Recipes with sugar

Brewed tea mixed with fresh lemon juice, orange juice, and sugar, then topped off with fizzy lemon-lime soda over ice. A refreshing pitcher drink ready in 15 minutes for hot summer days and cookouts.

hese are perfect for serving with coffee and dessert, and I include them in boxes of home-made assorted cookies for gift giving

This egg-free, dairy-free chocolate wacky cake uses applesauce and vinegar for a moist, tender crumb. A Depression-era classic that mixes right in the pan and bakes in under 30 minutes.

Old-fashioned drop cookies made with lard, brown sugar, and eggs. Just five ingredients, a big batch of 5 dozen, and that tender crumb only lard can give you.

Piped kiss-shaped meringues dried overnight in the oven, then dipped in melted semisweet chocolate. Light as a snowflake and stunning on a holiday cookie tray.

Buttery slice-and-bake cookies studded with chopped almonds or hazelnuts, then dipped in melted chocolate. Crisp, nutty, and elegant enough for a holiday cookie box.

Holiday hermit cookies with raisins, candied fruit, walnuts, and oats spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. A chewy, old-fashioned drop cookie perfect for Christmas baking.

Fluffy pink grapefruit frosting is a seven-minute frosting made with egg whites, sugar, and grapefruit juice beaten over a double boiler into billowy, citrus-scented peaks.

Maple taffy apples coated in a boiled maple syrup and brown sugar candy shell that snaps when you bite through. An ice water dip sets the coating smooth and glossy. Real maple flavor, not just caramel.

Sweet and tart with the perfect flake-to-crunch ratio. It's all about the butter pats.

Smoky chipotle salsa blended from canned chipotles in adobo, tomato paste, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar. Sweet, fiery, and ready in 10 minutes. Makes 2 cups.

Hearty buttermilk muffins loaded with wheat germ, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds. Brown sugar sweetness with a nutty crunch in every bite. Makes muffins or a loaf.

Two desserts in one: a baked pecan pie base topped with a silky blended chocolate filling and whipped cream. Three luxurious layers in a single pie crust.

Sweet and sour pork made entirely in the microwave with a browning dish. Thin-sliced pork, crisp-tender veggies, and a glossy pineapple-ginger sauce served over rice. Dinner for two in 45 minutes.

San Fernando Valley pinquitos are slow-simmered pinto beans cooked with raw sausage, sliced apples, tomato juice, and brown sugar. A sweet-savory Southern California classic.

Raspberry dream bars with a buttery shortbread base, a layer of raspberry jam, and a coconut-egg topping that bakes golden and chewy. Three layers of flavor in every bite.

Lemon coconut refrigerator cookies with fresh lemon zest and juice. A slice-and-bake icebox cookie that chills overnight and bakes in 10 minutes.

Ravioli soup simmers cheese ravioli in a beefy tomato-marinara broth with garlic, basil, and oregano, then finishes with parmesan and melty mozzarella. It tastes like lasagna in a bowl and comes together in about 30 minutes.

Pear bread pudding with rum-soaked raisins, butter-sauteed pears, and a rich egg custard baked until golden. An autumn dessert that turns stale bread and ripe pears into something extraordinary.

Enjoy these strong coffee and chocolate flavored brownies.

Honey lemon soaked cake baked in a tube pan, pierced while warm, and drenched with a hot honey-lemon syrup. Finished with a dusting of powdered sugar.

Candied spiced walnuts or pecans coated in orange zest, cinnamon, cloves, and powdered sugar, then baked until dry and crunchy. A festive holiday snack or handmade gift.

Chewy hermit bars with molasses, brown sugar, raisins, and warm spices baked in a single pan and dusted with powdered sugar. A classic New England spiced cookie bar that makes 32 pieces.

A fast, easy chocolate frosting made from cocoa powder, sugar, and a splash of boiling water beaten with margarine until creamy. A quick, dairy-free way to frost any cake with real chocolate flavor.

A multi-layered chocolate showstopper: fudgy brownie, chocolate ganache, cocoa meringue, mocha mousse, and rum sauce all in one jaw-dropping dessert.

