Dessert
3845 recipes found
Lemon Bundt Cake
This is a big, bold lemony cake that uses the zest, juice and flesh of lemons for an extrapuckery bite. A thin layer of crackly lemon glaze coats the whole cake for a beautiful and delicious finish. Serve this cake as is, or add some berries and whipped cream to dress it up. It tastes even better the next day, so feel free to make it ahead. Since it makes use of the lemon skins, use organic or unwaxed lemons if you can.
The Crunchiest Summer Fruit Crumble
The secret to this fruit crumble is to bake the sweet, cinnamon-scented topping separately, to dry it out. Then when you pile those crumbs over a mound of juicy summer fruit, they won’t absorb as much liquid, and stay crisp and cookielike. You can make the crumbs a day ahead. But the crumble is best baked on the day you serve it, preferably while still a little warm and brimming with syrupy fruit. Make sure to taste your fruit before adding the sugar. Sweeter fruit like strawberries, cherries and blueberries need less sugar than tart plums and nectarines. A spoonful of whipped cream or ice cream makes this even better.
Blueberry Cream Popsicles
These naturally purple pops are made with a combination of simmered blueberries puréed into an easy no-churn ice cream base. You can substitute yogurt or crème fraîche for the sour cream; either will give the popsicles a subtle tang. You can use fresh or frozen berries. (Frozen berries can be thawed and used as directed in the method below. Or use them straight from the freezer, but add 2 to 4 minutes to the cook time.) The number of pops this recipe makes depends on the size and shape of the molds used. The base can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours if you need to freeze in batches; just give the mixture a stir before using.
Île Flottante With Fresh Cherries
The name of this French dessert means “floating island.” It consists of soft meringue islands set afloat on a sea of the pourable vanilla custard called crème anglaise. Traditionally it is garnished with caramel sauce and praline powder. Here the dessert is flavored with cardamom and rose water instead, drizzled with cherry syrup and topped with pistachios.
Peach Poundcake
This recipe proves that the perfect summer pound cake takes no special equipment or skill to pull off. Once you’ve prepared the peaches, this is essentially a dump-and-whisk cake. Puréed peaches (plus an extra egg yolk) keep the cake from drying out. Diced peaches add bursts of fresh fruit, and a peach glaze lends another layer of flavor. Use sweet, ripe peaches for best results, but frozen work fine here, too. If you’re looking for a spin on classic peaches and cream, serve a slice with lightly sweetened whipped cream.
No-Bake Melon Cheesecake Bars
Reminiscent of honeydew-scented Korean ice cream bars, this no-bake cheesecake leans into a fruit flavor that hasn’t had enough time in the sun: melon. Here, fresh cantaloupe purées into a smooth, fluffy pulp that sets into cheesecake, thanks to gelatin. Where the thick, salty-sweet base layer of buttery crackers will satisfy the crust lovers out there, the soft-set filling will change minds about what melon can truly do. Though the final drizzle of honey is optional, its floral taste works beautifully with the cantaloupe.
Lemon Squares
The recipe for these sweet, tart squares, adapted from the “Wellesley Cookie Exchange Cookbook” by Susan Mahnke Peery, was published in The Times in December 1990, part of a Christmas cookie roundup. But they can be made for just about any occasion, whether you’re in the holiday spirit or just craving something with a little pucker. The buttery shortbread mellows a lemon topping, as does the dusting of confectioners' sugar. Make it to cap off a weeknight dinner, or for a weekend afternoon snack, paired with a cup of tea.
M&M Cookies
These easy one-bowl cookies make the best gifts and add nostalgia to any cookie plate. But they’re also great for when you just want a really good homemade cookie as quickly as possible. This part is essential: The butter must be soft enough to whisk by hand. Use butter that’s been sitting at room temperature for a long while, even overnight or up to 24 hours. Chopping the M&M’s into rainbow shards creates a more even distribution of chocolate and candy coating throughout the dough. When these cookies bake, they will rise slightly then fall as they cool, one of the most beautiful indicators of deep chewiness.
