Try this delicious Italian Tiramisu made with homemade grain-free and gluten-free ladyfingers, gently dipped in coffee and layered with a rich, creamy mascarpone filling. Made without grains and naturally lower in sugar than the classic version, this wholesome twist on a beloved dessert is so good, everyone will be asking for seconds!

A close-up of a slice of homemade tiramisu on a plate with a fork. The dessert has visible layers of soft, soaked grain-free ladyfingers and creamy mascarpone and eggs filling, dusted with cocoa powder. The background shows a glass dish with the remaining tiramisu, a white mug of coffee with a spoon, a white sugar jar, eggshells and cocoa powder on butcher block countertop.

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Italian vs. American Tiramisu

Overhead view of a serving of tiramisu on a plate, dusted with cocoa powder. In the background, a glass dish with the remaining tiramisu shows a portion scooped out with a gold spoon. Nearby are a cup of black coffee, a small bowl of cocoa powder, and some cocoa powder spilled on a wooden countertop.

It’s all about the eggs

If you’ve ever wondered what makes a tiramisu “Italian,” you’re not alone! The difference might seem subtle, but it makes a big impact, and it’s all about the eggs.

Traditional Italian tiramisu uses both egg yolks and egg whites in the mascarpone filling. The yolks add richness, depth of flavor, and important nutrients, while the whipped whites create a light, airy texture that’s beautifully balanced.
In contrast, American-style tiramisu recipes often replace the eggs with whipped cream or even cream cheese, resulting in a denser, heavier filling.

Key ingredients in authentic Italian tiramisu

Mascarpone cheese is the star of the show. This soft, creamy cheese hails from Northern Italy and has a smooth, buttery texture and slightly sweet flavor. With a fat content of up to 75%, mascarpone gives tiramisu its signature richness and luxurious mouthfeel.
While you can substitute cream cheese or ricotta in a pinch, the texture and flavor just won’t be the same.

Another hallmark of Italian tiramisu is coffee.
Classic recipes call for strong black coffee (no sugar, no cream) used to gently soak the ladyfingers. The key is not to overdo it: a light dip adds just the right amount of coffee flavor without turning the dessert soggy.
Many American recipes include liquor, like Amaretto or Marsala wine, but traditional versions often skip the alcohol altogether.

If you’re serving tiramisu to kids or avoiding caffeine, you can easily swap the coffee for a homemade hot chocolate made with cocoa powder and water. It gives a similar depth without the buzz.

Making grain-free Italian Tiramisu

The secret to a delicious grain-free and gluten-free Italian Tiramisu is using grain-free ladyfingers. While there are a few store-bought options out there, I prefer to make my own using coconut flour. They’re easy to make, more wholesome, and taste just as good, if not better! Find the recipe here!

Homemade grain-free ladyfingers cooling on golden rack, and some ladyfingers stacked on a white and brown plate, with striped napkin and cup of dark coffee in background.

Be sure to prepare the ladyfingers a few hours in advance, so they have enough time to cool completely before assembling the tiramisu. Even better, you can make them the day before and store them in an airtight container. Just make sure you bake enough: it’s hard to resist sneaking a few while you build your layers!

For this recipe, I used an 8″ x 8″ square dish and made three layers of ladyfingers and cream, which required about 36 ladyfingers—so I doubled my ladyfinger recipe. If you’re planning on just two layers in an 8″ x 8″ or 9″ x 9″ dish, a single batch should be enough.

Nutritional values of this grain-free Italian tiramisu

This recipe makes 8–10 servings.
If you divide it into 10 servings, each one contains approximately:

340 calories
9 grams of protein
24 grams of fat
25 grams of carbohydrates

It’s a rich, satisfying dessert, but with a more balanced nutritional profile than most traditional sweets.

Close-up of tiramisu on a plate, dusted with cocoa powder. In the background, a glass dish with the remaining tiramisu shows a portion scooped out with a gold spoon. Nearby a small bowl of cocoa powder, some eggshells, and some cocoa powder spilled on a wooden countertop.

