57 Extra-Special Mother’s Day Desserts, Including Cakes, Cookies, Pies, and Crisps Whether your mom loves cake, cupcakes, fruit crisp, pavlova, cookies, or pie, there's a dessert here to delight her. Close Credit: Ngoc Minh Ngo If you're looking to spoil the mom, grandmother, aunt, wife, or special person in your life, look no further than this collection of special Mother's Day desserts. There's something here for every personality and taste, with one underlying theme: they're all fit for a queen. Some desserts are bursting with that spring feeling, incorporating in-season rhubarb or strawberries. There are also cakes, cupcakes, and cookies with a floral theme. Bright, fresh citrus is on display, too; lemon lovers will find loads of options. And if your Mom loves chocolate? We have some decadent recipes here. Along with a bouquet of Mom's favorite flower and a heartfelt card, any of these treats is sure to make her day. Mother's Day Brunch Recipes That Are Perfect for Any Celebration 01 of 57 Daffodil Cake Credit: Nico Schinco This gorgeous two-layer cake is for all the moms who love citrus—or daffodils, or other flowers. It's half light-and-airy angel food cake and half rich, eggy, and citrus-flavored sponge, so each slice is a two-tone treat—topped with a bold citrus glaze and decorated with edible flowers. View Recipe 02 of 57 Pull-Apart Vanilla-Wafer Cupcake Cake With Berries Here's a clever dessert that looks like a sheet cake on top, but is actually a gaggle of vanilla-coconut cupcakes topped with fresh berries and fluffy whipped-cream frosting. It's easy to make and even easier to serve—no slicing required. View Recipe 03 of 57 Martha's Peach Buckle Credit: Mike Krautter Try this one-skillet dessert for Mother's Day. It doesn't take long to prepare and the result is one that is sure to warm Mom's heart. View Recipe 04 of 57 Strawberries With Crème Fraîche and Sugar Credit: Jonathan Lovekin Indulge Mom with one of the world's greatest finger foods. The elements are crème fraîche, confectioners' sugar, and the most fragrant, perfectly ripe strawberries you can find. Let her dip, sprinkle, and eat to her heart's content. View Recipe 05 of 57 Cherry-Cheesecake Celebration Bombe Credit: Con Poulos If your Mom likes cheesecake and you like a project, then this spectacular make-ahead bombe is a must for Mother's Day. This cake of cakes has four components; a no-bake cheesecake batter, a blend of freeze-dried cherries and cookie crumbs, ice cream spiked with cherry syrup, and a tender sponge cake. View Recipe 06 of 57 Peach-and-Raspberry Oat Cobbler Credit: Kate Mathis Celebrate the bounty of vibrant, warm-weather fruit with this berry and peach cobbler that's a breeze to make. View Recipe 07 of 57 Strawberry-Swirl Bundt Cake Credit: Marcus Nilsson Instead of a strawberry shortcake, try this creative Bundt. To make it, you'll first tint a portion of the batter pink with ground freeze-dried strawberries; once it's poured into the pan alongside the non-tinted batter, you swoosh a knife through to create a swirl. Cue the oohs and aahs. View Recipe 08 of 57 Flower Wreath Cookies Credit: Mike Krautter If your mom is Team Cookie over Team Cake, consider making these beautiful treats for Mother's Day. Sugared rose petals and violets adorn iced sugar cookies. The cookie dough is easy to put together, and the toppings are fun and beautiful to add. View Recipe 09 of 57 Flourless Chocolate-Date Cake With Salted Caramel Glaze Credit: Marcus Nilsson Sweet, chewy dates are a terrific addition to a dense, rich chocolate cake. A salted caramel glaze takes this decadent dessert to the next level. View Recipe 10 of 57 Vanilla Heart-Shaped Cake With Raspberry and Custard-Filling Credit: Johnny Miller Show Mom your love by baking her this magnificent heart-shaped layer cake that's filled with vanilla pastry cream and fresh raspberries (you can also use strawberries if that's what she prefers). It's topped with more whipped cream, more berries, and plenty of coconut. View Recipe 11 of 57 Chocolate Covered Strawberries Credit: 5second / Getty Images It's a simple sweet—but chocolate-covered strawberries