Our 15 Best 3-Ingredient (or Fewer!) Desserts

March 23, 2020
Photo: Marcus Nilsson; Styling: Robyn Glaser
Delicious desserts don't have to be hard. You can whip up any of these sweet treats with just three ingredients—or fewer! Feeling like breakfast for after-dinner dessert? You might want to try these incredibly easy pancakes. What about a customizeable recipe that you can tweak to fit your needs? This chocolate bark has your name written all over it. The point is, you and your family will love this collection of 3-ingredient desserts. 
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Two-Ingredient Fudge

Time Inc. Video Studio
Two-Ingredient Fudge Recipe

Requiring a mere 2 ingredients (both of which are likely already in your pantry), this is the fudge you can make with one only one hand. Packing an intensely chocolatey flavor, this easy fudge recipe is sure to please. 

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Two-Ingredient Macaroons

Time Inc. Video Studio
Two-Ingredient Macaroons Recipe

Requiring only two ingredients, these easy coconut macaroons are almost too good to be true. Whip up a batch in just 20 minutes for sweet and simple treat.

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3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Bread 

Photos by Teresa Sabga
3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Bread  Recipe
This budget-friendly banana bread is perfectly tailored for those of us trying to save a few bucks (a.k.a. all of us) since it just calls for three ingredients: pancake mix, banana, and peanut butter. It’s also the perfect way to use up the overripe bananas that are all beautifully speckled and brown in your fruit bowl.
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White Chocolate-Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bars

Annie Campbell
White Chocolate-Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bars Recipe
Fact: Cinnamon Toast Crunch makes everything better. If the sweet, warm, crunchy cereal was a more frequently used ingredient, the world would be a much better place. That's why we created these super easy, 3-ingredient White Chocolate-Cinnamon Toast Crunch Bars.

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3-Ingredient S'mores Peepza 

Photo: Caleb Zorn Styling: Emma Crist
3-Ingredient S'mores Peepza  Recipe

Peeps, Nutella, and a refrigerated pizza crust come together for a jaw-dropping pastel masterpiece.

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3-Ingredient Pancakes

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
3-Ingredient Pancakes Recipe

These single-serving pancakes are a bit more like the custardy center bite of French toast: fluffy, eggy, and golden delicious.

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Air-Fryer Fried Oreos

Photo: Caroline Arcangeli; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Julia Levy and Jasmine Smith 
Air-Fryer Fried Oreos Recipe
Not only does the air fryer make this fairground favorite a bit healthier, but fried Oreos have also never been easier to make at home thanks to the fat-slashing countertop appliance. And requiring only 3 essential ingredients, these air-fried Oreos are the perfect treat for anything from weekend sleepovers to an extra-special weeknight dessert.

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Easter Bark

Meredith Food Studios 
Easter Bark Recipe

You’ve got a ton of extra Easter candy, so use it. Using hollow chocolate bunnies as a base, this bark is rich and silky and features as many textures as it does toppings—chewy, crunchy, sweet, sour, and creamy. Don’t skip the refrigeration, or else the chocolate won’t solidify. 

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Unicorn Bark 

Photo: Ashley Kappel
Unicorn Bark  Recipe

This bark tastes just as good as it looks. Rainbow swirls loaded with edible glitter and fun decorations make this easy dessert a hit with kids of all ages. It comes together in about 20 minutes, so it’s perfect for a fun night in with the family.

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Dr. Pepper Milkshake

Meredith Food Studios
Dr. Pepper Milkshake Recipe

Inspired by the latest, limited-time release from Whataburger, we crafted our own sweet and creamy Dr. Pepper Shake to enjoy anytime.

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Peanut Butter Cup Halo Top Milkshake

Sara Tane
Peanut Butter Cup Halo Top Milkshake Recipe

Grab a pint of this low-calorie ice cream and give it a whirl in the blender for a delicious milkshake. A little liquid goes a long way, so start with 2 tablespoons of milk, and if you want a thinner shake, add more. Serve with whipped cream and chocolate shavings for the ultimate frozen dessert experience.

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Strawberry Halo Top Milkshake

Sara Tane
Strawberry Halo Top Milkshake Recipe

For a rich, fruity milkshake that won't cost you an excessive amount of calories, look no further than this silky smooth strawberry Halo Top milkshake.

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Mint Chip Halo Top Milkshake

Sara Tane
Mint Chip Halo Top Milkshake Recipe

For a lighter spin on a traditional mint chocolate chip milkshake, we used Halo Top ice cream. With just a little milk to thin out the pint of ice cream, this simple dessert concoction is a winner (and one that you won't feel guilty about later).

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Almond-Coconut Vanilla Halo Top Milkshake

Sara Tane
Almond-Coconut Vanilla Halo Top Milkshake Recipe

Everybody's favorite low-calorie pint of ice cream transforms itself into a thick milkshake that you can feel good about. Unsweetened coconut adds a hint of tropical flavor without adding too much extra sweetness. If you don't have almond milk, substitute coconut milk for an even richer, silkier shake.

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Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

Photo: Marcus Nilsson; Styling: Robyn Glaser
Chocolate Dipped Pretzels Recipe

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Dipped Pretzels are a  salty, sweet pick-up dessert that's just as ideal for a snack as it is for a party.

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