Dessert recipes

Coconut cream pie doubles down with cream of coconut in the custard and toasted flaked coconut folded throughout, topped with a billowy meringue for that classic diner-style finish.

A simple and easy to make fudge recipe using only pantry staples.

Old-fashioned Pennsylvania Dutch pickled pears: whole or sliced pears poached in spiced apple cider vinegar syrup with cloves and cinnamon. Traditional canning recipe for the holiday relish tray.

Depression-era eggless, milkless, butterless cake with brown sugar, raisins, ginger, and cinnamon. A simple wartime recipe that bakes into a spiced, dense loaf with minimal pantry staples.

A layered Snickers pie with a graham cracker crust, fudge brownie layer loaded with chopped candy bars, and a creamy vanilla cream cheese topping with milk chocolate.

Bacardi rum cake bakes a yellow cake mix with vanilla pudding, dark rum, and chopped pecans, then soaks in a butter-rum glaze for a moist, boozy Bundt. Classic 1970s holiday cake.

Fruited cream puffs: shortcut pate a choux made with pancake mix, filled with ice cream and topped with sweetened strawberries. Ten elegant frozen desserts from pantry staples.

Lime squares with shortbread crust: tangy lime curd-style filling over a buttery shortbread base, finished with powdered sugar. The cousin of lemon bars, tinted pale green for visual punch.

Flourless-style chocolate loaf cake spiced with cinnamon, lifted with whipped egg whites, and drenched in a glossy mocha sauce. A dense, fudgy slice with espresso depth.

Soft drop cookies bursting with chopped cranberries, fresh apples, cinnamon, and orange zest. This big-batch recipe makes 4 dozen fruit-studded cookies with a cakey, tender crumb.

Layers of angel food cake, sweetened cream cheese, whipped topping, and fresh strawberries under a shimmering strawberry jello glaze. A no-bake showpiece for any gathering.

Brown sugar chocolate chip cookies made with butter-flavored shortening for extra chewy centers and crisp edges. Choose your bake time for chewy or crunchy results. Makes 3 dozen with optional pecans.

Fig garden party cakes layer sponge cake or lady fingers with a homemade dried-fig filling cooked down with peanut butter, butter, and lemon juice. A vintage tea-table dessert with surprising depth.

A festive red velvet cake made with German chocolate cake mix and sour cream, topped with a cooked flour frosting and handmade marzipan holly leaf decorations.

Old-fashioned butterscotch cream pie with a deep brown sugar custard, butter and vanilla finish, topped with fresh whipped cream. Classic American pastry-shop dessert from scratch.

Cranberry cheesecake with a vanilla wafer crust and a glossy strained cranberry topping. Tart-sweet jewel finish over creamy filling, perfect for holiday tables.