Dessert/6 recipes

No-bake pineapple cheesecake: a lightened version using nonfat cream cheese, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt folded with crushed pineapple, set with gelatin on a graham and Grape-Nuts crust. Creamy tropical dessert without the oven.

Homemade apple pie filling for freezing or canning combines sliced apples with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a clear cornstarch syrup. Make-ahead pantry filling for instant pies all year.

Ultra-moist zucchini cake loaded with cinnamon, chopped nuts, and vanilla, baked in a tube pan and smothered in tangy lemon cream cheese frosting. Shredded zucchini keeps every slice incredibly tender.

Macaroon meets chocolate chip cookie in this co-winner in the drop cookie category, with a twist of cinnamon, nutmeg and mint; it's from Jessica Wall-Valadez of Milwaukee.

An elegant German zucchini cake with coconut, candied cherries, rum, and lemon, lightened with whipped egg whites and finished in a glossy chocolate glaze. Baked in a traditional Rehruecken mold for a stunning presentation.

Low calorie Snickers pie is a no-bake frozen dessert with chocolate ice milk, sugar-free chocolate pudding, crunchy peanut butter, Cool Whip, and Grape-Nuts for that candy bar crunch. Five ingredients, no oven, ready after freezing.

Warm pudding cake studded with chopped apples, served with homemade cinnamon butter sauce. The cake bakes up tender with brown sugar and spices. Drizzle the hot sauce over each slice.

The Pennsylvania Dutch settlers made these at Thanksgiving and stored them in a stoneware crock until Christmas. The cookies can be made at any time, but allowed to age for 4-6 weeks.

Flourless orange sponge cake drenched in a bittersweet chocolate-honey-orange glaze. Made with matzo cake meal and potato starch for Passover.

Lemon custard cake layers torn angel food cake with a fluffy lemon custard made from egg yolks, fresh lemon juice, and meringue, then chills until set. A no-bake showstopper.

Apple cheddar shortcake layers cinnamon-spiced apples between two sharp cheddar biscuit rounds, finished with whipped cream. A sweet-savory New England-style dessert that plays on the classic apple pie pairing.

Golden fried Italian dough diamonds studded with raisins and anise seeds, drizzled in hot honey and lemon. A traditional sweet treat for holidays, festivals, and Sunday gatherings.

Orange blossom Jello cake with torn angel food cake, orange Jello, mandarin oranges, and whipped topping molded and frosted with whipped cream. A light, no-bake icebox dessert.

Classic Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookies with butter, brown sugar, semi-sweet morsels, and chopped nuts. The original back-of-the-bag recipe that started it all.

A sweet, buttery brown sugar sauce with vanilla, fresh lemon juice, and melted marshmallows spooned warm over Christmas plum pudding. A cherished family recipe ready in just 10 minutes.

Chocolate pistachio cake made with white cake mix, pistachio pudding, and orange juice with a chocolate syrup swirl. A marbled tube cake that looks impressive with minimal effort.