love cookie dough? This cheesecake is about to blow mom's mind: Cookie dough crust topped with cookie dough cheesecake filling and chocolate chip frosting, and then topped with, you guessed it, cookies.

Get the Cookie Dough Cheesecake recipe.