Easy No-Bake Biscoff Tiramisu

An Epicurean Adventure to France: Speculoos Tiramisu

Embark on a delightful culinary journey to Northern France with this exceptional Speculoos Tiramisu recipe, affectionately known as “Ch’tiramisu.” This unique dessert reimagines the beloved Italian classic, infusing it with the comforting, spiced warmth of Belgian speculoos cookies, creating a truly irresistible fusion. It’s a testament to global culinary creativity, where traditional Italian elegance meets the rustic charm of French patisserie with a Belgian twist.

At the heart of this Nord-Pas-de-Calais adaptation lies a clever substitution: the classic Savoiardi (ladyfinger biscuits) are replaced by the distinctive and widely cherished Lotus Biscoff cookies. These iconic biscuits are not just a base; they are a key player, delivering their signature delicate spiciness and a comforting caramel note to every spoonful. But the Biscoff adventure doesn’t stop there! We elevate the creamy mascarpone filling by folding in smooth Biscoff cookie spread, amplifying the cinnamon-caramel flavor profile to an intoxicating degree. If you’re a devoted Biscoff enthusiast, prepare to fall head over heels for this exquisite creation.

Rest assured, the fundamental elements of a classic tiramisu remain vibrantly present. The rich, velvety mascarpone cream and the robust essence of brewed coffee harmonize beautifully with the new additions, crafting a dessert that is both familiar and excitingly new. Whether served in elegant individual portions, perfect for a chic dinner party, or prepared in a grand communal dish for family gatherings, its quick 15-minute prep time makes it an ideal treat for any occasion. Pair it with a freshly brewed cup of strong coffee for an afternoon indulgence that transports you straight to a quaint French café.

Discover the joy of crafting this easy, no-bake French-Belgian fusion dessert that promises to be a crowd-pleaser and a conversation starter alike. Its simple preparation belies its sophisticated flavor, making it accessible for bakers of all skill levels.

Why You’ll Adore This Speculoos Tiramisu Recipe

This Speculoos Tiramisu, or Ch’tiramisu, offers a plethora of reasons to fall in love with it. It’s more than just a dessert; it’s an experience designed for convenience, flavor, and universal appeal:

• A Dream Come True for Biscoff Lovers: This recipe is an absolute celebration for anyone who adores Lotus Biscoff. By incorporating both the crisp, spiced Biscoff cookies and the creamy, caramel-infused Biscoff cookie butter into the layers and the mascarpone cream, it delivers an unparalleled depth of that signature Biscoff flavor. Each bite is a rich explosion of cinnamon and brown sugar, making it the ultimate treat for true Biscoff enthusiasts.
• Effortlessly Easy & No-Bake: Say goodbye to complicated baking processes and oven worries. This is a truly quick and easy no-bake dessert, requiring minimal effort and just about 15 minutes of active preparation time. It’s the perfect solution for busy schedules, impromptu gatherings, or simply when you crave something sweet without the fuss. Just assemble, chill, and serve!
• Versatile Serving Options: Whether you’re hosting a formal dinner party or enjoying a casual afternoon treat, this tiramisu adapts to your needs. Prepare it in elegant individual serving glasses for a sophisticated presentation, or opt for a large, classic dish to easily share with a crowd. Its adaptability makes it ideal for any occasion, from intimate desserts to festive celebrations.
• Pregnancy-Safe Indulgence: Unlike many traditional tiramisu recipes that call for raw eggs, our Speculoos Tiramisu is crafted without them. This thoughtful modification makes it a safe and worry-free dessert for expectant mothers and anyone who prefers to avoid raw egg consumption. Enjoy every creamy, spiced spoonful with complete peace of mind.
• Unique French-Belgian Fusion: Experience the best of two worlds! This recipe brilliantly marries the creamy Italian tiramisu structure with the distinctive spiced flavor of Belgian speculoos cookies, all through the innovative lens of Northern French cuisine. It offers a refreshingly new take on a classic, promising a flavor profile that stands out from the ordinary.

Key Ingredient Notes and Thoughtful Substitutions

Crafting the perfect Speculoos Tiramisu hinges on understanding the role of each ingredient. Here’s a detailed guide to ensure your dessert is nothing short of spectacular.

