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If you’re wanting an easy dessert recipe with simple prep, that is semi-homemade, and a short-cut recipe – then you are in the right place! This is the Biggest and Best Collection of 75+ Easy Dessert Recipes that utilize short-cut ingredients like a cake mix, a cookie mix, brownie mix, canned pie filling, instant pudding mix, and Jello.
Be sure and check out these other easy dessert recipes that are simple to make, without the short-cut ingredients, but still delicious with easy prep – Easy Peanut Butter Pie and this Easy Nutella Pie.
Easy Desserts That Start With a Cookie Mix
All these delicious dessert recipes below all start with a cookie mix! I love using the cookies mixes because it’s an easy prep ingredient that includes all the dry ingredients all ready to go. Simply add some add-ins and you have and easy short-cut dessert.
You will find the cookie mixes in the baking aisle alongside the cake mixes and brownie mixes. It comes in a bag or pouch. It’s not the same thing as the refrigerated logs of prepared, ready-to-bake cookie dough.
Easy Banana Pudding Cookies
Satisfy that sweet tooth with these tasty Banana Pudding Cookies that taste just like the classic dessert! Semi-homemade cookies that start with a snickerdoodle cookie mix, Nilla wafers, white chocolate chips, fresh banana, and banana cream instant pudding mix.
Mixed Berry Sugar Cookie Cobbler
Mixed Berry Sugar Cookie Cobbler is a deliciously sweet mixed berry cobbler with an easy buttery sugar cookie mix topping. You only need 4 ingredients to whip this easy dessert up!
Funfetti Cake Batter Cookie Bars
These funfetti cake batter cookie bars are a kids’ favorite treat. Cake batter flavor + sprinkles + sweet frosting + sugar cookies! I mean, could it really get any better?!? Plus they are so easy to make with ingredients like a cake mix and sugar cookie mix.
Snickerdoodle Apple Cobbler
Anytime there is warm fruit with a crisp or cobbler topping involved, I am instantly a fan. Crisps, cobblers, and crumble recipes are one of my very favorite dessert recipes and this Snickerdoodle apple cobbler just might be my favorite.
Oatmeal Cookie Apple Crumble
Apple Crumble with a delicious buttery oatmeal cookie crumble. Tart apples in cinnamon & sugar and butter topped with an easy oatmeal cookie mix crumble topping. As it bakes it creates this buttery brown sugar syrup! Serve with vanilla ice cream for the best apple crumble dessert ever.
Easy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Looking for a quick and easy treat that combines the rich flavor of peanut butter with the hearty texture of oats? Look no further than these delicious Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars. Only 6 ingredients needed and it starts with an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie mix.
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
These delicious Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars are the perfect dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth. The cheesecake filling and chocolate chip cookie dough crust create magic that will leave you craving more. Plus these bars are so simple to make!
Butterfinger Cookies (Sugar Cookie Mix)
Easy Butterfinger Cookies combine the irresistible combination of sweet sugar cookie and crunchy Butterfinger candy. You only need 5 ingredients and it starts with a sugar cookie mix! Soft-baked sugar cookies loaded with crunchy bits of the classic candy bar with peanut butter + chocolate.
Easy Sugar Cookie Cherry Cobbler
Sugar Cookie Cherry Cobbler is an easy short-cut dessert that only needs 3 ingredients to make! Similar to a dump cake, this cherry cobbler uses a sugar cookie mix, canned cherry pie filling, and butter to create a deliciously sweet cobbler dessert.
Snickers Cookies
Super easy Snickers Cookies are so simple to make with only 5 ingredients! The classic combination of a Snicker's candy bar – chocolate, peanuts, and caramel but in a chewy, soft-baked cookie with the crunch of chopped Snickers throughout.
Christmas Cookie Pizza
This easy 2 ingredient Christmas Cookie Pizza starts with store-bought sugar cookie dough and vanilla frosting! Decorate this cookie pizza with all the festive red & green Christmas sprinkles and candies. Switch out the candies and sprinkles for any celebration or Holiday.
