tiramisu cups

these tiramisu cups are the perfect individual serving of the classic italian dessert – espresso soaked ladyfingers layered with creamy mascarpone filling, all in convenient single-serve cups. no bake, easy to make ahead, and absolutely delicious!

why you will love this easy tiramisu cups recipe

• perfect portion – this individual tiramisu cups recipe gives everyone their own perfectly portioned serving! no need to slice and serve from a big dish. they’re ideal for parties, events, wedding receptions, or any time you want an elegant no bake dessert that’s easy to serve.

• presentation – these tiramisu individual cups look quite elegant, especially when served in clear glasses that show off the beautiful layers! they’re perfect for entertaining because guests can just grab their own cup – no plates or messy serving needed. plus, they photograph beautifully for special occasions.

• make ahead friendly – these no bake tiramisu cups are perfect for preparing in advance. make them the night before your event and they’ll actually taste better as the flavours meld together. store the cups in the fridge until serving – perfect for dinner parties or any occasion where you want dessert ready to go!

learn how to make these quick tiramisu cups

to start off this tiramisu cup recipe, we’ll begin by making the creamy mascarpone filling. first, whip egg yolks with sugar. then, we’re going to add mascarpone and vanilla extract to get that thick, creamy filling. separately, whip egg whites with vinegar and sugar and fold that gently through the mascarpone mixture. then we’ll break ladyfingers to fit into small cups or glasses, soak them in coffee and layer them in mini cups with the mascarpone cream.

after chilling the tiramisu little cups overnight, we’ll dust cocoa powder over the top of each individual tiramisu cup before serving, and we’re done!

tiramisu cups ingredients

• granulated sugar – we’ll be using granulated sugar for the mascarpone cream mixture. you’ll need sugar for the egg yolks and for the egg whites.

• eggs – i use eggs in this small batch tiramisu cups recipe to make the mascarpone cream – we will be separating the eggs and whipping the yolks and whites with sugar separately.

• mascarpone – i make this tiramisu cups dessert with mascarpone – the key ingredient that is essential in this tiramisu recipe. mascarpone is whipped into the whipped egg yolk mixture to create that signature creamy, slightly tangy flavour that defines real italian tiramisu.

• vanilla extract – optional, but recommended. the vanilla adds depth to the cream layer!

• vinegar – just a small amount of vinegar added to the egg whites and sugar will help them stabilise and whip up quicker.

• cocoa powder – dust unsweetened cocoa powder on top of your tiramisu espresso cups before serving for that classic tiramisu look.

for assembly:

• coffee or espresso – strong coffee is essential for that classic tiramisu flavour.

• ladyfingers or savoiardi – these italian sponge biscuits are perfect for soaking up espresso.

tools:

• 2 large mixing bowls – one for the egg yolks and mascarpone mixture and one for whipping the egg whites separately.

• electric mixer – an electric mixer will speed up the process when it comes to beating together the egg yolks/whites and sugar and whipping the mascarpone and cream. a whisk will do just fine if you don’t have access to a mixer but it will definitely take a little longer.

• wide and shallow dish – add your coffee or espresso to to this so that so you can easily dip the ladyfingers in.

• silicone spatula – great for gently folding the egg whites in and making sure you don’t over mix.

• small cups or glasses – use clear cups or glasses so you can see the pretty layers. these cups for tiramisu can be plastic cups, glass jars, or fancy dessert glasses.

• piping bag – to make it easier to add the mascarpone cream when making tiramisu in cups.

• offset spatula – to spread the mascarpone cream thin for the final layer and smooth the top.

• small sifter or fine mesh strainer – for dusting cocoa powder at the end.

• clingfilm or plastic wrap – to cover the tiramisu cups when chilling in the fridge.

step by step instructions

for full measurements, keep scrolling down to the recipe below.

step one: in a small, wide and shallow dish, add freshly brewed coffee, and set this aside to cool slightly while you make the mascarpone cream for layering inside the tiramisu cups.

step two: make the mascarpone cream. begin by separating the eggs. set the whites aside in a separate bowl. add yolks to another large mixing bowl. add half of the sugar to the yolks and beat with a mixer (or a whisk) until the mixture becomes a pale yellow colour and increases in volume.

step three: add mascarpone cheese and beat this into the egg yolk mixture until combined and the mixture thickens up. the mixture should look thick and smooth.

step four: add vanilla extract to the mascarpone cream and whisk that through until combined.

step five: to the egg whites, add the rest of the sugar and a little bit of vinegar and whip this mixture with an electric mixer until the egg whites look pale and fluffy. they should be soft, with tips that curl over slightly when you lift the beaters out of the bowl.

step six: add the egg whites to the mascarpone cream mixture little by little and gently fold them into the mixture until combined.

step seven: continue to do this until you’ve added all of the egg whites to the cream, and the mascarpone cream looks smooth and thick.

step eight: break ladyfingers into pieces to fit your mini tiramisu cups, then quickly dip each broken ladyfinger piece into the cooled coffee – about 1-2 seconds per side. you want it soaked but not falling apart.

step nine: place the coffee soaked ladyfinger pieces in the bottom of each small cup or glass, creating an even layer.

step ten: add the mascarpone cream to a piping bag, and pipe an even layer of the cream over the ladyfingers.

step eleven: repeat with another layer of the soaked ladyfingers in each mini tiramisu cup.

step twelve: pipe a final layer of the mascarpone cream on top of the ladyfingers.

step thirteen: use an offset spatula to smooth the top layer of mascarpone cream in each tiramisu cup and spread it thin.

step fourteen: cover the individual cups with plastic wrap or cling film and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight. this allows the ladyfingers to soften and the flavours to meld together beautifully.

step fifteen: when ready to serve, dust the top of each tiramisu cup generously with unsweetened cocoa powder using a small sifter or fine mesh strainer.

step sixteen: serve, and let’s eat!

tips and notes

• this tiramisu cup recipe uses raw eggs as i live in a country where raw eggs are generally safe to eat. if you are concerned about the raw eggs in this recipe, you can buy pasteurised eggs if you’re able to find them, or you can gently cook the yolks and whites by using the double boiler method (further details on this in the faqs section).

