You could spend hours watching Netflix or reading that self-help book (again…). But why resign yourself to the couch when the oven is calling your name? Instead, be productive—and reward yourself with dessert—with one of these 78 easy, fun things to bake.
Whether you’re just bored or need to whip up something sweet on the fly, your taste buds will thank you for these delights, ranging from chocolate skillet cake to ruby red grapefruit panna cotta to cookies-and-cream shortbread. I’ve also included a few treats that require no baking at all, in case you’re feeling extra lazy. Read on for all the Insta-worthy inspo you crave.
68 Spring Desserts Starring *All* the Seasonal Produce
Fruity Fun Things to Bake
Katherine Gillen
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Time Commitment: 4 hours and 30 minutes
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Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, make ahead
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Serves: 8 to 10
You actually won’t need to bake at all to prepare this vibrant spin on tiramisu, made with raspberries instead of coffee. Instead, you’ll only need to whip up a three-ingredient sauce and assemble. “The striking pink topping is just a dusting freeze-dried raspberries that have been powdered in a food processor,” former PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen writes. “A smattering of fresh berries or a touch of lemon zest would be equally delicious and elegant.”
Katherine Gillen
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Time Commitment: 40 minutes (plus chilling time)
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
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Serves: 16
What’s sweet, sour, silky and crunchy in every bite? These lime-kissed cuties, which come together in mess-free muffin tins. “You’ll notice the recipe calls for regular lime juice and not key lime juice,” Gillen writes. “While you can use the two types interchangeably, I always prefer the taste of freshly squeezed citrus juice to the bottled kind, and squeezing key limes…well, they’re tiny. I don’t want you to work too hard for your dessert.”
Photo: Matt Dutile/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 35 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, make ahead
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Serves: 20
Store-bought puff pastry to the rescue! This simple recipe is just right for days when you’re craving pie but have no time to bake one. Use any store-bought jam you’d like; I’m partial to blackberry, but raspberry, apricot, strawberry and blueberry are all fair game.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 2 hours and 25 minutes
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Why I Love It: gluten free, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
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Serves: 10
Well, well, well. Aren’t you ambitious? Just kidding; the apple roses are easier to assemble than you’d think (the key is using a mandoline or vegetable peeler to get super-thin slices). As for the press-in crust, it’s a buttery, sugary pecan base that’s a cinch to assemble. Need I say more?
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Robert S. Cooper/A Real Southern Cook
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Time Commitment: 30 minutes
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Why I Love It: one pan, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Way less work than crimping and blind-baking a homemade pie crust, but every bit as satisfying. It’s a great way to use your farmers market berry haul come summer (or any fruit you have on hand, really).
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
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Serves: 12
Warning: Your brunch guests will think you scored these at a posh local café. Wait ’til you tell them you made them yourself, and with only seven ingredients to boot. Bookmark the recipe now to serve after Thanksgiving or Christmas, since you’ll likely have cranberry sauce on hand for the filling.
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Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
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Serves: one 12-inch tart
If you’re a sucker for all things sweet and salty, add this stunner to your to-bake list, stat. The pretzel crust requires some patience to rise to perfection, but you’ll be glad you waited once you taste it. Plus, it’s very easy on the eyes.
Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 3 hours
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Why I Love It: gluten free, special occasion-worthy
Sweet, airy meringues layered with tart, five-ingredient grapefruit curd and whipped cream? Don’t mind if I do. This stacked dessert is also naturally gluten free. “It’s the best of both worlds,” recipe creator Erin McDowell explains. “A meringue cookie—crispy outside, marshmallowy inside—and a creamy, custardy curd.” The sweetness of the cookie offsets the tartness of the filling.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, one pan
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Serves: one 12-inch skillet
Make this for every summer barbecue you ever throw and boom: You’re the hostess with the mostest. The biscuit topping is just as easy to pull off as the buttery peach filling. Substitute canned peach pie filling if you’re not up to the task.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 2 hours and 45 minutes
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Food coloring? You can do better than that. Pulse freeze-dried strawberries and sugar in the food processor instead to turn the crust pink and infuse it with sweet-tart splendor. If the lattice intimidates you, make a simple double-crust pie instead. Just make sure to cut a few slits in the top to vent the filling.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
Not only are mini desserts more fun to eat, but they’re also more fun to prepare. Your guests will gush over these treats, baked in mini mason jars for a rustic presentation. Use crisp-tart apples that hold their shape and aren’t cloyingly sweet, like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady or Granny Smith.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
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Do fresh summer berries some justice by showing them off atop store-bought pie crust. Just pile the fruit in the center, fold the edge over and bake—sound easy enough? Bonus points for topping it with vanilla ice cream (but you already figured that).
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
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Serves: one 9-inch pie
Ready thy camera: It’d be a crime not to share that lilac-hued meringue topper on social media, right? It’s just the ticket for a spring dinner party, especially if you’re dining alfresco. The light-as-air topping gets its lilac hue from—wait for it—freeze-dried blueberries.
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Susan Spungen/Veg Forward
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
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Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
As chic as it is delicious, clafoutis is a stellar way to end a summer dinner party. Cherries are the traditional inclusion, but plums are easier to pit and offer a similar punch of sweet-tart juiciness. Top it with plenty of fresh whipped cream and torn mint.
Chocolatey Fun Things to Bake
Katherine Gillen
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Time Commitment: 2 hours and 20 minutes
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Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly
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Serves: 14
Fudgy brownie people to the front. “Here, the caramelly dulce de leche swirl is homemade,” Gillen notes. “It’s simple to make and only requires a can of sweetened condensed milk, but if you want to save about an hour of time, go ahead and use a jar of store-bought dulce de leche.” Your shortcut can stay our little secret, friend.
