40 Delicious Mother's Day Dessert Recipes Your Mom Will Love
Satisfy your mom's sweet tooth on her special day. Treat her to one—or more—of these delicious desserts that are as wonderful as she is.
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When you consider everything our moms have taught us and the endless love that they shower us with every day, planning one extraordinary celebration in her honor each year probably feels like the very least you can do. If you want to make her Mother's Day extra special this year, consider preparing one of our most special dessert ideas. They're exactly what the number one woman in your life deserves.
Since Mother's Day falls in May, there's a bounty of seasonal spring fruit to choose from; in some parts of the country, you'll have your pick of berries, peaches, apricots, and more. From tarts to pavlova to crumb bars and galettes, we have dessert recipes that are bursting with berries. For the mom who loves strawberries and tall layer cakes, make the light-as-air Vanilla Sponge Cake with Strawberry-Meringue Buttercream, pictured here. It has strawberries sandwiched between its layers, in its ethereal whipped frosting, and piled atop for decoration.
Of course, we also have recipes that will please any mom who considers herself a chocolate lover. If yours falls into that camp, she'll love our decadent chocolate and date Bundt cake, which is finished with a shiny chocolate ganache glaze. It's just the thing to serve when you want to celebrate with your entire family on Mother's Day. If you're hosting a smaller celebration, our individual chocolate mousse parfaits are the elegant, understated option to consider. Whatever you do, don't forget to adorn each parfait with a dollop (or two) of homemade whipped cream.
We also have several dessert recipes here that are low-maintenance and make-ahead, so you can enjoy some Mother's Day relaxing time with your mom Whichever recipe you choose, making her a special dessert is a wonderful way to show her just how much you care.
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Strawberry-Rhubarb Rolled Pavlova
Impressive yet easy to make, this tubular take on a traditional pavlova is a dessert Mom will adore. A voluminous meringue gets spread thinly and baked at a high temperature to render it golden and a little crisp on top. Once cooled, it is rolled up with a homemade rhubarb-raspberry jam, sliced strawberries, and whipped cream.
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Peach-and-Raspberry Oat Cobbler
Celebrate the bounty of vibrant, warm-weather fruit with this berry and peach cobbler that's a breeze to make.
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Chocolate-Date Pudding Cake
Show Mom how much you love her with this rich and indulgent chocolate dessert for Mother's Day—after all, she deserves it!
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Strawberries-and-Cream Stack Cake
This no-bake, make-ahead treat makes a spectacular finale to a Mother's Day dinner—and you can whip it up in short order. Simply whisk mascarpone and heavy cream into glossy peaks, soak store-bought ladyfingers in a quick caramel, and layer both with sliced fresh strawberries. Let the flavors meld in the refrigerator where they'll achieve the texture of a traditional sponge cake without any baking.
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Apricot-and-Strawberry Galette
We're all about galettes because they're a rustic, low-maintenance dessert that still offers everything you love about a traditional tart. Here, a creamy hazelnut spread is topped with a delicious fruit pairing accented with sugar and lemon juice.
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Instant Pot Cheesecake
If you want to maximize your time with Mom while also giving her an extra-special dessert, try your hand at this cheesecake recipe made in the beloved multicooker appliance.
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Nectarine Clafoutis
Maybe you can't take Mom to the French countryside for Mother's Day, but you can give her a taste of a classic European dessert with this fruity, custardy cake bursting with bright nectarines.
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Bourbon-and-Brown-Sugar Cake with Berries
Looking for a Mother's Day dessert that's not hard to make but will still wow? You've come to the right place. With caramel notes, tart colorful berries, and a few shots of bourbon, this is just the dessert to celebrate Mom.
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Martha's Peach Buckle
This one-skillet dessert recipe for Mother's Day doesn't take long to prepare but the result is one that is sure to warm Mom's heart.
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Chocolate-Chip Oat-Coconut Skillet Cookie
If your mom has a serious sweet tooth, she will adore this skillet cookie recipe loaded with chopped chocolate, coconut flakes, and rolled oats, all of which add so much texture.
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Lemon Curd Soufflé Tart
One of Martha's favorite desserts is lemon meringue pie, so we decided to make a tart recipe inspired by that bright and light dessert just in time for Mother's Day. The lemon-yellow filling balances richness with an airy texture.
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Chocolate-Mousse Parfaits
Keeping your Mother's Day celebration small? This indulgent dessert serves two and we guarantee there won't be a single scoop left.
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Naked-Fruit Chiffon Cake
The secret to a cloud-like yellow cake like this one is the use of cake flour and whipped egg whites, which create the texture of an angel food cake. Each layer is filled with homemade whipped cream and the cake is topped with macerated fruit.
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Brown-Sugar Peach Pavlova
A pavlova is certainly no ordinary dessert, which is why we love it for Mother's Day. Poached peaches on top of the meringue base is a fabulous, peak summer fruit.
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Peach and Blueberry Tart with Cream Cheese Filling
Mom is sweet as a peach and is worthy of a beautiful dessert for Mother's Day. This fruit-filled tart—inspired by a classic cheesecake recipe—is better than any gift you could buy in a store.
