Dessert Recipes

Mint macaroons with shredded coconut, chocolate chips, and peppermint extract in a crispy meringue base. Naturally gluten-free and light as air. Makes about 4 dozen.

Chocolate mayonnaise cake is an old-fashioned secret for incredibly moist chocolate cake. A full cup of mayo replaces butter and adds richness without any greasy taste.

Old-fashioned sandwich cookies with a choice of two homemade fillings: raisin with lemon, or chopped date with orange zest and nutmeg. Three dozen per batch.

Orange poppy seed cheesecake with a ginger graham cracker crust, sour cream filling, and real orange extract. A creamy, citrusy baked cheesecake for holidays.

Pawpaw chiffon pie or parfait with North America's native tropical fruit folded into a gelatin-set egg white mousse. A taste of the Eastern woodlands in cool, custard form.

No-bake peppermint cheesecake with crushed candy canes, milk chocolate chunks, and whipped cream on a chocolate wafer crust. Set with gelatin, no oven needed for the filling.

Peter's rum pie layers silky cooked rum custard into a graham cracker crust, finished with whipped cream and grated bittersweet chocolate. A retro icebox dessert with deep dairy richness and a warm spirit kick.

Port-soaked dried figs stuffed with ricotta cheese and topped with a whole almond. An elegant make-ahead appetizer or dessert bite that needs overnight chilling.

Irish Porter Cake is a dense, dark fruit cake made with Guinness, currants, raisins, mixed peel, and warm spices. Bakes for up to 3 hours, then rests a full week before cutting.

Scotch whisky trifle layered with espresso-caramel custard, Scotch-soaked pound cake, raspberry jam, fresh raspberries, bananas, and whipped cream topped with chocolate.

Cherry pie with a tangy sour cream custard and a hint of almond, finished with a golden lattice crust. Use fresh black or red cherries for the brightest flavor. Ready in one hour.

Classic Swedish spritz cookies made with butter, almond extract, and a simple cookie press. Crisp, buttery, and ready in 20 minutes with chocolate and nutty variations included.

Twinkies floating in orange Jell-O made with vanilla ice cream, pineapple juice, and 7-Up. A retro no-bake dessert that's equal parts ridiculous and irresistible.

Rich chocolate bundt cake studded with nuts and crowned with a velvety mocha cream cheese frosting. Inspired by the legendary Waldorf Astoria, this showstopper is pure old-school elegance.

Coffee brickle ice cream churns sweetened condensed milk and half-and-half with strong instant coffee, toasted almonds, and almond brickle chips. No-cook custard for the home ice cream maker.

Love this lower-fat cheesecake. It well satisfied my cheesecake cravings but without giving me too much guilt afterwards. LOL.