Mother’s Day is a well-earned holiday—after years of all-consuming, exhausting, totally-worth-it motherhood. So when it comes to dessert, 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 ideas 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 dessert for Mom, 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 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.
Milk Chocolate Panna Cotta
For a make ahead 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.
Honey-Lime Strawberries & Lemon-Buttermilk Sherbet
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
Rhubarb-Strawberry-Ginger Sorbet
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.
Triple-Chocolate No-Bake Cheesecake
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 ideal for a special occasion like Mother’s Day.
No-Bake Oreo Ice Cream 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.
No-Temper Chocolate-Dipped Cherries
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 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.
Rhubarb Almond Crumb Cake
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.
Crème Caramel
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. It’s worth it.
French Silk Pie with Chocolate-Coffee (Grounds) Crust
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.
Lemon Bar Cheesecake
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 stress-free.
Gluten-Free Tiramisu
For a gluten-free 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.
Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
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.
Mocha Marble Cheesecake
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.
Éclair Cake
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.
Key Lime Cake
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 Bundt Cake
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.
Strawberry-Mascarpone Tart
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 mom. Make it ahead and stick it in the fridge, garnishing it with fruit just before serving.
Cherry Slab-Pavlova (Slablova)
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.
Cannoli Cake
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.
Roasted Pineapple-Mango Tart
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.
Sticky Mandarin-Vanilla Pound Cake
This citrusy pound cake will go so well with afternoon tea on Mother’s Day. The mandarin marmalade topping is made with three kinds of orange—chopped mandarins, orange juice, and orange liqueur.
Chocolate Coffee Ice Cream Cake
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.
Violet’s Pineapple-Coconut Cake
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.
Carrot-Pineapple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
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.
Citrus Cake
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 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.
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake with Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
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.
Easiest Chocolate Mousse Cake
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.
Bittersweet Chocolate Semifreddo
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.
Strawberry Chocolate Shortcakes
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.
Caramel Nut Tart with Chocolate
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.
Chocolate Pomegranate Truffles
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.
Salty Chocolate Cheesecake
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.
Double-Chocolate Pudding Cake
“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.
Toasted Almond Chocolate Bundt Cake
This cake tastes like my mom’s favorite ice cream bar—Good Humor toasted almond—plus chocolate, because why not?
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.)
Strawberries with Lavender Biscuits
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?
Meyer Lemon Eclairs
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.
Raspberry-Lime Macarons
Wow mom with something 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.
Rhubarb Cherry Hibiscus Crumble
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.
Strawberry Lime Crostata
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.
Bread Pudding with Prosecco-ed Fruits
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.
Strawberry Cake for Mother’s Day
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.
Peach Bellini Pie
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-Amaretto Lattice Pie
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 pie.
Salty Almond Rhubarb Crisp
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.
