Cheat your way to dessert bliss: 19 semi-homemade treats

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Cheat your way to dessert bliss with 19 semi-homemade sweet delights. Who says you need to spend hours in the kitchen to satisfy your dessert cravings?

Cool whip cookies on parchment with powdered sugar.
Cool Whip Cookies. Photo Credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Cake Mix Donuts

Chocolate cake mix donuts on a cooling rack with chocolate glaze and red, white and blue sprinkles.
Cake Mix Donuts. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Cake Mix Donuts are a baker’s best-kept secret – a semi-homemade treat that tastes like it took all day! Using cake mix as a shortcut, you can enjoy fresh, warm donuts without the hassle. They’re a sweet, simple indulgence that anyone can master.
Get the Recipe: Cake Mix Donuts

Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls

Cresdent rolls with cinnamon sugar and icing on a plate.
Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Turn the flavor up to eleven with these easy Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls. They take the shortcut of ready-made crescent roll dough, then add a sprinkle of cinnamon and a drizzle of icing to create a tasty breakfast or dessert in no time. Get the homemade cinnamon roll experience without the homemade effort!
Get the Recipe: Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls

M&M Chocolate Dump Cake

Chocolate dump cake topped with M&Ms and chocolate chips on a red and white plate with a scoop of ice cream.
M&M Chocolate Dump Cake. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Chocolate Dump Cake is the epitome of simple, semi-homemade desserts. Just dump the ingredients into a pan, bake, and voila – a decadently moist chocolate cake that’s hard to resist. This one’s for all you chocoholics out there who crave an easy but satisfying fix!
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Dump Cake

Lazy Day Cobbler

Plate with peach cobbler and a blue napkin.
Lazy Day Cobbler. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Got a fruit craving but no time? Lazy Day Cobbler is your sweet and speedy solution. Made with canned or frozen fruit and a few pantry staples, this semi-homemade dessert takes only minutes to prepare and tastes like a sunny summer day.
Get the Recipe: Lazy Day Cobbler

Cool Whip Cookies

Cool whip cookies on parchment with powdered sugar.
Cool Whip Cookies. Photo Credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Cool Whip Cookies are the shortcut cookies of your dreams. With just a few ingredients, including a tub of Cool Whip, these cookies come together in a snap. They’re light, fluffy, and semi-homemade sweet perfection.
Get the Recipe: Cool Whip Cookies

Bisquick Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bisquick chocolate chip cookies on a cooling rack.
Bisquick Chocolate Chip Cookies. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

The beloved classic cookie just got easier with Bisquick Chocolate Chip Cookies. Utilizing Bisquick mix as a quick-start to your dough, these cookies are delightfully chewy, full of melty chocolate chips, and ready in no time. Who knew semi-homemade could be so tasty?
Get the Recipe: Bisquick Chocolate Chip Cookies

S’mores Crescent Rolls

S'mores Crescent Rolls on a plate drizzled with chocolate.
S’mores Crescent Rolls. Photo Credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Bring the campfire to your kitchen with S’mores Crescent Rolls. Using pre-made crescent roll dough, marshmallows, chocolate, and a sprinkle of graham crackers, these rolls are a cinch to make and taste like nostalgia in a bite.
Get the Recipe: S’mores Crescent Rolls

Icebox Cake

Icebox cake with raspberries, blueberries and strawberries on a pink plate.
Icebox Cake. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Keep cool and satisfy your sweet tooth with an Icebox Cake. Layered with cookies and cream then chilled to perfection, this semi-homemade dessert offers maximum flavor with minimal effort. Perfect for when you need a dessert that’s both easy and impressive.
Get the Recipe: Icebox Cake

Chocolate Cherry Cake

Slice of chocolate cherry cake topped with cherry pie filling.
Chocolate Cherry Cake. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Chocolate Cherry Cake is a shortcut to heaven for cherry-chocolate lovers. By using a boxed cake mix and canned cherries, this dessert whips up quickly but tastes slow-made. It’s a delightful, semi-homemade option for a busy day.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Cherry Cake

