Dessert Recipes

Individual rustic fruit tarts with shortcrust pastry, apricot jam glaze, and thinly sliced apples or pears. A French-bistro dessert that bakes in 15 minutes and looks gorgeous.

Lavender-pepper pears are ripe Bartlett pears sprinkled with crumbled lavender, cracked black pepper, and lemon juice. An elegant no-cook fruit dessert.

Lemon custard cake layers torn angel food cake with a fluffy lemon custard made from egg yolks, fresh lemon juice, and meringue, then chills until set. A no-bake showstopper.

Lemon pucker-up slice-and-bake cookies with fresh lemon zest and juice, a hint of nutmeg, and a crisp, buttery edge. Make the dough ahead and freeze for baking anytime.

Maple mocha topping made from whipped egg whites, maple syrup, instant coffee, and vanilla. A light, fluffy no-cook sauce for ice cream or angel food cake with zero fat.

Edible cake-decorating roses and leaves shaped from a marshmallow-and-powdered-sugar fondant. A budget-friendly alternative to professional gum paste for birthday and wedding cakes.

No-churn mango cantaloupe sorbet sweetened with maple syrup and brightened with lime juice. A low-fat, dairy-free frozen dessert made entirely in a blender and freezer.

Meringue chocolate chip cookies: light, crisp meringue cookies dotted with chocolate chips and nuts. Naturally gluten-free, fat-free, and dramatically airy.

Microwave apricot-strawberry compote in white wine and cranberry juice with crystallized ginger and lemon zest. A no-sugar-added fruit dessert ready in minutes.

Chewy molasses oatmeal cookies with pecans, raisins, cinnamon, and cloves, drizzled with melted chocolate. Three cups of oats give these a hearty, old-fashioned chew.

Mom's homemade apple pie pairs a flaky shortening crust with canned apple filling for a from-scratch taste in half the time. Brushed with milk and dusted with sugar, the top crust bakes up golden and crackly.

Simple almond-cinnamon nut filling for cookies made with finely ground almonds, sugar, and cinnamon. A three-ingredient filling for rugelach, kolacky, or any filled cookie recipe.

Almond and hazelnut pastry ring with a sweet marzipan-style nut filling, baked in a glossy golden spiral. Classic European dessert pastry for coffee or tea.

Oat creme is a dairy-free dessert sauce made from rolled oats simmered in apple juice with tahini, vanilla, and brandy, pureed until smooth. A vegan custard alternative for pouring over baked apples.

Homemade oatmeal citrus face scrub with dried lemon and orange peels, oats, and blanched almonds ground into a fine exfoliating powder. All-natural, 3 ingredients, stores for months.

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.