Recipes with vanilla bean

Chocolate pecan shortbread cookies, food-processor easy. Cocoa-rich shortbread pressed thin and topped with crystal sugar and ground pecans for crunch.

Diabetic-friendly chocolate peanut butter pie with a cooked custard filling using skim evaporated milk and minimal sugar. Thick, creamy, and lower in sugar.

Santa's Whiskers are festive slice-and-bake cookies with candied cherries and pecans in a buttery dough, rolled in flaked coconut for a snowy, whiskery edge.

Golden sugar cookies made with egg yolks, butter, lemon extract, and cream of tartar for a rich, tender crumb with a hint of citrus. Rolled into balls and baked until just golden.

Spiced meringue cookies with crushed gingersnaps folded into whipped egg whites with cinnamon and ginger. Crisp, airy, and virtually fat-free with a snappy ginger crunch.

Cocoa cream pie with a from-scratch chocolate pudding filling made from cocoa powder, milk, and cornstarch in a baked pie shell. Topped with whipped cream after chilling 6-8 hours.

Chocolate mud frosting made by melting chocolate chips with milk in the microwave, then blending with corn syrup and vanilla. A glossy, fudgy four-ingredient frosting with no butter or powdered sugar.

Maple cloud cake: ethereal egg-foam sponge sweetened with pure maple syrup and crowned with whipped maple-meringue icing. A Quebec-Canadian classic, all maple, no refined sugar.

Chocolate teacake loaf with cocoa, buttermilk, plumped currants, and chopped pecans. A not-too-sweet British-style cake baked in a loaf pan.

Friendship Fiesta Cake hides mashed pinto beans in a spiced bundt cake with apples, raisins, nuts, and a vanilla glaze. Moist, dense, and nobody guesses the secret.

A heirloom three-layer chocolate cake with bloomed cocoa, brown sugar for caramel depth, and tangy buttermilk. Old-school Sunday dinner cake, tender enough to live up to grandma's reputation.

German-style Westphalian cheesecake with cottage cheese, cream cheese, and whipped egg whites for a light, airy texture. Golden-topped and cooled slowly to prevent cracking.

Easy chocolate chip pie is a one-bowl pecan pie variation with chocolate chips and a custardy chocolate-studded filling. No corn syrup, no candy thermometer. Bake and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Potato cream filling whips mashed potato with butter, cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and citrus zests for an unexpectedly silky pastry filling. The Polish-style heritage use for leftover spuds.

Mocha pudding cake: a self-saucing chocolate coffee cake that bakes its own rich fudge sauce underneath the crackled top. Pour boiling water over the batter and let the oven do the magic.

Toll House layer cake with chocolate chip cookie-style layers frosted with rich chocolate buttercream. A four-layer sheet cake made from classic Toll House cookie dough baked flat and stacked.

Raisin breakfast bars with wheat germ, honey, walnuts, and cinnamon. A chewy, wholesome grab-and-go bar baked in one pan with simple pantry ingredients.

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.

Crushed crackers folded into stiff meringue with pecans create a crispy-chewy crust that bakes into a pie shell, topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.

Homemade chocolate sauce with semi-sweet chocolate, butter, sugar, and a splash of vanilla. Glossy, pourable, and shelf-stable for 6 months in the fridge. The make-ahead dessert sauce that beats every jarred version.

Eggless chocolate cake using vinegar and skim milk for tender, moist layers. A wartime-style two-layer cake with a light chocolate whipped frosting. Sixteen servings of nostalgia.

Cheddar fruit drop cookies with sharp cheddar cheese, crushed pineapple, and maraschino cherries. A sweet-savory cookie that balances tangy cheese with tropical fruit in every bite.

Baked bananas in a Caribbean-style rum caramel sauce with fresh orange juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. A simple, warm dessert inspired by Grenada.

Zebra bars layer chocolate and vanilla batter in a 13x9 pan, topped with chocolate chips and walnuts. Two-toned cookie bars from one butter-brown sugar dough.

