Save time, stress and worry with these incredible stovetop dessert recipes that let you skip the oven altogether.
Locking yourself up in the kitchen, listening to music, and making cookies for hours is par for the Christmas course. But nowadays, who really has the time to keep an eye on the oven for days at a time.
Here at Made In, we’re always looking for ways to skip the time-consuming steps in order to achieve the same yummy result. So in the spirit of holiday simplicity, we’ve rounded up a few great no-bake recipes you’ll have no trouble perfecting. That is, as long as you have a quality set of stovetop cookware (Hint: Check out our Gift Guide Kits!).
When you’re dealing with a house full of kids, siblings, in-laws and the like, you’ll appreciate keeping the kitchen cool and the little ones safe. That’s practically impossible when you’re running an oven (or two) all day long.
Not to mention, many stovetop dessert recipes don’t require the same ‘waiting game’ as the oven does. Even when the dishes need to set in the refrigerator, you can tend to other things in the meantime.
So without further adieu, let’s dive in!
3 Sweet Stovetop Dessert Recipes
Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta
Recommended recipe: Serious Eats
Estimated prep and cook time: 6 hours
Difficulty level: medium
As a dessert, panna cotta is as elegant as it gets. This deliciously rich, creamy dish isn’t as heavy as a custard, but still has all the incredible flavor and delicate finish of other similar dairy-based treats.
Our chosen is recipe is rated somewhere between beginner and advanced because although it’s not exactly rocket science, making panna cotta does demand patience. In fact, its preparation requires two separate steps and a bit of waiting in between.
First, use a saucepan to heat cream, milk and a vanilla bean pod over medium heat. Once steaming, remove from the stove, cover and let steep up to an entire day depending on your flavor preference. This step allows the liquid to soak up the sweet essence of vanilla.
Later, you’ll prepare a gelatin using powder, milk and vanilla extract, before reheating your dairy base back on the stove. Let slightly cool, mix the two concoctions away from the heat, transfer to ramekins, and allow to firm up in the fridge for at least 12 hours. When ready to serve, top with berries or shaved chocolate!
Caramel Cookie Butter Crepes
Recommended recipe: Eazy Peazy Meals
Estimated prep and cook time: 30 minutes
Difficulty level: easy
Although prepared just like pancakes, crepes tend to take on a dessert-like quality thanks to their incredibly delicate nature. The taste of a thin, dainty, semi-sweet crepe is unlike any other dish in the world. And once they’re accompanied by fresh fruit, chocolate, whipped cream and other sweet toppings, they go from brunch favorite to dessert must-have!
While there are countless crepe recipes to consider, we’ve chosen a caramel cookie butter version you’ve probably never seen before. All the more reason to give it a go!
This quick and dirty recipe requires just a few simple steps. Start by preparing your crepe batter (composed of eggs, vegetable oil, sugar, flour and milk) by hand mixer or blender. Next, heat a skillet of your choice over medium-low heat, coat with cooking spray, and pour a small amount of the mixture into the pan.
Once the batter begins to bubble and the edges become crisp, flip with a spatula and cook an additional 30 seconds. Remove from the pan, spread with cookie butter, stack ‘em high, and drizzle with caramel sauce!
Dark Chocolate Truffles
Recommended recipe: Food Network
Estimated prep and cook time: 4 hours
Difficulty level: medium
Truffles are so wonderfully fancy. Most home chefs figure they can tackle a cake or tray of cookies, but these dainty little delights seem somehow off limits, as if they’re meant to be sold in a sophisticated sweets shop—not made in an amateur’s kitchen. And yet, here we are!
This refreshingly simple recipe calls for just four ingredients, but does require a bit of precision. So follow instructions carefully.
Start by bringing heavy cream to a simmer over medium-low heat. Put chopped bittersweet chocolate into a separate bowl, then pour the heated cream on top and cover. This step will melt the chocolate without worrying about messing things up in the microwave.
After about ten minutes, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract and cool to room temperature for about 45 minutes. Grab an electric hand mixer and beat the chocolate until it thickens and smooths. Here comes the hard part, so be sure to time things right!
Form the mixture into circular balls just when the mixture starts to re-form. Remember: if you jump the gun and start rolling when the chocolate is too soft, you’ll have a gooey mess. Once they are able to hold shape, lightly cover the candies in cocoa powder for an extra layer of amazing.
Enjoy your beautiful bon-bons at room temperature.
Looking forward to a bake-free dessert experience? Let us know how it goes at MadeInCookware.com!
