Dessert/5 recipes

Crispy, thin ginger snaps made the old-fashioned way by boiling molasses and water first. Brown sugar and real ginger give these cookies a deep, spicy bite. Makes 2 dozen.

Sour cream coffee cake is a tender, moist brunch cake with a cinnamon-walnut sugar topping layered both through the middle and on top. Sour cream keeps the crumb soft and fine, with a gentle tang.

Red velvet cake made from scratch with a buttermilk-and-vinegar tang, a whisper of cocoa, and a tender oil-based crumb. Crowned with classic cream cheese frosting for the real Southern bakery version.

This simple and delicious dish is great for when company is over, because it will start conversation and satisfy everyone's sweet tooth.

This deluxe cheesecake is so rich and creamy, no need to much, just one slice is enough to satisfy your sweet tooth!

Classic Rice Krispies treats with just three ingredients: butter, marshmallows, and crisp rice cereal. Soft, chewy, no-bake bars ready in under 15 minutes.

Summer fruit crumble with a hazelnut and whole-wheat breadcrumb topping, sweetened with honey instead of sugar. Use raspberries, strawberries, currants, or whatever is ripe.

This takes just a few minutes to put together and needs no cooking.

Mock strawberry jam made with mashed figs and Jello for berry color and flavor. A Southern classic that sets in the jar over six weeks with no pectin needed.

Retro sheet cake soaked with crushed pineapple frosting and topped with coconut, mandarin oranges, and cherries. A potluck favorite that's easy, colorful, and gone in minutes.

Italian-inspired layered dessert with sponge cake soaked in rum and orange liqueur, sweetened ricotta cream, and fresh berries. A boozy, elegant trifle for special occasions.

Lemon chiffon pie made with a silky cooked-yolk lemon curd folded with whipped egg whites and whipped topping. A bright, cloud-light dessert that sets up in the fridge thanks to a touch of gelatin.

Three-ingredient chocolate cookie crumb pie shell with butter and sugar. The fast, no-roll crust for cream pies, ice cream pies, and chilled desserts. Ready in 20 minutes.

Fresh strawberry frosting made with real strawberry puree and fluffy beaten egg whites. A light, fat-free cooked frosting with bright berry flavor that holds stiff peaks.

Frozen orange cloud pie layers tangy citrus filling over a buttery graham cracker crust. A no-bake summer dessert built from sweetened condensed milk, soda, and whipped topping.

Buche de Noel: the iconic French Christmas yule log cake. Light sponge rolled around fruit jam, frosted with chocolate buttercream, and decorated to look like a snowy birch log. The classic holiday showstopper.