587 vanilla wafer recipes

Ice cream pie with a self-forming spice cake crust that collapses into a pie shell as it bakes. Filled with maple nut or cinnamon ice cream and frozen until firm.

Delicate tulip-shaped cookie cups made from a thin butter and egg white batter, molded while warm over a glass. Fill with ice cream, sherbet, or fresh fruit.

Peach ice cream crown cake stacks vanilla ice cream and ladyfingers in a springform mold, finished with sliced peaches and a glossy white wine sauce. A no-bake summer showstopper.

White chocolate sorbet with dark chocolate chips and a whisper of creme de cassis. A dairy-free frozen dessert with deep cocoa-butter richness and bright black-currant lift.

Famous oatmeal cookies with 3 cups of rolled oats, brown sugar, and vanilla. A big-batch base recipe that yields 5 dozen and welcomes raisins, chocolate chips, nuts, or coconut mix-ins.

No-bake chocolate icebox cake layered with angel food cake pieces and a rich chocolate custard made from melted German chocolate, egg yolks, and whipped cream. Chills overnight.

A moist Bundt cake blending vanilla mix with pistachio pudding and whiskey, studded with cherries, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Topped with a simple vanilla glaze.

Layered fudge squares sandwich a homemade marshmallow fondant between two layers of milk chocolate fudge, then top with chopped nuts. Old-school candy-shop technique that yields about 48 squares of three-textured chocolate.

Fig layer bars with dried California figs and chopped nuts sandwiched between a buttery oat and brown sugar crumble. A chewy, fruity bar cookie in the style of fig newtons.

Deep-fried fruit fritters made with apples, pears, and bananas in a light vanilla batter, served with a warm lemon-bourbon sauce. A Creole-inspired dessert.

Fairfax chocolate icing made with unsweetened and semi-sweet chocolate, melted marshmallows, and butter. A glossy, fudgy frosting that spreads thick and sets with a soft bite.

Fresh coconut cream pie layers a silky stovetop coconut custard under a cloud of golden meringue, finished with a shower of toasted coconut. An old-fashioned, made-from-scratch pie with tender custard and crisp-tipped peaks.

Hazelnut torte with ground filberts folded into a light sponge cake, split and filled with vanilla whipped cream. A classic European-style nut torte garnished with strawberries.

Low-fat chocolate mousse skips the cream and yolks, using skim milk, cocoa, gelatin, and whipped egg whites for an airy diet-friendly dessert. Sugar or sweetener, your choice.

Cream cheese flan baked in a water bath over homemade caramel. Silky custard with condensed milk, eggs, and vanilla inspired by the famous Churrascos restaurant recipe. Serves 12.

If you want to enjoy a great light drink after Christmas dinner, try this creamy eggnog that will even have Grandma singing Christmas carols.