Recipes with sugar

Fudgy walnut raspberry brownies with a gooey jam layer and velvet chocolate glaze. Crunchy walnuts meet tart raspberry in every rich, chewy bite.

Norwegian sandbakkels are delicate almond shortbread tarts pressed into fluted tins. Traditional Scandinavian Christmas cookies with buttery, sand-textured crumbs.

Classic bananas flambe with rum and banana liqueur, sauteed in butter and brown sugar with cinnamon. A dramatic tableside dessert served over vanilla ice cream.

Soft, sugar-coated cookie drops studded with mint chocolate chips. Made with oil instead of butter for a tender crumb that stays chewy for days.

Kouglof (Sweet Brioche with Raisins and Almonds) recipe

Marinated asparagus salad with red pepper, red onion, and tangy raspberry vinaigrette. A make-ahead cold side dish that gets better overnight. No oil, naturally light.

Beer and beef stew from Granite Brewery with cubed beef, root vegetables, Dijon mustard, and a dark chocolate-brown roux. A pub-style stew thickened with a proper French roux.

Golden saffron cake with rose water and pistachios, soaked in vanilla sugar syrup and cut into diamonds like baklava. A fragrant Middle Eastern-inspired low-fat dessert.

A classic New England blueberry grunt made in the slow cooker. Berries simmer into a thick, bubbling sauce topped with fluffy biscuit dumplings and a sprinkle of brown sugar.

A quick microwave cheesecake pie with sliced peaches on a buttery graham crust, creamy almond-scented filling, and a glossy raspberry jam topping. Peach Melba meets cheesecake in 25 minutes.

Layers of enriched yeast dough twisted with spiced almond filling create a stunning centerpiece bread that's perfect for holiday brunches and special breakfasts.

Homemade mint wafers with just 3 ingredients: powdered sugar, sweetened condensed milk, and peppermint extract. No-bake candy that's simple to shape and perfect for gifting.

Okroshka, a chilled Russian meat and vegetable soup with diced cucumber, hard-boiled eggs, sour cream, and mustard in an apple cider base standing in for traditional kvass.

Ginger-loaded tofu stir-fry with tree ear mushrooms, green peas, and a sweet-sour vinegar finish. A quick Chinese vegetarian wok dish with earthy, bold flavors.

Soft cocoa oatmeal cookies with plump raisins, made with egg whites instead of whole eggs. A lighter chocolate cookie that stays chewy and satisfying for days.

Macadamia chiffon pie folds rum-spiked custard, beaten egg whites, and chopped macadamias into a feather-light filling, set with gelatin and topped with rum whipped cream. A retro showpiece pie.

Gateau Russe aux Noix, a French-Russian walnut cake with almond meringue layers, coffee buttercream, rum syrup, and caramelized walnuts. A showpiece patisserie dessert.

Maple pecan sticky buns bake an oat-enriched dough over a gooey maple-pecan syrup that turns into a glossy topping when inverted. Filled with cinnamon, raisins and pecans, they're a weekend brunch treat.

Thai stir-fried squid with fresh red chilies, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, and oyster sauce. Pla Mung Pad Prig delivers tender squid with serious heat in under 15 minutes of cooking.

Instant Irish coffee with Irish whiskey, brown sugar, and whipped cream, made fast in the microwave with instant coffee crystals. Cozy 10-minute Saint Patrick's Day cocktail.

A flourless chocolate torte for Passover made with cocoa, eggs, toasted almonds, and butter. Baked thin in a jelly-roll pan and cut into layers, this elegant Pesach dessert rises on whipped egg whites alone.

Middle Eastern fried pastries filled with spiced almond-cinnamon filling and dipped in sugar syrup. Crispy finger-shaped cookies that freeze beautifully.

New Mexican spareribs simmered tender, then marinated overnight in pureed dried red chiles, tequila, cider vinegar and brown sugar. Grilled hot for a smoky, deeply spiced char. Real Southwestern barbecue.

Chinese four-vegetable steamed platter with baby corn, straw mushrooms, bok choy, and tomato arranged like a flower and finished with a glossy chicken-fat sauce thickened with cornstarch.