**For the complete list of exact measurements and quantities, please refer to the comprehensive recipe card located at the bottom of this post.

Lotus Biscoff Cookies (Speculoos Biscuits)

These iconic Belgian spiced shortcrust cookies are the star of our Ch’tiramisu. Their unique caramel notes and delicate cinnamon spice are what truly set this dessert apart from its Italian predecessor. Depending on the size of your chosen dessert bowls or dish, you’ll typically need approximately 28 biscuits for every 4 portions, including those reserved for decoration. A standard 250g pack of Biscoff cookies usually contains around 32 cookies, providing just enough for one batch and a little extra for snacking or garnish. If you’re planning to double the recipe for a larger gathering, ensure you have two packs on hand, along with doubling all other ingredients accordingly.

Substitutions: While Lotus Biscoff cookies offer a distinct flavor, you can certainly experiment with other brands of speculoos biscuits. Many European grocery stores or specialty food shops offer various speculoos options, each with its subtle nuances in spice and sweetness. You could even use homemade speculoos for an extra personal touch. For a different, yet complementary, flavor profile, consider ginger snaps as an alternative, though they will offer a bolder ginger kick.

Biscoff Cookie Spread (Cookie Butter)

This luxurious spread, often referred to as ‘cookie butter’, is a game-changer for enhancing the Biscoff flavor in the mascarpone cream. Most well-stocked grocery stores now carry both smooth and crunchy varieties. While we often champion the crunchy version for our other Biscoff truffles, Biscoff slices, and Biscoff milkshake recipes, for this particular tiramisu, we highly recommend the smooth variety. The smooth cookie butter ensures a perfectly velvety and seamless texture in the mascarpone cream, contributing to that melt-in-your-mouth experience without any textural interruptions.

Mascarpone Cheese

A cornerstone of any tiramisu, mascarpone cheese is essential for achieving the signature rich, creamy, and decadent texture. This Italian cream cheese is known for its high fat content and smooth consistency, which allows it to whip up into a luxurious, stable cream that holds its shape beautifully. Ensure your mascarpone is cold when you start, as this helps it maintain its structure during mixing. There are no direct substitutions for mascarpone that will yield the same authentic richness and texture, so it’s worth seeking out for the best results.

Double Cream (or Heavy Cream)

We’ve specifically chosen double cream for this Speculoos Tiramisu recipe due to its significantly higher fat content. This richness is crucial for several reasons: it imparts a deeply indulgent flavor, provides superior stability when whipped, and contributes to the wonderfully velvety and substantial texture of the finished tiramisu. The high fat percentage prevents the cream from weeping and ensures the dessert holds up beautifully, even after chilling.

Substitutions: If double cream is unavailable, whipping cream (often labeled ‘heavy cream’ in the US) can be used as an alternative. While it has a slightly lower fat content, it will still whip up adequately, though the final texture of the tiramisu might be a touch lighter and less robust. However, it is a far better choice than single cream, which lacks the necessary fat to whip effectively and would result in a runny mixture.

Strong Brewed Coffee

The coffee component is vital for balancing the sweetness and richness of the cream and cookies, providing that classic tiramisu depth. Opt for your favorite strongly brewed coffee – a robust filtered coffee or a French press brew is ideal for its rich flavor. For serious coffee aficionados, a shot or two of authentic espresso will deliver an intensely aromatic experience. If you only have instant coffee at home, don’t fret; it works perfectly well when brewed strong. You can even consider adding a pinch of cinnamon or a tiny splash of a complementary liqueur to your coffee for an added layer of complexity.

Important Tip: It is absolutely crucial to allow the brewed coffee to cool completely before you begin dipping the cookies. If the coffee is too hot, the delicate speculoos cookies will quickly disintegrate, becoming mushy rather than lightly softened. Furthermore, hot coffee can cause the mascarpone cream to melt and become unstable, compromising the structure and texture of your tiramisu.

Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Speculoos Tiramisu

Follow these easy steps to create your own irresistible Speculoos Tiramisu. The process is straightforward and rewarding, promising a delicious outcome every time.