Peeps Cookie Pizza
This fun & creative Peeps Pizza has a sugar cookie crust, filled with a sweet marshmallow cream, and decorated with marshmallow Easter Peeps and pastel M&M’s. So easy to make and kids especially will LOVE this dessert cookie pizza. Use coordinating sprinkles and candy melts to match any Holiday.
Easy Easter Cookie Bars
These quick and easy, semi-homemade Easter Cookie Bars use just 5 ingredients and are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. Use this easy base recipe to make these cookie bars for any Holiday or celebration – simply switch up the color of M&M’s used!
Christmas Sugar Cookie Fudge
Christmas Sugar Cookie Fudge is made with a sugar cookie mix, white chocolate chips, and marshmallow fluff. It’s smooth, creamy, and tastes like a Holiday sugar cookie dough in fudge form and topped with festive red & green sprinkles. This Christmas fudge recipe is always a favorite! My family can’t get enough sugar cookies, especially
Easy Dessert Recipes That Start With a Brownie Mix
You can do so much with a boxed brownie mix! From brownies, bars, cookies, cakes, and bundt cakes you’re sure to find some chocolatey favorites that will satisfy that brownie chocolate craving.
Slutty Brownies
This irresistible dessert features layers of chocolate chip cookie dough, Oreo cookies, and a fudge brownie batter. These Slutty Brownies are so quick & easy to make, and baked to gooey perfection that will satisfy any sweet tooth and leave you wanting more.
Nutella Brownies (Made With a Boxed Brownie Mix)
Easy Nutella Brownies with generous swirls of chocolate hazelnut spread through out. This Nutella brownie recipe starts with a boxed brownie mix, the addition of chopped hazelnuts provide the perfect crunch, and Nutella pairs perfectly with chocolate fudge brownies.
Candy Cane Kiss Brownie Bites
Candy Cane Kiss Brownie Bites are made in a mini muffin pan with a chocolate brownie mix and Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses. The base is a doctored up brownie mix that is so fudgey and rich, and then out of the oven they’re topped with a candy cane kiss. Any Hershey’s Kiss can be used!
Chocolate Brownie Bundt Cake
Chocolate Brownie Bundt Cake is a rich, decadent, chocolate dessert that is so simple to make with a chocolate cake mix + a brownie mix! Topped with a silky smooth chocolate ganache topping and easy chocolate curls made with a milk chocolate candy bar.
Monster Cookie Brownies
Monster Cookie Brownies start with a boxed brownie mix and topped with a homemade monster cookie dough, with peanut butter, oats, mini chocolate chips and mini m&m’s candies. A mix between a brownie and a cookie! This easy dessert recipe is always a favorite and so yummy too!
Brownie Mix Cookies
Brownie Mix Cookies start with a chocolate brownie mix and 5 easy ingredients added to it. These chocolate brownie cookies are loaded with rich chocolate flavor and chunks of semi-sweet chocolate.
Easy Dessert Recipes With Instant Pudding Mix
Using instant pudding is another way to create semi-homemade desserts that are so delicious and so simple to make! I love how instant pudding adds so much creaminess, lightness, and fluffiness to these deserts below.
With so many options of instant pudding – chocolate, banana cream, vanilla, coconut, you are sure to find some flavors that your family will love.
When you combine an instant pudding mix + cake mix it creates this magical fresh-from-a-bakery cake. It really is amazing what it can do to any dessert. Here are some of the best desserts that use a box in instant pudding mix.
Chocolate Eclair Icebox Cake
Chocolate Eclair Icebox Cake is a layered dessert with layers of graham crackers, soft and fluffy pudding, whipped topping, and a sweet chocolate ganache on top. This eclair dessert is no bake, super easy to make, and only requires 7 ingredients!
Snickers Apple Salad
This Snickers Apple Salad is a sweet treat 'salad' filled with tangy crisp bites of green apple, creamy pudding mixture, and chunks of Snickers! Everyone loves this snickers salad.
