Discover the best Italian dessert recipes. From creamy panna cotta to fruity ricotta cheesecake, they’ll bring sweetness to any occasion.
Craving something sweet? These irresistible Italian dessert recipes have it all – creamy, fruity, and festive favourites you’ll want to make on repeat.
When it comes to indulgent yet elegant sweet treats, few cuisines do it better than Italy. From the rich and creamy to the light and fruity, Italian dessert recipes offer something for every palate and occasion.
Whether you’re planning a showstopping finale for a dinner party or simply want to bring a little dolce vita into your everyday cooking, Italian desserts never disappoint.
This collection of the best Italian dessert recipes includes timeless classics and modern twists alike. Learn to make desserts like a silky panna cotta with a delicate wobble, refreshing Italian-style fruit salads bursting with seasonal flavour, and festive treats including a decadent walnut and chocolate tiramisu or a comforting pudding made with leftover panettone.
These recipes showcase the diverse flavours and textures that make Italian sweets so beloved — from zesty citrus to bold espresso, creamy mascarpone to crunchy nuts.
Perfect for beginners and confident bakers alike, each recipe brings a taste of Italy into your kitchen.
So, whether you’re craving something light after a hearty meal or planning a dessert table for a special occasion, this list will help you find the perfect dolci to impress.
Read on for the most irresistible Italian dessert recipes to try at home.
1. Panna Cotta Topped with Strawberry Reduction
This sweet, simple dessert is a great one for beginners, but its creamy, wobbly texture and fruity topping are sure to impress your dinner guests.
Follow our step-by-step recipe, and you’ll create this classic Italian dessert with ease.
2. Ricotta and Cherry Cheesecake
Tart, tangy cherries nestled in a sweet and creamy ricotta filling make a luxurious baked cheesecake.
Poured over a crisp biscuit base and cooked in the oven until thick and golden, this dessert is charming and delicious.
3. Italian Crème Caramel Recipe
While it’s more commonly associated with French cuisine, some believe that this ‘latte in piedi‘ originates in Italy, made by housewives in the countryside when the only ingredients to hand for a dessert were eggs and milk.
Wherever it was first made, this sweet, caramel-topped dessert is best made in your kitchen.
4. Walnut and Chocolate Tiramisù
With layers of silky mascarpone, coffee-soaked cake, cocoa powder, and walnuts, this luxurious dessert is perfect for the festive season and beyond.
And the best part? You don’t need to make complicated savoiardi biscuits, as this recipe uses leftover cake to form its soft, sumptuous layers.
5. Leftover Panettone Pudding
The classic bread and butter pudding gets an Italian makeover in this delicious recipe.
Leftover panettone that’s slightly past its best gets a new lease of life in this dessert, served with fresh strawberries and a sprinkle of icing sugar.
6. Rice pudding with almonds and raisins
Somewhere between a classic rice pudding and a crème brûlée, this comforting dessert is filled with simple Italian charm.
Almonds and raisins add flavour and crunch to this dessert, but you can swap them for other fruits and nuts, or even chocolate chunks if you prefer.
7. Fruit salad with Italian Chantilly cream
Fresh, seasonal fruit gets an upgrade with this Italian cream recipe.
Combining elements of sweet chantilly cream and rich Italian custard, it’s so delicious, you’ll want to serve it on every bowl of fruit you eat.
8. Mixed Fruit Salad with Basil Syrup
Perfect for a hot summer day, this basil-infused syrup is sweet and refreshing.
Fresh fruit is drenched in the herby syrup to make a light, tasty dessert.
9. No Fuss Strawberry Ice Cream
If you don’t have a fancy ice cream machine, that’s no problem – this no-fuss ice cream can be made with just 15 minutes of preparation, then left in the freezer to set.
With no need to keep agitating the mixture, this recipe means you can make dessert with maximum flavour and minimal effort.
10. Lemon Ice Cream
When the sun is shining, it can be hard to decide whether to end a meal with a refreshing sorbetto or an iced digestivo. Well, with this recipe, you can have both!
This zesty lemon ice cream is utterly refreshing, delicious and light, and the perfect end to a balmy evening.
11. Paradise Cake with Hot Zabaglione
This cake is aptly named “paradise” because it is light as air and heavenly to eat.
Usually served filled with thick custard or accompanied by a glass of dessert wine, this Italian dessert recipe is the best of both worlds with a rich, hot zabaglione sauce poured over the cake.
12. Italian Zeppole Recipe
“Zeppole fritte“, “zeppole povere“, “graffe“, “ciambelle“, whatever you call these, they’re a delicious sweet treat, perfect as a snack or dessert.
Italy’s answer to doughnuts, zeppole, are sweet and fluffy, with a golden, sugar-encrusted, crispy crust.
Baking for a special occasion? Try these giftable Italian Dolci recipes