Dessert/7 recipes

Chunky drop cookies packed with milk chocolate chips, maraschino cherries, granola, flaked coconut, and chopped nuts. Brown sugar keeps them chewy, and a hint of orange zest ties it all together. Makes 3 dozen.

Soft ginger cream cookies spiced with ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon, sweetened with molasses, and topped with vanilla or orange frosting. This big-batch recipe makes 6 dozen.

Maple nut drops made with just five ingredients: maple syrup, sweetened condensed milk, graham cracker crumbs, vanilla, and chopped nuts. No flour, no eggs, no butter. Chewy and caramel-like.

Savory egg sponge roulade made with a bechamel base, Parmesan, nutmeg, and stiffly beaten egg whites. Baked in a jelly roll pan and rolled around any filling while still warm and flexible.

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.

French sables are buttery slice-and-bake cookies with a crumbly, sandy texture and sparkling sugar crust. Six ingredients, no leavener, all about the butter.

Rich lemon chiffon pie with whipped cream and gelatin-set lemon curd folded together in a baked shell. A bright, airy citrus dessert with a cloud-like texture and tart finish.

Classic French madeleines: tender shell-shaped tea cakes with crisp golden edges and a hint of lemon. Buttery, light, and best eaten the moment they cool.

Vegan orange chocolate mousse made with silken tofu, cocoa powder, brown rice syrup, and orange zest. Dairy-free, egg-free, and ready in 10 minutes plus chilling.

A silky baked custard infused with orange zest, cinnamon, and cloves, set over golden homemade caramel with slivers of candied orange peel. Low-fat, elegant, and worth the overnight chill.

Rhubarb crumble with apples and strawberries under a buttery oat and brown sugar topping. Tart fruit baked until bubbling with a crisp, golden crust.

Soft, sugar-coated cookie drops studded with mint chocolate chips. Made with oil instead of butter for a tender crumb that stays chewy for days.

Mocha butterball cookies with cocoa, instant coffee, chopped nuts, and a powdered sugar coating. No-spread, no-chill cookie dough ready to bake in 25 minutes.

Old-fashioned chocolate layer cake with cocoa, instant coffee, and buttermilk frosted with sweetened whipped cream. A tender, not-too-sweet chocolate cake with a light, airy frosting.

Homemade pound cake with butter, powdered sugar, eggs, and a hint of lemon extract. Five-ingredient classic for tea, dessert, or strawberry shortcake base.

Classic Italian tiramisu with mascarpone, espresso, cognac, amaretto, and dual layers of Savoiardi ladyfingers and amaretti biscuits. No-bake dessert showstopper.