Pistachio Pudding Dessert
Pistachio Dessert is a no bake dessert with layers of pistachio instant pudding, cheesecake, whipped topping and a pistachio graham cracker crumb crust. This layered dessert is so simple to make and it’s creamy, light, and full of pistachio flavor and crunch.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Lush
Chocolate Peanut Butter Lush is a lusciously creamy layered dessert with an Oreo cookie crust, creamy peanut butter cheesecake layer, chocolate pudding layer, and topped off with mini Reese’s peanut butter cups and peanut butter drizzle.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Layered Pudding Dessert
Chocolate chip cookie layered pudding dessert with a chocolate chip cookie dough base, a sweetened whipped cream cheese layer, pudding layer, and then Cool Whip on top. It’s really the perfect thing to take to a summer gathering or get together.
No Bake Chocolate Cream Pie
Chocolate Cream Pie is an easy no bake pie with three layers of creamy chocolate pudding & freshly whipped cream inside a chocolate cookie crust. Only 4 ingredients needed! Don’t forget to garnish with chocolate curls and chocolate bar pieces!
Banana Cream Pie
Banana Cream Pie has three layers of banana pudding, cheesecake, and cheesecake whipped topping inside a shortbread crust. This no bake pie takes just minutes to prepare and it’s the best banana cream pie because it has no browned, mushy bananas in it!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Layered Pudding Dessert
This pumpkin cheesecake layered pudding dessert is probably my newest favorite pumpkin dessert with a cinnamon teddy graham crust, pumpkin cheesecake, pudding, and whipped cream.
No Bake Oreo Pudding Pie
Oreo Pudding Pie is an easy dessert recipe that only needs 6 ingredients and it’s no bake! Oreo cookie pie crust, Oreo instant pudding filling, chopped Oreo cookies, and freshly whipped cream. Perfect dessert for all the Oreo lovers!
No Bake Double Chocolate Cream Pie
No Bake Double Chocolate Cream Pie is an easy, 5 ingredient pudding cream pie that takes just minutes to make and it uses convenient ingredients like instant pudding mix and Cool Whip. A chocolate crumb crust filled with a creamy double chocolate pudding mixture with milk chocolate and white chocolate.
Layered Oreo Dessert
Oreo Layered Dessert has 4 layers! This heavenly Oreo Dessert has a Oreo cookie crust, sweetened whipped cheesecake layer, easy chocolate mousse layer, and it’s topped with homemade Oreo whipped cream topping. You will love this easy, no bake dessert recipe.
White Chocolate Berries & Cream Pie
Berries & Cream Pie is an easy to make, semi-homemade, no bake pie recipe. It uses easy ingredients like a prepared graham cracker crust, with a layer of melted white chocolate, cheesecake pudding cream filling, and fresh berries on top.
Pistachio Cheesecake Pie
Pistachio Cheesecake Pie is no bake and so simple to make! Graham cracker crust with three layers of creamy, fluffy pistachio pudding filling.
Chessmen Cookie Banana Pudding
Chessmen Cookie Banana Pudding is a layered dessert recipe with butter cookies, fresh sliced bananas, and a creamy & thick banana cream pudding + french vanilla pudding mixture with cool whip, cream cheese, and sweetened condensed milk. If you love banana pudding then you have to try this!
Banana Pudding Parfaits
Banana Parfaits are an easy no bake version of banana pudding inside a cup! Easy to make with layers of instant banana pudding, freshly whipped cream, banana slices, and crushed Nilla Wafers.
White Chocolate Funfetti Pudding Cookies
Funfetti Cookies are loaded with white chocolate, funfetti sprinkles, and instant pudding mix which makes them so thick, chewy, buttery, and soft-baked! These funfetti cookies will stay soft for days!
No Bake Coconut Cream Pie
No Bake Coconut Cream Pie made with instant coconut cream pudding mix, cream cheese, and a ready to use graham cracker crust. It’s a mix between a coconut cheesecake and no bake coconut cream pie.