• do not get any egg yolk into the egg whites as this will prevent the egg whites from whipping. make sure the beaters or whisk are clean as well when whipping the egg whites.

• let the espresso cool to room temperature before dipping. hot coffee will make the ladyfingers disintegrate too quickly.

• when it’s time to dip the ladyfingers in the coffee, i like to quickly dip them in a few times to make sure that they’re nicely soaked in the coffee. the coffee shouldn’t be hot so the ladyfingers won’t fall apart, but try not to let them linger in the coffee for too long.

• these tiramisu cups must chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but overnight is even better. the resting time allows the ladyfingers to soften perfectly and all the layers to meld together.

• feel free to switch up the tiramisu cups decoration according to your preference. you can swap the cocoa powder dusted on top for something like chocolate shavings or a dollop of whipped cream.

• these tiramisu cups keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in airtight containers.

frequently asked questions

1. CAN I MAKE THIS tiramisu mini cups recipe AHEAD OF TIME ?

   – absolutely! these tiramisu cups are actually better when made ahead. prepare them the day before and keep them refrigerated. dust cocoa powder on top before serving for the best presentation.

2. can i make these tiramisu cups eggless or are the eggs necessary ?

   – you can make these tiramisu cups without eggs or with them, depending on your preference. if you’d prefer an eggless tiramisu cups recipe, you can skip the egg yolks and whites and just whip the sugar and mascarpone together instead. you’ll need to whip heavy cream into this mixture and ADD VANILLA EXTRACT, and this will be your cream filling for the layers. using this method will also make this tiramisu cups recipe easy to make since it’ll be a quick and simple mascarpone cream over a slightly more complicated egg-based one.

3. can i make these tiramisu cups without mascarpone in the cream filling?

   – making these tiramisu cups without mascarpone won’t give you that authentic tiramisu taste – the texture and flavour will be different. you can make these tiramisu cups with cream cheese if you don’t have mascarpone on hand, just bear in mind that the the flavour might be slightly tangier and less rich, and the cream cheese might make it more like cheesecake since it lacks the delicate flavour of mascarpone. you might want to add a bit more sugar to balance the tanginess of the cream cheese.

4. i can’t find pasteurised eggs – how can i cook the egg yolks and whites before using them in this tiramisu cups recipe ?

   – if you can’t find pasteurised eggs, you can cook the egg yolks and whites using a double boiler method:

• whisk the eggs yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl until the mixture becomes thick

• place the bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water

• whisk constantly until the mixture doubles in volume, becomes thick and foamy, and reaches about 71°c (160°f) on a thermometer 

• remove from the heat, and continue whisking until pale and thick, then let the mixture cool slightly. 

• in another heatproof bowl, whisk egg whites and sugar. again, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water. 

• whisk constantly until the mixture doubles in volume, becomes thick and foamy, and reaches about 71°c (160°f) on a thermometer 

• remove bowl from the heat, then beat the egg whites until they reach firm peaks. let the egg whites cool slightly.

• add mascarpone and vanilla extract to the egg yolk mixture, whisk it in until combined, then fold in the whipped egg whites and proceed with the rest of the recipe. 

5. can i make these tiramisu cups for kids ?

   – these tiramisu cups contain caffeine since the LADYFINGERS are dipped in coffee before layering them with the cream, so just bear that in mind. if you do want to make these tiramisu cups for kids, i’d recommend using decaf coffee instead or just dipping the LADYFINGERS in milk.

6. are these tiramisu cups no alcohol or do they have alcohol in them ?

   – i don’t make these tiramisu cups with alcohol, but that’s completely up to you. traditional tiramisu sometimes includes marsala wine or rum, so feel free to add either of those to the coffee soak if you like.

7. why is my tiramisu not thickening properly ?

   – if your tiramisu isn’t thickening properly, it could be that your mascarpone cream mixture wasn’t whipped for long enough. you need to make sure the eggs and sugar are beaten until they increase in volume and become pale yellow in colour. whip the mascarpone into this mixture until thick, then fold in whipped eggs whites gently. you should have a thick, smooth cream that will thicken up further once chilled.

8. CAN I make different flavours of these mini tiramisu cups ?

   – yes, you can! you make these tiramisu cups in whatever flavours that you like. you can make oreo tiramisu cups or biscoff tiramisu cups or even ube tiramisu cups! this salted caramel tiramisu is also one of my favourites, and would work really well as individual easy dessert cups.

9. can i make these tiramisu cups for wedding events or parties ?

   – absolutely! these individual tiramisu cups are perfect for events because they’re pre-portioned, easy to serve, and can be made ahead. make them the day before and dust with cocoa right before serving.

10. are these tiramisu cups no bake ?

    – yes, this is a completely no bake dessert if you use store bought ladyfingers. if you’d prefer to make the savoiardi biscuits from scratch, you will have to bake them.

11. do i have to make these tiramisu cups mini ? can i make them in bigger sizes ?

    – you can make these tiramisu cups whatever size you like! you can make bigger tiramisu cups or tiramisu boxes if you want the servings to be a bit more generous.

12. can i make this as one big dish of tiramisu instead of mini cups ?

    – yes, you can. if you want to keep these tiramisu cups easy and fuss-free, you can just layer the mascarpone cream and coffee soaked ladyfingers in one big dish to make a classic tiramisu instead of mini tiramisu cups.

recipe