Recipe Sifter

Star-shaped chocolate sandwich cookies cut from a chewy cocoa-and-chip sheet bake, then filled with sweet cream cheese frosting. A festive holiday cookie that looks fancy but skips the rolled-dough fuss.

Santa sandwich cookies are slice-and-bake oat shortbread rounds sandwiched with tinted vanilla frosting and rolled in holiday sprinkles. A festive Christmas icebox cookie, fun to decorate.

Santa's Whiskers are festive slice-and-bake cookies with candied cherries and pecans in a buttery dough, rolled in flaked coconut for a snowy, whiskery edge.

A silky cooked vanilla sauce to spoon over plain cake, made from sugar, milk, butter, and a touch of flour to thicken. This old-fashioned dessert topping turns a simple slice into something special.

Homemade cinnamon rolls with lemon zest and raisins, shaped into sugar-dipped balls with a golden cinnamon crust. A unique twist on the classic yeast roll.

Fudgy cocoa brownies with a hidden layer of chocolate mint patties baked right inside. Rich, minty, and makes a big batch of 36 squares from a 9x13 pan.

Thick, fudgy peppermint pattie brownies with a whole layer of York-style mint candies sandwiched between cocoa batter. Makes 36 squares for parties and bake sales.

Old-fashioned apple cake loaded with sliced apples, walnuts, and cinnamon in a moist oil-based batter. No mixer needed for this rustic 9x13 sheet cake.

Buttery pretzel-shaped cookies made with powdered sugar, egg whites, and vanilla, baked golden and drizzled with an optional chocolate frosting. A fun twist on classic butter cookies.

Texas-style sheath cake (sheet cake) baked on a cookie sheet with cocoa, buttermilk, and a full half pound of butter. Thin, fudgy, and frosted while still warm. A potluck legend.

Chocolate sheet cake (Texas sheet cake) with hot cocoa-buttermilk batter and a poured cocoa-buttermilk icing finished while the cake is still hot. The Southern church-supper crowd-feeder cut into 24 squares.

Buttery Italian-style shortbread cookies made with powdered sugar, vanilla, and three-quarters of a pound of real butter. Chill the dough, roll it out, cut your favorite shapes, and bake until golden.

Classic shortbread wedges with almond extract, cornstarch for extra tenderness, and a whole almond pressed into each piece. A buttery, crumbly Scottish-style cookie baked in a round pan.

Moist banana loaf cake studded with grated bittersweet chocolate, dusted with powdered sugar. Uses ripe bananas, half-and-half, and real butter for a rich, tender crumb.

Sicilian cassata cake with a delicate sponge layer, Marsala wine soak, and rich chocolate custard filling. A traditional Italian celebration dessert built in stages.

Butterscotch brownies (blondies) with just five ingredients: melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla, egg, and flour. Chewy, caramel-flavored bars in 40 minutes.