Whether you’re a perfectionist like me when it comes to organizing elegant gatherings or just looking for fresh ideas for your next party, this recipe of mini tiramisu dessert cups would be a great choice. They just look so elegant and nice! Once you try serving desserts like this, I guarantee you will want to repeat this experience. And what could be a better idea for dessert cups than an authentic, homemade Italian tiramisu? Personally, I can’t think of a better treat, and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love this dessert. It’s minimalistic in ingredients and extremely easy to make. It doesn’t require baking or superb culinary skills, with the total Tiramisu preparation time being under 30 minutes, and it has a wow effect every single time.

You can serve it in individual molds or clear cups (glass or plastic). This way, each guest can enjoy their own personal portion, making it hygienic and convenient. It is especially suitable for events where guests may be standing or mingling. Such a presentation would elevate this tiramisu cup dessert even further (if that’s even possible) and give your party a sense of a special occasion.

Classic tiramisu is made of lightly sweetened mascarpone cheese and egg cream layered with ladyfingers soaked in coffee and topped with cocoa. This perfectly balanced combination of simple ingredients will send your taste buds to the moon from the first bite, making you want to share this experience with as many loved ones as you can. When you make tiramisu for a party, you can always expect compliments from your guests and a delightful ending to the evening, all with minimal effort – a total win-win.

Ingredient Notes

Mascarpone Cheese

Mascarpone is the main ingredient in authentic Italian tiramisu and gives the dessert its signature flavor. I suggest picking one made in Italy. If you stick to this rule, then any mascarpone you can get, even the cheapest one, will work and taste amazing. The brand can literally be any.

Eggs

For authentic Italian tiramisu, fresh eggs are mandatory, akin to mascarpone cheese. Yolks add creaminess to mascarpone, and whites whipped into a meringue add fluffiness to the cream. The eggs are added raw. Keep this in mind when considering dietary or age restrictions for your guests. Opt for pasteurized ones if you’d like to minimize risks.

Sugar Powder

Whatever kind of sugar you prefer or have in stock, feel free to use it. Using powdered sugar over regular granulated sugar will reduce the mixing time.

Ladyfingers (Savoiardi)

Savoiardi is the Italian name for ladyfingers. Both are oval-shaped biscuits made from sponge cake batter. Their distinctiveness lies in becoming cake-like when dipped in a liquid (in our case, coffee). This quality is essential for the success of tiramisu, so ensure you get the right ones.

Coffee

The coffee should be black and strong. Brew it about twice as strong as you would normally, and prepare enough to soak all the ladyfingers. There are no strict rules on the kind of coffee, so use whatever you normally make at home.

Rum

Although the classic Italian recipe uses Marsala Vine, over the years of making tiramisu cups at home, I stick to Dark Rum (or Spiced Gold) as the best alternative. You can also use brandy or your favorite coffee liqueur. Just make sure the alcohol you use has the right aroma rather than a strong spirit smell. As a rule of thumb, I would say about ¼ cups is a good amount. You can add less or more based on your taste, but better be reasonable not to overdo it as I once did, ending up with a booze cake lol.

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

Cocoa powder is dusted on top of the tiramisu for a delicious chocolate touch and to ensure a smooth, finished presentation. Cocoa powder must be unsweetened to balance the sweetness with its pleasantly bitterish note.

Equipment

Mixing bowl: It is better to have one tall enough to whip the eggs.

Cups: Decide on the number of cups in advance, depending on cup capacity. The amount of ingredients in the recipe is for 16 cups of 3 ounces each. Divide the whole amount by the volume of your cups. If necessary, increase the ingredients by 2 or 3 times. Keep in mind that everyone will want to eat more than 1 dessert!

Сup covers: If your cups come with covers – perfect! It will be easier to keep desserts in the fridge. Also, if some of the tiramisu in cups will be left (which I highly doubt, but still) – it will be convenient to put them in the fridge for tomorrow. But don’t keep this dessert for more than 2 days as it has raw eggs in it.

A kitchen setup includes a handheld mixer with a whisk attachment, a round glass bowl, a measuring cup, a black serrated knife, a grey spatula, and a wooden cutting board. Sixteen 3-ounce plastic cups—perfect for tiramisu dessert cups—are stacked in the background, with an arrow pointing to them.