Chocolate Self-Saucing Cake
This fun and easy recipe takes inspiration from the self-saucing chocolate puddings that are popular in Britain and Australia. The basic composition is a simple chocolate cake batter topped with a sauce made from sugar, cocoa powder and hot water. While the cake bakes, the sauce magically works its way down to the bottom of the pan, so you have moist chocolate cake on top and gooey sauce on the bottom. Some recipes make a dense and fudgy cake, but this one is a bit lighter, resulting in a fluffy cake with lots of chocolate sauce to spoon over the top. Serve the cake warm, scooped from the pan, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if you like. This is best served the day that it is made. The cake will absorb the sauce as it sits.
Basque Cheesecake
Generously burnished and with a velvety, custardy interior, this rustic, crustless cheesecake from the Basque region of northern Spain is the platonic ideal of a low-effort, high-reward dessert. The caramelized exterior evokes a toasty marshmallow, but the cake itself is not too sweet. Marti Buckley adapted this recipe from La Viña, a small bar in San Sebastián, for her cookbook, “Basque Country” (Artisan, 2018). This statement cake is achieved using only five primary ingredients. It’s baked at a higher temperature than a classic New York cheesecake and in the hot oven, the cheesecake dramatically inflates into a soufflé-like puff before sinking into itself, creating a cradle for fresh fruit, should you wish to serve it with some. But Basque cheesecake is perfect on its own, at its arguable prime the day after it’s made, enjoyed at room temperature.
Apricot Snack Cake
This simple and tender cake is prepared entirely in the food processor, with juicy apricots, fragrant vanilla and nutty almond flour, which accentuates the fruity flavor. The apricots add natural tartness to balance the rich, buttery cake, but the cake also works well with other stone fruits, like peaches, plums and nectarines. It’s an ideal recipe for using overripe fruits, if you’ve bought too many and can’t eat them fast enough. Perfect for breakfast with coffee or tea, this snacking cake is a great pick-me-up treat any time of day. For dessert, toast the slices and serve warm topped with whipped cream, ice cream or macerated fruit.
Chocolate Pumpkin Swirl Muffins
These chocolate-and-pumpkin muffins make a perfect breakfast on the go, the two flavors united by a hint of cinnamon. If you’d like to dress them up for a party, start by adding 2 tablespoons of finely chopped chocolate to the chocolate batter before scooping it into the cups and skip the sugar topping. Bake and cool the muffins, then top them with a simple cream cheese frosting: Beat together 8 ounces softened cream cheese, 4 tablespoons room-temperature unsalted butter and 1/2 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar. Spread the frosting liberally on the muffins and top with chocolate sprinkles.
Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies
Much like its author, this recipe is a no-fuss classic. It calls for just 1/4 cup of flour, which yields an incredibly rich and gooey brownie, and it's super easy to make. So easy, in fact, that baking a batch of these might just become part of your weekend routine. (Watch the video of Vaughn Vreeland making Katharine Hepburn’s brownies here.)
Sugared Shortbread
In 2012, The Times invited readers to submit their favorite cookie recipes. Amy Casey of Sparta, N.J., submitted this unusual recipe for shortbread that calls for melted butter and a little bit of rice flour (which is now relatively easy to find since it’s a popular gluten-free flour). You can mix this recipe in a bowl with a wooden spoon in about three minutes, and the rice flour gives the shortbread a sandy, singular texture that’s accentuated by the coating of granulated sugar on the top and bottom. You can substitute cornstarch for the rice flour, but you'll end up with a slightly softer crumb. Bonus: this keeps for weeks — but only if you hide it.
Cranberry-Orange Scones
Cranberries and orange are a classic sweet-tart pairing in these scones, which are quick-to-make but super satisfying. Folding the dough a few times, and using a combination of buttermilk and cream creates a flaky and tender texture that is irresistible. The glaze adds another punch of orange flavor, but it is totally optional, if you prefer a simpler scone. The scones freeze well after baking, but for the best texture, make sure to defrost them at room temperature and warm gently before serving. Feel free to swap in another citrus fruit for the orange, and just about any other dried fruit for the cranberries. Tart cherries and lime also make a great combination.