One bowl macaroons need just three ingredients: shredded coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. Chewy centers, crisp golden edges, ready in 35 minutes. Naturally gluten-free.

Double chocolate pecan cookies with cocoa-rich brownie-style dough, semi-sweet chips, and toasted pecans. Soft chewy chocolate cookies that taste like brownies in cookie form.

Oatmeal ranger cookies pack rolled oats, corn flakes, and shredded coconut into a chewy brown-sugar dough. The cowboy-cookie cousin with a crisp-edge crunch from the corn flakes.

Chocolate bonbon cookies: a holiday favorite rolled in powdered sugar or frosted and topped with coconut. Rich chocolate-almond cookies that shine on a holiday cookie tray.

Orange breakfast shake blended with fresh OJ, skim milk, vanilla, and a touch of sugar. Light, creamy, and ready in minutes for busy mornings.

Mini chess cake tarts in cream cheese pastry shells with a choice of pecan brown sugar filling or coconut filling. Bite-sized Southern tea-tray classics.

Old-fashioned chocolate fudge made with unsweetened chocolate, butter, and unflavored gelatin for a smooth, sliceable texture. Customize with nuts, coconut, or crushed candy mix-ins.

Honey almond heart cookies made with whole wheat and all-purpose flour, rolled thin and cut into heart shapes. Fill with a thumbprint of jam for a sweet, naturally sweetened Valentine's treat.

Brownies baked in mason jars with cocoa, buttermilk, and cinnamon. A sealed jar brownie that makes a charming homemade gift, decorated with fabric and ribbon.

Rich chocolate cheesecake with a chocolate wafer crust, melted semi-sweet chocolate folded into the filling, and a tangy sour cream topping. A dense, slice-with-a-warm-knife dessert.

Lemon poppy seed muffins made with fat-free sour cream, egg substitute, and a third cup of fresh lemon juice. Sugar-dusted tops, tender crumb, lighter take.

Crunchy apple pie with chopped pecans, brown sugar, and a foamy egg white batter baked in a single crust. Open-faced with a crisp, golden top.

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

Triple chocolate cookies with melted semi-sweet and unsweetened chocolate in the batter, chocolate chips folded in, then dipped in more melted chocolate. Fudgy, crackle-topped, and loaded with nuts.

Pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with rolled oats, canned pumpkin, cinnamon, and semisweet chocolate chips. Soft, cake-like fall cookies. Yields 48.

Poached mangoes in brown sugar and cinnamon syrup served over vanilla ice cream. A warm tropical fruit dessert that comes together in 30 minutes.

Butterscotch brownies (blondies) made by melting butter with brown sugar for that toffee-deep flavor, then folding in nuts for crunch. One bowl, 25 minutes, and a chewy fudgy texture that beats any boxed mix.

Mocha layer cake made with cocoa and strong coffee, filled with sweetened whipped cream, dates, and nuts. A vintage two-layer cake dusted with powdered sugar.

Buttery pretzel-shaped cookies made with powdered sugar, egg whites, and vanilla, baked golden and drizzled with an optional chocolate frosting. A fun twist on classic butter cookies.

Jack-o-lantern cookies with crushed lemon drops melted into the cutout eyes, nose, and mouth to create a glowing stained-glass effect. A fun Halloween baking project for kids.

Classic carrot cake loaf with grated carrots, cinnamon, chopped nuts, and cream cheese frosting. Baked in loaf pans for easy slicing, this moist oil-based cake is simple to make.

Cherry cheesecake pie with tart red cherries baked under a creamy vanilla cream cheese topping in a pie shell. Almond extract adds a subtle, fragrant finish. Two desserts in one.

Four-layer double-chocolate torte with unsweetened chocolate cake, chocolate filling, and whipped cream frosting in alternating layers. A tall, impressive celebration cake with intense chocolate flavor and a light cream finish.

Wheat germ and nut zucchini bread, a hearty quickbread loaded with grated zucchini, toasted wheat germ, cinnamon, and chopped nuts. Two-loaf yield makes one for now and one for the freezer.