The Best 16 Small Batch Desserts
These 16 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. No more getting tired of desserts or wasting them!
[This list of small batch desserts was originally posted in April 2021. It has been updated with additional recipes, tips, and FAQ]
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 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.
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.
Cookies
Cookies are my favorite small batch dessert. It takes about the same amount of time to make a small batch as a single cookie. They freeze well, and are great to make leftovers of.
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.
These are the chocolatiest chocolate cookies. Cocoa powder and dots of chocolate chips take these dark chocolate cookies over the top. If you’re not a dark chocolate fan-just use milk chocolate chips!
These one bowl, small batch peanut butter cookies are soft inside and crisp on the outside. They’re made with pantry ingredients and are ready in about 25 minutes. This cookie makes about 6 thick cookies.
I’ve tested these cookies lots to get the perfect peanut butter flavor and texture. You’ll get 5-6 tasty, peanut butter-y cookies in this small batch dessert recipe. Dip them in chocolate for bonus flavor!
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!
I’m a huge fan of making a small batch of cookies instead of a single serving. I mean it takes the same amount of effort and energy to whip up a few cookies as one, so make and bake a few extras for leftovers. Plus cookies freeze well!
Instead of making a whole batch of sugar cookies, make these 6 cookies and top them with your favorite sprinkles for a fun addition.
Who doesn’t love sugar cookies? Make this small batch dessert for yourself or a small crowd. Top them with your favorite sprinkles for a holiday treat or special occasion.
Cakes, Bars
You can make a small cake or batch of bars for yourself or a small gathering. You may have a few extra ingredients, but other than eggs, they can all be used in so many other recipes (ok, eggs too, they just need to be used up quickly!)
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.
If you love chocolate cake, but can’t eat a whole cake fast enough, this is your recipe! It’s smaller than many recipes and is perfect for leftovers or a small crowd.
Gingerbread is one of the best holiday flavors and scents, step outside the traditional gingerbread cookie box and try the best holiday gingerbread pound cake. Bonus points: it doubles as a delicious holiday gift.
After a few fall recipes, it’s time for a tasty winter/holiday small batch dessert. This easy gingerbread pound cake is made in a loaf pan for a smaller batch. It’s bursting with holiday flavors, and makes a great holiday gift.
No bake pumpkin cheesecake bars (small batch) can be made in about 20 minutes and ready to eat in a few hours. They’re easy and have a great spiced pumpkin flavor. Use ginger cookies, graham crackers, or oreos for the crust!
Make this small batch no bake pumpkin cheese cake bars recipe in a loaf pan. They’re great for a small fall party or dessert with leftovers. Make sure to use gingersnaps in the crust for super fall flavors!
These small batch cherry oatmeal 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.
I usually cut 9 oatmeal bars out of this cherry dessert. Enjoy for a week or so, or freeze for later. These cherry oatmeal bars are one of my favorite desserts. Plus they freeze well. So they’ll last a long time!
Frozen Treats
Ice cream, popsicles, and frozen yogurt can easily be made for small batch desserts. These are great because they last a long time, and will help cool you down during the hot summer months!
If you don’t have an ice cream maker (I mean who does, especially if you’re cooking for one), this small batch blueberry oreo ice cream is your homemade ice cream! Sweet, chocolatey cookies and bursts of blueberries are delicious!
These refreshing red white and blue popsicles are made with yogurt and fruit. They’re the perfect easy treat to cool down for the 4th of July or any hot summer BBQ.
These yogurt and fruit popsicles can be enjoyed as dessert or any other time of day. They’ve got lots of flavor, and are so easy. Make them for a small crowd for a summer holiday or make extras for yourself to cool down on a hot day.
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.
This is a great no-churn recipe, but to make frozen Greek yogurt instead of ice cream. The tangy yogurt and tart cherry sauce are delicious together. You just need a few ingredients for this easy recipe.
Other Tasty Small Batch Desserts
These small batch desserts don’t fit into a specific category, but they’re still so easy and tasty.
This no cook strawberry sauce is my newest favorite recipe. It has zero added sugar, and takes 5 minutes to make. You’re well on your way to a super easy and versatile sauce.
Ok this isn’t a dessert on it’s own, but it’s so easy, takes 5 minutes, and is delicious on ice cream, frozen yogurt, angel food cake, cookies, and so many other small batch desserts.
This easy dark chocolate halloween bark with quinoa is the perfect Halloween treat, either before Halloween or to use up your Halloween candy leftovers.
Even though this is listed as a Halloween recipe, you can enjoy it any time of year. This chocolate bark is great with dried fruit, chocolate, nuts, candies, and so many toppings. Definitely add the quinoa, it’s equally great as the candy.
This small peach cobbler is an easy 5 ingredient recipe. This recipe makes 2-3 servings. Dump peaches, a cake mix, and butter into a cast iron skillet or dutch oven for a super easy summer dessert that you can assemble in 5 minutes, bake in an hour.
This skillet peach crumble makes 2-3 servings, so it’s a perfect small- small batch dessert. It just requires 5 ingredients, including cake mix (leftovers can be used for a small cake!). Enjoy this dessert with ice cream or whipped cream.
Wonder how to make s’mores in the oven? You can make perfect, crispy edged marshmallows in the oven or on a gas stove. Cooking s’mores in the oven is easy and takes less than 10 minutes to make.
S’mores are one of my favorite summer treats. Sweet, charred marshmallow, complex chocolate and crisp graham crackers. Plus you can add lots of tasty toppings. Make them on the stove or in the oven for an easy any day dessert.
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.
Make a small batch dessert with this easy chia pudding recipe with cherries, chocolate, and coconut milk. It’s great for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
FAQ
Lots of desserts freeze well, cookies, brownies, already frozen desserts. Even cake, with frosting freezes well.
If you want to make a smaller batch of baked goods, find a recipe for the size batch you want. Sometimes adjusting the servings of a baked good doesn’t work. Halving or doubling a recipe works more frequently, though.
Cookies are often a go to dessert, they’re usually pretty quick, easy and universally loved. No bake desserts are great too, as they’re sometimes faster to make and are great in the summer.
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