Recipes with vanilla bean

Chocolate silk pie with a no-bake filling whipped silky-smooth by beating eggs into creamed butter, sugar, and unsweetened chocolate. Chilled in a flaky shell and crowned with billowy whipped cream.

Pecan crisps made with butter, brown sugar, and vanilla, rolled thin and topped with a pecan half. A simple kneaded dough yields tender, nutty cookies with lightly browned edges.

Nearly brownie cookies with melted semisweet chocolate, butter, and chopped pecans. Fudgy, crackly-topped, and intensely chocolatey with minimal flour for maximum richness.

Chocolate-spice crinkle cookies rolled in sugar with cocoa, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and cloves. Chewy, fragrant, and lower-fat thanks to a yogurt swap for most of the butter.

Chocolate sheet cake (Texas sheet cake) with hot cocoa-buttermilk batter and a poured cocoa-buttermilk icing finished while the cake is still hot. The Southern church-supper crowd-feeder cut into 24 squares.

Banana layer cake with mashed bananas folded into a classic creamed butter and cake flour batter. A soft, tender two-layer cake with old-fashioned technique and genuine banana flavor.

White chocolate nut cookies with hand-chopped white chocolate chunks and mixed nuts in a brown sugar dough. A big-batch drop cookie with crisp edges and a chewy, buttery center.

Versatile Czech kolace dough made like pie crust with shortening, egg yolks, and yeast. Chills overnight, then rolls out on powdered sugar for filled pastries in any shape.

Old-fashioned brownies with unsweetened chocolate, butter, pecans, and a simple creamed batter. A vintage one-bowl recipe that bakes in 25 minutes flat.

Fudgy brownies made with unsweetened chocolate, butter, and pecans. Customize the bake time for fudgy or cakey results, and the pan size for giant or bite-sized squares.

Soft orange drop cookies made with frozen orange juice concentrate and powdered sugar, topped with a bright orange frosting. A retro citrus cookie with a tender bite and clean orange flavor.

One-bowl brownies made with melted unsweetened chocolate, butter, and chopped nuts. Fudgy, rich, and minimal cleanup with the chocolate melted right in the mixing bowl.

Pecan butter balls made with chopped pecans, butter, and vanilla, baked until sandy and tender. A classic Southern cookie for holiday tins and gift boxes.

Streusel apple pie with a creamy sour cream custard binding tender chopped apples and a hint of lemon zest in a single crust. A tangy, rich twist on classic apple pie, easy enough for any baker.

Homemade cocoa mocha: steamed milk with cocoa powder, instant coffee, sugar, and vanilla. A simple stovetop mocha that beats the coffee-shop version for pennies.

Classic hamantashen with a tender oil-based dough scented with orange zest, folded into triangles around your favorite filling. The traditional Purim cookie.

Old-fashioned Omaha brownies made with melted unsweetened chocolate, sour cream, and walnuts. Fudgy edges with a slightly cakey center, the way grandma made them.

Warm chocolate cake on top, gooey pudding sauce underneath creates a magical self-saucing dessert that forms two distinct layers as it bakes.

Peanut butter oatmeal drop cookies with chopped peanuts and brown sugar. Chewy, nutty cookies made with shortening for a soft, thick texture.

Poppy seed tea bread with a dense, buttery crumb and a gentle crunch from whole poppy seeds. Makes two loaves that store well and slice beautifully.

Kruchiy (Ukrainian fried knot cookies) made with sour cream, egg yolks, and vanilla, tied into knots and deep-fried until golden. Sprinkled with sugar to finish.

Buttery shortbread-style nut cookies with almond extract and chopped nuts, shaped by hand into rustic finger rolls. Tender, crumbly, and lightly sweet.

Two-layer lemon cake with a homemade lemon curd filling made from fresh lemon juice, zest, butter, and eggs. A classic from-scratch layer cake with a bright, tangy coating.

Oatmeal coconut crisps made with butter, brown sugar, and quick oats for thin, crispy edges and chewy centers. A big-batch cookie recipe that freezes beautifully.