Lemonade Pie

slice of lemonade pi on a plate with lemonade in the background.
Lemonade Pie. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

When life gives you lemons, make Lemonade Pie! Utilizing store-bought lemonade concentrate, this semi-homemade dessert is a breeze to prepare and serves up a slice of sweet, citrusy refreshment. Perfect for a sunny day when you need a quick but delicious dessert.
Get the Recipe: Lemonade Pie

Cake Mix Cookies

Cake Mix Cookies with Cream Cheese stacked up on a cutting board.
Cake Mix Cookies with Cream Cheese. Photo Credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Add a twist to your cookie game with these Cake Mix Cookies. A little cream cheese in the batter makes them pillowy-soft, slightly tangy, and unbelievably simple to make thanks to the cake mix shortcut. Perfect for when you need a dessert in a pinch!
Get the Recipe: Cake Mix Cookies

Guinness Brownies

Stack of Guinness brownies with a bottle of Guinness in the background.
Guinness Brownies. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Elevate your brownie game with Guinness Brownies! Using a box mix as a base, then adding a splash of Guinness for depth and richness, these are an easy but exceptional treat. It is an easy way to make a boxed brownie mix extra delicious.
Get the Recipe: Guinness Brownies

Haystack Cookies

Haystack Cookies. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

No need for a mixer or an oven with Haystack Cookies. They’re quick shortcut cookie, perfect when you have no time. Chow mein noodles and chocolate chips make a delicious no bake dessert.
Get the Recipe: Haystack Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Crescent Rolls

peanut butter chocolate rolls cut open to show the filling.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Crescent Rolls. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

All hail the power combo of peanut butter and chocolate, now in a super-simple dessert! Peanut Butter Chocolate Crescent Rolls take store-bought crescent rolls and fill them with gooey peanut butter and melty chocolate for a dreamy treat that’s as easy as pie.
Get the Recipe: Peanut Butter Chocolate Crescent Rolls

Air Fryer Donuts

Air Fryer Donuts with chocolate glaze and sprinkles.
Air Fryer Donuts. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

When you’ve got a donut craving but no time to spare, turn to these Air Fryer Donuts. Using canned biscuit dough and a dash of creativity, these sweet treats cook up in the air fryer in no time, making them a perfect semi-homemade treat for last-minute dessert needs.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Donuts

Monkey Bread Muffins

Cinnamon sugar monkey bread muffin on a white plate.
Monkey Bread Muffins. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Monkey Bread Muffins are small bites of happiness that are super easy to put together thanks to a canned biscuit shortcut. Just roll, dip, and bake to enjoy these caramel-glazed delights that are just as fun to pull apart as they are to eat!
Get the Recipe: Monkey Bread Muffins

Puff Pastry Cookies

Puff Pastry Cookies. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Want a cookie that’s fancy without the fuss? Puff Pastry Cookies are here to save the day! By using store-bought puff pastry, these cookies come together in a flash, yet their flaky, buttery goodness will make everyone think you’re a master baker.
Get the Recipe: Puff Pastry Cookies

Ho Ho Trifle

No bake dessert trifle with Ho Hos, raspberries, pudding and whipped topping.
Ho Ho Trifle. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

This Ho Ho Trifle is a semi-homemade dessert that’s as fun to make as it is to eat! Layers of store-bought chocolate cake rolls, whipped cream, pudding and fruit create a delightful dessert that’s perfect for any chocolate lover.
Get the Recipe: Ho Ho Trifle

Nutella Crescent Rolls

Three nutella crescent rolls on a plate drizzled with chocolate.
Nutella Crescent Rolls. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Nutella Crescent Rolls are a sweet tooth’s dream come true! Using canned crescent rolls and filled with creamy Nutella, these easy pastries are quick, indulgent, and perfect for when you need a delicious dessert but time is short.
Get the Recipe: Nutella Crescent Rolls

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