The 12 One-Bowl Desserts Our Readers Love Most

A dozen of the finest and easiest desserts.

By
Genevieve Yam
Genevieve Yam headshot
Genevieve Yam
Senior Editor
After graduating from the International Culinary Center, Genevieve cooked at Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Per Se. Prior to joining Serious Eats, she was an editor at Epicurious. She grew up between Toronto and Hong Kong and is a graduate of the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She currently lives in New York with her husband and two cats.
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Published November 15, 2025
Overhead view of bananas foster

Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

There is always something sweet—a snacking cake, some brownies, or a batch of cookies—on my kitchen counter, simply because I cannot get through the day without my daily dose of dessert. Though I am a fan of elaborate desserts, most of the time, the sweets I make for myself are quick and easy, and sometimes, they even come together in a single bowl.

Below, we've gathered the one-bowl desserts our readers have saved the most with MyRecipes, our free tool for saving and organizing recipes. They include fluffy, tender beignets, coffee cake, and homemade Biscoff cookies. They'll satisfy your sweet tooth, all while ensuring your sink isn't full of dishes by the time you're done cooking.

Love these recipes? Join MyRecipes to save them. It’s so easy—and free!

  • Shortbread Cookies

    Side view of shortbread cookie

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    Each bite of these cookies is rich and buttery, with a tender, crumbly texture that melts in your mouth. Plus, the dough takes just five minutes to make.

  • 10-Minute Microwave Apple Crisp for One

    Overhead view of apple crisp

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    This might be the easiest apple crisp recipe out there: It requires a handful of ingredients (most of which you probably already have in your pantry) and one bowl. Plus, the crisp topping and apple filling are cooked within minutes right in the microwave—no need to wait for the oven to preheat.

  • Molten Chocolate Mug Cake

    Spoon of mug cake

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    This molten chocolate mug cake is designed for those “must have cake now” moments in life. Toss some flour, cocoa, baking powder, sugar, butter, and chocolate into a mug (a 12-ounce microwave-safe one, please), stir it up, zap it in the microwave, and you've got a warm and gooey single serving of chocolatey cake waiting to be devoured.

  • Easy One-Bowl Oatmeal Cookies

    20170911-oatmeal-cranberry-cookies-vicky-wasik-4.jpg

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    These oatmeal cookies are thick and chewy, with crispy edges and butterscotch-y middles. A brief rest before baking allows the rolled oats to hydrate, producing tender, chewy cookies while enhancing overall texture.

    Continue to 5 of 12 below

  • Homemade Beignets

    Beignets on a white plate with powdered sugar on it, with a coffee, green and white striped napkin, and a marble surface

    Serious Eats / Robbie Lozano

    I might not be able to swing a trip to New Orleans right now, but I can make a batch of fresh, pillowy Louisiana-style beignets at home. Here, we keep the sugar to a minimum while also using more salt than many other recipes call for, resulting in a beignet with a more balanced sweetness—the perfect match for heaps of confectioners' sugar.

  • Classic Blueberry Muffins

    a basket of blueberry muffins on a marble countertop
    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    Fast, simple, and not too sweet, these muffins make a delectable breakfast or dessert. A small portion of fragrant, lemony coriander highlights the blueberries' flavor, and a spoonful of plain batter at the bottom of each cup prevents the berries from sinking.

  • Bananas Foster

    Overhead view of banana ice cream

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    This classic flambéed banana-and-caramel dessert comes together in minutes in a single skillet, making it both impressive and easy. Cooking the bananas in the forming caramel enhances their natural sweetness, and rum brings a layered complexity to the dessert. (And, yes, I know a skillet is not a bowl, but it is a single vessel.)

  • Homemade Biscoff Cookies

    20170414-DIY-biscoff-cookies-vicky-wasik-18.jpg

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    These cookies are crispy, rich, and aromatic, thanks to the floral character of Ceylon cinnamon and the deeply caramelized sweetness of well-toasted Belgian-style brown sugar. Be sure to cream the sugar and butter well, as it ensures a tender crumb and even spread as the cookies bake.  

    Continue to 9 of 12 below

  • Soft Molasses Cookies

    molasses cookie

    Stock: Foodcollection / Getty Images

    Rich and earthy with molasses, with just the right hint of spice from cloves and ginger, these cookies are soft, warm, and comforting—perfect for chilly evenings.

  • Easy One-Bowl Coffee Cake

    A piece of coffee cake on a plate

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    If you're looking for a delicious and easy cake that tastes like an oatmeal cookie and practically frosts itself, this one is for you. Towards the end of baking, you'll sprinkle a mixture of sweet coconut, brown sugar, butter, and nuts onto the cake, then broil it until it's sticky and golden.

  • Lazy Daisy Coconut Oatmeal Cake

    Slice of oatmeal cake with a topping of coconut and nuts on a white plate with a fork on a wooden background

    Serious Eats / Yvonne Ruperti

    This moist oatmeal snack cake is topped with a brown sugar and coconut icing that's broiled right on top.

  • Chocolate Rice Krispies Treats

    Nine chocolate rice crispie treats arranged in a grid on a surface

    Serious Eats / Yvonne Ruperti

    Bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and cocoa powder make these gooey, marshmallow-y bars extra special.

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