Dessert Recipes

Rich butterscotch sauce made with brown sugar, butter, and cream that thickens as it simmers. Drizzle it warm over ice cream, brownies, or apple pie for an instant upgrade.

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.

Holly Cluster cookies: chewy brown-sugar chocolate chip cookies topped with green marzipan holly leaves and red cinnamon candy berries. Holiday cookie tray showpiece with old-school decorating charm.

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.

Soft spiced raisin drop cookies made with cookie mix, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, topped with a smooth vanilla butter frosting. A semi-homemade shortcut for holiday cookie trays.

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

Grilled peach, maybe first time to hear grill a fruit, but it really works very well, especially with sundaes. Very yummy.

Mexican wedding cakes are always a holiday favorite but this recipe takes it up a notch or two, writes Mary Wilhelm of Sparta.

Birds nests are thumbprint cookies rolled in egg white and crushed walnuts, then filled with a jewel of fruit jam. A classic holiday tea cookie that bakes in 10 minutes.

Layered banana, mixed fresh fruit, non-fat vanilla yogurt, and chopped walnuts assembled in 10 minutes. A light, no-cook dessert or breakfast parfait with no added sugar.

Rainbow sprinkle cookies from cake mix, ready in 30 minutes with vanilla frosting and festive toppings. Kid-friendly baking for birthdays, celebrations, or just because.

Peach nutmeg frappe blended with vanilla ice cream, skim milk, and a pinch of nutmeg. A creamy frozen peach milkshake ready in 10 minutes with fresh or frozen peaches.

Three-ingredient chilled coffee caramel pudding with caramelized sweetened condensed milk, hot coffee, and chopped pecans. A retro dulce de leche dessert served in sherbet glasses.

Lele Party Cookies are thumbprint cookies rolled in egg white and chopped nuts, then filled with colorful jelly. A buttery, nutty holiday cookie perfect for Christmas trays.

Frozen double chocolate mousse layers dark chocolate-Frangelico mousse over white chocolate mousse on a chocolate wafer crust. A two-tone make-ahead dessert with hazelnut depth.

Fresh fruit ambrosia with a blended banana and orange juice dressing, spiced with nutmeg and cardamom, topped with coconut. No mayo, no marshmallows.