Dessert/5 recipes

Pistachio cheesecake uses instant pudding mix for guaranteed green color and nutty flavor, baked in a graham cracker crust with a glossy sour cream topping. A no-fuss cheesecake that delivers showstopper presentation.

Mexican wedding cookies (polvorones) made with butter, finely chopped pecans, vanilla, and a hint of cinnamon, rolled in powdered sugar while still warm. Tender, crumbly, and melt-in-your-mouth.

Dump cake with pie filling, crushed pineapple, yellow cake mix, and melted butter topped with coconut and nuts. A no-mix dessert where you literally dump everything into the pan and bake.

Gingerbread drop cookies are soft, cake-like spice cookies sweetened with molasses and brown sugar, studded with raisins. A wholesome wheat germ-boosted twist on classic holiday cookies.

Kolachkes are Polish-American cream cheese cookies: a tender butter-and-cream-cheese dough wrapped around fruit jam, walnut, or sweet cheese filling. Rolled in powdered sugar instead of flour.

No-bake chocolate pudding pies in single-serve graham cracker crusts with cinnamon, whipped topping, and chocolate curls. Ready in 10 minutes flat.

Scandinavian butter cookies spiced with cardamom and topped with egg white glaze and almonds. Delicate finger-shaped treats that freeze beautifully for three months.

Dense, moist brown sugar pound cake baked low and slow in a tube pan with maple flavoring and chopped pecans. A full package of brown sugar gives this Southern-style cake its deep caramel richness.

Old-fashioned peppernut cookies (pfeffernusse) with anise, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, dark corn syrup, and chopped nuts. Slice-and-bake holiday cookies, makes 4 dozen.

Pears Helene is a classic French dessert of poached pear halves served with hot chocolate sauce and optional vanilla ice cream and chopped almonds. Elegant, timeless, and surprisingly simple to make at home.

Triple chocolate oatmeal cookies with blended oat flour, chocolate chips, grated Hershey bar, and chopped nuts. A massive 108-cookie batch baked in just 6 minutes each.

Traditional British Christmas plum pudding: a dense steamed pudding rich with suet, dried fruit, candied orange, and brandy. Made weeks ahead to mellow, then reheated and flamed for the holiday table.

Healthy microwave cookies with soy flour, wheat germ, powdered milk, raisins, dates, cottage cheese, and honey: protein-packed snacks ready in 5 minutes.

Elegant lattice apple pie with orange-scented crust, honey-sweetened Granny Smith apples, and brown sugar crumb topping woven into the filling.

A vintage two-layer cake flavored with homemade burnt sugar syrup, folded with whipped egg whites for a light, tender crumb. An old-fashioned Southern classic that deserves a comeback.

Frozen cranberry souffle with Italian meringue and whipped cream, garnished with spun sugar cranberries. A showstopping holiday dessert that's made ahead and served frozen.