Skip to content

Top Navigation

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • FOOD
  • HOLIDAYS
  • ENTERTAINING
  • HOME
  • GARDENING
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING
  • WEDDINGS
  • SHOP
  • DIY
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS
  • LIFE
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG

Profile Menu

Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Subscribe
Save Pin FB

Explore Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart Martha Stewart
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 35 One-Pan Meals Just Right for Dinner Tonight

      One pan, pot, skillet, or Instant Pot is all you need to for these no-fuss family dinners, including salmon, pasta, pot roast, chili, and so much more. Read More Next
    • The Best 2021 Bedroom Paint Colors

      Explore the best 2021 bedroom paint colors, according to paint experts. Read More Next
    • The Ultimate Guide to Household Cleaning: What You Should Be Cleaning When

      Our printable checklists will tell you what you should be doing every day, week, month, season—or every once in a while—to keep your home in ship-shape year round. Read More Next
  • FOOD

    FOOD

    See All FOOD

    Quick, Easy, and Delicious Pasta Recipes Ideal for Weeknight Dinners

    When you need a comforting meal but don't have a lot of time, whip up one of these fast pasta recipes. All can be made in 45 minutes or less.
    • Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
    • Cooking How-Tos
    • Baking
    • Menu Planning
    • Food News & Trends
    • Wine
    • Mastering the Holiday Meal
    • What's for Dinner
    • All Recipes
  • HOLIDAYS

    HOLIDAYS

    See All HOLIDAYS

    17 St. Patrick's Day Crafts and Decorations

    Looking for a golden idea? You're in luck. Kick off your St. Patrick's Day celebrations with our shamrock garlands, rainbow balloons, leprechaun traps, and more.
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patricks Day
    • Passover
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
    • Father's Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Hanukkah
    • Christmas
    • New Year's Eve
  • ENTERTAINING

    ENTERTAINING

    See All ENTERTAINING

    The Best Front Porch Decorating Ideas for Every Month of the Year

    Get inspired to make your porch your new favorite living space with these ideas designed to add a refined look to any outdoor space.
    • Seasonal Entertaining & Decorating
    • Baby Shower Ideas
    • Dinner Party Ideas
    • You're Invited
  • HOME

    HOME

    See All HOME

    How to Disinfect Your Kitchen and Your Food During the Coronavirus Outbreak, According to Experts

    Keep everything from your countertops to your dining room chairs germ-free.
    • Home Design & Decor
    • Paint Colors & Palettes
    • DIY Home Projects
  • GARDENING

    GARDENING

    See All GARDENING

    How to Keep Your Houseplants Happy in the Winter

    Help them thrive even when the temperature drops.
    • Container Gardening
    • Flower Gardens
    • Houseplants
    • Landscaping
    • Vegetable Gardens
  • CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    CLEANING & ORGANIZING

    How to Wash Your Hands Properly, According to a Doctor

    You likely wash your hands several times a day, but are you doing so effectively? Learn how to minimize the spread of germs with an extra few seconds of scrubbing.
    • Cleaning
    • Storage & Organization
    • Laundry & Linens
  • WEDDINGS

    WEDDINGS

    See All WEDDINGS

    How to Plan a Beautiful, Meaningful Micro Wedding So That You Can Celebrate Your Postponed Nuptials Right Now

    • Real Weddings
    • Wedding Party
    • Wedding Planning & Advice
    • Wedding Ceremony & Reception
    • Wedding Jewelry
    • Dresses & Style
    • Wedding Beauty & Wellness
    • Wedding Registry
    • Wedding Showers & Parties
    • Love & Marriage
    • Wedding Travel
  • SHOP
  • DIY

    DIY

    See All DIY

    How to Knit: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide

    Learn how to knit your own mittens, hats, scarves, and more. We'll take you through the step-by-step instructions and teach you how to cast on, knit, purl, and cast off.
    • Dyeing
    • Holiday Crafts
    • Kids' Crafts
    • Knitting
    • Paper Crafts
    • Sewing
    • Rescue & Revamp
  • BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    BEAUTY & WELLNESS

    Six Ways to Take Care of Your Mental Health While You Work from Home

    Start by carving out a designated work area in your space.
    • Beauty
    • Health & Wellness
  • LIFE

    LIFE

    See All LIFE

    How to Start a Virtual Book Club

    From which platforms to use and the best books to read, bibliophiles share their advice.
    • Family
    • Pets
    • Travel
  • NEWS
  • MARTHA'S BLOG

