Trifles, Icebox Cakes, French Show-Stoppers...There's A Layered Dessert Here For Everyone!
Cakes, cookies, bars, truffles…we don’t discriminate when it comes to dessert, and they’re ALL welcome at our dessert table. We will say, though, when we’re looking to really impress or celebrate something extra special, we land firmly in the “more is more” camp. Why go simple when you could go BIG? One of our favorite ways to do this is to bake up a multi-layered masterpiece that’s got tons of flavor and is sure to impress. Check out our 37 layered desserts to see what they’re all about, then get creative and start adding layers to all your favorite treats. The best part? Layered desserts guarantee the perfect bite every time.
When you hear the word “layered”, you might be thinking LOTS of steps and ingredients. It’s true, some traditional layered desserts do take a bit more effort than the average sweet, but not all! If you are looking for something to show off your skills, you can’t go wrong with our tiramisu (and our raspberry or limoncello versions), our napoleon cake, our baked Alaska, or our copycat Cheesecake Factory Oreo cheesecake. They’ll blow the minds of whoever you serve them to.
If you want something easier, don’t worry—some of the most famous layered desserts are actually the simplest. Take icebox cakes, for example. All you need are some cookies, some whipped cream, and some time to make something spectacular. Trifles or dessert lasagnas like our peanut butter lasagna, our brownie lasagna, or our raspberry cheesecake lasagna are other great options that follow a similar concept. It’s all about the assembly, so have some fun with it.
If you’re looking for something in the middle, try a dessert bar or an ice cream cake. Many of our recipes—like our strawberry shortcake ice cream cake, our millionaire shortbread bars, our Oreo cheesecake bars, or our spumoni ice cream cake—utilize a mix of store-bought and homemade ingredients to great effect.
Want even more creative desserts? Check out our favorite ways to decorate a cake, our best unique holiday cookies, and our top no-bake desserts too.
Tiramisu
Italian tiramisu is admittedly a bit of a process to make, but it's so worth it. Set yourself up for success by keeping your workspace as tidy as possible, particularly when dipping your ladyfingers in the rum and coffee.
Get the Tiramisu recipe.
Napoleon Cake
Originating in Russia, the Napoleon cake is composed of many layers of puff pastry with a whipped pastry cream filling, and is encrusted with more pastry crumbs. After assembling, the cake is chilled overnight to allow the pastry layers to soften and absorb some of the cream, kind of like a very fancy icebox cake.
Get the Napoleon Cake recipe.
Orange Creamsicle Bars
These triple-layered orange bars have us feeling all nostalgic for the classic frozen Popsicle treat that inspired them. But we won’t linger on it for too long because, just like their inspiration, these bars are irresistibly good. They’re creamy, dreamy, and the perfect blend of citrusy orange and vanilla bean flavor paired with a graham cracker crust.
Get the Orange Creamsicle Bars recipe.
S'mores
It doesn’t get much more simple and classic than s’mores: three basic ingredients working together to make something much more delicious than the sum of its parts. Whether you keep it to the original 3 ingredients or experiment with fun toppings like caramel or sliced fruit, this is one simple dessert that never disappoints.
Get the S'mores recipe.
Blueberry Cheesecake Icebox Cake
When it’s hot outside, a no-bake dessert like this blueberry cheesecake icebox cake is an ace up your sleeve. Layers of blueberry jam, whipped cream cheese, and graham crackers are stacked together for a no-fuss cool and creamy masterpiece that looks like you spent hours crafting it (but all you did was chill it!).
Get the Blueberry Cheesecake Icebox Cake recipe.
Baked Alaska
Baked Alaska sounds complicated and fussy, but it's really super-easy. Three layers of ice cream and a brownie crust all surrounded by a toasty meringue make up this nostalgic ice cream cake. Feel free to swap in your favorite ice cream flavors!
Get the Baked Alaska recipe.
Brookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Each of these sandwiches promises a delightful balance of rich, fudgy brownie, crisp chocolate chip cookie, and creamy vanilla ice cream. Perfect for summer BBQs and gatherings, these sandwiches are equally delightful as a sweet treat stored in the freezer ready to enjoy.
Get the Brookie Ice Cream Sandwiches recipe.
Chocoflan
Chocoflan’s beautiful contrasting layers of chocolate cake and flan are totally mind-blowing. During the bake, the batters switch places, which can seem like magic. The end result is a distinctly layered dessert with moist chocolate cake as the foundation, a creamy set flan on top, and a caramel drizzle to crown it all.
