My rich and decadent tiramisu recipe is surprisingly simple and will make you feel like you’re eating dessert in an Italian cafe from the comfort of your own home. This is a great make-ahead dessert! I’ve included plenty of detailed tips, pictures, and a how-to video so you can have flawless results every time!
A Completely From-Scratch Tiramisu Recipe
I’ve been working on perfecting this tiramisu recipe for months now, but it’s truly worth the wait. I wanted it to not only be the literal best you’ve ever had, but I also wanted the recipe to be foolproof, so I put it to the Zach test.
Zach knows his way around the kitchen, but tiramisu was unlike anything he’d ever made before, so I left him with this recipe and left the kitchen (not an easy thing for me to do) to see what he ended up with. If it turned out, I knew it was ready to share.
When he served me a slice, I was ecstatic (that might be an understatement) with the results. This really is the best tiramisu recipe and I’m finally ready to share it with you. I promise, the wait was worth it!
Tiramisu is the perfect way to follow up an Italian dinner of baked ziti or your favorite rigatoni or stuffed shells. It’s sweet, but not overly so, and it’s certainly not a sugar-bomb; there are actually many dark/bitter flavors at play here. Unsweetened cocoa, dark spiced rum, and black coffee work in beautiful contrast against the creamy, lightly sweetened mascarpone layers and unassuming ladyfingers.
🧂 Ingredients
Before we begin, let’s discuss a few of the key tiramisu ingredients behind my recipe:
- Ladyfingers. It’s possible your local grocery store may carry these but mine does not. You can either purchase them on Amazon (I’ve included a link in the recipe card) or you can make my homemade ladyfingers (note: some people have also mentioned that they’ve substitute Pavesini). If using homemade, let them sit at room temperature uncovered overnight before using. Ladyfingers add structure and stability to the tiramisu, they become softened to a cake-like texture once the dessert has had time to sit and thoroughly chill.
- Egg yolks. These will be cooked with sugar and salt to form a zabaglione, which will be the custard base of your tiramisu layers. While some tiramisu recipes use the egg whites elsewhere in the tiramisu, I opted not to as they are traditionally uncooked and many people let me know on my chocolate mousse recipe that they are not comfortable eating raw eggs.
- Sugar. I use regular granulated sugar, but caster sugar is ideal if you happen to have it as it will dissolve faster when cooking your zabaglione.
- Coffee. Tiramisu is primarily a coffee-flavored dessert, so it’s important that you use coffee that you like. There’s no need to use anything expensive; use the coffee you love and drink every day.
- Spiced Rum. Use your favorite variety! Rum gives this tiramisu recipe a unique flavor with a kick. If you don’t have a brand preference, try using a middle shelf spiced rum to maintain good flavor and not break the bank. If you want to make this recipe alcohol-free, see my FAQ section below.
- Mascarpone cheese. This is a soft Italian cheese that closely resembles cream cheese and helps give tiramisu its rich flavor. This is widely available at most grocery stores in the cheese and/or dairy section. Do not use low-fat mascarpone, which has more water than the full-fat version and can make a runny tiramisu.
- Heavy cream. Since we aren’t going to be using raw egg whites in this recipe, we have to make a substitute that still offers creamy stability. I opt to use heavy cream to make a homemade whipped cream, it yields similarly textured, delicious tiramisu recipe. Heavy cream, heavy whipping cream, or double cream will work in today’s recipe.
SAM’S TIP: Save your egg whites! They can be used to make meringues, Swiss meringue buttercream, white cake, funfetti cake, or angel food cake! Store covered in the fridge for up to two days or frozen for several months, but make sure they are not contaminated by any yolk and that you keep them in a completely clean, dry, and grease-free container.
How to Make the Zabaglione
Zabaglione (also known as sabayon) is the starting point of my tiramisu recipe, and is often served as a dessert in and of itself. Despite its foreign and polysyllabic name, it’s actually fairly easy to make, though some patience is required. It’s simply a custard made by whisking together egg yolks and sugar, and salt on a double boiler until the sugar is dissolved and the whisk leaves tracks through the liquid. Alcohol is often cooked with the eggs, but here we’re adding it afterwards.
- Bring a double boiler to a simmer and ensure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water.
- Combine egg yolks, sugar, and salt in the bowl of the double boiler and whisk to combine.
- Whisk constantly until the sugar is dissolved, the mixture is pale yellow, and it’s thickened enough that it offers some resistance to your whisk and the wires of the whisk leave trails that hold for a second or two before dissipating.
- Remove from heat and stir in rum and coffee.
Have patience. Don’t crank up your heat to speed up cooking, it can take around 10 minutes or longer and if you rush the process you could end up with scrambled eggs. Conversely, if the zabaglione is not cooked enough, your tiramisu will be runny.