are one of the most impressive desserts to make. All you need is melted chocolate and strawberries, though you can add more flavor and texture with crushed pistachios, sprinkles, and other toppings. View Recipe 12 of 57 Strawberries-and-Cream Stack Cake Credit: Chris Simpson This no-bake, make-ahead treat makes a spectacular finale to a Mother's Day dinner—and you can whip it up in short order. Simply whisk mascarpone and heavy cream into glossy peaks, soak store-bought ladyfingers in a quick caramel, and layer both with sliced fresh strawberries. Let the flavors meld in the refrigerator where they'll achieve the texture of a traditional sponge cake without any baking. View Recipe 13 of 57 Raspberry and Chocolate-Hazelnut Crepe Cake Credit: Ryan Liebe A stack of homemade crepes layered with two different whipped-cream fillings—white chocolate with raspberry and dark chocolate hazelnut—create a stunner of a dessert. No oven, no problem. View Recipe 14 of 57 Stone-Fruit Galette We love the galette, a rustic, low-maintenance dessert that offers everything you love about a traditional tart. Here, you fill the crust with slices of sweet stone fruit, such as peaches or apricots. View Recipe 15 of 57 Instant Pot Cheesecake Credit: Bryan Gardner If you want to maximize your time with Mom while also giving her an extra-special dessert, make this cheesecake recipe that uses the versatile multicooker. View Recipe 16 of 57 Nectarine Clafoutis Credit: Mike Krautter Maybe you can't take Mom to the French countryside for Mother's Day, but you can give her a taste of a classic European dessert with this fruity, custardy cake accented with nectarine slices. View Recipe 17 of 57 Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes These beauties hold a sweet surprise: chopped strawberries. Topped with fluffy whipped cream and a strawberry slice, these cupcakes embody everything we love about berries and cream. View Recipe 18 of 57 Bourbon and Brown Sugar Cake With Berries Credit: Kate Mathis Looking for a Mother's Day dessert that will wow but is not hard to make? You've come to the right place. With notes of caramel, plenty of tart, colorful berries, and a few shots of bourbon, this hits the mark. View Recipe 19 of 57 Chocolate-Chip Oat-Coconut Skillet Cookie Credit: The Ingalls If your mom has a serious sweet tooth, she will adore this skillet cookie. It's loaded with chopped chocolate, coconut flakes, and rolled oats. View Recipe 20 of 57 Lemon Curd Soufflé Tart Credit: Emily Kordovich One of Martha's favorite desserts is lemon meringue pie, so we made a tart recipe inspired by that bright and light dessert. The lemon-yellow filling balances richness with an airy texture. View Recipe 21 of 57 Chocolate-Mousse Parfaits Credit: Justin Walker Keeping your Mother's Day celebration small? This indulgent dessert serves two and we guarantee there won't be a scoop left. View Recipe 22 of 57 Vanilla Sponge Cake With Strawberry-Meringue Buttercream Credit: Ngoc Minh Ngo For the mom who loves strawberries and tall cakes, make this light-as-air sponge cake with strawberries sandwiched between its layers. There's also an ethereal whipped frosting with more strawberry flavor and berries piled on top for decoration. View Recipe 23 of 57 Strawberry-Rhubarb Rolled Pavlova Credit: Kate Sears Impressive yet easy to make, this tubular take on a traditional pavlova is a dessert Mom will adore. A voluminous meringue gets spread thinly and baked at a high temperature to render it golden and a little crisp on top. Once cooled, it is rolled up with a homemade rhubarb-raspberry jam, sliced strawberries, and whipped cream. View Recipe 24 of 57 Brown-Sugar Peach Pavlova Credit: Paola + Murray A pavlova is a celebratory dessert and just right for Mother's Day. Poached peaches on top of the brown-sugar meringue base is a fabulous combination. View Recipe 25 of 57 Peach and Blueberry Tart With Cream Cheese Filling Credit: Paola + Murray This beautiful dessert is worthy of a mom who's sweet as a peach. The fruit-filled tart is better than any gift you could buy in a store. View Recipe 26 of 57 Coconut Water Granita Credit: Kirsten Francis This four-ingredient Mother's Day dessert is an easy, make-ahead option. It's also pretty in pink and just right for any mom who prefers a cool treat to a baked cake. View Recipe 27 of 57 Orange-Cardamom Bundt Cake Credit: Marcus Nilsson The subtle spice from ground cardamom in this cake is a fabulous contrast to the fresh, punchy orange zest mixed in the batter. View Recipe 28 of 57 Lemon Olive Oil Cake Cakes made with olive oil are flavorful and moist. Depending on the olive oil you use, they can be wonderfully rich, too. This one, accented with lemon, is lovely on its own but even better with mascarpone and berries. View Recipe 29 of 57 Cherry-Raspberry Semifreddo Credit: Paola + Murray This make-ahead dessert for Mother's Day is simply delicious. Elderflower liqueur adds lovely floral notes to the frozen treat. View Recipe 30 of 57 Hummingbird Carrot Cake Credit: Chris Simpson Packed with canned pineapple, shredded carrots, and sweetened shredded coconut, this layer cake is moist and delicious. It's sandwiched and covered with a cream cheese frosting that's simply irresistible and decorated with chopped pecans and more shredded carrots. View Recipe 31 of 57 Naked Fruit Chiffon Cake Credit: Lennart Weibull The secret to a cloud-like yellow cake like this one is the use of cake flour and whipped egg whites, which give it a texture similar to angel food cake. Each layer is filled with homemade whipped cream and the cake is topped with macerated fruit. View Recipe 32 of 57 Rice Pudding With Sea Salt-Caramel Sauce Credit: Con Poulos Our modern twist on this old-fashioned dessert is topped with a homemade salted caramel sauce and chopped chocolate, plus a scattering of mixed berries for a pop of color. View Recipe 33 of 57 Raspberry-Almond Crisp Credit: Chris Simpson Bursting beneath a crumbly mixture of rolled oats, sliced raw almonds, and light brown sugar are six cups of fresh raspberries. Pure vanilla extract and more light brown sugar add sweetness to this Mother's Day dessert recipe. View Recipe 34 of 57 Lime Pudding Cups Credit: Johnny Fogg With a third of a cup of fresh lime juice, as well as zest, there's plenty of deliciously tart citrus flavor in these pudding cups. View Recipe 35 of 57 Vanilla-Rhubarb Tart Credit: Con Poulos If your mom loves rhubarb as much as we do, bake her this bright pink dessert for Mother's Day. View Recipe 36 of 57 Vanilla Pudding Pie Credit: Kate Mathis Vanilla and chocolate is a classic, hard-to-beat pairing, as this decadent pie proves. View Recipe 37 of 57 French Fruit Tart Credit: William Abranowicz This is a rich and creamy dessert with a French-style filling made with sour cream. Lots of mixed berries mixed with warmed apricot jam are all the decoration it needs. View Recipe 38 of 57 Pistachio-Rhubarb Yogurt Cake Credit: Christopher Testani Emblazoned with thick pieces of rhubarb, this next-level dessert is guaranteed to please. Roasting the rhubarb with sugar before baking mellows it, and adding ground pistachios to the batter brings a sweet nuttiness. View Recipe 39 of 57 Crème Caramel Credit: Bryan Gardner Just four ingredients—milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla—are all you need to make these rich, creamy individual Mother's Day desserts. View Recipe 40 of 57 Martha's Warm Chocolate Pudding Cakes Credit: Stephen Kent Johnson Molten lava cakes are surely one of the most indulgent, irresistible chocolate desserts around. They're just the thing to serve for a Mother's Day dessert. View Recipe 41 of 57 Rhubarb-Raspberry Cheesecake Squares Credit: Con Poulos A ruby-red gelée of rhubarb and raspberries tops the creamy filling and graham-cracker crust in this easy cheesecake. Serve it for dessert at your Mother's Day brunch. View Recipe 42 of 57 Pavlova Wreath With Berries and Crème Fraîche Credit: Mike Krautter An extra special dessert for Mother's Day, this pavlova is piped into a wreath (rather than the usual dome) and filled with blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries. View Recipe 43 of 57 Vanilla-Raspberry Baked Alaska Credit: Mike Krautter Go all out for Mother's Day with this showstopping