Get the Chocoflan recipe.
Oreo Cheesecake Bars
With layers of chocolate chip cookie dough, Oreos, and cheesecake, these are EVERYTHING. Did we mention they have fewer than 10 ingredients?!
Get the Oreo Cheesecake Bars recipe.
Limoncello Tiramisu
Tiramisu lovers, prepare to take your favorite coffee-soaked dessert to a world of lemon. Limoncello, lemon curd, and lemonade take full rein of this dessert, turning it into a summertime dream.
Get the Limoncello Tiramisu recipe.
Mississippi Mud Pie
Now this is what we call a decadent pie. Any other sweet has a difficult time competing with this layered masterpiece comprised of a graham-cracker base, brownie, and chocolate pudding, all crowned by whipped cream. It all comes together for a rich (and delicious) treat you're going to love.
Get the Mississippi Mud Pie recipe.
Banoffee Pie
You could use a pre-made crust, dulce de leche, and whipped cream in a can and get this done in 15 minutes—we won’t judge. But if you’re looking for that extra special touch, we recommend going old school and making everything from scratch.
Get the Banoffee Pie recipe.
Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
To make these, we topped a simple graham cracker crust with a creamy cheesecake layer and a sweet pink strawberry layer, then crumbled a cinnamon-spiced streusel on top. The result is a cute, springy dessert that’s remarkable enough to share for holidays and potlucks, but also easy enough to make any time you’re craving cheesecake.
Get the Strawberry Cheesecake Bars recipe.
Magic Cookie Bars
Though dump cakes might be the easiest dessert to make, these bars are a close second. And we'd reckon that these are even more customizable and more delicious. We encourage you to find your ideal flavor and ingredient combinations to discover the true magic of these bars.
Get the Magic Cookie Bars recipe.
Blueberry Surprise
This blueberry dessert is what summer dreams are made of. A tart homemade blueberry filling is sandwiched between layers of lightly sweetened, fluffy cream cheese and whipped cream, all on top of buttery cornmeal shortbread.
Get the Blueberry Surprise recipe.
Spumoni Ice Cream Cake
Inspired by the trio of flavors common in Italian spumoni, or molded gelato, this ice cream cake demands attention. With 6 whole pints of ice cream, it feeds a big, hungry crew. Bonus: it's totally no-bake.
Get the Spumoni Ice Cream Cake recipe.
Aperol Spritz Trifles
This trifle draws inspiration from everybody’s favorite summer cocktail: the Aperol Spritz. This popular beverage fuses effervescent Prosecco, a bittersweet and bright Italian aperitivo, and fresh orange. We include all three of those ingredients in this layered dessert. It’s like an adult version of an orange Creamsicle!
Get the Aperol Spritz Trifles recipe.
Raspberry Cheesecake Lasagna
Summer is all about big pans of fruity no-bake cheesecake, and this cheesecake lasagna is giving all that and more. Fresh raspberry filling sits atop layers of crunchy graham cracker crust and silky whipped cream cheese for a cool, creamy dessert that’s equally simple to make and impressive to serve.
Get the Raspberry Cheesecake Lasagna recipe.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cheesecake
Pineapple upside-down cake and cheesecake belong together. The creamy cheesecake layer makes this classic cake extra decadent. You are going to flip for this.
Get the Pineapple Upside-Down Cheesecake recipe.
Eclair Cake
Traditional pate a choux (also used for profiteroles) can be a difficult pastry to make, so for this cheater version we use graham crackers. Since you save some time there, we really encourage you to make your own pastry cream—it's similar to a pudding and is lightened up with a little whipped cream for a smooth filling.
Get the Eclair Cake recipe.
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Cake
Smart kids knew the best treat from the ice cream truck was the strawberry shortcake novelty bar, with its combination of strawberry and vanilla ice cream coated in shortcake crumbs. Golden sandwich cookies (like Oreos) and freeze-dried strawberries are the secret to the irresistibly crunch topping for this spin on strawberry shortcake.
Get the Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Cake recipe.
Lemon Icebox Cake
Icebox cake may be an old-school concept, but this recipe is truly spectacular. The combination of lemon curd and cream cheese frosting is intensely citrusy and refreshing, and the quick candied lemon peel makes it priceless.