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Martha's Blog
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Contact Us
  • Your Content
  • Logout

More

  • Enter to Win $10,000 to Makeover Your Home!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Martha's Blog
  • Weddings
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. marthastewart.com
  2. Food & Cooking
  3. Recipes
  4. Dessert & Treats Recipes
  5. From Cake to Fruit to Ice Cream, These Are Our Favorite One-Pot Dessert Recipes

From Cake to Fruit to Ice Cream, These Are Our Favorite One-Pot Dessert Recipes

By Laura Rege
February 17, 2021
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin

When you're in the mood for something sweet but want to keep prep work and cleanup simple, turn to these streamlined desserts. 

Start Slideshow

1 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Credit: Kirsten Francis

We're going to let you in on a little secret: It's possible to make all of the cookies, cakes, fruit desserts, and ice cream dishes you love without spending hours on prep and cleanup. Here, we're sharing one-pot desserts that are made using time-saving techniques, minimal ingredients, and revolve around easy clean up, and they offer all of the things you love about our one-pot recipes just with a sweet twist. But because desserts are slightly different than savory meals, we had to bend our one-pot rules ever so slightly: While these recipes do feature simplified prep, streamlined ingredients, and just one cooking vessel—or, in the case of the Coconut Water Granita that's shown here, one vessel for freezing—in some cases we may require an additional bowl to mix everything together. Still, we match that extra dish to wash with smart techniques and tricks that ensure you're able to enjoy your sweet treat faster than usual. 

Not only are these some of our easiest desserts, but they are also some of the test kitchen's favorite recipes. Baking chocolate chip cookies in a skillet isn't just for show: The contrasting texture of a tender, gooey center with a crispy outer crust makes for one irresistible cookie. If you are hankering for chocolate cake, we suggest the Busy-Day Cake. Its batter is made in one fell swoop right in the baking dish—no bowl necessary. It's  simple to prepare, but the end result is so delicious. Then there's our easy churros, which don't require a fryer or even the time to prepare a batter. All you'll need to do is MacGyver store-bought puff pastry into cinnamon-coated twirls. Are you craving the decadence of a flaky pastry? Bake our four-ingredient cherry crisp; it proves that store-bought phyllo dough is the only way to go.

Should you prefer something a bit lighter for dessert, make our simple citrus salad with pomegranate, coconut, and honey—it will have you wondering why you don't eat fruit for dessert more often. You could also turn up the heat and roast peaches with vanilla or broil pineapple with cinnamon for juicy warm preparations to serve alongside creamy, vanilla ice cream.

Fruity, chocolatey, buttery, creamy, or crispy—no matter the craving, we have an accessible and tasty one-pot dessert recipe to match.

1 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

Credit: Lennart Weibull
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Skip the scooping and rolling and opt for one mouthwatering skillet-sized chocolate chip cookie in lieu of the traditional baker's dozen. Slice the baked cookie into wedges like a pie to form triangular pieces with super crispy edges and a slightly gooey center, then enjoy warm topped with vanilla ice cream.

2 of 14

3 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Baked Cherry Crisp

Credit: Raymond Hom
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Crispy layers of store-bought phyllo dough create an easy route to homemade pastries, and it's an ingredient that is key to minimizing steps. Layer the phyllo with olive oil for a fruity note, then bake tart cherries right on top with a generous sprinkle of cinnamon-sugar that crisps and caramelizes as it bakes.

3 of 14

Advertisement

4 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Citrus, Pomegranate, and Honey with Toasted Coconut

Credit: Johnny Miller
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Don't overlook fruit for dessert; it's refreshing, colorful, and easy to transform into a sophisticated treat that isn't overly sweet. Here, we simply sprinkle crisp toasted coconut and crunchy pomegranate seeds over fan-shaped citrus slices and finish with a drizzle of honey. 

4 of 14

5 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

S'mores Milkshake

Credit: Bryan Gardner
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Milkshakes have evolved into a whole new vision of dessert, adorned with mile high toppings and a lot of perspective. This s'mores milkshake doesn't hold back one bit, yet it's completely doable at home. Buzz the base for the milkshake in the blender and garnish with store-bought graham crackers and marshmallows. Don't skip charring the marshmallows—it's fast on a gas stovetop and lends the shake that quintessential s'mores taste.

