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    Home » Recipe Index » Desserts

    The Best Small Batch Desserts

    April 21, 2021 Updated January 18, 2023 By Rebecca Desserts

    five different desserts in a collage with text overlay

    These small batch desserts are great If you cook for one or two, because you may not want to eat a whole recipe of cookies, brownies or bars. You'll find single serving desserts and small batch dessert recipes here.

    five different desserts in a collage with text overlay

    Table of contents

    • Why make smaller batch desserts
    • Single Serving Desserts
    • Small Batch Desserts

    Why make smaller batch desserts

    One of the hardest parts of cooking for one is adjusting recipes so you don't have to eat the same meal or dessert day after day. Even as delicious as desserts are, it can be tough throwing away unfinished brownies or cookies.

    That's why I want to share this list of single serving and small desserts. Make enough for a couple days or a week and you'll enjoy them without feeling obligated to eat more than you'd like or throwing uneaten desserts away.

    In this list you'll find cookies, crisps, a chocolate cake!!, ice cream, brownies, and fruit filled desserts. Desserts for 'one' don't have to lead to mounds of leftovers or only be one mug cake that doesn't end up tasting like a traditional cake.

    Single Serving Desserts

    Make any of these easy desserts if you need dessert for one night. Milkshakes take just a couple minutes, and the baked desserts take up to 30 minutes, but they're easy and worth the wait.

    Apple Crumble Tart
    This easy single serving apple crumble tart is the perfect cool weather dessert. To save time, add a few ingredients to half of the shortbread like crust recipe to make the crumble topping. It's filled with tart apples for the perfect sweet, tart, crumbly bite.
    Check out this recipe
    spoonful of apple crisp in dish, square
    Butterscotch Milkshake
    Easy milkshakes, like this butterscotch milkshake are a great spring/summer dessert to cool down with. This 3 ingredient milkshake takes just 5 minutes to make too
    Check out this recipe
    milkshake with caramel in glass
    Biscoff Milkshake
    This 4 ingredient Biscoff milkshake is the perfect easy dessert when you're in need. Caramel and cinnamon flavors of Biscoff cookies and butter, blend together with creamy vanilla ice cream for this delicious treat.
    Check out this recipe
    Milkshake with crumbled Biscoff cookies on top
    Single Serve Chocolate Chip Cookie
    Make this single serve chocolate chip cookies when you're in the mood for chocolate chip cookies, but don't have freezer or counter room. It's really easy, delicious, and will leave you with one big crispy, gooey, chocolatey cookie.
    Check out this recipe
    broken chocolate chip cookie
    Strawberry Banana Milkshake
    This 6 ingredient strawberry banana milkshake is a pantry staple for all strawberry ice cream lovers. It's packed with bright strawberry flavor and made with ingredients you can find in your fridge and freezer.
    Check out this recipe
    whole strawberry and whipped cream in glass
    Single Serving Apple Crisp
    This single serving apple crisp is the perfect easy fall dessert for one. It takes just 10 minutes to assemble, and about 30 to bake. It's good out of the oven, but honestly really shines at room temperature-if you can wait!
    Check out this recipe
    close up of apple crisp with ice cream
    Single Serving Brownie
    Make this single serving brownie when you've got a chocolate craving. It's got gooey chocolate chips, can be cooked to your preference, and just takes about 20 minutes from start to finish. You're just a few minutes to getting your chocolate fix.
    Check out this recipe
    ramekin with brownie and chocolate ice cream
    Skillet Peach Crumble
    You're just 15 minutes away from a warm dish of peach crumble. This peach dessert is made on the stove, and is the perfect quick summer dessert for one.
    Check out this recipe
    peach crumble in a bowl with ice cream

    Small Batch Desserts

    Lots of times, it's just not worth it to bake something for 30 minutes for just one serving, that's where these 2-4 serving desserts come into play. Make a couple extra servings for leftovers. Eat through the week or freeze for later.