1. Prepare the Coffee: Begin by brewing approximately half a cup (125ml) of strong coffee. Once brewed, pour it into a shallow bowl or plate with a wide surface area, allowing it to cool down completely. This step is essential to prevent the cookies from disintegrating and the cream from melting during assembly.

2. Combine Cream Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cold mascarpone cheese, smooth Biscoff cookie spread, icing sugar, a touch of vanilla extract, and a small pinch of salt. The salt helps to balance the sweetness and enhance all the flavors.

3. Whisk the Base: Using an electric mixer (or a whisk and a strong arm!), beat these ingredients together. Continue whisking until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and smooth, with a uniform, creamy coffee-caramel color throughout. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is thoroughly combined.

4. Add Double Cream: Pour the chilled double cream (heavy cream) into the mascarpone mixture. Ensure the cream is straight from the fridge and very cold, as this helps it whip up faster and achieve the desired consistency.

5. Whip to Soft Peaks: Continue whisking the entire mixture until the mascarpone cream becomes light, airy, and beautiful soft peaks form when you lift the whisk. Be very careful not to overwhip the cream, as it can quickly become grainy or too stiff and dry, making it challenging to spread smoothly and neatly into your serving glasses or dish. Stop as soon as soft peaks are visible.

6. Dip Biscoff Cookies: Take one Biscoff cookie and quickly dunk it into the cooled coffee. It’s crucial to dip it for only 1 to 2 seconds. Biscoff cookies absorb liquid very rapidly, and over-dipping will result in a soggy, mushy base. The goal is to lightly moisten, not saturate.

7. Create First Cookie Layer: Crumble the coffee-dunked cookie directly into the bottom of your chosen dessert bowl or glass. Spread the crumbs out evenly, aiming for a consistent layer about 1cm thick. For a standard whisky-sized glass, you’ll generally use about 3 cookies per layer to achieve this thickness. Repeat for all individual servings or create a single layer if using a large dish.

8. Add First Cream Layer: Gently spoon a few generous spoonfuls of the mascarpone cream mixture over the first layer of cookie crumbs. Carefully level the top with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula, ensuring an even layer without disturbing the cookie base too much.

9. Repeat Layers: Continue the layering process. Add another layer of lightly coffee-dunked and crumbled Biscoff cookies on top of the mascarpone cream. Follow this with another layer of the delicious mascarpone cream. Repeat until your glasses are nearly full or your dish has the desired number of layers, typically 2-3 cookie layers and 2-3 cream layers.

10. Final Cream Layer: Finish off with a final, smooth layer of mascarpone cream. If you have any remaining cream, you can reserve it for decorative piping on top, adding an elegant touch. For specific tips on piping, refer to Note 1 in the recipe card below.

11. Decorate to Perfection: Now comes the fun part! Get creative with your decorations. You can drizzle warmed Biscoff cookie spread over the top for an extra caramel kick, sprinkle a generous amount of finely crushed Biscoff cookies, place a half or whole Biscoff cookie into the cream, or opt for a light dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder for a classic tiramisu look. A dollop of plain whipped cream can also add a nice contrast.

12. Chill Before Serving: To allow the flavors to meld and the tiramisu to set perfectly, cover your dessert(s) with plastic wrap and chill them in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes. For the absolute best texture and deepest flavor, we recommend chilling for at least 2-4 hours, or even overnight. This crucial chilling time allows the cookies to soften further and the cream to firm up beautifully.

Can You Make This Speculoos Tiramisu in a Rectangular Dish?

Absolutely, this Speculoos Tiramisu recipe is wonderfully versatile and can easily be prepared in a large rectangular dish instead of individual glasses. For the quantities specified in this recipe (serving 4), you will need a dish no larger than approximately 23cm x 16cm (which translates to about 9″ x 6″). This size ensures you have enough layers and cream for a visually appealing and well-proportioned dessert.

If you have a larger dish, such as a standard 9×13 inch baking dish, you will need to double the entire recipe to ensure adequate coverage and height for your tiramisu. Adjusting the ingredient quantities is key for a successful larger batch.

When preparing in a rectangular dish, you have the option of simplifying the cookie layer. Instead of crumbling the coffee-dunked cookies, you can simply dip them briefly in the cooled coffee and arrange them whole in a single, even layer at the bottom of the dish. This creates a more traditional tiramisu appearance with distinct biscuit layers, which can be very satisfying to cut into and serve.

