Dessert/5 recipes

Mint macaroons with shredded coconut, chocolate chips, and peppermint extract in a crispy meringue base. Naturally gluten-free and light as air. Makes about 4 dozen.

Nut horns are Eastern European cream cheese pastries filled with a sweet walnut meringue filling. The dough chills overnight for a flaky, tender bite that melts in your mouth.

Ruth's sugar cookies are tender drop cookies made with shortening and dipped warm into granulated sugar for a crackly, sparkling top. A simple recipe that makes three dozen in 30 minutes.

White chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies made with both butter and shortening for a chewy-crisp texture. Loaded with chopped macadamias and white chocolate in a brown sugar-vanilla dough.

Chocolate cookies with a secret ingredient: fresh chopped mushrooms that keep them incredibly moist for days. Brown sugar, sour cream, unsweetened chocolate, and macaroon crumbs in every bite.

Classic French silk pie with a deep chocolate filling whipped to silky-smooth texture, poured into a chocolate crumb crust, and chilled until set. The original 1950s diner-style chocolate pie.

frozen dessert

Chocolate raspberry brownies hide a ribbon of raspberry jam baked into the center of a dense, fudgy walnut brownie. A clever freezing trick suspends the jam mid-batter so every square has a tart raspberry surprise.

Traditional German muffins laced with rum, studded with almonds and raisins, scented with orange zest. Rich, tender crumb with old-world spice and fruit.

Chocolate cherry cookies with a maraschino cherry tucked into each thumbprint and a glossy chocolate-condensed milk frosting spooned over the top before baking.

Chocolate icebox pie folds whipped cream into a cream cheese and chocolate syrup filling, then freezes it in a chocolate crumb crust. A no-bake summer dessert that scoops like ice cream pie.

Syrup-soaked semolina cake made with yogurt, toasted almonds, and butter, drenched in chilled lemon syrup while still hot. A beloved Middle Eastern dessert that serves 20.

Blended cherries and peaches with fresh orange juice, poured into custard glasses and topped with an orange wedge and whole cherry. A 10-minute Valentine's Day fruit dessert.

Frozen chocolate peanut butter graham cracker sandwiches made with sugar-free pudding and nonfat milk. A diabetic-friendly frozen treat that kids and adults both love.

Flaky pastry squares layered with spiced apple filling and crumbly streusel topping, drizzled with vanilla glaze. These hand-held treats bake up golden and taste like portable apple pie.

A moist, no-fuss banana pineapple tube cake with cinnamon and vanilla. No mixer required. Just blend the batter by hand, pour into a tube pan, and bake until golden.