Ingredients for this Grain-free tiramisu

Ingredients used to make grain-free Italian tiramisu displayed on a cooling rack on wooden countertop partially covered with striped tea towel

For the filling

16 oz Mascarpone cheese (450 grams)
4 eggs, separated
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 pinch of sea salt
1 ½ cup heavy cream (optional, see notes)

For assembling the Tiramisu

~30 homemade grain-free ladyfingers
1 ½ cup strong black coffee or hot chocolate (see notes)
2 tbsp cocoa powder to dust

Notes

You can substitute the 4 egg whites in the filling with 1 1/2 cup whipped heavy cream. Using heavy cream instead of egg whites gives the Tiramisu a creamier texture, and of course changes the nutritional values, reducing the proteins and increasing the fats
If you are making this recipe for kids or someone who doesn’t like coffee, you can swap out the coffee and dip the ladyfinger in a simple hot chocolate instead. To make the hot chocolate mix together 1 1/2 cup of hot water with 2-3 tablespoons cocoa powder.

How to make this grain-free italian tiramisu

Make the filling

Step 1: Whisk the mascarpone cheese using a electric hand mixer for just 30-60 seconds until it looks creamy, but avoid overmixing.

Whisked mascarpone cheese in a white bowl on wooden counter used to make tiramisu filling

Step 2: Whisk the egg yolks with half the sugar, the vanilla, and salt until the mixture becomes light in color and ribbony in consistency. If you are not comfortable using raw eggs, do this over a double boiler (see notes).

Whisking egg yolks and sugar with electric mixer over a double boiler to make tiramisu filling

Step 3: Pour the egg yolk and sugar mixture onto the whipped mascarpone and whisk on medium speed until just combined, just 30-60 seconds. Don’t over mix.

Step 4: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites and the remaining sugar with a electric hand mixer until soft peaks form. Do this over double boiler if desired (see notes). If you’re using heavy cream instead, make sure it’s well chilled and whip it until it reaches stiff peaks. Note that, in this case, you don’t add the sugar to the cream, so all the sugar goes into the egg yolks in Step 2.

Close up of whisked egg whites and sugar showing soft peaks on the beaters

Step 5: Fold the whipped egg whites or whipped heavy cream into the mascarpone mixture in 2-3 batches, mixing very gently between each addition so as to not knock out the air. This will result in a fluffy and light mascarpone cream.

Creamy and light mascarpone filling for tiramisu in a white bowl, being folded with a silicone spatula

Assemble the Tiramisu

Step 1: Dip each ladyfinger very lightly into the cold coffee (or cooled hot chocolate) and lay it in a 8″x8″ or 9″x9″ square dish or 7×11″ dish. To avoid your Tiramisu becoming too soggy, dip the ladyfingers really quick (the quickest you can!) in the coffee, just enough to let the coffee barely wet the sides. If you, however, prefer a “soggier” version with more coffee flavor, dip them for 1-2 seconds per side.

Step 2: Cover the ladyfingers with half (or a third, depending on how many layers you’re making) of the mascarpone cream and spread out.

Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2 once or twice depending on how many layers you want to make, so you have 4 or 6 total layers: ladyfingers, mascarpone cream, ladyfingers, mascarpone cream (,ladyfingers, mascarpone cream).

Layering grain-free ladyfingers soaked in coffee and mascarpone filling in a square glass dish to assemble tiramisu

Step 4: Once assembled, cover and refrigerate the Tiramisu for at least 4 hours, or overnight. This will allow the cream to set and the ladyfingers to get fully soft.

Step 5: When you are ready to serve, dust a generous amount of cocoa powder on top of the tiramisu using a sifter. Slice in, serve and enjoy!

Freshly made tiramisu in a glass dish with cocoa powder on top

Notes

If you don’t feel comfortable eating raw eggs, mix the egg yolks and sugar, as well as the egg whites and sugar (separately) over a double boiler: boil 1-2″ of water in a saucepan, then turn the heat to the lowest setting. Place the bowl with sugar and egg yolks on top of the saucepan (the bowl should be larger than the saucepan and the bottom should not touch the water). Whisk on high speed for 2 minutes, not more. The mixture should be warm but not hot. Finish whisking on the counter until you reach the right texture. Similarly, if using egg whites, whisk the egg whites and sugar over a double boiler at high speed for 2 minutes. This should be enough to reach soft peaks.