SAM’S TIP: You can check that the sugar has dissolved by rubbing a small bit of the mixture between your thumb and forefinger. It should be smooth and grit free. However, if your mixture meets all of the other criteria but has a small bit of grit remaining, don’t stress, this should dissolve while your tiramisu chills.
You’ve made your zabaglione. That’s the hardest part of making any tiramisu recipe. Give yourself a pat on the back and let it cool for now. Now, make the mascarpone layer:
Preparing the Mascarpone layer
- In a large bowl, whip heavy cream to soft peaks. note: Don’t panic if you accidentally whip all the way to stiff peaks. Some tiramisu recipe call for stiff peaks and it will work here, I just prefer and recommend the softer, creamier, and less-fluffy consistency of soft peaks.
- Place mascarpone cheese in a separate, large bowl and stir until smooth. Just until smooth. Don’t overdo it as mascarpone is fickle and when over-beaten it curdles and may become runny.
- Gradually, slowly, stir cooled zabaglione into mascarpone until completely combined.
- Fold together mascarpone mixture and whipped cream until combined.
SAM’S NOTE: Mascarpone is finicky! It’s important that it’s neither too cold or too warm or it could curdle. I pull mine out of the fridge about 20 minutes before I need to use it.
How to Make Tiramisu
- Hold ladyfinger cookies by the ends and dip half of the cookie lengthwise in a shallow dish filled with mixture of coffee and rum, then turn over and dip the other half. Do this very briefly, you don’t want the cookies to become soggy or it’ll make the entire tiramisu recipe soggy!
- Place ladyfingers in an even layer on the bottom of a 9×13″ baking dish. Most likely you’ll need to break a few cookies to make sure the dish is covered completely (it helps to lay them all out before dipping).
- Layer half of the mascarpone filling over the ladyfingers.
- Sprinkle a tablespoon of cocoa powder over the top.
- Place another layer of ladyfingers.
- Then another layer of cream.
SAM’S TIP: The technique for dipping the ladyfingers is carefully written so that all of the cookie is evenly dipped and the tiramisu doesn’t become overly saturated. Don’t be tempted to dip the cookies straight into a mug of coffee; they’ll absorb far too much of the liquid and become soggy, resulting in a runny, messy tiramisu with unbalanced flavor.
Before serving, sift another tablespoon of cocoa powder over the surface of the tiramisu. I prefer to wait until just before serving as it will begin to absorb the mascarpone mixture and turn dark if added too soon (it will still taste good, it’s purely aesthetic reasons that I like to wait!).
Frequently Asked Questions
You’ll lose some of the signature flavor, but you can simply leave out the alcohol. You will most likely need a bit more coffee for soaking your ladyfingers, so brew a bit more to make up for the missing liquid.
Marsala wine, brandy, or coffee flavored liqueur (like Kahlua) may be substituted. Some recipes use almond liqueur, which I haven’t tried but it sounds delicious.
Keep in mind that each of these variations has their own distinct flavor and will result in a different final taste to the tiramisu recipe, so make sure you choose an alcohol that has a taste that’s enjoyable to you.
There are several reasons this happens.
1) If the zabaglione was not cooked properly and until thickened, this can result in a runny tiramisu.
2) Adding the zabaglione to the mascarpone/whipped cream while it is too hot can melt the mixture and make the tiramisu runny.
3) Using low-fat or low-quality mascarpone or over-beating the mascarpone can cause runny tiramisu. Mascarpone is annoyingly temperamental and extremely liable to being over-whipped and separating, so handle with care!
4) When dipping your ladyfingers it’s important to dip them very, very briefly. You want them moistened by the coffee but not overly saturated with it. If the savoiardi become soggy, that liquid can leech into the rest of the tiramisu recipe and make it loose and runny (not to mention, when you bite into the tiramisu you’ll get a jarring punch of coffee and rum where you should have a smooth symphony of contrasting, flavorful accents instead).
While you don’t need to worry about raw eggs with my tiramisu recipe, due to the alcohol and coffee I do not recommend sharing this with children, at least not more than a bite or two. The alcohol content is fairly minimal all things considered, but it’s still present. You can make a non-alcoholic version and use decaf coffee for a family friendly version.
Whew. I know we covered a lot today but hopefully all the steps, photos, and video (below) are helpful, especially if this is your first time attempt at tiramisu (if so, thank you so much for choosing my tiramisu recipe as your first!).
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! Make sure to check out the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card!
The BEST Tiramisu Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup (295 ml) coffee
- 6 Tablespoons spiced rum¹ divided
- 6 large egg yolks²
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (475 ml) heavy cream cold
- 16 oz (453 g) mascarpone cheese³ softened about 20 minutes before use, see note
- 40 Ladyfingers⁴ click the link to make my homemade ladyfingers. You may also substitute Pavesini.
