Something sweet from my kitchen
5 Homemade Dessert Recipes Worth Making Again
Five homemade desserts, from creamy Oreo and cheesecake cups to cherry crumble bars, pistachio-filled chocolate, and fruit-topped chia pudding.
By PedroPublished September 3, 2026 · Updated September 14, 2026
I'd happily sit down with a cherry pie bar and a cup of coffee. I like the thick layer of cherries under that buttery crumble, especially with the little pieces of almond on top. But dessert doesn't always have to come out of the oven. A glass of cookies and cream, with a few raspberries on top, can be just as tempting when you want something cold to finish dinner.
I've put five recipes together here, so there's room for both. Some are the sort of dessert you can spoon straight from a glass; the Dubai chocolate takes a little more patience, but you get that crisp kataifi inside the pistachio filling. If you're not in the mood for either, the apple cinnamon chia pudding is another option. I'd choose by what sounds good first, then check how much chilling or cooling time it needs.
Mini Cheesecake Cups
I like being able to see the cookie base through the glass before the first spoonful. Above it is a soft, whipped cream cheese filling, with fruit and a few basil leaves to finish. These are a good choice if you want to get dessert ready the night before: they need at least eight hours in the refrigerator, and the fruit goes on just before serving.
No-Bake Oreo Dessert Cups
These are the cups I'd choose for a cookies-and-cream dessert. The Oreos aren't only a topping: there are crumbs in the base and pieces folded through the filling, with fresh raspberries on top. The recipe makes three cups and needs at least an hour in the refrigerator. That is a shorter chill than the cheesecake cups above, but still worth allowing for before you start.
Cherry Pie Bars
The cherry layer is generous here, with a buttery base underneath and cinnamon-almond crumble on top. I like that the base and topping begin as the same dough, so there's no separate pie crust to roll out. These need more time than the mixing alone suggests: the base is baked first, the filled bars go back into the oven, and the whole pan needs to cool completely before the short freezer rest and slicing.
Dubai Chocolate Bar
I'd save this one for when making dessert is part of the afternoon, rather than something to squeeze in before dinner. The dark chocolate shell holds a pistachio and tahini filling with butter-toasted kataifi, those thin pastry strands that give the center its crunch. You need a chocolate mold and room in the freezer for the layers to set. The white chocolate pattern is already there when you turn the bar out.
Chia Pudding with Three Variations
Chia pudding might be something you think of for breakfast, but I'd include a jar here for someone who wants a fruit-topped pudding instead of cream cheese or pastry. There are three separate options: chocolate banana, peach coconut, and apple cinnamon. You don't have to make all three. Each uses some of the prepared vanilla chia base, which needs at least two hours in the refrigerator after its initial rest and second stir.
Before you begin
Leave space for dessert.
I'd check the refrigerator or freezer before getting out the mixing bowls. The cheesecake and Oreo cups need room to stand upright, while the chocolate mold and pan of cherry bars need a flat space for their freezer rests. With that sorted, pick the dessert you feel like making and allow for the waiting time. The mixing is only part of the recipe.
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