Recipe Sifter

Ginger molasses muffins fold whipped egg whites into a buttermilk batter spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and fresh ginger. Crackly tops, tender tangy crumb, and the warming bite of dark molasses in every bite.

Old-school dark fruitcake soaked overnight in brandy and orange liqueur with figs, apricots, currants, walnuts, and pecans. Makes four loaves; ages beautifully.

Moist, tasty and light. A perfectly delicious cake to finish up the meal without feeling guilty.

Whiskey-spiked raisin pecan pie with warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice folded into a fluffy egg-white batter. A boozy, golden Southern classic served warm with spiked whipped cream.

Classic pecan sandies are tender shortbread-style butter cookies loaded with chopped pecans and dusted with powdered sugar. A 6-ingredient holiday favorite that melts on the tongue.

Old-fashioned bourbon nut cake loaded with pecans, raisins, and candied cherries, baked low and slow in a tube pan. Mellows for a week and tastes even better with time.

Salt-crusted rye bread studded with pecans, currants, and caraway seeds. Inspired by the Inn at Little Washington, this artisan loaf pairs with cheese and smoked salmon.

Buttermilk coffee cake layered with crushed Heath bars and chopped pecans under a buttery brown sugar crumb topping. A rich brunch cake with toffee crunch in every slice.

Buttery cocoa crescent cookies loaded with ground pecans and rolled in powdered sugar. Melt-in-your-mouth tender with a deep chocolate twist on the classic Mexican wedding cookie. Makes about 3.5 dozen.

Applesauce and butter together made these muffins super moist and tasty. Used 1 cup whole wheat flour and half cup white flour, and the muffins came out very fluffy. Love pecan topping that added some nutty crunch. Had a few for breakfast, and afternoon snack.

This banana bread is wonderful warm with butter. It is a lovely gift in small loaf pans. If pecans aren't your forte, substitute walnuts.

Luxurious amaretto-soaked brownies with chocolate amaretto frosting and white almond icing drizzle. Boozy, pecan-studded dessert bars that need overnight chilling for maximum flavor.

Banana macaroon salad layers homemade coconut-oat macaroon crumbs with sliced bananas, pecans and whipped topping, then chills until everything melds. A retro potluck and picnic favorite.

If you like fudge and moist cake--this one's for you! Extremely easy to make.

Peach pecan muffins fold ripe summer peaches and toasted pecans into a cinnamon-spiced batter for tender, fruit-studded breakfast muffins. One bowl, no mixer, ready in 45 minutes from cold oven to cooling rack.

These rich chocolate-toffee bars from Mary Lueke of Menasha were our top pick in the bar category.