Weekly Menu: Sweet After the Spoon – 7 Easy Homemade Desserts (Mon–Sun)

If this week is team stew, then this is the logical continuation: something sweet after the spoon. After a warm stew, the same thing happens to me almost every time: “Is there anything sweet?” 😄 So here are 7 homemade desserts (Mon–Sun) in the same “jump + cards” style, fast, doable, and with zero culinary PhD required.

These desserts are built to be real-life doable: a few are “right now” desserts, a few can be made ahead, and none of them require special tricks or equipment.

7 days • 7 desserts 2–4 servings 10–40 min homemade no fuss

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DAILY DESSERT MONDAY

Servings: 2–3
Time: 10–15 min
Very easy

Yogurt “cheesecake” in a jar (no-bake)

This is the dessert for days when you don’t want to turn on the stove or the oven. Creamy, fresh, and it looks “wow” in a glass.

Ingredients (for 2–3 jars)

• 200 g cream cheese (or mascarpone)
• 200 g Greek yogurt
• 2–3 tbsp powdered sugar or honey (to taste)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 120 g butter biscuits/cookies, crushed
• 40 g butter, melted
• fruit or jam for the top
• optional: lemon zest

Method

1. Crumbs. Mix crushed cookies with melted butter. You want “wet sand” that clumps a little when pressed.
2. Base. Spoon 2–3 tbsp crumbs into each jar and lightly press down with a spoon.
3. Cream. Mix cream cheese + yogurt + sweetener + vanilla (1–2 minutes until smooth).
4. Assemble. Spoon the cream over the crumbs. Top with fruit or jam.
5. Chill. If you can: 20–30 minutes in the fridge. If you can’t: it’s still great immediately.

Tip: If the cream feels too soft, chill it 15 minutes in the freezer, or mix in 1–2 tbsp extra cookie crumbs.

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DAILY DESSERT TUESDAY

Servings: 3–4
Time: 30–40 min
Very easy

Apple crumble with cinnamon

Warm, homey dessert. You assemble it in 10 minutes and the oven does the rest. A perfect finish after a “spoon lunch”.

Ingredients (small baking dish)

• 3 large apples
• 1–2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 80 g flour
• 60 g cold butter, cubed
• 50 g sugar
• pinch of salt
• optional: a handful of walnuts/hazelnuts

Method

1. Oven. Preheat to 190°C.
2. Apples. Slice/dice, mix with sugar, cinnamon and lemon. Put into a baking dish.
3. Crumble. Mix flour + sugar + salt. Add butter and rub with your fingers into crumbs/clumps. Add nuts if using.
4. Top. Sprinkle crumble over the apples (don’t press it down).
5. Bake. 25–30 minutes until golden on top and apples are tender (a fork slides in easily).
6. Rest. Let sit 5 minutes, then serve.

Tip: For extra crunch, add 1 tbsp oats to the crumble. For juicier apples, add 1 tbsp water to the fruit before baking.

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DAILY DESSERT WEDNESDAY

Yield: 3–4 pancakes
Time: 15–20 min
Very easy

Pancakes with vanilla yogurt and fruit

A classic that always works. If your pancakes ever tear or stick, the “why” and the fix are right below.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 250 ml milk
• 120 g flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp sugar (optional)
• butter or oil for cooking
• 200 g thick vanilla yogurt
• fruit of choice

Method

1. Batter. Whisk eggs, add milk, then whisk in flour + salt until smooth.
2. Rest. 5 minutes resting (if you can) makes the batter calmer and pancakes cook more evenly.
3. Pan. Heat on medium. Add a little butter/oil and spread it around.
4. Cook. Pour in batter and swirl the pan. Flip when edges brown and the surface is no longer glossy.
5. Serve. Spread with yogurt, add fruit, roll or fold and plate up.

Tip: If they tear: batter is too thick or the pan isn’t hot enough. Add 1 tbsp milk and heat the pan a little more.

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DAILY DESSERT THURSDAY

Servings: 3–4
Time: 15 min + chilling
Very easy

Chocolate mousse (quick, homemade)

When you want something that feels “fancy” without baking. Key points: chocolate must not be hot, and cream must not be overwhipped.

Ingredients

• 200 g dark chocolate
• 300 ml heavy cream (cold)
• pinch of salt
• optional: a splash of rum or coffee
• to serve: whipped cream + chocolate shavings

Method

1. Chocolate. Melt it (double boiler, or microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring each time so it doesn’t burn).
2. Cool. Let stand 2 minutes so it’s not hot, but still fluid.
3. Cream. Whip to soft peaks (the peak bends gently).
4. Combine. Stir 2 tbsp whipped cream into the chocolate first, then gently fold in the rest.
5. Finish. Add salt + optional rum/coffee. Portion into glasses and chill at least 1 hour.
6. Serve. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Tip: If the mousse looks loose: chocolate was too hot or cream wasn’t whipped enough. 30–60 minutes in the fridge usually fixes it.

