If you love tiramisu but don’t always feel like assembling a whole layered dessert (same), say hello to my Tiramisu Cookies. They’re soft, espresso-infused, mascarpone-frosted cookies that taste like your favorite Italian dessert but take a fraction of the effort.
These are tiramisu cookies without eggs, making them great for sharing, gifting in a Christmas cookie box, or eating five in a row yourself. I recommend pairing them alongside my Salted Caramel Cheesecake Cookies, Perfectly Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, and my S’mores Cookies.
Quick Look: Tiramisu Cookies
✅ Recipe Name: Tiramisu Cookies
🕒 Ready In: About 45 minutes
👪 Serves: 8 cookies
🥣 Main Ingredients: cocoa powder, mascarpone, vanilla, flour, butter, sugar
👌 Difficulty: Medium. The cookie base is simple, but the mascarpone topping and espresso flavor need a little care.
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Key Ingredients and Why They Matter
- All-purpose flour: Gives the cookies structure while keeping the texture soft and tender.
- Raw or granulated cane sugar: Sweetens the dough and helps the cookies spread just enough, so they stay thick and chewy.
- Salted vegan butter: Adds richness, moisture, and that buttery cookie flavor while keeping the dough eggless.
- Instant espresso powder: Brings in the deep coffee flavor that makes these taste like tiramisu, without adding extra liquid to the dough.
- Soy vanilla milk + white vinegar: Create a quick “buttermilk” effect, which helps the cookies stay soft, tender, and fluffy.
- Baking powder + baking soda: Give the cookies lift, so they bake up soft instead of dense.
- Mascarpone cheese: Makes the frosting silky, creamy, and classic tiramisu-inspired.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Mascarpone Cheese: Mascarpone gives you the most classic tiramisu flavor, but cream cheese works if needed. The frosting will taste tangier and a little thicker, so let it soften well before mixing.
- White Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar works as a 1:1 swap. You just need something acidic to help activate the baking soda and tenderize the dough.
- Soy Vanilla Milk: Soy milk works well because it has enough protein to mimic buttermilk when mixed with vinegar. Oat milk or almond milk can also work, but the texture may be slightly less rich.
The full written tiramisu cookies recipe with measurements is below on the recipe card.
How to Make Tiramisu Cookies
- Cream the butter and sugar: Beat the vegan butter and sugar together until light, fluffy, and creamy.
- Make the espresso cookie dough: Mix in the vanilla, soy milk, vinegar, and instant espresso. Then add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda until a soft dough forms.
- Bake and frost: Scoop the dough and bake at 375°F for about 12 minutes, or until the cookies look lightly golden. Let them cool completely, then spread or pipe the mascarpone frosting on top.
- Dust with cocoa: Finish the frosted cookies with a generous dusting of cocoa powder for that classic tiramisu flavor.
My Expert Recipe Tips
(1) Do not overbake the cookies: Pull them out when the edges look set but the centers still look slightly soft. They will continue to firm up as they cool.
(2) Let the cookies cool completely before frosting: Warm cookies will melt the mascarpone topping, so give them enough time to cool first.
(3) Use softened mascarpone: Cold mascarpone can clump, while overly warm mascarpone can turn runny. Let it soften just enough so it mixes smoothly.
Tiramisu Cookie Recipe FAQs
Yes, instant coffee works in a pinch, but instant espresso powder gives these tiramisu cookies a stronger, deeper coffee flavor. Avoid brewed coffee unless you adjust the liquid in the dough, because it can make the cookies too wet. Many tiramisu cookie recipes use espresso powder for concentrated coffee flavor without extra liquid.
Yes. Since these cookies have a mascarpone frosting, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving so the cookie softens slightly and the frosting tastes creamy.
Mascarpone can turn runny if it gets too warm or if you overmix it. Use softened, but still slightly cool, mascarpone and mix just until smooth. If the frosting feels loose, chill it briefly before spreading or piping.
Tiramisu Cookies Serving Suggestions:
For classic holiday pairings, serve them with a warm mug of homemade hot cocoa or another cozy fall drink like my Golden Milk or Masala Chai recipes.
Or, if you’re baking for a party, use them to round out a dessert spread. Set them out on your holiday dessert table alongside some Homemade Cinnamon Rolls, Pistachio White Chocolate Cookies, or Peach Cobbler. These cookies pair beautifully with cheesecakes like and anything chocolate-forward like my warm brookie recipe.
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Please remember to leave a review if you make this recipe! The feedback helps me to become a better cook and develop amazing recipes for you.
Tiramisu Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup raw or granulated cane sugar
- 3/4 cup salted vegan butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup soy vanilla milk
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Frosting:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened
For Garnish:
- 2 tablespoons sweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar: Use a hand mixer to whip the salted vegan butter and cane sugar until pale, fluffy, and well-combined.
- Add the wet ingredients: Mix in the vanilla extract, soy vanilla milk, and white vinegar until the mixture is smooth (it may look slightly curdled — that’s normal).
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Add all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and instant espresso powder, then mix until a soft cookie dough forms.
- Bake the cookies: Scoop the dough onto a lined baking sheet and bake at 375°F for about 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers look set.
- Make the frosting: Blend the mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, vegan butter, and vanilla extract until smooth, thick, and spreadable.
- Frost the cookies: Once fully cooled, spread a thick layer of mascarpone frosting over each cookie and dust generously with sweetened cocoa powder.
Notes
– Add chocolate chips for a mocha tiramisu cookie.
– Drizzle with espresso glaze for more intense coffee flavor.
– Add a splash of Kahlúa or coffee liqueur to the frosting.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