5 of 14

6 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Pretzel Crumbles

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Pretzels are a snack that can easily play sweet or savory and add tons of flavor to your desserts. Embrace their sweet side in this four-ingredient pretzel crumble—we think it's the perfect filling for baked apples.

6 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Busy-Day Dump Cake

Credit: Johnny Miller
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Busy Day cakes, otherwise known as dump cakes, are by far the easiest desserts to whip up; just add all the ingredients right into the baking dish, beat, and bake. This cake is chocolatey with a tender crumb, proving that speed and ease are not traded for taste in this recipe. The end result is irresistible. Enjoy a slice on its own or whip up a simple one-bowl buttercream to spread on top.

7 of 14

8 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Easy Boozy Melon

Credit: Bryan Gardner
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Pairing summer melon with liquor isn't just for cocktails. Here, it becomes an ace adult-only dessert that's refreshing and boozy. Try one of three combinations: watermelon with tequila and mint, honeydew with gin and tarragon, and cantaloupe with vodka and basil. Whichever route you go, be sure to finish your dish with lime and flaky sea salt.

8 of 14

9 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Basic Bark

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

The only thing basic about this bark is that it is so easy-to-make. Another bonus: Once you master the base recipe, you can riff on it endlessly. Start with our 10 variations, including Movie Theater Bark-inspired bark, the holiday classic Peppermint, and tart Lime and Macadamia Nut Bark, then come up with your own.

9 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Broiled Pineapple with Frozen Yogurt

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Who doesn't love a little fro-yo? Ice cream's lighter and tangier counterpart pairs well with super sweet caramelized slices of pineapple in this one-pot dessert. Cinnamon is a sure win, but this tropical fruit would be equally delicious with other spices like nutmeg, cardamom, or a touch of heat from cayenne pepper.

10 of 14

11 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Easy Churros

Credit: Aaron Dyer
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

A store-bought ingredient that we adore is all-butter puff pastry. It's an incredible shortcut—trust us when we tell you that making the real deal from scratch is no small feat. In this recipe, we transform this ready-to-go pastry into a buttery take on churros, and there's no need for deep frying. Just slice, bake, and twist the pastry pieces before tossing them in cinnamon sugar.

11 of 14

12 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Hot Fudge Over Vanilla Ice Cream

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Nostalgic food always hits the spot, and this hot fudge sauce is no exception. It's a decadent ice cream parlor-style fudge that pairs with most any flavor ice cream. Turn it into a full-on sundae with a few extra ingredients—we like sprinkles, chopped peanuts, and a cherry on top.

12 of 14

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Vanilla-Roasted Peaches with Raspberries

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Roasting ripe summer fruit concentrates and caramelized the juices, creating a syrupy sauce that is perfect for spooning over ice cream alongside the baked fruit. A handful of fresh raspberries adds a burst of color and tartness that complements the warm baked peach and vanilla notes.

13 of 14

14 of 14

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Hazelnut Puppy Chow

Credit: CHELSEA CAVANAUGH
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Crunchy, chocolatey, and addictive, this riff on puppy chow—sometimes called muddy buddies—employs chocolate hazelnut spread adding a nutty note. Each bite is constructed of a crispy rice cracker enveloped in chocolate hazelnut and finished with a dusting of confectioners' sugar and cocoa for easy eating.

14 of 14

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Laura Rege

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 14
2 of 14 Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie
3 of 14 Baked Cherry Crisp
4 of 14 Citrus, Pomegranate, and Honey with Toasted Coconut
5 of 14 S'mores Milkshake
6 of 14 Pretzel Crumbles
7 of 14 Busy-Day Dump Cake
8 of 14 Easy Boozy Melon
9 of 14 Basic Bark
10 of 14 Broiled Pineapple with Frozen Yogurt
11 of 14 Easy Churros
12 of 14 Hot Fudge Over Vanilla Ice Cream
13 of 14 Vanilla-Roasted Peaches with Raspberries
14 of 14 Hazelnut Puppy Chow

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Login

Martha Stewart

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Customer Service
  • Media Kit
  • Sitemap
  • Martha's Blog
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing
  • FAQ
  • Corporate
  • International

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Martha Stewart is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.marthastewart.com

View image

From Cake to Fruit to Ice Cream, These Are Our Favorite One-Pot Dessert Recipes
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.