12 Irresistible Dessert Casseroles For Any Baking Emergency

Dessert casseroles have revolutionized the casserole dish forever. You may have never seen the words “dessert” and “casserole” next to each other – or “cheesecake” and “lasagna” for that matter – but even so, that will make this read more exciting for you. These easy, creative recipes might steal your heart and your taste buds.

Raspberry Mascarpone French Toast Casserole

Just reading the name sounds delicious. This breakfast bake uses fresh raspberries and creamy mascarpone cheese to create a light, puffy French toast bursting with tart sweetness. The raspberries do an excellent job of cutting through the richness of the cheese with their acidic sweet yet sour tang. It is perfect for lazy, indulgent weekend mornings. Lemon juice works great to keep the berries bright, lively, and an excellent counterpart to the cheese. A great perk of this dish is that you can use stale bread for it and not only will it still be delicious, it will also hold up much better than fresh bread. No leftover bread in this household.

Banana Bread Cobbler

Enjoy this dish as a delightful wake-up treat or a sumptuous midnight snack served a la mode. The nutty streusel topping gives this sweet cake the zest it needs to make it worthy for any picnic, potluck or just-because occasion. Ripe bananas create a dense, moist sponge to hold the sugary pecan streusel topping. Add a touch of cinnamon or cumin to it for an exciting dash of heat on your palette. Banana bread is no doubt on the list of America’s favorite desserts, and this version just ratchets up the decadence.

Crème Brûlée French Toast Casserole

French toast made with French bread soaked in sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla custard. It is finished off in a broiler to create the crispy topping as seen in the picture below. It is so good it will make you curl your toes. French toast and crème brûlée in one dish? Is it breakfast or dessert? Either? Both? No matter what, it is delicious. The dish is elegant and decadent with a flair of fancy. Swap orange juice for a touch of rum to spice things up.

Cinnamon Roll Casserole

If there were a list of ultimate perfect breakfasts, this would be on there. A literal cinnamon roll casserole. Help yourself to a serving of warm, gooey, spice-filled goodness first thing in the morning and you will be feeling warm and fuzzy all day. This recipe uses only what is already in your pantry – cinnamon, butter, sugar, eggs, nutmeg, vanilla, brown sugar and of course, cinnamon rolls. You can throw it together in minutes and it will feed a whole family.

Rhubarb Mandarin Crisp

This bountiful dish uses fresh or frozen rhubarb and one can of mandarin oranges. It is gorgeous, packed with color, healthy, and delicious. Trust me, you’ll choose this over oatmeal any day. The sweetness of the mandarin oranges softens the tart and often sour nature of the rhubarb, creating a delightfully refreshing duo. The crisp, buttery oat topping brings a richness to the party that balances everything out. So delicious! Serve it with whipped cream, ice cream, or a glass of milk.

Samoa Poke Cake

If you love the cookie, then you will adore the casserole. This will satisfy any chocolate craving and more. The sponge is tender, moist and crumbly and the sticky, decadent glaze holds everything together. It uses a yellow cake mix, dulce de leche, coconut flakes and hot fudge. If reading that doesn’t make you salivate, then nothing will. After the cake is baked, poke a round of holes into it, and then pour the glaze into every nook and cranny you can find.

Pineapple Upside-Down Carrot Cake

Pineapple upside-down cake with an extra sweet twist: carrot cake. You can always save time by using a box carrot cake, but freshly grated carrots, pecans, and cinnamon are hard to beat. It may look complicated. but being able to bake it in an iron skillet makes this easy as pie. Layer pineapples and cherries into your skillet, pour your batter over it, and after the fruit is caramelized, bake it. When it flips over, it will be nothing but beauty.

Cherry Cheesecake

A dessert lasagna made with a graham cracker crust, pecans, cherry pie topping, and cream cheese filling. This is a luscious, silky no-bake cake composed by layering ingredients one after another. The result is a light, smooth treat packed with tart cherries, creamy filling and a crunchy crust. It is a classic smash hit at summer parties and picnics. If you have a nut allergy, feel free to replace the pecans with chocolate chips. Leave them out entirely and it will still be delicious.

An Ode to the Cheesecake Factory

Mint Chocolate Lasagna

It’s pretty, it’s easy, and it is probably the best Mint Chocolate Lasagna you’ve ever had (or the only Mint Chocolate Lasagna you’ve ever had…). It is a creamy no-bake recipe so don’t bother preheating the oven. The green is so bright and lively it will be the first thing you notice about this dish, which makes it perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or Christmas. The second thing you’ll notice is how spine-tingling delicious it is.

Tiramisu Cheesecake

This classic “restaurant dessert” gets a hometown twist as a creamy casserole. You may have not tried making Tiramisu at home yet, but don’t be deceived by its elegant Italian repertoire. Tiramisu is surprisingly easy to bake. It takes creamy mascarpone, coffee-soaked ladyfingers, rum, and whipped cream. Dusting it with coffee granules for garnish makes for an exciting display. Don’t worry – you can always swap ladyfingers for vanilla wafers and mascarpone for cream cheese and sour cream if your pantry is looking scarce.

Red Velvet Poke Cake

This Southern classic gets a fun mod as a poke cake with cheesecake filling and crushed Oreos. Can we just take a moment to process this? Red velvet cake with cheesecake filling and Oreos. You might as well just call this dish “heaven”. Poke cakes usually have a somewhat runny filling so it can sink down into the holes, but since this recipe uses filling with a thicker consistency, you will have to be diligent about poking your holes big enough. The Oreos give this to-die-for cake a satisfying crunch.

Chocolate Eclair Cake

This literally blows my mind. It is just like a chocolate eclair – but cake. We live in such an amazing world where we can have eclairs as cakes. All it takes is whipped cream, vanilla pudding, graham crackers, and smooth chocolate glaze made with cocoa powder. Layer graham crackers on the bottom of your pan, blanket those with thick cream and repeat. After doing it a second time, pour the chocolate glaze on top. It’s divine.