Geneva pear flan, a Swiss shortcrust tart piled with fresh pears, candied citrus peel, raisins and walnut oil, moistened with white wine and finished with a blanket of baked cream. An old-world tart from the French-Swiss border.

A colorful five-bean salad with green beans, lima beans, kidney beans, wax beans, and chickpeas tossed in a tangy sweet vinegar dressing with green pepper, celery, and green onions. Best made overnight.

German-style cabbage fruit salad with shredded cabbage, diced apple, raisins, and a creamy pineapple-lemon sour cream dressing. No cooking, ready in 10 minutes.

Buttermilk scones with a tender crumb and a sugar-dusted top, plus three built-in variations: citrus, raisin, or warm-spiced. Classic British-style scones for tea, brunch, or breakfast.

Garlic-ginger chicken baked with sweet potatoes in a sweet-savory soy, sherry and brown sugar glaze. Chicken and tender sweet potato medallions roast in one dish, then go over steamed rice with a scatter of green onion.

Crunchy bok choy apple slaw with Granny Smith apple, carrots, and red onion in a tangy sour cream dressing. No cooking required, low calorie, and ready in 15 minutes.

This deep-dish pumpkin pie swaps the traditional pastry crust for a buttery brown sugar crumb topping with chopped nuts. Sweetened condensed milk and warm spices like cinnamon and allspice make every bite rich and creamy.

Deep-fried sticky rice dumplings filled with pork, dried shrimp, and bamboo shoots in a sweet rice flour dough. A crispy, chewy Chinese dim sum classic that puffs up golden brown in the fryer.

A four-layer cheesecake masterpiece: walnut-graham crust, dense cream cheese filling, silky sour cream topping, and whole strawberries drenched in a Cointreau-spiked raspberry glaze. Plan ahead; it needs 2 to 3 days to reach peak flavor.

Delicate lace cookies made with ground almonds, rolled into cylinders while warm. Precision-timed European cookies perfect for special occasions and holidays.

French apple cake with poached apples topped in a light, flourless almond batter with lemon zest and whipped egg whites. Served lukewarm with custard or cream.

Baked chicken wings glazed in a sticky homemade sweet-and-sour sauce made from ketchup, vinegar, and sugar. Just 5 ingredients, one pan, and an hour from oven to table.

Espresso hazelnut cheesecake with a butter cookie cinnamon crust, water bath baked filling with roasted hazelnuts, and piped whipped cream with espresso beans.

Pistachio chip cookies with white vanilla milk chips, brown sugar, and a touch of oats for chew. Buttery, salty-sweet drop cookies studded with crunchy green pistachios in every bite.

No-bake peach ice cream cake layered with gingersnap crumbs, toasted almonds, crystallized ginger, peach frozen yogurt, vanilla ice cream, and caramel sauce. Frozen overnight and sliced like a loaf.

Rack of lamb marinated 48 hours in fresh herbs, roasted to perfection, served with complex red wine demi-glace sauce studded with ham and pickles.

Golden butter cake loaves with toasted almond crust on the bottom and sweet almond glaze on top. Easy recipe using cake mix with impressive bakery results.

Easy bread machine recipe with a soft, buttery crumb. Just load the ingredients, press start, and let the machine do the heavy lifting for fresh homemade bread.

Egg and pork pad thai: soaked rice sticks stir-fried with garlic, pork, and crispy egg in a sweet-salty-sour fish sauce, finished with bean sprouts, cilantro, and lime. Homemade Thai takeout in 30 minutes.

Banana bread made with Grape-Nuts cereal for crunch, egg substitute, buttermilk, and corn syrup. A lower-fat banana loaf with nutty texture and no butter or oil needed.

Raisin sour cream pie tops a tangy spiced custard filling with caramelly brown sugar meringue. An old-school diner-style dessert with creamy depth and toasted golden swirls.

No-bake peanut butter Rice Chex cookies with pecans, sugar, and corn syrup. A crunchy, chewy candy cookie that sets on wax paper in minutes with no oven needed.

A from-scratch blueberry lemon cobbler with a flaky buttermilk biscuit crust brushed golden and sprinkled with sugar. Lemon zest and warm spices make 3 pints of berries sing.