Dessert Recipes

“These are the best cupcakes I’ve ever had.” My neighbor Jen said that last Halloween, and she wasn’t just being polite. She had a smear … Read more

My sister called me last October with a problem. She was hosting a Halloween party for her book club—the one where everyone dresses up as … Read more

This was supposed to be pumpkin muffins. I had the recipe memorized—my usual fall standby that I could make in my sleep. But somewhere between … Read more

I was sitting in the waiting room of my car mechanic’s shop—a place I honestly never expected to find cooking inspiration. The place smelled like … Read more

I had claimed to hate upside-down cake for years. Like, a solid decade. The canned pineapple rings, the maraschino cherries that looked like they belonged … Read more

I did not trust cream cheese in pumpkin bread. For years, I thought the tang would fight with the warm spices—clash with the cinnamon and … Read more

Three apples into peeling and I realized I’d forgotten the bourbon. The bottle sat right there on the counter, mocking me, while my hands were … Read more

My friend Jenna did not trust zucchini in dessert. She stood in my kitchen, arms crossed, watching me grate a pile of green squash into … Read more

The crackled top is what gets me every time. That web of pale gold fissures spreading across a domed mahogany surface — it’s the first … Read more

I figured a gingerbread cheesecake bar would be a two-day project involving a water bath and a lot of swearing. It took about an hour … Read more