ice cream treat covered in torched meringue. View Recipe 44 of 57 Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie Credit: Bryan Gardner A double hit of fudgy flavor in this easy skillet cookie will surely please any chocolate-loving mom. View Recipe 45 of 57 Cherry-Cheese Strudel Pie Credit: Christopher Testani Tart cherries combine with a creamy filling in this decadent dessert. The buttery puff pastry creation is equally good for a Mother's Day brunch. View Recipe 46 of 57 Chocolate-Flecked Layer Cake With Milk Chocolate Frosting Credit: Chris Court Sophisticated yet simple to make, this tall, tender beauty is one of our favorite go-to special-occasion cakes. What saves the lush milk chocolate frosting from being too sweet is the addition of tangy sour cream. View Recipe 47 of 57 Classic Cream Puffs Credit: Carson Downing These ethereal pastries are sure to impress. Follow our step-by-step instructions, and you'll be a cream puff pro. View Recipe 48 of 57 Walnut and Honey Baklava Credit: Mike Krautter Here's a dessert that's as sweet as Mom. The filling for these phyllo treats is made with walnuts, cinnamon, and honey for plenty of texture and nutty flavor. View Recipe 49 of 57 Mango-Coconut Cream Tart Credit: Jonathan Lovekin Two whirls of flavor collide in our mango-coconut cream tart: squiggles of barely sweetened whipped cream and corkscrews of slightly tart mango. Underneath it all is a chewy coconut filling and a flaky pâte brisée crust. View Recipe 50 of 57 Confetti Cake With Vanilla Frosting Credit: Ngoc Minh Ngo This festive sheet cake features delicious homemade sprinkles (which are less complicated to make than you'd think!) atop an old-fashioned cooked milk frosting, which offers the perfect balance of not-too-sweet creaminess. View Recipe 51 of 57 Coffee Meringue-Ice Cream Cake Credit: Jonathan Lovekin A cappuccino lover's dream, this dessert ramps up store-bought ice cream with almonds, ground coffee, and a little flaky salt. Then, the ice cream is sandwiched between coffee-swirled meringues to form this bold and crunchy coffee dessert. View Recipe 52 of 57 Sunflower Cupcakes Credit: Raymond Hom There are no special skills required to create these blooming beauties. Piped buttercream forms the petals, while chocolate-covered sunflower seeds create the centers. View Recipe 53 of 57 Coconut-Sugar Hummingbird Cake Credit: Jonathan Lovekin Mom will be delighted and impressed when you serve this magnificent cake. It's moist and sweet, thanks to fresh banana and pineapple but not as over-the-top sweet as some versions of this Southern classic. View Recipe 54 of 57 Orange and Poppy Seed Sheet Cake Credit: Con Poulos Full of citrus flavor, this cake includes orange zest, sour cream, poppy seeds, and vanilla paste in the batter and orange juice in the heavenly (but easy to make) icing. For slicing, anything goes; small or large planks, slices on the bias, and even triangles. Plus, it's perfect for a picnic because it's a breeze to transport and, depending on how you cut it, can be eaten without utensils. View Recipe 55 of 57 Lemon Snack Cake With Raspberry-Cream Cheese Frosting Credit: Chris Simpson This single-layer confection is perfect for any time of day and stars lemon juice and zest, which brighten the batter. View Recipe 56 of 57 Rhubarb Crisp Credit: Jacob Fox This easy spring dessert is a combination of tart rhubarb and buttery oats. Top it with vanilla ice cream for a creamy finish. View Recipe 57 of 57 Chocolate Angel Food Cake With Double-Chocolate Frosting Credit: Brie Goldman Chocolate-loving moms will appreciate this chocolate angel food cake. Its light texture and rich frosting make it a perfect celebration cake. Don't forget to top it with chocolate shavings. View Recipe Updated by Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer Victoria Spencer is an experienced food editor, writer, and recipe developer. She manages the decorvow recipe archive and is always curious about new ingredients and the best techniques. She has been working in food media for over 20 years. Explore more: Food & Cooking Recipes Holidays & Events Mother's Day Recipes