Tips and Tricks

Mascarpone is Key: For this recipe, there’s no substitute for mascarpone cheese.

Stock Extra Coffee: Ladyfingers absorb a lot of liquid, so you’re going to need plenty of coffee. Start with a mug (or a handful of shots if you use espresso) and see if you need to brew more as you go.

The Dunking Challenge: Dunking the ladyfingers correctly can be tricky. You need to achieve the right balance of flavor and texture without letting them soak too much coffee or fall apart. My advice is to ensure they are fully soaked but not dripping too much. Pour the rum-coffee mixture into a high mug (so you can dunk the biscuits halfway). A quick dunk of 1-2 seconds per side is perfect.

Patience: Resist the urge to serve the dessert right away. The cocoa powder needs time to soften and infuse into the cream topping, and the cream needs to meld with the soaked biscuits for a unified taste. The golden rule is to make the tiramisu the night before the party and chill it in the fridge overnight.

No Heavy Cream, Please: Many tiramisu recipes include heavy cream, but this one does not. In Italy, where this dessert originated, cream was never a part of the classic tiramisu. If you always added cream to tiramisu to make it creamier, try making it without it this time and leave a comment below. My bet is that you won’t go back to the old cream recipe.

Party Presentation Hack

There’s one little imperfection in this cake when it comes to serving at parties. Tiramisu is a creamy dessert and, unlike baked cookies or cakes, it’s not meant to keep a firm shape. When you make it in a large tray and cut it to serve, the pieces, though delicious, might not look exactly Insta-ready. This is why for parties and events, I highly recommend making this amazing dessert in individual cups to ensure a flawless presentation. In this case, however, make sure you have your tiny spoons ready to go with your tiny dessert cups.

Delicious Tiramisu Cups for Elegant Gatherings

Lyna

Impress your guests with these elegant mini Tiramisu dessert cups. Easy to make, minimalistic in ingredients, and guaranteed to wow everyone!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25

Resting time ibn fridge 3

Total Time 3 25

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Servings 16 cups (3 oz each)

Equipment

2 Mixing bowls
1 Mixer/Hand Blender/Food processor
1 Knife and cutting board If you are using small cups
1 Small or Medium sieve
16 Small cups (3oz)

Ingredients

17.6 ounces Mascarpone Cheese (500 g) room temperature
4 Middle Size Eggs fresh or pasteurized
20 cookies Ladyfinger Cookies (200 g) about a half of a regular pack
2.8 ounces Sugar Powder (80 g)
1 cup Strong Black Coffee (200 ml)
1/6 cup Dark or Spiced Gold Rum (40 ml)
1 ounces Cocoa Powder (30g)

Instructions

Prepare the coffee mixture. Brew 1 cup of strong coffee and let it cool. Mix in 1/6 cup of dark rum (or your choice of brandy or liqueur).
Separate egg yolks from egg whites, then whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. If you turn the bowl over and the whites stay in place, they're done.
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until the mixture is light in color and ribbony in consistency.
Gently fold the mascarpone cheese into the egg yolk mixture until smooth and well combined. It's better to use a mixer here.
Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the mascarpone mixture. If your mixer is too intense, try using a spoon instead to ensure the whites don’t deflate in the process. I always use a spoon.
Cut ladyfinger cookies to fit into your cups (in my case into 3 pieces) if needed.
Quickly dip each ladyfinger into the coffee mixture, ensuring they are fully soaked but not falling apart (1-2 seconds per dunk). A quick dunk on each side should be sufficient.
Layer the Tiramisu: In individual serving cups, spread a layer of the mascarpone mixture on the bottom. Arrange a layer of coffee-soaked ladyfingers on top of the mascarpone mixture. Spread another layer of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers. Depending on the height of your cups, you may need to repeat the process with another layer of ladyfingers and finish with a final layer of the mascarpone mixture.
Dust the top of the tiramisu with unsweetened cocoa powder, using a seal to create a thin, even layer.
Chill & Serve: Cover your cups with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the dessert to set. Decorate with mint and berries before serving or sometime in advance (2-3 hours max) to be ready to serve them right from the fridge.
Serve your mini Tiramisu dessert cups and enjoy your delicious homemade tiramisu! Be ready to receive compliments from your guests as I’m sure there’s going to be plenty!