Dessert Recipes

Haselnussmakronen, traditional German hazelnut macaroons: a cocoa meringue folded with crushed hazelnuts and lemon zest, baked low into chewy, flourless cookies. A naturally gluten-free holiday treat.

Hazelnut cornmeal biscotti with toasted whole hazelnuts, stone-ground cornmeal, and warm cinnamon. Italian twice-baked cookies with a sturdy crunch perfect for dunking.

Heath bar cookie bars with crushed toffee candy, pecans, and brown sugar in a streusel-topped batter baked in a pan. A chewy, butterscotch-flavored bar cookie with candy crunch.

Key lime roll cake filled with lime-spiked lemon pie filling and frosted with whipped topping. A light, tangy jelly roll dessert tinted pale green and garnished with lime slices.

Hungarian kiffels: tender butter-yeast cookies rolled around walnut, apricot, or prune filling. Old-world rolled cookies dusted in sugar, holiday tray classic.

Mandel rolls (mandelbrot) made with cake meal, matzo meal, potato starch, and chopped nuts. Twice-baked Jewish biscotti that are crisp, cinnamon-spiced, and Passover-friendly.

Melomakarona (fenekia) are traditional Greek honey cookies made with orange juice, cognac, farina, and walnuts. Baked, dipped in warm honey syrup, and dusted with cinnamon.

These cute little pastries are so yummy! I serve them warm with vanilla ice cream and they are always a big hit with family and quests. Easy to make and delicious.

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.

Mrs. Fields pumpkin spice cookies with dark brown sugar, plump raisins, and toasted walnuts. Soft, cakey, and packed with warm fall spice. A copycat worth making.

No-crust Easter pie made with ricotta and cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. An Italian-American crustless ricotta cheesecake baked in a springform pan.

Old German muffins with ground almonds, rum, orange zest, raisins, and cinnamon. Buttery, fragrant, and lightly spiced with a hint of boozy warmth in every bite.

Palm Beach pineapple squares: a chocolate walnut cake base topped with a lemon-scented pineapple layer, baked together into one tropical dessert bar.

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.

Low-fat berry trifle layered with raspberry gelatin, blueberry pie filling, orange-soaked angel food cake, and vanilla pudding. A no-bake dessert that chills in under an hour.

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.