Pumpkin Pudding Pie
This Pumpkin Pudding Pie has all the delicious, creamy goodness of pumpkin pie but without all the hard work and oven time! It’s a no bake pie with vanilla pudding, pure pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and heavy cream inside a ready-to-use graham cracker crust.
No Bake Lemon Pudding Pie
No Bake Lemon Pudding Pie has three layers of lemon pudding, fresh whipped cream, and fresh lemon juice. So easy to make and it’s no bake! Perfect for summer and only 5 ingredients needed.
Banana Split Dessert Cups
Enjoy a classic banana split dessert in these individual Banana Split Dessert Cups! Layers of pudding, graham cracker crumbs, banana slices, pineapple, and whipped cream inside a cup and topped with whipped cream, sprinkles, chocolate syrup, chopped peanuts, and a maraschino cherry.
Walking Oreo Dirt Cups
Walking Dirt Cups are a ‘portable’ twist to the classic pudding dirt cups! Eat them and make them on the go with instant pudding mix, mini Oreo cookies, and gummy worms. They make for a great camping dessert too.
Easy Lemon Cake with Lemon Pudding Frosting
Easy Lemon Cake, also known as lemon lovers layered cake, starts with a cake mix and lemon instant pudding mix! This lemon cake is so moist, light, and full of bright lemon flavor. It’s topped with a whipped lemon pudding frosting that is so fluffy.
Easy Pineapple Pistachio Cake
Pineapple Pistachio Cake in an easy 5 ingredient cake recipe that starts with a cake mix, pistachio pudding, and crushed pineapple. This easy dessert recipe is topped with a fluffy pistachio pudding frosting.
Watergate Salad (Pistachio Fluff)
Watergate Salad is a creamy, light, and fluffy salad full of marshmallows, crushed pineapple, pistachio instant pudding, and whipped topping. We like to call it Pistachio Fluff at my house! Simple to make with only 4 ingredients and it’s the perfect side dish for any meal or gathering.
Easy Dessert Recipes With Canned Pie Filling
Canned pie filling is one of my very favorite ways to dress-up a Classic Perfect Cheesecake or as a way to dress up a serving of brownies, cake, or pie. It’s also great mixed in with a cake mix to create these deices mash-up of flavors.
With so many flavors like cherry, mixed berry, blackberry, apple, and peach you are sure to find lots of ways to use in these recipes that all call for canned pie filling. It’s actually much better than you might think!
Cherry Delight Dessert Recipe
This Cherry Delight is an easy no bake dessert recipe that can be made in just minutes! Three layers of goodness – buttery graham cracker crust, creamy & fluffy no bake cheesecake layer, and topped off with cherry pie filling.
Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Delight
This raspberry cheesecake delight dessert is so delicious and it’s so pretty. Don’t you just love pretty food? Three layers of deliciousness and topped off with an easy raspberry pie filling.
No Bake Black Forest Cheesecake
This easy to make No Bake Black Forest Cheesecake is the ultimate rich & decadent dessert with layers of an Oreo cookie crust, no bake cheesecake filling, no bake chocolate cheesecake filling, and topped with canned cherry pie filling.
Heaven on Earth Cake
Heaven on Earth Cake is a layered dessert that is so easy to make with prepared ingredients. Layers of angel food cake, cherry pie filling, creamy vanilla pudding and whipped topping. Garnished with sliced almonds on top. Using canned cherry pie filling is a delicious shortcut in this recipe.
Lemon Blueberry Delight
This layered Lemon Blueberry Delight dessert is a no bake, summertime favorite! Layers of graham cracker crust, lemon instant pudding, whipped cream, and blueberry pie filling – a new kind of dessert lush-iousness.
