These 17 Mother’s Day Desserts Feel Fancy But Couldn’t Be Easier

Mom deserves a sweet treat.

By
Afton Cyrus
Afton Cyrus
Afton Cyrus
Afton Cyrus is a food writer and editor, recipe developer, and culinary instructor based in New England. Her work appears in print and online for America's Test Kitchen, Serious Eats, The Kitchn, King Arthur Baking Company, and cookbooks for Ten Speed Press, in addition to her work for Simply Recipes.
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Published May 09, 2025
Afton Cyrus
5-minute mousse in a cup with some whipped cream and shaved chocolate pieces

Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

We all deserve a moment to bite into something blissful—something that someone else has made for us—and that goes double for moms. Moms and the mother figures in our lives work hard, so say thank you this Mother's Day (or any day!) by making them a sweet treat.

The recipes below are easy to put together and have lots of steps that kids can do, if you'd like to get them involved. Most can also be made in advance so you can surprise your mom with a special dessert or box of candies or cookies to enjoy well beyond Mother's Day. And if your mom is anything like mine, she'll appreciate that many of these treats feature her favorite ingredient: chocolate.

  • Homemade Chocolate Truffles

    Overhead view of chocolate truffles covered in cocoa and chopped nuts.

    Simply Recipes / Eliezer Martinez

    "Truffles are the simplest of candies to make. Cream, chocolate, and time is all it takes to create something blissfully elegant, decadent, and delicious." —Garrett McCord, Recipe Developer

  • Berry Chantilly Cake

    Easy Berry Chantilly Cake in tin, 2 slices removed and one set on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "This riff on the iconic Whole Foods cake is an easy-to-make sheet cake that hits all the flavors of the store-bought version while leaning on the convenience of boxed cake mix." —Kayla Hoang, Recipe Developer

  • Brookies (Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookies)

    Brookie Cookie

    Simply Recipes / Cindy Rahe

    "Brownies and chocolate chip cookies together as one! Brookies are the best of both worlds, so you don't have to choose." —Cindy Rahe, Recipe Developer

  • 5-Minute Chocolate Mousse

    5-minute mousse in a cup with some whipped cream and shaved chocolate pieces

    Simply Recipes / Coco Morante

    "The process for this mousse is much, much easier than your standard mousse recipe: Pour some chocolate chips into a blender, add in some hot milk, then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until evenly combined. It takes about five minutes to prepare." —Coco Morante, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 17 below

  • Easy 3-Ingredient Lemon Curd Tart

    Lemon curd tart cut into squares, each topped with whipped cream.

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

    "Not only does this recipe require just three ingredients, it’s done in four steps. Score the pastry, brush it with beaten egg, bake, and spread on some lemon curd. Done!" —Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer

  • Brownie in a Mug

    Overhead view of a brownie in a white mug topped with ice cream.

    Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker

    "A pinch of salt helps make the chocolate more chocolate-y. I've added some vanilla and a tiny bit of cinnamon; you could also add a speck of instant coffee to take it up a notch." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • 3-Ingredient Whipped Ricotta and Berries

    overhead view of Whipped Ricotta and Berries in a bowl

    Simply Recipes / Ali Redmond 

    "My favorite way to enjoy whipped ricotta is as a quick and easy dessert. I love it in a bowl topped with fruit like fresh berries, blood oranges, figs, or kiwi and drizzled with honey or maple syrup." —Danielle Campbell, Recipe Developer

  • 3-Ingredient Tahini-Chocolate Dates

    Tahini-Chocolate Dates, one cut open on top of several whole ones in a bowl

    Simply Recipes / Shayma Saadat

    "For the best results, I recommend using Medjool dates for this recipe. They’re soft, large, and naturally sweet—perfect for stuffing and coating in chocolate." —Shayma Saadat, Recipe Developer

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  • Chocolate-Covered Pretzels

    Chocolate Covered Pretzels

    Simply Recipes / Irvin Lin

    "You can make chocolate-covered pretzels using any pretzel shape that you like. Both the traditional pretzel twist and the long pretzel rod are popular, but the mini twists are my personal favorite. They guarantee that perfect ratio of chocolate to crunchy salty pretzel." —Irvin Lin, Recipe Developer

  • Raspberry Cheesecakes In Jars

    Mason Jar Raspberry Cheesecake

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Single-serving cheesecakes baked in jars cook much faster and cool much faster than large cakes, which usually require chilling overnight in the fridge." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • Strawberry Shortcake

    Strawberry shortcake on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Michelle Becker

    "Strawberry shortcake is one of the easiest desserts to prepare, a perfect finish to a family meal or for serving a large group of people because it scales so easily." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • 4-Ingredient Easy Lemon Mousse

    Overhead view of small white bowls of lemon mousse next to a spoon and plate of lemon slices all on an orange surface

    Simply Recipes / Molly Allen

    "As spring warms us up after a dreary winter and the transition to summer is near, I’m always craving something light, vibrant, and chilled. This easy egg-free mousse delivers with a creamy texture, balanced sweetness, and a pop of tangy lemon flavor." —Molly Allen, Recipe Developer

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  • 3-Ingredient Brownie Cookies

    stack of 3-ingredient brownie cookies

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "Any standard brownie mix will work for this recipe, but not all brownie mixes are created equal. All of my fellow brownie lovers know that Ghirardelli makes some of the best brownie mixes out there." —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Honey Popcorn

    Close-up: honey popcorn (filling up the entire photo)

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "This honey-coated popcorn reminds me of caramel corn. It has the same golden color, sweetness, and crispy texture, without requiring a candy thermometer or corn syrup. Honey popcorn also lasts for five days, so go ahead and make it ahead of time." —Rachel Knecht

  • 3-Ingredient Chocolate-Peanut Butter Spoons

    Closeup overhead shot of spoons with chocoalte and sea salt covered peanut butter, with a bite take out of one of the spoons

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "It’s basically a homemade peanut butter cup, but ten times easier than using a muffin tin since you eat it directly out of the spoon. They’re the perfect no-bake dessert to store in your fridge when you need an afternoon pick-me-up or post-dinner treat." —Rebecca Fennel, Recipe Developer

  • 3-Ingredient Crème Brûlée

    Overhead Shot: Multiple Ramekins Filled with 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Crème Brûlée Sitting on a Plate Next to Two Spoons, a Table Napkin, and Another Ramekin with More Pumpkin Spice Creme Brulee

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "More reasons to love the 3-ingredient crème brûlée hack? It can be made up to 3 days ahead as long as you wait to brûlée the sugar on top right before serving." —Emily Weinberger, Recipe Developer

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  • One-Bowl Microwave Fudge

    Microwave Fudge cut into squares and piled on a platter

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "Simply add the ingredients into a bowl, microwave, mix, repeat, and the fudge mixture is ready to pour into a pan and cool. Near-instant gratification." —Alison Spigel, Recipe Developer

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