1,962 topping recipes

Ginger-pear cake: a low-fat bundt cake with shredded pears, crystallized ginger, and whole wheat flour, topped with a ginger yogurt dollop. A healthier dessert for 12 with a surprisingly tender crumb.

Marshmallow brownies start with a boxed brownie mix and add mini marshmallows and chocolate chips on top for a rocky-road-style fudgy bar. Three ingredients, 40-minute prep, total crowd pleaser.

Classic pumpkin pie with a silky brown-sugar custard, warm pumpkin pie spice, and a two-temperature bake that sets it without cracking. Topped with amaretto whipped cream. The Thanksgiving standard, made easy.

This tasty spring salad has seasonal sugar snap peas and arugula that are tossed with a light olive oil-balsamic vinaigrette, caramelized shallots and topped with some fresh goat cheese.

Classic four-ingredient flaky pie dough with shortening and ice water. Makes two 9-inch crusts for double-crust pies, lattice tops, or freezer-stash backup. The base every home baker needs.

Double chocolate brownies with semi-sweet chocolate in the batter and white chocolate chunks folded in, topped with a zigzag drizzle of both chocolates. Fudgy, rich, and topped with pecans.

Godiva Irish coffee swaps the usual whiskey for chocolate cream liqueur and Irish cream, layered into hot coffee and topped with whipped cream. A 5-minute dessert cocktail for chilly nights.

Nutty cheese brulee: warm Brie drizzled with fruit or chocolate ice cream topping and a scatter of toasted pecans, microwaved until soft and served with crackers and fresh fruit. A 3-minute appetizer.

Soft peanut butter cookies studded with toffee bits, topped with vanilla icing and a crunchy toffee chip crown. Three layers of flavor in every bite. Makes 2 dozen.

Crockpot taco steak and rice, a one-pot Tex-Mex dinner. Beef simmers in seasoned tomatoes all day, then corn, peppers, and instant rice cook right in the pot. Top with cheese and go.

Golden wheat pancakes are vegan, egg-free, dairy-free flapjacks built on whole wheat pastry flour, oat flour, and wheat germ. Sweetened with brown rice syrup, topped with fresh fruit and maple.

Granola with fresh fruit is the no-cook breakfast bowl done right: crunchy granola topped with blueberries, raspberries, banana, and sliced almonds, then milk or yogurt. Ready in 5 minutes, high in fiber.

Crustless rhubarb streusel pie with a Bisquick custard filling, cinnamon and nutmeg, topped with a brown sugar-nut streusel. No pie crust to roll out.

Whole wheat berry breakfast pancakes made light with fluffy egg whites and skim milk, sweetened with a little honey, then topped with creamy ricotta, fresh berries and maple syrup. Ready in about 20 minutes.

Harvest apricot preserves cook a big batch of ripe apricots with sugar and lemon juice to setting point, then jar and seal with rum-dipped cellophane tops. An old-world summer preserve.

Classic French chocolate loaf cake bakes in a water bath for a dense, fudgy crumb with a thin crackly top. Semi-sweet chocolate, espresso, and whipped egg whites do the work. Flourless using cornstarch.