Blueberry Dump Cake
With only 3 ingredients and one pan – this Blueberry Dump Cake is the best easy dessert! Canned blueberry pie filling, cake mix, and melted butter is all it takes. Serve this easy dump cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
Easy Chocolate Cherry Cake
This chocolate cherry cake will blow your mind! Or taste buds I should say. You will not believe how easy it is to make. It looks like it might be a time intensive cake but trust me, anyone can make this beauty. The chocolate cherry cake is only 4 ingredients!
Cream Cheese Cherry Pie
Cream Cheese Cherry Pie is an easy dessert recipe that is no bake! Ingredients like a prepared graham cracker crust, cream cheese, Cool Whip, and canned cherry pie filling make this cherry pie with a no bake cheesecake filling a simple & delicious pie.
Marshmallow Cherry Fluff
Cherry Fluff recipe is a light & creamy sweet salad with mini marshmallows, cream cheese, Cool Whip, and cherry pie filling. It has such a pretty light pink color and it’s always a hit wherever I take it. This fluff salad is a great side dish for dinner, gathering, potluck, or bbq.
Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
Easy to make Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake has a mouthwatering mix of cherries, pineapple, and a buttery golden cake mix. With only a 5 minute prep time this simple dessert is perfect for a last minute gathering or easy weeknight desert.
Dessert Recipes With a Cake Mix (Short-cut Cake Mix Desserts)
Orange Pineapple Cake
Orange Pineapple Cake is an easy cake recipe that starts with a boxed cake mix and canned mandarin oranges. Topped with a delicious and fluffy whipped pineapple vanilla pudding frosting. This cake, also called pig pickin’ cake, is so moist and soft, with a fruity light taste.
Berry Crisp Dump Cake
Berry Crisp Dump Cake is only 5 ingredients and made in just one pan! Frozen mixed berries topped with an easy cake mix, oatmeal, walnuts, and melted butter crisp. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for a delicious and easy dessert recipe.
Pumpkin Pie Pecan Cobbler
Pumpkin Pie Pecan Cobbler has a creamy pumpkin pie layer topped with a sweet spiced pecan crumble topping. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the best pumpkin cobbler recipe that’s perfect for Fall.
Easy Oreo Dirt Cake
Easy Dirt Cake that starts with a chocolate cake mix, filled with hot fudge sauce, and topped with instant chocolate pudding, Cool Whip, crushed Oreo cookie crumbs, and gummy worms. An easy dessert recipe that is kid-friendly, easy to make, and a delicious twist to the classic poke cake.
Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies only need 5 ingredients! Soft-baked strawberry cookies, that start with a cake mix, are rolled in powdered sugar and then baked. They get perfect sweet crinkly tops while they bake in the oven.
Oreo Poke Cake
Oreo Poke Cake is both decadent and light with a rich chocolatey flavor and Oreo crumbs and Oreo pudding “poked” into the cake! This amazing dessert starts with a cake mix and then a creamy and fluffy Oreo pudding mixture gets poured into the holes. Top it off with whipped cream and more Oreo cookies.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies with peanut butter chips only require a few minutes of prep time and 5 ingredients! This easy cookie recipe starts with a chocolate cake mix, eggs, oil, vanilla extract, and peanut butter chips. Learn how to make easy cake mix cookies with my easy instructions and all my tips and variation ideas.
Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake (Made With a Cake Mix)
This Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake is so moist and simple to make with a doctored up yellow cake mix! Ingredients like oil, sour cream, and pure pumpkin are added to a cake mix along with warm pumpkin spice. Top it off with an easy homemade cream cheese frosting for the ultimate Fall pumpkin dessert.
Cake Mix Sugar Cookies
These Cake Mix Sugar Cookies are easy to make with only 5 ingredients and there is no rolling or cutting out shapes involved. Thick, chewy, soft-baked, and puffy sugar cookies can be decorated with any color frosting for any Holiday with coordinating sprinkles.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Whoopie Pies
These pumpkin cheesecake whoopie pies are my go-to for any Fall gathering. They store really well in the fridge, easy to transport, and I have never met a single person who does not love them!
