Recipes with sugar

Sweet green tomato pie: thin-sliced unripe tomatoes baked like fruit in a spiced, double-crust pie. Tart and tangy with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, it tastes surprisingly like old-fashioned apple pie.

Cardamom kulfi pops made the traditional Indian way, whole milk reduced down to a thick, caramelized base with ground cardamom, then frozen into creamy cones or popsicles. No ice cream maker needed.

Boozy cherry-infused vodka that steeps for three months, transforming fresh Bing cherries and sugar into a ruby-red liqueur with sweet, complex flavor.

Baked apples and pears layered with buttered cake and topped with a peaked meringue. A classic British fruit dessert with warm spice and lemon.

Sweet dill pickles made by transforming store-bought dills into garlicky sweet pickles with a vinegar-sugar brine. Southern bread-and-butter style shortcut.

Rice and kidney bean salad with sauteed celery, red wine vinegar, and a touch of sugar. A simple, budget-friendly side dish served at room temperature or chilled.

Spiced pumpkin bread for the bread machine with real pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, and eggs. A soft, autumn-scented yeast loaf with a golden-orange crumb.

Walnut raspberry brownies made with unsweetened chocolate and topped with warm raspberry jam. Fudgy, nutty, and fruit-glazed with a rich chocolate base and 1 1/2 cups of chopped walnuts.

Fun chocolate cookies with cocoa and chocolate chips, decorated with miniature bear-shaped cookies pressed around the edges. A kid-friendly baking project.

Jack-o-lantern chocolate cake is a rich two-layer chocolate cake decorated for Halloween, with orange-tinted frosting shaping the pumpkin and chocolate frosting piping the spooky grin. A fun family project that tastes as good as it looks.

German-style tomato salad with a tangy vinegar, oil, and Worcestershire dressing seasoned with basil and thyme. Chilled and served on lettuce leaves.

Microwave rum cake with devil's food cake mix, rum-soaked layers, apricot preserves filling, and a glossy boiled frosting made from corn syrup and egg whites.

Go-to brown sugar slice and bake cookies: a freezer-friendly cookie log that slices straight from frozen onto the baking sheet. Tender, caramel-sweet, and ready to bake any time you need cookies fast.

Marinated flank steak grilled over hot coals after a 4-hour soak in a ketchup, Worcestershire, brown sugar, and garlic marinade. Sliced thin against the grain for maximum tenderness.

Homemade baked beans slow-cooked for 7 hours with white beans, molasses, ketchup, dry mustard, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Old-fashioned, from-scratch Boston-style beans.

Rye cakes: old-fashioned fried griddle cakes made from rye meal, sour milk, eggs, and molasses. Hearty whole-grain breakfast from New England tradition.

Chinese cold cucumber salad with soy sauce, sesame oil, and white wine vinegar. A crisp, no-cook side dish that comes together in minutes with just six ingredients.

Magic lemon meringue pie thickens sweetened condensed milk with fresh lemon juice and zest, then bakes under a billowing meringue cap. Tart, creamy, and ready in under an hour.

Eggnog French toast made with raisin bread strips dipped in creamy eggnog and pan-fried in butter. A festive holiday breakfast dusted with powdered sugar.

Toasted nut cookies with hazelnuts and pecans made in a food processor. Ultra-thin, crispy lace cookies that bake in just 3 to 4 minutes. A quick ice cream accompaniment.

Shrimp and wine spaghetti in a garlicky tomato sauce with white wine, basil, and oregano. A quick Italian-style seafood pasta dinner ready in under 45 minutes.

Bread machine buttermilk wheat bread with bread flour, whole wheat flour, butter, and just a touch of sugar. A soft, tangy sandwich loaf with minimal effort.

Gingerbread duff loaf made with molasses, ginger, and cinnamon. An old-fashioned baked gingerbread with a dense, spiced crumb and deep caramel sweetness.

Loaded oatmeal cookies with raisins, coconut, nuts, and a touch of molasses for deep flavor. Classic kitchen-sink drop cookies that make 3 dozen for cookie jars and lunchboxes.

