Dessert/8 recipes

Delicate butter cookies with ground anise and toasted pine nuts mixed into the dough, topped with whole pine nuts for elegant, nutty-sweet bites.

A fat-free marbled sponge cake with swirled vanilla white and lemon-yellow batters baked in a tube pan. Feather-light and elegant for any occasion.

Carrot raisin cheesecake mashes carrot cake into a cream cheese filling on a graham crust, with shredded carrots, plump raisins, warm nutmeg and ginger, finished with an orange-spiked frosting.

Frozen chocolate pie with German sweet chocolate folded into cream cheese and whipped topping: rich, silky, no-bake dessert ready in minutes, perfect straight from the freezer.

Marbled pumpkin cheesecake swirls chocolate-pumpkin batter over plain pumpkin filling on a graham crust scattered with chocolate morsels. A Thanksgiving showstopper that earns its place at the dessert table.

Chocolate-pecan and caramel pie layers a smooth gelatin-set chocolate mousse over a chewy caramel layer in a chocolate-pecan crust. Decadent make-ahead pie that slices clean.

Lemon poppy seed pound cake with a tender buttermilk crumb, bright citrus zest, and a tangy lemon glaze drizzled over the top. The bundt cake that wakes up dessert.

Showstopping three-layer cappuccino torte with a nutty graham crust, thick semisweet fudge layer, and espresso chocolate buttercream. A make-ahead dessert that chills overnight.

Strawberry angel food parfait layers torn angel food cake with juicy strawberries, creamy pudding, and whipped topping in a glass bowl. A no-bake, light-as-air trifle that's easy to assemble and made for summer gatherings.

A simple recipe for a sweet and delicious treat that is usually served when drenched with confectioners' sugar.

Gingersnap crumb crust: a 3-ingredient spiced cookie crust for cheesecakes, pumpkin pie, or icebox desserts. No-bake option for frozen pies.

Layers of tart Granny Smith apples and sweet pears with buttered whole wheat bread cubes, brown sugar, and warm spices. This comforting brown betty bakes until bubbly. Serve with custard.

French Canadian date doughnuts (beignets) with chopped dates, nutmeg, and lemon extract, dropped by the spoonful into hot oil and fried golden in 3 minutes. From the Quebec kitchen tradition.

Mock apple pie made with soda crackers instead of real apples, using cream of tartar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to mimic apple flavor. A Depression-era classic that fools almost everyone.

Four-layer butterscotch cheesecake with a buttery pecan shortbread crust, fluffy cream cheese filling, butterscotch pudding, and fresh whipped cream. No-bake filling makes this a stress-free showstopper.

Chewy Rolo cookie bars: a yellow cake mix base studded with halved Rolo candies that melt into rivers of chocolate caramel. Five-ingredient bake-sale magic.