Dessert/9 recipes

Mock apple pie made with crackers instead of apples, boiled in sugar syrup with cream of tartar. A Depression-era trick pie that tastes surprisingly like real apple pie without a single apple.

Thin, lacy sesame wafers with nutty toasted sesame seeds and brown sugar. These crisp, buttery cookies spread into golden wafers as they bake, making 4 dozen irresistible treats.

Pineapple streusel galette with fresh pineapple slices on butter pastry, topped with brown sugar crumble and brushed with warm apricot glaze. Rustic, golden, and stunning.

Soft, moist velvet pumpkin cake made with Bisquick, canned pumpkin, and vanilla, served warm with sweetened whipped cream. A cozy fall dessert ready in one hour.

Eggless cocoa cake made with no butter, milk, or eggs. A depression-era style chocolate cake using vinegar and baking soda for lift, baked in a tube pan. Naturally vegan.

Classic lemon cheesecake with graham cracker crust, cream cheese, lemon juice and zest, and whipped egg whites folded in for a lighter, airy texture.

Chocolate cream pie with a cocoa custard filling topped with golden meringue. A from-scratch chocolate pudding pie with egg yolk custard and billowy egg white topping.

Greek semolina cake with almonds soaked in cinnamon-orange syrup, scored into diamonds. Traditional Mediterranean dessert.

Strawberry frozen yogurt made with plain yogurt, sieved strawberries, whipped cream, and gelatin. A no-churn frozen dessert set in an ice cube tray without a machine.

No-bake fresh peach pie with glossy gelatin filling that sets up firm and sliceable, perfect for hot summer days when turning on the oven feels criminal.

Classic Swedish spritz cookies made with a cookie press from a rich butter dough. Decorate with candied fruits or colored sugar for a festive holiday cookie tin that yields 3-4 dozen.

Paintbrush sugar cookies decorated before baking with egg yolk paint in bright colors. A fun roll-and-cut cookie with almond extract, great for kids and holiday baking.

Lemon pie filling cooked over a double boiler with egg yolks, lemon juice, and zest into a glossy yellow curd, then poured into a baked pie shell to set.

Pennsylvania Dutch funny cake baked in a pie shell with chocolate sauce on the bottom and vanilla cake on top. Two layers swap places in the oven like magic.

Glazed orange cake baked in the microwave with fresh orange juice, beaten egg whites for lift, and a glossy orange glaze. A light, airy chiffon-style cake ready in 30 minutes.

Old-fashioned spiced peaches preserved whole in a brown sugar and vinegar syrup with cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. A Pennsylvania Dutch canning tradition.