Creative Variations to Elevate Your Speculoos Tiramisu

While the original Speculoos Tiramisu is a masterpiece in itself, feel free to get creative and experiment with these delightful variations to customize your dessert:

• Explore Different Speculoos Brands: Don’t limit yourself to just Lotus Biscoff! Many regional and artisanal brands of speculoos biscuits offer unique spice blends and textures. Discovering these can add a new dimension to your tiramisu. If you’re an ambitious baker, homemade speculoos will undeniably make this dessert truly exceptional and personal.
• Introduce Chocolate Layers: For chocolate lovers, incorporate thin layers of chocolate shavings or a light dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder between the speculoos cookie and mascarpone cream layers. Dark chocolate, in particular, will provide a beautiful bittersweet contrast to the caramel and spice.
• Add a Nutty Crunch: Sprinkle finely chopped nuts such as toasted almonds, hazelnuts, or pecans between the layers. Toasting the nuts beforehand will enhance their flavor and add a delightful textural contrast to the creamy dessert.
• Liqueur Infusion: Elevate the adult version of this tiramisu by infusing the mascarpone cream with a touch of your favorite liqueur. Amaretto offers a subtle almond warmth, Frangelico provides a delightful hazelnut note, while a splash of Marsala wine or dry sherry can add a classic Italian twist. For a bolder flavor, consider dark rum or even a fine whisky.
• Coffee Liqueur Twist: For an extra boost of coffee flavor and a delightful kick, substitute a portion of the brewed coffee with coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa or Tia Maria. This creates a richer, more complex coffee essence throughout the dessert.
• Sweeten the Coffee Dip: If you prefer a sweeter tiramisu, stir a teaspoon or two of brown sugar or maple syrup into the cooled dipping coffee. This will add an extra layer of caramel sweetness to the cookies as they absorb the liquid.
• Seasonal Festive Toppings: For the holiday season or special occasions, adorn your tiramisu with festive decorations. Think delicate chocolate stars, intricate homemade snowflake speculoos cookies, or even mini gingerbread cookies. Other spiced cookies that complement the speculoos flavor can also make wonderful toppings, adding visual appeal and an extra layer of flavor.

Storage Best Practices for Your Speculoos Tiramisu

To ensure your Speculoos Tiramisu remains fresh, delicious, and structurally sound, proper storage is key. Here are the best practices:

Refrigeration: Always keep your Speculoos Tiramisu covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This prevents it from absorbing odors from other foods and keeps the cream fresh. When stored correctly, the tiramisu will retain its quality for up to 2-3 days. In fact, many find that the flavors deepen and meld beautifully after 24 hours of chilling, making it an excellent make-ahead dessert.

Assembled vs. Separate: For optimal freshness and texture when preparing ahead, especially if storing for more than a day, you can keep the mascarpone cream and the dry Biscoff cookies separate. Assemble the tiramisu just a few hours before serving. However, for short-term storage (1-2 days), the assembled tiramisu will hold up perfectly.

Avoid Freezing: We strongly advise against freezing Speculoos Tiramisu. The high fat content in the mascarpone and double cream can cause the texture to become grainy and watery upon thawing, severely compromising the creamy, velvety consistency that makes tiramisu so enjoyable. The cookies might also become excessively soggy.

Decorate Just Before Serving: For the freshest presentation, it’s best to add any decorative elements—such as a dusting of cocoa powder, crushed cookies, or a drizzle of warmed Biscoff spread—just before you plan to serve. This ensures toppings remain crisp, vibrant, and do not become soggy or discolored.

Enjoy your Speculoos Tiramisu within a day or two of preparation for the ultimate taste and texture experience. Leftovers, if any, will still be delightful on the third day, though the cookies might be softer.

Explore More Delectable Biscoff Recipes

If you’ve fallen in love with the unique flavor of Biscoff in this tiramisu, you’ll be thrilled to discover more ways to enjoy this incredible cookie butter. Dive into these other Biscoff-centric creations:

• Irresistible Biscoff Truffles
• Decadent No-Bake Biscoff Slices
• Creamy Biscoff Milkshake