Get the Lemon Icebox Cake recipe.
Millionaire Shortbread
When you really want to ball out on dessert, this is THE cookie to make. With a buttery shortbread cookie crust, caramel middle, and thick chocolate top, it doesn't get much richer than this.
Get the Millionaire Shortbread recipe.
Walnut & Pistachio Baklava
Sticky and rich, baklava is a Turkish and Greek dessert made of layered sheets of phyllo dough, nuts, spices, sugar, and/or honey. Our version uses walnuts and pistachios, but feel free to use whichever nuts you like the most.
Get the Walnut & Pistachio Baklava recipe.
Mint Chip Lasagna
Mint chocolate lovers will lose their minds over this no-bake dessert. We used mint Oreos, but if you already have the classic kind on hand, feel free to use those instead. Adding mint extract to the cheesecake layer is what's absolutely key.
Get the Mint Chip Lasagna recipe.
Nanaimo Bars
This easy and delicious dessert bar hails from Canada, and we can't get enough of it (and its gorgeous layers)! Its first layer is chocolate, second is a custard-y buttercream, and the third (the best TBH) is a stellar combo of graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and toasted pecans. You're going to be obsessed.
Get the Nanaimo Bars recipe.
Raspberry Tiramisu
We love a classic tiramisu and couldn’t imagine it getting much better—until raspberries entered the picture. We use a little orange liqueur instead of rum to amplify the brighter flavors but kept the soaked ladyfingers and whipped cream for the perfect no-bake summer dessert.
Get the Raspberry Tiramisu recipe.
Dirt Pudding
Dirt pudding is a classic kids' recipe that everyone should know how to make. Using crushed Oreos to mimic dirt and garnishing with gummy worms might sound kind of silly, but the truth is this: This creamy and indulgent layered dessert tastes ridiculously good and is equally as fun to make as it is to eat.
Get the Dirt Pudding recipe.
Best-Ever Parfait
When you're in the mood for a sweet treat, but don't want to load up on something heavy like cake or cookies, give this parfait a try! We love the blueberry compote, but you can pretty much use any fruit here you like, so get creative.
Get the Best-Ever Parfait recipe.
Copycat Cheesecake Factory Oreo Cheesecake
With five indulgent layers of chocolate and Oreos, this dreamy cheesecake is extremely decadent. Though it certainly takes some time to come together (most of the layers need time to chill), it's mostly hands-off prep. Once everything is chilled, assembly is a breeze!
Get the Copycat Cheesecake Factory Oreo Cheesecake recipe.
Cookie Dough Trifle
This no-bake treat is every cookie dough lover's dream. The best part? The cookie dough is eggless, flour-free, and 100% safe to eat. You're welcome!
Get the Cookie Dough Trifle recipe.
Brownie Lasagna
What's better than one brownie? Eight layers of brownies and cream cheese, obvs. This is the most decadent dessert around, and you'll want to share it with all of your friends.
Get the Brownie Lasagna recipe.
S'mores Banana Pudding
We took our love of s'mores and layered it into our favorite banana pudding. Filled with marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate, and plenty of whipped cream, it's a truly dreamy dessert.
Get the S'mores Banana Pudding recipe.
Strawberry Pretzel Tart
Graham cracker crusts are great, but have you tried using pretzels? The pretzel crust perfectly compliments the sweet strawberries suspended in Jell-O here. Even better is the rich cream cheese layer in the middle. It really is a perfect dessert, trust us!
Get the Strawberry Pretzel Tart recipe.
Frozen Samoa Pie
Even when Girl Scout Cookie season is over, you can still satisfy your Samoa cookie cravings. This frozen pie is layered with all of the coconut, caramel, and chocolate you love, and can be enjoyed any time of year.
Get the Frozen Samoa Pie recipe.
Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry shortcake is THE go-to low-lift dish for summer. Tender, fresh shortcakes get topped with juicy, sweet strawberries and fluffy whipped cream to make this iconic, crowd-pleasing dessert.
Get the Easy Strawberry Shortcake recipe.
Peanut Butter Dessert Lasagna
This is peanut butter overload in the best way possible. We layered all our fave peanut butter desserts—Nutter Butters, Butterfingers and peanut butter, of course—into one dessert lasagna. Peanut butter not your thing? Try our s'mores dessert lasagna on for size.
Get the Peanut Butter Dessert Lasagna recipe.
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