Recipes with sugar

Sugared asparagus sauteed in butter and brown sugar, then simmered in chicken broth until crisp-tender. A sweet-savory side dish with just 4 ingredients.

Italian blueberry gelato made with a real egg yolk custard, pureed fresh blueberries, lemon zest, and whipped cream folded in before churning.

A thin-crust homemade pizza baked on hot tiles for a crisp base, with garlic oil, tomato sauce, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and cottage cheese in place of mozzarella. A lighter, vegetable-loaded family-night pie.

Giant sunflower-shaped cookie with heart-shaped petals around the edge, frosted center sprinkled with chocolate chips and sunflower seeds. A showstopping party dessert you slice into wedges.

Espresso cake is a coffee-infused angel food cake: 12 whipped egg whites, cake flour, and espresso baked in a tube pan, then finished with a coffee-cocoa icing. Feather-light and caffeinated.

Chocolate cake ala Florence made with unsweetened chocolate melted in hot water, cake flour, buttermilk, and butter. A one-bowl, dump-and-beat method with rich, dark crumb.

Ginger molasses cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar with a crackled top. Loaded with ginger, cloves, and cinnamon for bold spice. Underbake for soft centers or bake full for snaps.

Lemon yogurt bread: a tender quick bread loaf made with lemon yogurt and fresh lemon juice. Makes two loaves perfect for gifting, freezing, or weekend breakfast.

Molletes are traditional Mexican cookies made with cornmeal, butter, egg yolks, and pine nuts. Lightly sweet with a sandy, crumbly texture from the cornmeal.

Toasted coconut cookies with oats, walnuts, and flaked coconut baked until golden brown. A chewy drop cookie with nutty, tropical flavor from toasted coconut and toasted walnuts in every bite.

Crock pot lemonade chicken: chicken browned and slow-cooked in a sweet-tangy glaze of frozen lemonade concentrate, brown sugar, ketchup and vinegar, then thickened into a glossy gravy and served over rice. An easy set-and-forget dinner.

Sourdough biscuit dough: a refrigerator dough made with yeast and buttermilk that bakes into tender, fluffy biscuits anytime. Improves with age, lasting up to a week in the fridge.

Toffee squares with a buttery brown sugar shortbread base, melted chocolate on top, and chopped nuts. A sheet pan cookie bar that's rich, crunchy, and easy to make.

Crispy vanilla rosettes fried on a decorative iron, then dipped in vanilla icing. Scandinavian holiday cookies that look like edible snowflakes. Yields 12 cookies.

Triple pear puree, a silky autumn condiment built on Anjou pears simmered to applesauce thickness with pear vinegar, sugar, and a finishing splash of pear brandy. The pantry staple that transforms a cheese board.

Hazelnut chocolate toffee layers crunchy buttery brown-sugar candy with toasted hazelnuts and a melted-on chocolate chip topping. Holiday gift candy that breaks into rough shards.

Hidden Jewels are brown sugar bar cookies studded with colorful gumdrops and walnuts, lightened with folded egg whites. A retro candy-filled treat kids love.

Golden orange sponge cake leavened entirely with whipped eggs, flavoured with fresh orange juice and pulp plus a hit of lemon extract. A light, fat-free cake baked in a springform pan and inverted to cool.

Whipped cinnamon honey butter with brown sugar and vanilla, blended until fluffy and spreadable. Makes three half-pound portions that freeze beautifully for gifts or everyday toast.

Slow-baked caramelized peanuts coated in brown sugar, salt, and a thin egg white wash. A holiday gift candy with a crunchy, candied shell and deep molasses sweetness.

Apple pie topped with marshmallow meringue instead of a top crust. Cinnamon-spiced apples baked in a flaky shell, finished with fluffy marshmallow cream and egg white topping browned to golden.

Cherry pie with a tapioca-thickened tart cherry filling, brightened with almond extract, lemon, and a whisper of cinnamon and clove, all tucked under a flaky shortening double crust.

Sugar and spice apple nut cake, a one-bowl single-layer cake loaded with chopped fresh apples, warm cinnamon and nutmeg, and crunchy nuts, baked in a square pan.

