Dessert Recipes

Classic apricot sweet simmers dried apricots with cardamom, ginger, and almonds into a fragrant, spiced compote, much like Hyderabad's qubani ka meetha. Naturally fruit-sweet, served chilled. A make-ahead Indian dessert.

Sturdy gingerbread dough engineered for building. Stiff enough to hold its shape, deeply spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg, ready for cookie houses, churches, and edible structures.

Icy melon freeze made with pureed honeydew, orange juice, and sugar. Frozen, beaten fluffy, then frozen again for a light, refreshing no-churn sorbet.

Old-fashioned cranberry banana pie with a lattice crust. Sliced bananas layered under homemade cranberry sauce, baked until golden. Just three filling ingredients for a stunning vintage dessert.

Fresh raspberries served with silky peach puree, raspberry vinegar, and creme fraiche. An elegant no-cook summer fruit dessert with just 5 ingredients.

Vegetarian mincemeat with fresh pears, mixed dried fruit, candied peel, glace cherries, dates, almonds, citrus zest, and whiskey. A meat-free version of the British holiday classic.

Chocolate thumbprint cookies studded with mini chocolate chips and filled with a creamy peanut butter center. The chocolate-peanut butter combo makes these vanish from any cookie tray.

Goblin Goodies oatmeal cookies with orange zest, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, and orange and brown chocolate candies. A festive Halloween drop cookie loaded with mix-ins.

Peaches and cream gelatin mold with fresh peaches, non-fat yogurt, and vanilla-orange extract. A light, sugar-free molded dessert with real fruit.

Homemade strawberry ice made with fresh berries, simple syrup, and citrus juice. A no-churn frozen dessert with pure fruit flavor and no dairy needed.

Low-calorie blueberry parfaits layered with vanilla frozen yogurt, warm blueberry-apricot sauce, and slivered almonds. Four ingredients, 15 minutes, and gorgeous in a glass.

Gingered apricot hand pies made from refrigerator biscuits filled with chopped dried apricots, dark brown sugar, and ground ginger. Quick, half-moon pastries crimped with a fork and baked golden. A shortcut dessert ready fast.

Chocolate chip tea sandwiches: a chewy brown-sugar blondie bar studded with chocolate chips, baked in a sheet pan and cut into dainty squares for tea, showers, or bake sales.

Honey cut-out cookies with lemon extract, rolled thin and baked until lightly golden. A sturdy dough that holds its shape for holiday decorating with powdered sugar glaze.

Brandy-soaked apple fritters in a light, airy batter with cinnamon and ginger, deep-fried golden and dusted with powdered sugar. Served warm with chilled whipped cream.

Sauteed plantains pan-fry ripe yellow plantains in canola oil until golden and caramelized. Three ingredients, ten minutes, the simplest Caribbean side.