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder divided (Dutch-process or natural will work)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Stir together coffee and 4 Tablespoons rum and pour into a shallow dish (you’ll be dipping your ladyfingers in this). Set aside for coffee to cool, you won’t return to this until after you have prepared your filling.1 ¼ cup (295 ml) coffee, 6 Tablespoons spiced rum¹
Zabaglione
- Fill a medium-sized saucepan with 1-2" of water and find a medium-sized heatproof bowl that rests on the saucepan without the bottom touching the water. This will be your double boiler (alternatively, use a double boiler if you have one). Remove the bowl and bring the water to a simmer over medium/low heat.
- Meanwhile, combine egg yolks, sugar, and salt in the bowl you fitted to your saucepan and whisk to combine. Once water is simmering, return bowl to saucepan.6 large egg yolks², ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Whisk constantly until mixture is pale yellow, sugar has dissolved (rub a small bit between your fingers, it should be smooth), and your whisk leaves tracks through the mixture. This can take about 10 minutes, perhaps longer. Frequently scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as you cook this to prevent the yolks from cooking (or you'll end up with scrambled eggs!).
- Remove from heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons of rum and the vanilla extract. Whisk well then set aside to cool (you may place in fridge to speed up the process). This is your zabaglione. Prepare whipped cream/mascarpone layer while this cools.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mascarpone Cream Layer
- Pour cold heavy cream into a large bowl and use an electric mixer (or stand mixer) to stir, gradually increasing mixer speed to high and beating until you have soft peaks⁵.2 cups (475 ml) heavy cream
- Place mascarpone cheese in a separate large bowl and stir (with spoon, spatula, or electric mixer on low-speed) just until smooth (don’t overmix mascarpone or it can become grainy/curdled).16 oz (453 g) mascarpone cheese³
- Gradually add cooled zabaglione to mascarpone and stir until completely combined (again, don't overdo it).
- Gently whipped cream into mascarpone mixture until completely combined.
Assembly
- Grip ladyfingers by holding the two end points. Very briefly dip half of the ladyfinger (lengthwise) into the coffee mixture, then turn upside down and very briefly dip the other half. Place into 13×9” (33x23cm) baking dish. Repeat with ladyfingers until you have lined the entire bottom of the dish with dipped ladyfingers. You may need to break some of the cookies so that they fit and the entire bottom is covered.40 Ladyfingers⁴
- Top ladyfinger layer with half of the mascarpone mixture and spread this evenly over the cookies.
- Sift 1 Tablespoon of cocoa powder evenly over the mascarpone.2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- Top with another even layer of coffee-dipped ladyfingers and then evenly spread the mascarpone over the top. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 hours or preferably overnight.
- Before serving, sift another Tablespoon of cocoa powder over the surface. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
¹Alcohol
You may leave out the alcohol or substitute with marsala wine, coffee flavored liqueur, or brandy.²Egg yolks:
Save your egg whites in a clean, grease-free container and use them to make meringues, lemon cake, or strawberry cake (see post for more recipe suggestions for egg whites)!³Mascarpone
Mascarpone that is too cold or too warm is liable to curdle. Pull it out of the fridge just 10-20 minutes before using. Always take care to not over-mix the mascarpone as this can also make it curdle and make your tiramisu runny. Make sure you are using a full-fat mascarpone.⁴Ladyfingers
You may use store-bought or the best homemade ladyfingers in my tiramisu recipe. If using homemade, make them a day or two in advance and allow them to sit out uncovered overnight before using (you want them a little stale!). If purchasing you can find them on Amazon.⁵Soft peaks
This means that the peak that forms when you pull the beater out of the mixture folds over on top of itself. Soft peaks are creamier and less fluffy than stiff peaks that are typical of store-bought whipped cream.Storing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Tiramisu may be frozen for several months; let thaw overnight in the fridge or set out at room temperature for 20-30 minutes to thaw before serving.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Amanda E
I was so nervous to make this for our Italian Night family dinner, but your video is so helpful (I watched it 3 times) and it came out fabulous! Everyone absolutely loved it! Your recipes never fail, thank you for another delicious one.
Sam
I’m so glad it turned out, Amanda! I appreciate the feedback on the video as well. 🙂
Laura L Miller
This was a huge hit at a family party. Even my one year old nephew was in love with it! Maybe the rum helped with his teething. ( :
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Yay! So glad it was a hit, Laura 😊
Anna D.