Light, airy cheesecake with whipped egg whites folded into the cream cheese filling, baked on a graham cracker crust and topped with sweetened sour cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Three-ingredient shortbread dough shaped three ways: classic wedges, thumbprint cookies with fruit preserves, and pecan spice triangles with vanilla icing. One dough, three desserts.

Classic homemade chocolate cake with deep cocoa flavor baked in layers or a sheet pan. This tender, from-scratch cake is perfect for birthdays and celebrations.

Doughnut muffins taste like old-fashioned cake doughnuts in a muffin tin. Warm muffins dipped in melted butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar, with that signature nutmeg backbone.

Summer rhubarb crisp with a cinnamon-sugar streusel baked over tart fresh rhubarb until bubbly and golden. Six-ingredient old-fashioned dessert served warm with cream or ice cream.

Vegan tofu French toast: silky soft tofu blended into a creamy egg-free custard for soaking whole-wheat bread. Dairy-free, plant-based brunch protein.

Cream cheese roll: a tender sour-cream yeast dough rolled around cream cheese filling, snipped into a braided pattern, and baked golden. A brunch-ready pastry for any occasion.

Peachy pinwheels swirl a soft butter cookie dough around a nutmeg-spiced dried peach filling, then slice and bake into spiral cookies. A pretty pinwheel cookie for the holiday tin.

Homemade strawberry popsicles with real frozen strawberries, skim milk, and unflavored gelatin for a creamy texture. A low-fat frozen treat kids can help make.

Old-fashioned white drop cookies with nutmeg and vanilla. A big-batch recipe using shortening for soft, cakey cookies that stay tender for days.

An elegant French toast with a touch of lemon, for a company brunch.

Stewed rhubarb is the simplest spring compote: rhubarb and sugar simmered into a tart-sweet sauce. Spoon over yogurt, ice cream, pancakes, or eat it straight from the jar.

These are always a big hit. Sweet and spicy with crunchy edges and soft chewy center. Mmmm...

Rhubarb-apple crunch layers tart rhubarb and sliced apples under a brown sugar oat crumble, baked until bubbling. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for a spring dessert.

Baked raisin cinnamon doughnuts made from a biscuit-style dough with no frying. Brushed with melted butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar for a tender, old-fashioned treat.

Peach cake with sliced summer peaches dredged in flour and folded into a thick, oil-based cinnamon batter. Bakes up moist with a tender crumb, finished with a powdered sugar glaze or a dollop of whipped cream.

Foolproof frying batter with flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and water. No eggs needed. Crispy, light, and works on any vegetable, fish, or seafood.

Summer cucumber crisps: refrigerator quick pickles with cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and mustard seed. Sweet-tart spiced pickle chips, no canning, ready overnight.

Creamy honey dressing with mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, and minced onion. Sweet, tangy, and emulsified smooth in 10 minutes for fruit salad, slaw, or spinach salads.

Mint chocolate candy cheesecake: chocolate wafer crust topped with a silky cream cheese filling swirled with semi-sweet chocolate and creme de menthe. Andes-candy cheesecake vibes.

Puffed apple pancake: a dramatic oven-baked Dutch baby studded with cinnamon-caramelized apples. Pours flat, emerges with golden billowing edges and a custardy center. Breakfast theater in one skillet.

Rich devil's food layer cake: a deeply dark, old-fashioned two-layer chocolate cake made with melted unsweetened chocolate, brown sugar, and buttermilk-style milk. The birthday cake blueprint.

Soft ginger cream cookies spiced with ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon, sweetened with molasses, and topped with vanilla or orange frosting. This big-batch recipe makes 6 dozen.

Crisp hazelnut meringues made with just three ingredients and slow-baked for three hours until dry and shatteringly light. A gluten-free cookie with toasty nut flavor in every bite.

Korean roasted whole chicken (tongdak) steamed first for tender meat, then basted with a sesame-soy-ginger-garlic sauce as it grills or rotisserie roasts. Finished with a brush of sesame oil for golden color and nutty flavor.