Brownies recipes

Florentine cups: miniature honey-almond cereal cups with coconut, raisins, and orange zest, finished with a citrus icing drizzle. Italian florentine cookie meets mini muffin.

PB&O snackers: chewy peanut butter oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips, warm cinnamon, and nutmeg. A hearty snack cookie that beats any coffee-shop version.

Louisiana-style baked beans dressed up with sauteed onion, green pepper, ham, honey and brown sugar, with a Worcestershire-and-hot-sauce kick. A 30-minute Creole spin on canned pork and beans.

Coconut pecan upside-down cake with chocolate chips, dark brown sugar, and a tender vanilla butter cake. Like a German chocolate cake meets a skillet dessert.

Pecan chocolate chip oatmeal cookies baked low and slow for a chewy center and crisp edge. Dark brown sugar, real butter, and a full cup each of pecans and chocolate chips.

Middle Eastern rice pilaf with cashews, raisins, dried apricots, and warm spices like cardamom and turmeric. A fragrant side dish with caramelized onions and a sweet-savory balance.

Apple streusel muffins with buttermilk, walnuts, cinnamon, and cloves topped with a brown sugar crumble. Warm, spiced, and bakery-worthy from a simple batter.

Triple threat cookies from one dough split three ways: peanut butter cup, M&M with pecans, and classic chocolate chip. Three cookie varieties from a single batch of butter dough.

Lizzies are bourbon-soaked fruitcake cookies with golden raisins, candied cherries, citron, and pecans. A classic Southern holiday cookie that freezes beautifully.

Greek-style beef stew braised in red wine with cinnamon, cumin, cloves, and currants, topped with melted Muenster cheese and toasted walnuts. A warmly spiced, make-ahead casserole.

Chocolate velvet cheesecake layers semi-sweet chocolate and amaretto-spiked cream cheese filling on a pecan-vanilla wafer crust, then crowns it with a tangy sour cream top. A three-tier baked cheesecake with serious chocolate depth.

Ukrainian almond crescents with a tender sour cream yeast pastry rolled around a ground almond and brown sugar filling. Flaky, nutty, and golden, these Eastern European cookies melt in your mouth.

Low-fat four-spice bundt cake with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, plump golden raisins, and buttermilk. An egg-white-lightened tube cake finished with orange syrup and fresh orange slices.

Apple praline pie with Granny Smith apples in a double crust, topped with a bubbly brown sugar, butter, and pecan praline glaze poured over the baked pie. Two desserts in one.

Pecan fingers with a buttery shortbread base and a chewy brown sugar pecan topping, dusted with powdered sugar. Two-layer bar cookies made entirely in the microwave.

Tofu pumpkin pie: vegan pumpkin pie made with silky firm tofu instead of eggs and dairy. Warming spices and crystallized ginger top for a dairy-free holiday dessert.