28 Dessert Recipes That Make the Perfect Individual Serving

September 26, 2020

End your meal with one of these delicious dessert recipes. These desserts are perfect for socially-distanced gatherings as each recipe yields individual portions, so everyone gets their own treat. Whether you opt for something fruity or full of chocolate, desserts like Walnut-Nutmeg Pumpkin Custards and Carrot Cake Cupcakes are healthy and will satisfy any sweet tooth.

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Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

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Looking for a fun cooking project to do with kids? Make chocolate truffles! In this easy vegan dessert recipe, we make a chocolate ganache filling with peanut butter and coconut milk instead of heavy cream. Make chocolate bark with the leftover chocolate and wrap it up together with a few truffles for a beautiful edible gift.

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Red Wine Chocolate Lava Cakes

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These perfectly portioned molten cupcakes combine two of your favorite things--red wine and chocolate. When cut open, this easy yet decadent dessert oozes with a gooey chocolate center that pairs perfectly with the wine-and-chocolate ganache drizzled on top.

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Walnut-Nutmeg Pumpkin Custards

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Planning any parties for fall? Don't overlook this custard recipe--it's easy to assemble and will have your guests doling out the compliments! They'll love how the creamy pumpkin custard contrasts with the crunchy walnut, brown sugar and oat topping.

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Peanut Butter & Pretzel Truffles

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These peanut butter-pretzel truffles satisfy your craving for something sweet and salty.

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Mini Peach Melba Pies

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What's more fun than beautifully decorated individual dessert pies? These fruity hand-held treats are full of raspberry jam, peach pie filling, and fresh raspberries. Be creative and substitute any of your favorite pie fillings, preserves, and fresh berries--your guests will thank you!

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Carrot Cake Cupcakes

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Individual carrot cakes baked in cupcake liners have a smooth cream-cheese frosting.

 

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Dark Roast Creme Brulee

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Inspired by a recipe developed by Chef Patrick Grangien at Cafe Shelburne in Shelburne, Vermont, this lightened version has less than half the calories and one-eighth the fat of a classic brulee.

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Kahlua & Chocolate Souffle

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Don't be intimidated by its tall, dark beauty; this decadent (yet calorie-smart) Kahlua and chocolate soufflé recipe is easy to make at home.

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Mini Angel Food Strawberry Shortcakes

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These adorable strawberry shortcakes are made with mini angel food cakes. These single-serve desserts are perfect for a picnic or party on a warm summer day.

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Mini Berry Cream Pies

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Try this Mini Berry Cream Pies recipe the next time you want to whip up a quick healthy dessert. For this red-white-and-blue dessert, frozen mini phyllo cups work the best. Keep them nestled in their tray for easy transport to a picnic or potluck.

 

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Ginger-Pineapple Mini Cheesecakes

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Topped with crystallized ginger, these mini, pineapple-flavored cheesecakes are to die for. They're made with a blend of Greek yogurt and reduced-fat cream cheese and have a crunchy, gingersnap cookie crust.

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Cashew Truffles

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These maple syrup, chocolate and cashew truffles make an elegant, sweet ending to any formal meal, and they'll be a beautiful addition to your holiday dessert tray!

 

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Mixed Berry Hand Pies

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What better way to take advantage of summer's bounty of berries than to enclose a mixture of berries in flaky pastry and bake up these delicious turnovers--the perfect handheld dessert for picnics and backyard parties. A dusting of sugar on top of the hand pies creates a crispy crust and eliminates the need for frying.

 

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Coconut Cake Balls

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Individual cake balls dipped in chocolate and topped with toasted coconut make a delicious treat for everybody from kids to grandparents.

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Chocolate-Cream Cheese Cupcakes

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Not just for breakfast, granola adds a nice crunch to the top of these chocolate cupcakes.

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Maple-Pumpkin Custards with Crystallized Ginger

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A Thanksgiving meal wouldn't be complete without pumpkin, and here in Vermont we wouldn't dream of excluding our beloved maple syrup. We've combined the two in these elegant custards, featuring the best part of a pumpkin pie and saving calories for a luscious finish of real whipped cream. If you can find it, use Grade B dark amber syrup to get the best maple flavor.

 

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Tropical Coconut Custard

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A classic sweet custard flavored with coconut, ginger, and vanilla is served in individual cups and topped with pretty slices of star fruit.

 

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Peach Melba Pie Pops

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Make mini pies-on-a-stick for a fun taste-of-summer treat.

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Apple-Spice Cupcakes

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Subtly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, each Apple-Spice Cupcake is chock-full of chopped apple.

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Walnut Berry-Cherry Crisp

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Blueberries, flaxseeds and oats make this fruit crisp dessert good for diabetic meal plans or just healthy eating in general.

 

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Chocolate Soufflés

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Soufflés are easier to make than anyone thinks and you can do everything--except bake them--up to three days in advance. These chocolate soufflés are impossibly light, but wildly flavorful. The batter contains a small amount of rice flour, which is more delicate than wheat flour and won't dull the chocolate flavor. Guests should be ready so that you can serve the soufflés directly from the oven.

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Chocolate-Peppermint Mini Pies

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This mini pie recipe is an easier option for a holiday dessert that will dazzle a crowd. You can prepare these mini pies through Step 6 up to a day ahead. Remove from the freezer (Step 7) just before serving to keep the whipped topping from melting.

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Old-Fashioned Fruit Crumble

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Use whatever fresh or frozen fruit you have on hand to make this old-fashioned crumble. Typical crumble topping has as much as a half cup of butter--ours has just a bit of canola oil and, for richness, chopped almonds, which are full of healthy monounsaturated fats.

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Mini Dark Chocolate-Mocha Mousses

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Whip this decadent chocolate mousse dessert up in under 30 minutes, then allow to chill for 2 hours.

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Coconut-Dark Chocolate Truffles

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Coconut macaroons meet dark chocolate truffles in these little treats. Inside the snap of the dark chocolate shell lies the tender coconut-cocoa filling: a mix of naturally sweet dates, cocoa and coconut flour. Coconut flour is a healthy way to add decadent coconut flavor to this coconut-dark chocolate truffle recipe and other baked goods. It packs a whopping 5 grams of fiber per 2 tablespoons (with only 2 grams of total and saturated fat). Look for coconut flour near other gluten-free flours.

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Vanilla Tres Leches Cakes

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The classic Mexican cake, with its rich flavors of vanilla and three different kinds of milk, is lightened up and served in jumbo cupcake form with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

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Chai Chocolate Pots de Creme

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The haunting, subtle flavor of chai spices adds depth and richness to these elegant French baked custards. You could use the leftover egg whites to make Dark Chocolate Meringue Drops. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

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Vanilla Latte Cupcakes

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For a perfectly sweet coffee treat without the caffeine buzz, try these latte cupcakes.

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