    Dark Chocolate Cookies (small batch)
    Have a chocolate craving, but don't want to make a whole batch of cookies? This small batch dark chocolate cookies recipe is just what you need. Eat what you can, freeze some if needed, but you're just 20 minutes from ooey gooey cookies.
    Check out this recipe
    close up of double dark chocolate small batch cookies on a cookie sheet
    Mini Chocolate Cake
    Make this 6 inch mini chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting to satisfy your chocolate cravings. It's perfect if you cook for one or two, so you won't get too tired of it before being able to eat it all.
    Check out this recipe
    chocolate frosted cake with 2 slices cut out
    Small-Batch Peanut Butter Cookies
    A full batch of cookies can feel overwhelming when you're baking for one, instead of having to do all the math, I've made this small-batch peanut butter cookie recipe. They're soft inside and crisp on the outside, peanut buttery, and topped with delicious chocolate. Is there a better cookie than that?
    Check out this recipe
    square image of hand grabbing one peanut butter cookie on a cooling rack
    Blueberry Oreo Ice Cream
    This blueberry oreo ice cream recipe is the perfect way to cool down this summer. It's an easy no-churn recipe that you can actually scoop right out of the freezer. It's creamy, smooth, and bursting with flavor.
    Check out this recipe
    a scoop of blueberry oreo ice cream in a cream bowl
    One Bowl Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
    This small batch cookie recipe just takes 30 minutes to make and is done in one bowl. It's perfect if you don't want a couple dozen cookies!
    Check out this recipe
    pile of chocolate chip cookies on a cooling rack
    Oatmeal Cherry Bars
    These oatmeal cherry bars are packed with fresh cherry flavor and a crumbly buttery oatmeal base and topping. Use frozen cherries to save money and eat them year round.
    Check out this recipe
    two cherry oatmeal bars stacked with more in background
    Valentines Chocolate Covered Strawberries
    These Valentines chocolate covered strawberries will be your new favorite Valentine's treat. These juicy strawberries dunked in silky chocolate take just 5-7 minutes to make, and are so delicious.
    Check out this recipe
    three chocolate covered strawberries with heart sprinkles on a plate with ingredients in background
    No Churn Frozen Greek Yogurt with Tart Cherry Sauce
    This homemade no-churn frozen Greek yogurt with tart cherry sauce is as delicious as it is easy. Grab all the ingredients at Sprouts for a convenient treat.
    Check out this recipe
    pouring tart cherry sauce onto frozen greek yogurt in a glass
    Small Batch Sugar Cookies
    Instead of making a whole batch of sugar cookies, make these 6 cookies and top them with your favorite sprinkles for a fun addition.
    Check out this recipe
    6 sugar cookies with sprinkles on them
    How to make s mores in the oven
    Don't have a firepit or fire to cook s'mores? Making s'mores inside is easy, I'll show you how to make s mores in the oven that are ready to eat in just 10 minutes!
    Check out this recipe
    s'more on a white plate with blueberries on it
    Cherry Chocolate Coconut Milk Chia Pudding
    This Cherry Chocolate Chia Pudding is a great way to use summer cherries. This recipe is great for dessert or even breakfast or a snack later. Top it with whipped cream to make it extra creamy and delicious.
    Check out this recipe
    chocolate cherry chia pudding in 2 mugs

    Want to get more single serving recipes or others like these small batch desserts delivered to your inbox? Click here to download my Single Serving Cookbook.

    Recipes are great, but you’ll need a simple 3 step process to create a meal plan that make cooking easy & helps you stop wasting food. Check out this expertly developed meal planning guide to get started.

    More Desserts

    • white bowl of chocolate drizzled popcorn
      Chocolate Covered Popcorn
    • chocolate chip cookie dough on plates
      Edible Single Serving Cookie Dough
    • ramekin with brownie and chocolate ice cream
      Single Serving Brownie
    • spoonful of apple crisp in dish, square
      Apple Crumble Tart

    About Rebecca

    Welcome! I’m Rebecca, a food loving dietitian. On Nourish Nutrition, you’ll find real, quick, and nourishing recipes for one that'll get you to want to cook for yourself, because you deserve it.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marlynn says

      April 26, 2021 at 9:45 am

      I love this collection of recipes! So often we don't need to make a huge batch and some of my fave recipes are in here.

      Reply
    2. Shadi Hasanzadenemati says

      April 26, 2021 at 10:20 am

      Thank you for the recipe, it was absolutely delicious and we all loved it!

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        April 27, 2021 at 3:52 pm

        which one was your favorite?

        Reply
    3. Sonal says

      April 26, 2021 at 10:31 am

      What a great collection. I am eyeing to try that Mini chocolate cake. I think small batch baking is what we need these days. Most of the baking recipes yield such huge quantities that it’s overwhelming to bake and then finish those.

      Reply
    4. veenaazmanov says

      April 26, 2021 at 11:22 am

      Thanks for such amazing and delicious recipes and ideas. Have to store them in my best collection. Everything so yum.

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        April 27, 2021 at 3:52 pm

        great

        Reply
    5. Colleen says

      April 26, 2021 at 11:38 am

      This is a perfect collection of delicious desserts. Exactly what I need for just my husband and me!

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        April 27, 2021 at 3:52 pm

        yay! it's great for 1-2

        Reply

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    Rebecca, MS, RDN
    of Nourish Nutrition

    At Nourish Nutrition, you'll find bold, flavorful recipes for one. Most are single serving, and all have suggestions to use up the leftover ingredients so you can stop throwing away unused ingredients & leftovers!

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