Banana Everything Cookies
Here's a treat for the vegans in your life. Adapted from the cookbook “Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar,” by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero, these cookies, which are chunky with chocolate chips, walnuts and rolled oats, are best when they are completely cooled, so their exteriors can crisp up. They do not taste strongly of banana — it's just a hint.
Nutella Banana Bread
This banana bread definitely leans toward dessert, thanks to thick swirls of chocolate-hazelnut spread. Browning the butter may seem a little fussy, but it's totally worth the time and effort. The resulting toasty warm flavor pairs perfectly with sweet bananas and the rich spread. After all, the French term for brown butter is “beurre noisette” which literally translates to hazelnut butter.
Chocolate Zucchini Loaf Cake
This simple, one-bowl loaf cake is a sweet way to make the most of zucchini season. Chocolate cake batter is flecked with shreds of raw zucchini and studded with bittersweet chocolate chips for a summertime cake that’s fit for either breakfast or dessert. While some recipes call for squeezing the excess water out of the shredded zucchini, this loaf cake takes full advantage of the summer vegetable: The zucchini is taken directly from the grater to the bowl for additional moisture. The resulting cake strikes the perfect balance; it's rich and fudgy, but still maintains a tender crumb. The cake will keep on the counter for 4 to 5 days, loosely covered, and only gets better with age.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Crackly on top and fudgy yet tender in the center, this cake tastes like a complex restaurant dessert, but comes together effortlessly in one bowl. Chocolate chips save you the messy step of chopping chocolate bars and deliver deep flavor along with cocoa powder. If you don’t have a springform pan, a regular cake pan lined with foil all around makes it easy to lift out the delicate cake, which melts in your mouth when served warm or at room temperature. Refrigerated or frozen leftovers take on a candylike chewiness, but a quick zap in the microwave will return it to just-baked softness. Slices are delicious on their own or with any creamy toppings.
Chocolate-Chip Banana Bread
This recipe uses four bananas, which is more than is typical for a single loaf. The natural sugars from the ripe, brown bananas keep the bread incredibly moist for up to one week, even sliced. The high moisture of the batter can make it tricky to determine doneness, so take care not to underbake the the loaf. It should have a dry, shiny, cracked surface, and a tester inserted into the thickest portion should come out with a few moist crumbs attached. Serve this banana bread for breakfast or brunch, or even as a simple dessert, topped with a scoop of coffee ice cream.
Olive Oil Zucchini Bread
This moist loaf, made with olive oil and yogurt, is less sweet and more complexly flavored than most zucchini breads. Grated lemon zest gives a gentle brightness, while brown sugar adds a caramel sweetness, and cinnamon makes it spicy and rich. Serve slices plain or buttered, or spread thickly with cream cheese for a more tangy and luscious variation.
Gochujang Caramel Cookies
Gochujang, the fermented Korean chile paste, offers intrigue in this otherwise classic chewy sugar cookie. A gentle amount of ground cinnamon lends snickerdoodle vibes, and the dough is raked through with ripples of clay-red gochujang “caramel,” in which brown sugar and butter mellow the chile’s heat. Mixing this dough by hand is highly recommended for the most defined crinkles and the chewiest texture.
Pan-Baked Lemon-Almond Tart
This flourless, crustless tart is rich, moist, sweet and and prepared almost entirely on the stovetop (with the exception of a few minutes spent under the broiler to crisp the top). It is the ideal decadent breakfast, a new twist on the classic coffeecake or last-minute dessert.
One-Bowl Carrot Cake
The tangy, rich cream cheese topping on this cake can travel — even on a hot day. Silky with sour cream, it bakes right over the batter and develops a caramelized flavor reminiscent of Basque cheesecake. As it cools, the deeply browned surface ripples, and the custardy cream cheese layer sets. The carrot cake beneath packs more carrots than most classic versions for a more complex natural sweetness and fine, sturdy crumb. Both batters are mixed by hand in the same bowl, making prep and clean up especially easy.