Pin It I stumbled onto these tiramisu shots at a friend's dinner party, watching the host layer them in shot glasses with a surgeon's precision, and something clicked. The elegance of a classic Italian dessert condensed into something you could hold in your palm, sip from in one or two bites—it felt both silly and brilliant at the same time. That night, I went home thinking about how dessert could be playful without losing its soul, how tradition could shrink down and still taste like memory.
I made these for my sister's book club last spring, and someone asked if I'd trained as a pastry chef. The honest answer made us all laugh—I'd just learned that presentation matters more than you think, and these glasses did half the work for me. By the end of the night, everyone wanted the recipe, which meant I had to confess it was simpler than it looked.
Ingredients
- Ladyfinger biscuits (savoiardi), 8: These Italian cookies are designed to absorb liquid without falling apart—the key to not ending up with mush. If you can't find them, sponge cake torn into pieces works almost as well.
- Freshly brewed espresso, 1/2 cup (120 ml), cooled: The backbone of flavor; real espresso tastes different than instant, and it matters here. Make it strong enough that you'd want to drink it on its own.
- Coffee liqueur, 2 tbsp: Kahlúa and Tia Maria are the classics, but honestly, I've skipped it for non-drinking crowds and nobody noticed. The espresso carries the moment.
- Mascarpone cheese, 1 cup (250 g), room temperature: Cold mascarpone will fight you when you whisk it. Pull it from the fridge 15 minutes before and thank yourself later.
- Heavy cream, 1/2 cup (120 ml), cold: Keep this cold right up until whipping—cold cream whips faster and holds its shape better than cream that's been sitting out.
- Powdered sugar, 1/4 cup (30 g): It dissolves into the cream without leaving graininess, unlike granulated sugar. Worth the difference.
- Vanilla extract, 1 tsp pure: Pure vanilla tastes like vanilla; imitation tastes like regret. Splurge on this one ingredient.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tbsp: The final dusting that makes everything look intentional. A sifter or fine mesh strainer keeps clumps from ruining the finish.
- Dark chocolate shavings, optional: Use a vegetable peeler on a bar of chocolate and watch how a tiny detail transforms the whole presentation.
Instructions
- Prepare your espresso mixture:
- Pour the cooled espresso into a shallow bowl and stir in the coffee liqueur. The shallow bowl matters—you'll dip pieces quickly, and a narrow cup makes that harder.
- Dip the biscuits:
- Take each ladyfinger piece and dunk it for roughly one second, turning it over to coat both sides. This is the move that separates texture from soggy regret; you're aiming for moisture, not saturation.
- Build the cream:
- Whisk the room-temperature mascarpone with powdered sugar and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. This takes longer than you'd think, and it's worth the patience.
- Whip and fold:
- In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream until soft peaks form—when you lift the whisk, the peaks should fold over slightly. Gently fold this into the mascarpone in two additions, turning the bowl rather than stirring hard, until you have one cloud-like mixture.
- Layer the first level:
- Place a small handful of dipped ladyfinger pieces in the bottom of each shot glass. They'll look sparse; that's intentional.
- Add mascarpone:
- Spoon or pipe a layer of cream over the biscuits, covering them completely. A piping bag makes this look cleaner, but a spoon does the job just as well.
- Repeat the layers:
- Add another layer of dipped biscuits, then top with more mascarpone cream. You're building two complete layers in each glass.
- Finish and chill:
- Dust each shot with cocoa powder using a sifter, add chocolate shavings if you're feeling fancy, then refrigerate for at least an hour. The flavors meld and the layers set during this time, so don't skip it.
Pin It There's a moment when these come out of the fridge and you dust them with cocoa—they transform from assembled components into something that looks like it required real skill. I realized then that these shots had become my answer to the question of how to serve dessert when you want it to feel special but you're too tired to bake.
Why Shot Glasses Are Your Secret Weapon
The glasses do something unexpected: they make an elegant plating strategy out of a constraint. You can't overthink it because the format decides the shape for you. Everyone gets the same clean lines, the same visual balance, and somehow that makes the dessert feel more refined than it would spooned into bowls.
Timing and Temperature Matter More Than You'd Think
Make these no more than a few hours before serving—beyond that, the biscuits continue to soften and the cream begins to water out. The cold hour after assembly is non-negotiable though; the flavors haven't truly met until they've had that quiet time together in the fridge. Think of it as the dessert's moment to understand itself.
Adaptations and Moments
I've made alcohol-free versions for work parties by doubling the espresso and nobody mentioned the missing liqueur. I've used leftover sponge cake when I couldn't find ladyfingers. Once I ran out of cocoa powder and used finely grated dark chocolate instead, and it became my favorite version. These shots are flexible enough to bend with what you have and what your guests need.
- If mascarpone isn't available where you are, a mix of softened cream cheese and sour cream gets you surprisingly close in texture and taste.
- Make the cream mixture up to two hours ahead and keep it chilled; the assembly happens in minutes when you're ready.
- These travel poorly in containers but work beautifully if you assemble them at the destination—bring the components and layer them fresh.
Pin It These tiramisu shots have become my go-to when I want to feel like I've made something special without losing the evening to cooking. They're proof that you don't need hours in the kitchen to create something that lands.
Recipe FAQs
- → What type of biscuits are used for the espresso layers?
Ladyfinger biscuits (savoiardi) are traditionally used for their light, airy texture and ability to absorb espresso without becoming mushy.
- → Can I omit alcohol from this dessert?
Yes, simply skip the coffee liqueur and add extra espresso to maintain the flavor without the alcohol content.
- → How should I assemble the layers in the shot glasses?
Alternately layer espresso-dipped biscuit pieces and mascarpone cream, finishing with cocoa powder and optional chocolate shavings on top.
- → Is chilling necessary before serving?
Chilling for at least one hour allows the flavors to meld and the cream to set, enhancing the overall taste and texture.
- → Are there alternatives for ladyfinger biscuits?
You can substitute sponge cake or gluten-free biscuits if needed, though texture may vary slightly.