Banana orange juice breakfast smoothie with egg and vanilla. A creamy, protein-rich morning shake blended in under 10 minutes with just four ingredients.

Orange almond cookies with chopped almonds and orange zest in the dough, a thumbprint center filled with a whole blanched almond, and an egg wash for golden shine.

Chocolate greeting card cake: a moist sour cream chocolate sheet cake ready to decorate with frosting lettering for birthdays, anniversaries, or get-well wishes. Classic, personalizable, and crowd-sized.

Peppermint candy fudge: crushed peppermint sticks boiled into a chocolate marshmallow fudge for cool, minty bite and a creamy set. A festive Christmas candy that cuts into clean squares.

Gugelhupf is an Austrian yeasted bundt cake rich with butter, eggs, raisins, ground almonds, and lemon zest. Traditional Habsburg breakfast bread served warm with butter or coffee.

No-bake chocolate walnut cream balls rolled in cocoa-dusted powdered sugar. Five ingredients, no cooking required, and ready in 20 minutes. Old-fashioned bonbon-style sweet for the holiday tin.

Old-fashioned icebox cookies with dark brown sugar, butter, walnuts, and vanilla. Slice-and-bake in just 4 minutes for crispy, caramelized edges.

Our Favorite...Makes 40-60 depending on the size you like them

Double chocolate chip cookies with melted semisweet chocolate in the dough plus chocolate morsels and walnuts folded in. Rich, fudgy, and intensely chocolatey drop cookies.

Golden raisin bread with whole wheat flour, buttermilk, and warm cinnamon bakes into two tender loaves ideal for morning toast or afternoon tea. Optional vanilla icing adds breakfast-cake sweetness.

Lower-sugar oatmeal raisin drop cookies with rolled oats, cinnamon, brown sugar, and just a quarter cup of margarine. A lighter take on the classic cookie that still delivers chewy oat texture and warm spice.

Old-fashioned apple cake loaded with sliced apples, walnuts, and cinnamon in a moist oil-based batter. No mixer needed for this rustic 9x13 sheet cake.

Chocolate chunk cookies with hand-cut semi-sweet chocolate pieces and walnuts, topped with a melted chocolate glaze. Triple chocolate intensity in every cookie.

Spells & Bells are festive Christmas cookies cut into holiday shapes and deep fried until golden and puffed, then served plain, sugared or glazed. A cream-rich fried dough that's crisp outside and tender within.

Butter pecan tea cookies rolled in powdered sugar while warm. A classic snowball cookie with a melt-in-your-mouth shortbread texture, baked until firm but not browned.

Fudgy brownies made with unsweetened chocolate and butter for an intensely rich, crackly-topped square. Simple pantry ingredients, optional walnuts, and a velvety batter.

Two-layer cheesecake with a cream cheese filling baked first, then topped with a tangy sour cream layer and baked again. Simple, creamy, and foolproof on a graham cracker crust.

Eggless cocoa cake made with no butter, milk, or eggs. A depression-era style chocolate cake using vinegar and baking soda for lift, baked in a tube pan. Naturally vegan.

Holiday mint log is a light chocolate sponge cake rolled into a classic yule log shape. Separated eggs keep the cake airy enough to roll without cracking, baked in just 12-15 minutes.

Thumbprint buttercream cookies made with brown sugar, egg yolks, and shortening, coated in stiff egg whites and nuts, then filled with buttercream icing after baking.

Apple nut cake spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, loaded with fresh apples and nuts in a one-bowl batter. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Marbled chocolate cookies with sour cream, melted chocolate folded into vanilla dough for a swirled effect. Soft, cakey, and baked low and slow for no browning.

Miniature cookie houses: a sturdy vanilla cookie dough built for construction. Roll, cut, bake, and decorate into tiny Christmas houses. The classic holiday project for kids and crafty bakers.

Homemade chocolate sauce from pantry staples, cocoa powder, sugar, and water simmered into a smooth, pourable syrup finished with vanilla. The easy stand-in for store-bought chocolate syrup.