Egg-free yellow cake with cake flour, liquid egg substitute, and a touch of sugar substitute for a lighter, lower-sugar bake. Soft, tender crumb that proves you don't need eggs to get a classic vanilla cake.

French country soup with beef shank, cabbage, turnips, rutabaga, green beans, and elbow macaroni in a tomato broth seasoned with cloves. A hearty pot-au-feu style meal that simmers for hours.

Grilled chicken marinated in gin, lemon juice, lemon zest, and fresh oregano. The juniper botanicals in the gin add a piney, herbal depth to the marinade.

Braised red cabbage with apple, a German-style side simmered with onion, cloves, and bay, finished with sugar and vinegar for the classic sweet-sour balance. Vegan and low calorie.

Silky Bavarian cream with vanilla and almond extract, set in stemmed glasses and drizzled with fresh raspberry puree. A light, elegant no-bake dessert that's ready in 20 minutes plus chilling time.

Soft-centered cookies loaded with semisweet and vanilla milk chips plus slivered almonds. Brown butter dough with almond extract creates bakery-style treats.

Shisky are Eastern European yeast doughnuts spiked with rum or whiskey, double-risen, deep-fried to golden perfection, and dusted with powdered sugar. Light, pillowy, and just a little boozy.

A quick blueberry peach coffee cake built on a muffin mix base and crowned with sliced peaches and cinnamon streusel. Ready in 45 minutes with just 6 ingredients.

Beer-braised jalapeño chili loaded with beef and pork, three kinds of chiles, and toasted cumin, with no beans in sight. A fiery Texas-style bowl that simmers low in the crock-pot until the meat falls apart.

Sweet, juicy pears meet crisp cucumber in this refreshing two-ingredient salad with a bright lemon-sugar dressing. Ready in 5 minutes, it's the perfect light side for summer meals.

Grilled West Indies spice-rubbed chicken breast with curry, paprika, cumin, and cayenne, served with molasses-glazed grilled bananas. A Caribbean-inspired grill plate with bold heat and tropical sweetness.

Orange angel food cake with cardamom caramel sauce and tropical fruit compote of mango, passion fruit, kiwi, and blood orange. A three-part make-ahead showstopper for dinner parties.

Curd cheese pastries with whole wheat shortcrust rectangles sandwiched around a filling of cottage cheese, pine nuts, raisins, sugar, and lemon. A medieval-inspired pastry snack.

Special Raisin and Walnut Cinnamon Rolls with Glaze recipe

Javanese pork satay skewers marinated in a peanut butter, soy sauce, and brown sugar blend, grilled and served with cucumber-yogurt raita over rice.

Hunan-style salmon stir-fried with chili paste, soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, and garlic in a glossy sauce. Finished with toasted pumpkin seeds over rice.

Frozen angel pie with a nutty meringue shell filled with coffee and chocolate ice cream, drizzled with warm brown sugar caramel sauce. A retro showstopper.

Homemade microwave dog biscuits made with whole wheat flour, oats, cornmeal and beef bouillon. No oven required, no preservatives, and tail-wag approved. A pantry-staple treat for your pup.

Marbled pumpkin cheesecake squares swirl a tangy cream cheese topping into a spiced pumpkin batter built with prune puree instead of butter or oil. Lower-fat fall dessert with cinnamon, ginger and clove.

Moist buttermilk cornbread studded with fresh blueberries, made with both cornmeal and masa flour for extra corn flavor and a tender crumb. Just 8 minutes of prep and 20 minutes in the oven for a kid-friendly side or snack.

Shrimp, cod, and calamari sautéed with garlic and tossed with tagliatelle in a simmered tomato-wine sauce with mussels on top. A showstopping Italian seafood pasta for a crowd.

No-bake mocha peanut butter balls rolled from instant coffee, cocoa, oatmeal, and crunchy peanut butter. A sugar-free, no-cook snack you can make in 10 minutes flat.

French apple cake made with yellow cake mix, lemon pudding, Granny Smith apples, and raisins, finished with a tart lemon glaze. A spiced bundt cake that stays moist thanks to sour cream.

Sweet and sour pork with vinegar-simmered pork shoulder, pineapple, peppers, and onions in a glossy honey-soy sauce. Restaurant takeout, recreated at home with tender meat.