Mint julep syrup concentrate made with creme de menthe, lemonade, and lime juice. Mix 1 part syrup to 5 parts water for a refreshing Southern-style drink.

No bake chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cookies that drop straight from the saucepan onto waxed paper. The classic stovetop cookie that sets into fudgy, chewy rounds in under 30 minutes with no oven required.

A flourless-style chocolate cake with ground almonds, rum-soaked currants, and pine nuts on top. Bittersweet chocolate and whipped egg whites create an intensely fudgy, gluten-light torte.

Linzer torte builds a press-in almond and clove dough into a tart shell, then crowns with raspberry preserves, fresh berries, sliced almonds, and a powdered sugar dust. Austrian classic from the city of Linz.

Classic British teatime shortbread cookies with just four ingredients: butter, sugar, flour, and salt. Buttery, crumbly, and pale golden with the traditional fork-pricked tops.

Homemade fortune cookies with cake flour, egg whites, and vanilla, folded warm around personal messages. A crisp Chinese-American treat that turns dessert into a paper-tucked surprise.

Apple pie with a custard twist: cornstarch-thickened cream and egg coat the spiced apples, baking into a smooth, custardy filling under a sparkling cinnamon-sugar crust.

No-bake raspberry chiffon pie in a cinnamon vanilla wafer crust with whipped cream, gelatin-set raspberry filling, and lemon zest. A light, creamy frozen raspberry dessert that chills to a mousse-like texture.

Iced blackberry yogurt swirls seedless blackberry puree with honey, brown sugar, banana, plain yogurt, and a beaten egg white into a light frozen dessert. A no-churn frozen yogurt for hot afternoons.

Little fruit cake squares packed with chopped dates, candied cherries, and pecans, baked in a 9-inch pan and rolled in powdered sugar. Bite-sized holiday treats.

Mexican chocolate cake with 12 ounces of melted semi-sweet chocolate, ground almonds, Kahlua, and mayonnaise for moisture. Beaten egg whites give it a light, almost flourless texture.

Fresh mint-coriander chutney with jalapenos, ginger, and a tadka of sputtering mustard and cumin seeds. A vibrant Indian green chutney for samosas and curries.

Peachy chocolate cake made without eggs, butter, or milk, layered with fresh sliced peaches. A naturally dairy-free chocolate cake with a tender crumb and bright fruit contrast.

Strawberry lemon trifle with homemade genoise cake, lemon curd cream filling, kirsch-strawberry syrup, toasted almonds, and piped whipped cream. A showpiece French-style layered dessert.

Lemon-berry bread with a tangy lemon glaze soaked into every slice. Fresh blueberries, bright citrus zest, and a poke-and-pour syrup finish make this quick loaf irresistible for brunch.

Mock Pink Lady mocktail blended with milk, lemon juice, grenadine, and sugar over ice. A creamy, frothy non-alcoholic drink with a rosy pink color ready in 5 minutes.

Peanut butter brownies with crunchy peanut butter and a marbled chocolate chip top. Soft, chewy bars baked in a 13x9 pan, makes 24.

Chilled strawberry soup pureed with orange juice, spiced sugar syrup, and optional red wine. Strained silky smooth, served cold with a yogurt dollop. A summer starter.

Almond and hazelnut pastry ring with a sweet marzipan-style nut filling, baked in a glossy golden spiral. Classic European dessert pastry for coffee or tea.

Savory quick bread loaded with sun-dried tomatoes, provolone cheese, pine nuts, and scallions. A no-yeast buttermilk loaf that keeps for days.

Baked Caribbean bananas glazed with brown sugar, allspice, and lemon juice. A warm, caramelized tropical dessert ready in under 30 minutes.

Feather light cinnamon sugar muffins made with cake flour and nutmeg, rolled warm in melted butter and cinnamon sugar. Like a donut in muffin form.

Lighter banana bread made with egg whites, buttermilk, and vegetable oil instead of butter. Nutmeg and cloves add warm spice to this lower-fat loaf that stays moist for days.

Mocha icing whips butter, powdered sugar, cocoa, egg yolk, and coffee into a silky chocolate-coffee frosting for cakes and cupcakes. Three-ingredient base, ready in minutes.