50 Show-Stopping Mother’s Day Desserts She’ll Love
Celebrate with 50 desserts that suit every Mom’s sweet tooth—whether you’re prepping ahead, no-baking, or diving into decadent chocolate or fresh, fruity flavors
Photo by MJ Kroeger
Mother’s Day is a well-earned holiday—after years of all-consuming, exhausting, totally-worth-it motherhood—so when it comes to mother's day desserts, don’t hold back. Whether you’re planning a full brunch spread or just looking for a sweet way to end the day, these Mother’s Day dessert recipes are a guaranteed hit. We’ve got bakery-worthy cakes, make-ahead tarts, no-bake treats, and edible gifts (think: homemade chocolates and flavored sugars) that feel just as special as she is. And yes—chocolate is very much involved.
What Makes a Great Mother’s Day Dessert
When it comes to Mother's Day desserts, it’s all about balance: something that feels indulgent yet doesn’t require hours of prep. Whether you go for a no-bake treat, a fruity creation that screams spring, or a rich chocolate number that feels like a hug in every bite, the key is to make it feel special without stressing out in the kitchen. A great Mother's Day dessert should be easy to share, stunning enough to wow her, and full of flavors she loves.
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No-Bake Mother's Day Desserts
No oven, no problem. These chill desserts come together with minimal effort—and zero baking—so you can spend more time celebrating and less time sweating in the kitchen.
For a make ahead mother's day dessert that still feels fancy, make individual panna cottas. This milk chocolate version is sweet and creamy—play with the ratio of milk to dark chocolate to suit your tastes.
Tart lemon-buttermilk sherbet is both creamy and refreshing, the perfect way to end a heavy meal. A topping of berries tossed with honey, lime, and a touch of cardamom creates a sophisticated combination of textures and flavors
The classic combo of rhubarb and strawberry is joined by spicy ginger and a little prosecco for effervescent flavor and a smooth, surprisingly creamy texture.
This decadent, make-ahead cheesecake layers a chocolate cookie crust with a rich, creamy filling made from cream cheese, whipped cream, and both melted chocolate and cocoa powder. It's a crowd-pleaser that's surprisingly easy to assemble, making it an ideal mother's day dessert.
A beloved family recipe, this frozen treat combines crushed Oreo cookies with store-bought vanilla ice cream and evaporated milk to create a luscious, layered dessert. It's simple to prepare and delivers a nostalgic flavor that both kids and adults will adore. Perfect for serving on a warm Mother's Day afternoon.
You only need two ingredients to make a sweet treat worthy of a fancy chocolate shop. Use the best cherries and chocolate you can find since they’re the only two ingredients.
Make-Ahead Mother's Day Treats
These desserts are ready when you are. Prep them the day (or two) before, and you’ll have more time to enjoy brunch, sip a mimosa, or just sleep in a little longer.
Late spring is a good time to seek out ruby-colored fresh rhubarb, and this cake is a delicious way to use it up. The moist, golden cake has pockets of tart fruit and a crisp, buttery crumble, making it equally nice at brunch.
Few things are more simply delicious than a well-made crème caramel. Think ahead since it takes some time to make and several hours to set up in the fridge, but don’t worry. This Mother's Day dessert is worth it.
With a chocolate and coffee crust and coffee-infused whipped cream, caffeine-loving moms will adore this smooth as silk pie. Use pasteurized eggs if raw eggs are a worry.
Extra creamy cheesecake gets a topping of lemon curd for a sunny yet rich dessert. You can make the cheesecake up to three days in advance to make Mother’s Day desserts as stress-free as possible.
For a gluten-free mother's day dessert, ladyfingers are made using a gluten-free flour blend before forming the outer ring of tiramisu. Soaked with coffee and rum and filled with a mascarpone filling, it’s a classic for a reason.
Angel’s food cake forms the light-as-air base for this reimagining of strawberry shortcake. The strawberries are hiding inside the cute cupcakes and the fluffy whipped cream frosting.
Coffee and chocolate-flavored batter is swirled into this classic dessert for a cheesecake that looks as good as it tastes. Allow several hours for it to properly set up before serving.
Any mother or mother figure who has a serious sweet tooth will love this cake inspired by the classic French pastry. It looks challenging, I know, but it’s easy enough that an eight-year-old can do it. In fact, one did.
As much as I would love to take my mom on a trip to Florida, that’s not in the cards this year. What I can do, though, is bake her this bright Key Lime Pie–inspired cake.
Bakery-Worthy Cakes & Tarts
For when you want to wow Mom with something extra special. These bakes look like they came straight from a pastry case—but yes, you made them yourself.
Fresh cherry purée infuses both the cake and the icing with tons of bright cherry flavor and a splash of color. Use whatever sweet cherries you can get your hands on, but dark cherries are best.
A buttery crust filled with a simple mascarpone cheese filling and topped with fresh berries is a lovely spring dessert that is impressive looking enough for a mother's day dessert. Make it ahead and stick it in the fridge, garnishing it with fruit just before serving.
What do you get when you take the easy baking and serving philosophy of a slab pie and apply it to pavlova? Slablova. Top the airy pillow of meringue and whipped cream with the best-looking fruit you can find.