If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Drop me a comment below and, if you enjoyed it, don’t forget to leave a 5-star review to help others find it too.

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The best grain-free Tiramisu Italian style pin

The Best Grain-Free Italian Style Tiramisu

Marta Miatta

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Servings 10

Calories 340 kcal

Equipment

3 large bowls
Electric hand mixer or stand up mixer
Baking dish 8"x8 or 9"x9 or 7"x11
Strainer

Ingredients

For the filling

16 oz Mascarpone cheese 450 grams
4 eggs separated
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 pinch of sea salt
1 ½ cup heavy cream optional, see notes

For assembling the Tiramisu

~30 homemade grain-free ladyfingers see attached recipe in blog post
1 ½ cup strong black coffee or hot chocolate see notes
2 tbsp cocoa powder to dust

Instructions

Make the filling

Whisk the mascarpone cheese using a electric hand mixer for just 30-60 seconds until it looks creamy, but avoid overmixing.
Whisk the egg yolks with half the sugar, the vanilla, and salt until the mixture becomes light in color and ribbony in consistency. If you are not comfortable using raw eggs, do this over a double boiler (see notes)
Pour the egg yolk and sugar mixture onto the whipped mascarpone and whisk on medium speed until just combined, just 30-60 seconds. Don’t over mix.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites and the remaining sugar with a electric hand mixer until soft peaks form. Do this over double boiler if desired (see notes). If you’re using heavy cream instead, make sure it’s well chilled and whip it until it reaches stiff peaks. Note that, in this case, you don’t add the sugar to the cream, so all the sugar goes into the egg yolks in Step 2.
Fold the whipped egg whites or whipped heavy cream into the mascarpone mixture in 2-3 batches, mixing very gently between each addition so as to not knock out the air. This will result in a fluffy and light mascarpone cream.

Assemble the Tiramisu

Dip each ladyfinger very lightly into the cold coffee (or cooled hot chocolate) and lay it in a 8″ or 9″ square dish or 7×11″ dish. To avoid your Tiramisu becoming too soggy, dip the ladyfingers really quick in the coffee, just enough to let the coffee wet the sides. If you, however, prefer a “soggier” version with more coffee flavor, dip them for 1-2 seconds per side.
Cover the ladyfingers with half of the mascarpone cream and spread out.
Repeat steps 1 and 2 so you have 4 total layers: ladyfingers, mascarpone cream, ladyfingers, mascarpone cream.
Once assembled, cover and refrigerate the Tiramisu for at least 4 hours, or overnight. This will allow the cream to set and the ladyfingers to get fully soft.
When you are ready to serve, dust a generous amount of cocoa powder on top of the tiramisu using a sifter. Slice in, serve and enjoy!

Notes

- You can substitute the 4 egg whites in the filling with 1 1/2 cup whipped heavy cream. Using heavy cream instead of egg whites gives the Tiramisu a creamier texture, and of course changes the nutritional values, reducing the proteins and increasing the fats.
- If you are making this recipe for kids or someone who doesn’t like coffee, you can swap out the coffee and dip the ladyfinger in a simple hot chocolate instead. To make the hot chocolate mix together 1 1/2 cup of hot water with 2-3 tablespoons cocoa powder.
- If you don’t feel comfortable eating raw eggs, mix the egg yolks and sugar, as well as the egg whites and sugar (separately) over a double boiler: boil 1-2″ of water in a saucepan, then turn the heat to the lowest setting. Place the bowl with sugar and egg yolks on top of the saucepan (the bowl should be larger than the saucepan and the bottom should not touch the water). Whisk on high speed for 2 minutes, not more. The mixture should be warm but not hot. Finish whisking on the counter until you reach the right texture. Similarly, if using egg whites, whisk the egg whites and sugar over a double boiler at high speed for 2 minutes. This should be enough to reach soft peaks.