Easy Peach Dump Cake
Peach Cobbler Dump Cake is an easy and simple dessert that only needs 4 Ingredients like a cake mix, canned peaches, cinnamon, and butter. Serve with vanilla ice cream for the best family dessert.
Toffee Cake Mix Cookies
Toffee Cake Mix Cookies are so easy to make with only 4 ingredients! Yellow cake mix, eggs, oil, and toffee bits. These taste like a buttery sugar cookie with bits of toffee through out. Easy cookies that are perfect for a sweet treat or Holiday baking.
Easy Apple Dump Cake
Learn how to make this easy Apple Dump Cake with pie filling and a spice cake mix! Warm apple pie topped with a buttery brown sugar and oat crisp topping. Serve this easy dump cake recipe topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. A cozy dessert that gets made in the same dish it bakes in.
Easy Dessert Recipes With Gelatin Mix (Jello)
Jello gelatin mixes are a short-cut way to get a fruity and fresh tasting dessert. From pies, layered desserts, sweeter side dishes, as a mix-in with a cake mix to switch up flavors, or poke cakes – there are so many ways to use Jello in these easy dessert recipes. Most of the time you don’t even have to prepare the jello mix, simply dump it in and create magic.
Mandarin Orange Pretzel Salad
Mandarin Orange Pretzel Salad has layers of salty & sweet pretzel, sweetened cream cheese layer, and topped with orange jello and chunks of mandarin oranges. It’s the perfect dessert for any occasion or a sweeter side dish for dinner or family gatherings.
Strawberry Pretzel Pie
This no bake Strawberry Pretzel Pie has a sweet & salty pretzel crust and a creamy strawberry jello cheesecake filling. It’s the perfect summertime dessert that is easy enough for anyone to make!
Easy Strawberry Cake
Easy Strawberry Cake starts with a white cake mix, strawberry jello, and fresh strawberry puree. This strawberry cake is topped with a creamy and fluffy fresh strawberry frosting and makes for the best quick and easy dessert recipe.
Strawberry Jello Pie
Strawberry Jello Pie starts with a homemade graham cracker crust, filled with fresh strawberries, and then covered in an easy strawberry jello mixture. Top this strawberry pie with whipped cream for a delicious dessert!
Raspberry Cheesecake Lush
This Raspberry Cheesecake Lush is a layered dessert that is light, creamy, with a luscious texture. Layers of golden Oreo cookie crust, no bake cheesecake layer, fresh raspberry jello layer, and finished off with whipped cream.
Strawberry Cheesecake Lush
This layered Strawberry Cheesecake Lush is a lusciously creamy and completely addicting dessert. Layers of graham cracker crust, no bake cheesecake layer, fluffy strawberry jello layer, and whipped cream.
No Bake Jello Pie
You will love how easy this No Bake Jello Pie is to make! A graham cracker crust filled with a smooth & creamy, light tasting, mouse texture jello filling. Top it with whipped cream for a super easy no bake dessert. The best part is that you can use any flavor of Jello you want!
Pear Jello Recipe
This Pear Jello Recipe is a family favorite, tried & tested, jello side dish that I’ve made for years! Creamy, fluffy, sweet, and so delicious with canned pears and any flavor of Jello you want. Learn how to make this recipe using gelatin, pears, cream cheese, and Cool Whip.
Strawberry Jello Poke Cake
An incredibly light and delicious, easy to make Strawberry Poke Cake recipe! A white cake mix, fruity strawberry jello, and topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.
4th of July Jello Cake
This 4th of July Jello Cake is my go-to dessert for Memorial Day celebrations and the Fourth of July get togethers. It’s creamy, has a bright fresh flavor, and this cake is so easy to make. Make this cake for any Holiday or get together, simply change up the Jello colors/flavors and sprinkles.
Jello Cookies
Jello Cookies are a fun & colorful cookie recipe that starts with a simple homemade sugar cookie dough, and then colorful Jello packets get mixed in to create the bright color and fruity flavors! Kids love making these cookies and you can choose any flavor of Jello that you want.
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