This orange-scented, chocolate-studded ricotta cake has all of the flavors or a cannoli without the mess of deep-frying. A topping of whipped cream and more chocolate chips makes it celebration-worthy.
This incredibly easy tart tops a shortbread cookie crust with roasted fruit for a light but flavorful dish. Serve with whipped cream, sweetened Greek yogurt, or coconut whipped cream to keep it tropical.
This citrusy pound cake will go so well with afternoon tea for a Mother’s Day dessert. The mandarin marmalade topping is made with three kinds of orange—chopped mandarins, orange juice, and orange liqueur.
Ice cream cakes shouldn’t be restricted to birthdays. This adult version with coffee ice cream, sweet cream ice cream, and chocolate cake is like a mocha in dessert form.
The combination of moist, fruity cake and gooey caramel icing is impossible to resist. You can make the cakes up to a day or two in advance, but make the frosting and decorate just before serving.
The driving sweet force in this recipe comes not from sugar, but from sweet canned pineapple and not one but two kinds of raisins. Lean on this complex fruitiness for a carrot cake that puts the carrot and spice front and center.
Think of this one-bowl citrus cake as the epitome of Mom’s sunny disposition. And of course, brilliant life hacks…like why use two or three bowls to make a cake when you can do it all in one?
Chocolate Mother's Day Desserts
Chocolate’s always a good idea, but especially on Mother’s Day. From rich tortes to gooey brownies, these cocoa-packed picks are for moms who believe dessert should always be decadent.
With cocoa and chocolate chips, this cake will please chocolate-loving mothers everywhere. A simple sour cream and chocolate frosting is glossy and smooth without adding too much sweetness.
The easiest chocolate mousse cake is also one of our favorites because the base is actually a chewy cocoa brownie. Recipe developer Jessie Sheehan insists that this combination totally works and makes for the best Mother's Day dessert.
Somewhere between ice cream and a mousse, semifreddo is easy to love. This version is rich and chocolatey, begging for a dollop of whipped cream.
Dark chocolate shortcakes topped with crunchy sugar add a punch of flavor to an otherwise simple dish. Rely on the feel to check the doneness of the almost brownie-like biscuits, since their dark color make them tricky to judge by appearance.
Right between candy and pie, this caramel nut tart can be made using whatever nuts you have lying around. Use your favorite pie dough recipe or go quick and easy with a store-bought crust.
Excellent chocolate is the key to stand out truffles, so be sure to use the best quality you can find. A touch of pomegranate molasses adds depth and a roll in chopped pistachios adds crunch.
Two-ingredient filling, two-ingredient crust, and no-bake—seems too good to be true, right? Thanks to Food Editor Emma Laperruque, this dream is a reality. The fudgy filling is made with cream cheese and semisweet chocolate, while a classic cracker crust sits at the bottom.
“The base is a delicious devil’s food sheet cake, poked with large holes that are filled with a homemade chocolate pudding,” writes recipe developer and Food52’s resident baking BFF Erin Jeanne McDowell. Of course, it’s not complete without a generous dollop of whipped cream.
This cake tastes like my mom’s favorite ice cream bar—Good Humor toasted almond—plus chocolate, because why not? Trust, us this Mother's Day dessert is easier than it looks.
Fruit-Forward Favorites
Light, bright, and full of spring flavor—these fruit-first desserts are like a bouquet you can eat. (Bonus points if you use whatever’s fresh from the farmers’ market.)
Use a food processor to throw together light, fluffy biscuits with an intoxicating whiff of fresh lavender. Split open and topped with fresh berries and cream, who could resist?
This fresh take on the classic eclair includes a lemon cream filling and a lemon glaze for the ultimate citrus experience. You can use regular lemons if you don't have access to Meyer lemons, just add a bit more sugar to taste as needed.
A Mother's Day dessert right out of a French patisserie window—macarons. These bright pink cookies are sandwiched with raspberry preserves and drizzled with green lime icing for extra flair.
Hibiscus adds an extra dose of tartness and bright red color to a mixture of roasted rhubarb and fresh cherries in this rustic dessert. Both the fruit and the sweet, nutty crumble topping are delicious enough on their own, but when they get together—oh boy.
A small bounty of early summer strawberries make a nice pairing for tart fresh lime, and anything’s good wrapped up in homemade pastry. Top with a drizzle of cream for extra richness.
Add some sparkle to custardy bread pudding by topping it with prosecco-soaked fruit. Eggy, soft challah or brioche are the best for making bread pudding—let sit overnight to get stale.
This cake is slightly fancier than your average snacking cake thanks to a pretty topping of fresh berries and less sweet than a frosting-topped option. Serve with hot tea or a dollop of whipped cream.
Champagne mousse and peach chiffon mimic the flavors of the classic brunch cocktail in this warm weather pie. They also create sweet looking pastel layers of pink and peach when sliced.
Cherry and almond trees belong to the same genus, which may help explain why the fruit and nut pair so wonderfully together. Amaretto adds the almond flavor to this gorgeous mother's day dessert pie.
Mother’s Day falls at the tail end of rhubarb season. Enter: this delightful rhubarb crisp. There are no strawberries here either—it’s rhubarb’s time to have the spotlight.
What will you be whipping up for Mother's Day this year? Let us know in the comments.
Originally Published: April 22, 2025