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Coconut Water Granita
Does your mom have a penchant for pink? If so, then she'll fall head over heels for this four-ingredient Mother's Day dessert that's sure to keep her cool.
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Orange-Cardamom Bundt Cake
The subtle spice from ground cardamom in this cake is a fabulous contrast to the fresh, punchy orange zest mixed in the batter.
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Cherry-Raspberry Semifreddo
This make-ahead dessert for Mother's Day is simply delicious. Elderflower liqueur adds lovely floral notes to this Italian-inspired recipe.
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Hummingbird Carrot Cake
Hailing from the South, this Mother's Day dessert recipe is filled with canned pineapple, shredded carrots, and sweetened shredded coconuts. A cream cheese frosting is spread over the double-layer cake, which is then decorated with chopped pecans and more shredded carrots.
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Rice Pudding with Sea Salt-Caramel Sauce
Our modern twist on this old-fashioned dessert is topped with a homemade salted caramel sauce and chopped chocolate, plus a scattering of mixed berries for a pop of color.
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Raspberry-Almond Crisp
Bursting beneath a crumbly mixture of rolled oats, sliced raw almonds, and light brown sugar is six cups of fresh raspberries. Pure vanilla extract and more light brown sugar add sweetness to this Mother's Day dessert recipe.
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Lime Pudding Cups
Made with 1/3 cup of fresh lime juice, as well as zest, there's no shortage of tart flavor in this pudding. It will instantly transport Mom to the Florida Keys, even from the comfort of her home or yours.
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Vanilla-Rhubarb Tart
Rhubarb peaks for only a few weeks during spring, so celebrate the bounty of this super tart vegetable (yes, vegetable!) in this bright pink dessert for Mother's Day.
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Vanilla Pudding Pie
Nothing goes together like vanilla and chocolate and this superstar Mother's Day dessert is the epitome of all things good about this flavor combination.
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French Fruit Tart
Even Moms who don't have a serious sweet tooth will love this rich and creamy dessert because the filling is made with sour cream. Make it photo-worthy by topping with a drizzle of warm apricot jam and lots of mixed berries.
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Crème Caramel
All you need are four ingredients—milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla—to make these classic rich, creamy individual Mother's Day desserts.
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Martha's Warm Chocolate Pudding Cakes
Molten lava cakes are surely one of the most indulgent, irresistible chocolate desserts around. They're just the thing to serve to Mom for dessert on Mother's Day.
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Pavlova Wreath with Berries and Creme Fraiche
Give Mom the world with this simply stunning pavlova, piped into a wreath (rather than the usual dome) and filled to the brim with blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries.
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Vanilla-Raspberry Baked Alaska
Why not go all out with this individual ice cream treat covered in torched meringue for Mother's Day?
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Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
A double hit of fudgy flavor in this easy skillet cookie is sure to please any chocolate-loving mom.
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Strawberry and Apricot Crisp with Pine-Nut Crumble
In this crisp recipe for a Mother's Day dessert, the apricots hold their shape rather than cooking down. The strawberries, in contrast, bake into a thick, delicious sauce.
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Chocolate-Flecked Layer Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting
Sophisticated yet simple to make, this tall, tender beauty is one of our favorite go-to special-occasion cakes. What saves the lush milk chocolate frosting from being too sweet is the addition of tangy sour cream.
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Strawberries with Creme Fraiche and Sugar
Indulge Mom with one of the world's greatest finger foods. The elements are thick crème fraîche, confectioners' sugar, and the most fragrant, perfectly ripe strawberries you can find. Let her dip, sprinkle, and eat to her heart's content.
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Chocolate-Glazed Raspberry Cream Puffs
These ethereal pastries are filled with raspberry-infused whipped cream and topped with the easiest chocolate glaze. They are sure to impress on their own but are also spectacular piled on a cake as in our Jam-Filled Cake with Chocolate Glaze.
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Baklava with Lemon-Honey Syrup
Here'a a dessert that's as sweet as Mom. The filling for these phyllo treats is made with three kinds of nuts—pistachios, almonds, and walnuts—for plenty of texture and nutty flavor.
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Mango-Coconut Cream Tart
Two whirls of flavor collide on our mango-coconut cream tart: squiggles of barely sweetened whipped cream and corkscrews of slightly tart mango. Underneath it all is a chewy coconut filling and a flaky pâte brisée crust.
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Coffee Meringue-Ice Cream Cake
Store-bought ice cream is ramped up with almonds, ground coffee, and a little flaky salt, and is then sandwiched between coffee-swirled meringues to form this coffee meringue-ice cream cake. It's a cappuccino lover's dream.
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Rhubarb-Raspberry Cheesecake Squares
A ruby-red gelée of rhubarb and raspberries tops the creamy filling and graham-cracker crust in this easy cheesecake. Serve it for dessert at your Mother's Day brunch.
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Coconut-Sugar Hummingbird Cake
Mom will be delighted and impressed when you serve this magnificent cake. It's moist and sweet, thanks to fresh banana and pineapple but not as over-the-top sweet as some versions of this Southern classic.