If the thought of firing up the oven for some Passover baking has you wishing you were never born, then this list is for you. Let these 11 completely no-bake, Passover-friendly dessert recipes be your lifeline when feeding family and friends on this food-heavy holiday. Chocolaty, fruity, fun, and creamy, this list has it all, and doesn’t involve using even one crumb of matzah meal.
1. Matzah Ice Box Cake from Tasting Table
This idea is everywhere you look this year, and it’s trending for a good reason: sweet deliciousness. If you have ever made an ice box cake before, you know that there’s not a lot that you can do to screw it up — they are, shall we say, easier than pie. Way easier. And, this one from Tasting Table scores big points for using up all that matzah you over-zealously purchased, fusing it together with chocolate mousse and melted chocolate while somehow managing to resemble a tedious European layer cake. Another version of this cake is Matzah Tiramisu, which is seriously easy-peasy and delicious.
2. Raspberry Wine Sorbet from Bakers Royale
So your guests are done with the richly satisfying seder meal and could use some fruity refreshment. This raspberry and wine flavored sorbet is both refreshing and on topic (after all, there is that one last post-meal cup of wine to be had). Good enough for both you and Elijah the Prophet, you’ll only get bonus points here if you use Manichewitz, or at least a good Israeli red.
3. Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears with Vanilla Mascarpone Whipped Cream from A Chef’s Kitchen
Looking to class it up a little? Nothing says adulting like serving fruit slowly stewed in wine. One bite of this dessert and you will start to doubt your chocolate obsession. Pears in warmly spiced syrupy wine sauce — where have you been all our lives? And don’t even get us started on the mascarpone whipped cream, which reminds us of sophisticated spring nights in the Italian countryside.
4. Raspberry Fool from The Pioneer Woman
Sweet and tart raspberries macerated in raspberry liqueur and sugar, mashed, and folded through luscious whipped cream make this luscious and easy dessert. You can take away the crushed-up cookies, or replace them with your favorite Passover-friendly variety, and you’ve got yourself a deal. This recipe proves that simple is best, a happy reminder on a holiday that has the oven occupied to capacity with braises and kugels anyhow.
5. Pudding Pops from Serious Eats
Embrace your inner ’90s kid and surrender to the pudding pop. These ones contain Passover-friendly tapioca starch and a good helping of innocence and nostalgia. A conversation piece for sure, the taste will bring you back to the good ol’ days, before you had to worry about whipping up tasty desserts to feed all the hungry kids, family, and guests.
6. Strawberry Coconut Pie
Decadent, while at the same time registering as super healthy, this is our ultimate Passover no-bake creamy pie recipe. If you’ve never made coconut whipped cream, now would probably be a good time to start. Taking the traditional boring dry coconut found in many a Passover dessert and transporting it to the tropics, this coconut-infused vegan strawberry cream and sweet crust will have you breaking out the recipe year-round.
7. Chocolate Fondue from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Dip fruit, matzah, mandelbrot, coconut macaroons, or whatever else floats your boat. This dessert is both delicious and entertaining. The life of the party, it will distract guests from your hot mess of a kitchen while you clear the dinner plates, sedating them into a happy chocolate coma. Plus, fruit dippers means it’s healthy, right?
8. Cream Cheese Mints from Mom on Timeout
Who says Easter gets to have all the springy fun? These cream cheese mints are scrumptiously delicious, no bake, and can be made in all the shades of the rainbow (try making a combo of gently swirled colors for the rainbow/unicorn variety). To make your own kosher for Passover powdered sugar, check out this recipe by Epicurious that cuts the sugar with potato starch.
9. Rainbow Gelatin Orange Wedges from Tablespoon
Forget the traditional jelly-slice K for P candies you find in the grocery aisle. These orange wedges are filled with fun, slurp-worthy jello in the same bright and cheery colors, but with an added boost of vitamin C. A fun activity to assemble, it’s even something that could occupy your kids while you prep for the Passover madness to come. A win-win.
10. Homemade Peanut Butter Cups from The Comfort of Cooking
Chocolate, peanut butter, and beating “the system”? Count us in, as we make a double batch of these no bake peanut butter cups. Because why would you buy just two at a time when you can have a whole freezer full at your beck and call? Just make sure you give them the hiding spot they deserve, so they don’t disappear on you, if you know what we mean. You can also use almond or cashew butter if you don’t eat kitniyot (legumes) during Passover. Better yet? Try this recipe for almond butter and coconut cups.
11. Coconut Tapioca Pudding with Mango from Smitten Kitchen
Has it been a while since you enjoyed a nice tapioca pudding cup? Then you may want to give tapioca a second look. This recipe gives your grandmother’s go-to pudding a much needed Asian influenced make-over, with coconut milk and fresh mango. A delicious combo that also makes this a creamy milk-free dessert, that seems anything but.
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