Dessert/9 recipes

Black Forest cherry dump cake layers cherry pie filling, crushed pineapple, chocolate cake mix, and pecans into a no-mix dessert. Topped with whipped cream for an old-school potluck classic.

Dried fruit poached in sweet red wine with cinnamon, cloves, and lemon juice, served chilled with fresh bananas. A warm-spiced fruit compote dessert that's light and elegant.

Cracker pecan pie with a meringue-like base of stiff egg whites, crushed crackers, and sugar topped with pecans and broiled milk chocolate. A crustless, no-flour dessert.

Buttery shortbread crust topped with sticky honey-pecan caramel that sets into chewy, candied perfection. Cut into diamonds and dust with powdered sugar for elegant cookie bars.

Greek oil cake (gliko tapsiou me ladi) is a dairy-free, egg-free spice cake made with olive oil, orange juice, walnuts, and raisins. Naturally vegan and Lenten-friendly.

Applesauce spice cake, low-fat Bundt with whipped egg whites for lift, warm cinnamon-nutmeg-clove-ginger spice, and dark corn syrup for moisture. No butter, no whole eggs, still tender and richly flavored.

Stack spiced almond biscotti into a stunning edible tree centerpiece, cemented with orange marmalade icing. A holiday baking project that doubles as a gorgeous table display guests can eat.

Southern blackberry jam cake spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Buttermilk tang, raisins, and nuts in a moist layer cake straight out of an Appalachian heirloom box.

Chocolate espresso cheesecake: dense, dark cheesecake on a chocolate wafer crust, finished with a glossy chocolate-pecan glaze. Real brewed espresso amplifies every cocoa note.

Old-fashioned honey drop cookies with cinnamon, cloves, and raisins. No refined sugar at all. Soft, chewy, and warmly spiced with a caramel-like sweetness.

Victorian honey cakes from an 1872 recipe, made with butter, honey, and egg yolks, topped with heather honey and ground almonds. Light, tender, and warmly sweet.

Spiced almond macaroons: gluten-free five-ingredient cookies with crackly tops and chewy almond centers, lifted with warm cinnamon. Bake on greased sheets and finish with a scatter of sliced almonds.

Traditional German lebkuchen: honey-and-molasses spice cookies studded with citron and nuts, finished with a brushed sugar glaze. A heritage Christmas cookie that gets better as it ages.

Empanadas de fruta filled with spiced dried fruit, raisins, pine nuts, and warm cinnamon-clove-nutmeg filling, deep-fried in a flaky homemade dough until golden and crispy.

These biscuits are called bones to chew because they are hard and pale. They are traditionally baked on All Soul's Day in Italy.

Traditional German Pfeffernusse cookies with five warm spices, candied citron, and lemon. Tiny spiced rounds that dry overnight and ripen for days before eating.