My first time making tiramisu and it was an absolute hit! The whole thing was gone by the end of the night. The video was super helpful in making this.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Anna! 🙂
Jennifer
This was so good, I made it for a birthday for a coworker. Everyone wanted seconds. The video and pictures are so helpful and are a deal breaker for me wanting to try recipes on this site. Plus I trust Sam cause she tests and retests her recipes. I have made the ladyfingers then now this, I plan on trying the worst chocolate chip cookies next. Sam shares great tips, thank you Sam! Like how to dip the ladyfingers in espresso, would never have thought of it. Look forward to trying more and more of these recipes!
Sam
I’m so glad you’ve found everything to be so helpful, Jennifer! I’m glad everything is turning out. 🙂
Ann
Hi Sam, I have not been able to find mascarpone cheese anywhere. Is full fat cream cheese, a decent substitute? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Ann! The cream cheese flavor may end up being a tad overwhelming, but it could work. I haven’t tried it myself. I have read that others have mixed cream cheese with heavy cream and butter to make a substitute, but I don’t know the ratios that you’d need. 🙁
Elizabeth
Any thoughts on using rum extract instead of rum? My (almost) two year old is a bizarre coffee fiend. Sure he shouldn’t have the caffeine, but you can’t set your coffee down for a second without it being intercepted so he winds up having some anyway and I’ve given up freaking out about it. I’m planning on making this for my own birthday desert and I know he will be all over something that looks like whipped “ceam” and tastes of coffee, but although I’ve become blase about him having a bit of coffee I’m thinking a taste for booze is the next level of absolutely not. So rum extract? Or just more coffee, maybe some extra vanilla or almond extract? Any thoughts? I’m half considering marking my pan with something and doing half with rum and half without.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Elizabeth! Rum extract should work fine, although the substitution isn’t always 1:1. Definitely check your bottle before adding. You can also just leave the rum out entirely. Enjoy! 😊
Chris
Yep, a keeper for sure. This Tiramisu is so light and delicious. Used Kahlua as I didn’t have rum. It all disappeared very fast. 🤤
Tom
Very smooth and creamy! Never made recipe like this but the instructions were great and the end result was my first Tiramisu ever and it was a success.
I used Ameretto instead of rum – it was a little lighter and in my opinion – better! -:)
Thanks for the recipe!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy it was a success for you Tom! Amaretto sounds delicious too 😊 Enjoy!
Amanda
My brothers favorite dessert is tiramisu and he said this was the best he had ever had. This is what you wanna make to be that fancy person at the party 🤣 it’s easy, but time consuming, and totally worth it.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy it was a hit, Amanda! Thanks for the review ❤️
Priyanka Cerejo
Simply outstanding! What a perfect balance of every ingredient used!
Sam – not a single failed recipe thus far. You never fail to amaze. My go to blog for literally everything.
My entire family loved the Tiramisu. So authentic. Thank you 🙏🏽
Sam
You are so welcome, Priyanka! I’m so glad you have enjoyed everything so much! 🙂
Leslie Stevenson
I made this today, and it is awesome. It wasn’t hard at all. Your directions are so clear. This recipe is perfectly explained and easy to follow. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Leslie! 🙂
SARAH
Thank you for posting tried and tested recipes like this. Had some problems with the whipped cream (overbeat despite warnings! Huhu….) and we substituted with all purpose cream cos that’s all we had. What came out were creamy layers that were STILL super yummy but much denser than ideal. Then we discovered that eating it with extra ladyfingers took it to a different level of YUM with a crunch! Will definitely try again.. Hopefully we will do a better job with the whipping cream.
Sam
I’m so glad you ultimately enjoyed it so much, Sarah! 🙂
Michelle J Costello
Can you make your own mascapone without the lemon if you have an allergy to citrus?
mye
Hello ,
Can I make sponge cake or any cake instead of Ladyfingers? If yes, can please you suggest what cake it would be?
Thanks,
Mylene
Sam
I actually have a recipe for ladyfingers if you can’t find them anywhere. I think pound cake or angel food cake could work.
Angela
Hi Sam
Could I put chocolate liqueur in the coffee mix?
Sam
Hi Angela! That sounds really tasty! Enjoy. 🙂
Emily
Hi I know tiramisu is a coffee dessert, but I wondered if you had any thoughts on what I could use instead of coffee. My boyfriend used to love tiramisu but can’t eat it any more because he has developed an allergy to coffee. So hoping to make him a version he can eat!
Sam
Hi Emily! I think hot chocolate will work here, but the flavor will obviously change pretty drastically. Let me know how it goes if you try it. 🙂
Lynette Dyas
What brand of rum do you use?
Sam
Hi Lynette! I used Kraken rum here because I had it in the house. 🙂
Anett
Tiramisu doesn’t have heavy cream in it, but I am shure this is a nice version to👍
Sam
Hi Anett! Tiramisu is often made with heavy cream, I actually talk about this a bit in the post 🙂 I tried many versions and this one came out on top for a number of reasons.