Speculoos Tiramisu

This Speculoos Tiramisu has layers of spiced cookies dipped in rich expresso coffee, with smooth mascarpone cream is such an easy no-bake dessert that is great for making ahead.

It is a twist on a classic tiramisu using speculoos cookies in place of ladyfingers and made eggless and simpler to put together, making it a great choice for even beginners!

I love that this speculoos tirmaisu is not only easy to make but also a no bake recipe. This makes it not only perfect for making ahead but great in the summer months when you don't want to have the oven on.

More no bake recipes that you will love are this oreo tart, gluten free banoffee pie, and chocolate ganche tartlets.

Recipe Development

When developing this recipe I wanted to make it quick and easy to prepare and also make it an egg free tiramisu.

Classic tiramisu uses raw eggs, and I wanted to make a version that is simple and great for those who can't have eggs.

I made this to be a fun twist on a classic tiramisu, and if you are looking for a classic tiramisu, then this may not be for you but you could follow my regular tiramisu recipe and replace the ladyfingers with speculoos cookies. I have a classic tiramisu recipe that uses egg yolk to make a zabaglione, and wanted to make this recipe an easy eggless tiramisu.

📋 Ingredients Notes

• Expresso coffee - The signature flavor of a classic tiramisu. I used a good quality rich expresso powder, but you can also use brewed expresso or your preferred strong coffee.
• Marsala wine - (Optional) Adds an additional layer of flavor to the tiramisu which pairs perfectly with the coffee flavor. Alternatively, you can use rum, sherry or amaretto. If you want to make alcohol free tiramisu, you can omit the alcohol.
• Mascarpone cheese - I used room temperature. Mascarpone is really the main ingredient that tiramisu is most commonly known for. It adds a beautiful rich creamy texture and contributes to the structure of the tiramisu. In this recipe, I choose not to make a zabaglione and keep this recipe egg free and simple. If you prefer a more traditional tiramisu follow my gluten free tiramisu and replace the gluten free ladyfingers with speculoos cookies.
• Heavy cream - I opted to use cream in place of egg whites in this recipe. Use heavy cream, whipping cream, or double cream as the higher fat content is required for a thick, creamy consistency that will set well.
• Vanilla extract - A little vanilla extract goes a long way and adds to the flavor in the tiramisu.
• Sugar - I used granulated sugar but caster sugar or superfine sugar will also work well.
• Speculoos cookies - I used gluten free speculaas cookies, but you can use your preferred speculoos. If you don't require it to be gluten free you can use lotus biscoff cookies.
• Cocoa powder - This is optional if you prefer to decorate the top with cocoa powder rather than crushed speculoos.

See the recipe card below for ingredient measurements.

⚡ Substitutions & Variations

🥣 Step by Step Instructions

Below is a brief step-by-step process with photos of how to make Speculoos tiramisu.

See the recipe card below for more detailed recipe instructions.

Step 1: Stir the coffee/expresso powder with hot water, mix in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and marsala wine (omit the marsala wine to make it alcohol free). Pour into a shallow bowl and set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, gently whisk the mascarpone cheese for a few seconds until soft and creamy.

Add the heavy cream into a large bowl. Add vanilla extract and sugar a little at a time and whisk until it reaches stiff peaks.

Step 2: Fold in the mascarpone cheese into the whipped cream until smooth and lump free.

Tip: Be careful not to overbeat, as the cream will start to separate and begin the process of making butter.

Step 3: Quickly dip the speculoos cookies into the cooled coffee mixture and arrange them in a layer on the bottom of the dish.

Step 4: Repeat this to have a second layer of speculoos at the bottom of the dish.

Tip: Don't soak the cookies for too long as they quickly absorb the liquid and may break or become too soggy.

Step 5: Carefully spread half of the cream and mascarpone mixture on top of the speculoos until they are fully covered.

Step 6: Add another two layers of coffee dipped speculoos on top of the cream layer.

Smooth over the remaining cream mixture to create another layer.

For the final layer decorate with crushed speculoos cookies.

Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight to fully set.