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DAILY DESSERT FRIDAY

Servings: 2–3
Time: 10–15 min
Very easy

Creamy semolina pudding with cocoa and banana

A dessert even the “I don’t bake” people can make. The main trick: sprinkle semolina in slowly while stirring so you don’t get lumps.

Ingredients

• 500 ml milk
• 1 tbsp butter
• 50–60 g semolina
• 1–2 tbsp sugar (to taste)
• pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp cocoa (optional)
• 1 banana
• optional: cinnamon or honey

Method

1. Milk. Heat milk with butter, salt and sugar until hot (just below simmering).
2. Sprinkle. While stirring constantly, sprinkle in semolina slowly (not all at once).
3. Cook. Low heat about 3 minutes, stirring constantly until thick.
4. Cocoa. Stir in at the end until smooth.
5. Serve. Top with banana slices, plus cinnamon or honey if you like.

Tip: Too thick? Add 1 tbsp milk. Too thin? Cook 1 minute longer and keep stirring.

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DAILY DESSERT SATURDAY

Servings: 3–4
Time: 25–35 min
Very easy

Quick cottage-cheese “štruklji” (oven-baked)

A weekend option that still feels properly homemade. No dough from scratch, so it’s realistic. The oven does most of the work.

Ingredients

• 250 g cottage cheese/quark
• 1 egg
• 2–3 tbsp sugar
• 1 packet vanilla sugar (or vanilla)
• optional: lemon zest, raisins
• 3 sheets phyllo dough
• 40 g butter, melted
• powdered sugar (optional)

Method

1. Oven. Preheat to 190°C.
2. Filling. Mix cottage cheese + egg + sugar + vanilla (+ lemon/raisins) until smooth.
3. Roll. Brush one sheet with butter. Spoon filling along one edge and roll into a log. Cut into ~10 cm pieces and place into a greased dish.
4. Brush. Brush the rolls with more butter.
5. Bake. 20–25 minutes until golden.
6. Serve. Rest 5 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar if you want.

Tip: After baking, cover with a clean towel for 5 minutes. They soften slightly and feel more “štruklji-like”.

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DAILY DESSERT SUNDAY

Servings: 4
Time: 10 min + 35–40 min bake
Very easy

Baked rice pudding (vanilla, homemade)

A proper Sunday finish. Bake it earlier, then just slice and serve. It’s great from the fridge the next day too.

Ingredients

• 120 g rice (best: short-grain)
• 600 ml milk
• 2 eggs
• 60–80 g sugar
• 1 packet vanilla sugar (or vanilla)
• pinch of salt
• 20 g butter
• optional: raisins, jam to serve

Method

1. Rice. Rinse rice. Cook it in milk on low heat 18–20 minutes, stirring so it doesn’t stick.
2. Cool slightly. 5 minutes so it’s warm, not boiling (so eggs won’t scramble).
3. Eggs. Whisk eggs with sugar and vanilla.
4. Temper. Stir 2–3 tbsp warm rice into the eggs, then pour everything back into the pot and mix.
5. Baking dish. Grease with butter, pour in mixture and spread evenly.
6. Bake. 190°C for about 35–40 minutes. Top should be golden; the center should wobble just slightly.
7. Rest. 10 minutes to set, then slice.

Tip: Serve with a spoon of jam or Greek yogurt. For extra moisture, add raisins to the rice.

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First the spoon, then the sweet.

If you want the full weekly combo, here are 7 quick stews (Mon–Sun) too, all in one pot, with steps written “for humans”.

See this week’s stews →

FAQ: quick desserts

Which dessert is the safest, easiest option?

The no-bake jar cheesecake or semolina pudding. Very hard to mess up, and both are fast.

What if I don’t have a kitchen scale?

For jar desserts, measure with spoons. For pancakes, go by texture: the batter should pour like drinkable yogurt. Too thick: add a splash of milk. Too thin: add a spoon of flour.

How do I prevent lumps in semolina pudding?

Sprinkle semolina in slowly while stirring constantly. Keep the heat low so you have time to stir.

How do I make mousse fluffy?

Don’t use hot chocolate, and whip the cream to soft peaks. Mix a little cream into the chocolate first, then gently fold in the rest.

Which dessert is best to make ahead?

Mousse and the jar cheesecake. Baked rice pudding is also great the next day. If it firms up, serve with jam or yogurt.

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