10,000 desert recipes

Mexican wedding cookies (polvorones): tender almond shortbread balls baked low and slow, then rolled twice in powdered sugar for that signature snowy coating. Melt-in-your-mouth holiday classics.

Winner of the 1991 Michigan Chocolate Cake Contest Created by Linda Theil

Cherry date skillet cookies skip the oven entirely. Buttery dates and brown sugar bubble together in a skillet, then bind with rice cereal, coconut, and maraschino cherries into chewy, no-bake bites rolled in coconut.

Raisin bourbon pie folds whiskey-soaked golden raisins into a creamy chiffon custard set with gelatin in a flaky shell. A boozy Southern-style chilled pie for grown-up dessert tables.

Southern chocolate pecan pie loaded with sweet chocolate, corn syrup, pecans, and a hit of coffee in both filling and topping. Classic Southern pecan pie crossed with a mocha mousse finish.

Cookie brittle with chocolate chips and walnuts pressed into one pan, baked, then snapped into snappy shards. Sugar-substitute friendly with crisp, candy-like edges.

Soft chocolate oatmeal cookies made with cocoa, yogurt, and chocolate extract instead of butter. Low-fat, slightly puffy, and rich in chocolate flavor without the guilt.

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.

Macerated strawberries spooned into sherbet dishes and draped with a brandy-kissed yogurt cream, then scattered with sliced almonds and chocolate shavings. An Italian no-cook dessert ready in 30 minutes.

Surprise packages are butter cookies with a chocolate mint wafer hidden inside each one, iced and decorated to look like tiny Christmas presents. A fun holiday baking project.

Fudgy cocoa brownie cookies packed with chocolate chips, baked just until set for a soft, chewy center. Brown sugar and cocoa powder deliver intense chocolate flavor in every bite.

Old-fashioned peanut squares with a light sponge cake base, iced and rolled in ground peanuts for a crunchy, nutty finish. A classic vintage church-supper treat.

Classic shortbread wedges with almond extract, cornstarch for extra tenderness, and a whole almond pressed into each piece. A buttery, crumbly Scottish-style cookie baked in a round pan.

No-frost chocolate chip cake with chopped dates soaked in hot water for natural moisture and sweetness. Chocolate chips and nuts sprinkled on top before baking eliminate the need for frosting.

Fudgy Greenwich Village brownies with melted unsweetened chocolate, brown sugar, corn syrup, and loaded with pecans. Rich, dense, and chewy with a crackly pecan-studded top.

Rich, fudgy Mississippi mud cake loaded with coconut, crunchy nuts, and gooey marshmallow cream under a thick cocoa frosting. A Southern classic that's sinfully easy to make from scratch.