Photo: Matt Dutile/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 40 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, make ahead
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Serves: 24
Do you always wish Oreos had more filling? This snappy, chocolatey twist on the classic delivers the ratio you crave. “You make the dough in the food processor in moments, and the baked shortbread cookies are finished with a really creamy glaze that brings the whole cookies-and-cream flavor home,” McDowell asserts. Pile on the glaze and have a glass of milk at the ready.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
The secret ingredient in this ooey-gooey masterpiece? Freshly brewed coffee, which imparts a bold kick to every bite and enhances the rich cocoa flavor. (Even Ina Garten swears by this hack, and I tested the hack, too.) Wash it down with some joe to drive the flavor home.
Photo: Matt Dutile/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, kid-friendly
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Serves: 20
These have Valentine’s Day goody bags written all over them, but they’d also make a great hostess gift for any occasion. They only require six ingredients, after all, and they can be made in advance for minimal stress before the event.
Photo: Eric Moran/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 3 hours and 30 minutes (includes freezing time)
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, no-bake, gluten free
If you’ve been devastated by deflated soufflé before, fret not. This one comes together in the freezer instead of the oven, so it’s essentially foolproof. It’s finished with a decadent, two-ingredient chocolate sauce for good measure.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 35 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, make ahead
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Serves: 20
An endless supply of homemade copycat cookies > one bag of 16 store-bought Milanos, don’t @ me. They’re filled with two-ingredient chocolate ganache, in case you need more convincing, and they look pretty damn close to the real thing.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
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Why I Love It: kid-friendly, gluten free, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
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Serves: 10
You can thank your nine-inch tart pan for this ingenious invention. It may be tough, but let this fun thing to bake come to room temperature for about ten minutes, then run your knife under hot water before slicing—this will keep the top from cracking.
Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, make ahead
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Serves: 12
Picky kids, follow me—this one’s for you. Top the brownies off with marshmallows right before they finish baking, then watch them melt to perfection in the oven. I won’t tell if you start with store-bought brownie mix either.
Kelsey Preciado/Unbelievabowl Paleo
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Time Commitment: 10 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <30 minutes, gluten free
Cassava flour, maple syrup and coconut whipped cream keep this ten-minute wonder Paleo-friendly. It’s also gluten free and comes together in the microwave, so you won’t need to preheat your oven and consequently turn your kitchen into a sauna.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
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Why I Love It: no-bake, gluten free, vegan, special occasion-worthy
Just because they’re vegan doesn’t mean they aren’t rich and decadent. A sprinkling of rose tea is a great substitute if you don’t have dried rose petals or edible flowers in the spice cabinet (or don’t feel like searching for them at the store).
Nisha Vora
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes (plus chilling time)
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Why I Love It: gluten free, dairy free, vegan, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
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Serves: 12
Isn’t she lovely? I fell hard for both the gingersnap crust and the candied ginger-pistachio topping, but they merely gild the plant-based chocolate lily. The fudgy consistency of the center will have you swooning at first bite.
Kid-Friendly Fun Things to Bake
Katherine Gillen
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, kid-friendly
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Serves: one 9-inch loaf
Just in case quarantine didn’t turn you into a total pro, this banana bread is impeccably moist and pretty darn foolproof. “If you don’t have sour cream, it can be swapped in equal amounts for plain yogurt, mascarpone cheese or even buttermilk,” Gillen advises. “Want to add nuts or chocolate chips? I fully support you (especially if it’s chocolate chips).”
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 10 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
In case you simply can’t be trusted around a fresh batch of chocolate chippers, this quick confection will hit the spot without tempting you for days. Picky kids will adore it, too—the texture is a basically a fluffy cookie cake. Bonus? This fun treat is easy enough for them to assemble and prepare on their own (or with your help).
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour
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Why I Love It: make ahead, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
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Serves: 12
Pillsbury has nothing on these beauties, which only call for six simple ingredients (and no homemade dough). They’ll become your kids’ new favorite breakfast in no time. Substitute any flavor jam you’d like for the filling, but I’m a fan of classic strawberry.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
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Serves: one 9-inch cinnamon roll
Less is more—unless I’m talking about breakfast pastries. No one will complain about the size of this warm-spiced behemoth (or the generous amount of two-ingredient vanilla icing on top). The secret lies in a few tubes of store-bought Crescent Roll dough, which bake up flaky and buttery without a ton of effort on your part.
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 55 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
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Serves: 18
The key to this fall-inspired cake’s frosting is boiling apple cider until it reduces into a highly concentrated, flavorful syrup. One bite, and it’ll become your go-to baking project for lazy autumn Sundays. It’s also wonderful for feeding a crowd.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 45 minutes
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly, make ahead
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Serves: 24
C’mon, how ridiculously adorable are these Homer Simpson doughnut doppelgangers? They’re basically edible emojis. Substitute whatever food dye you’d like if you aren’t feeling the pink glaze—they’ll be devourable no matter what.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 40 minutes
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Why I Love It: kid-friendly, one pan, beginner-friendly
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Serves: one 9-inch pie
Something tells me your kids won’t want birthday cake for their next party once they catch wind of this triple-threat. It’s divided into three tasty varieties—chocolate chip, chocolate s’mores and snickerdoodle—so there’s something for everyone at the table.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 5 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
Since graham crackers, chocolate and toasted marshmallows are a divine combination year-round, why wait for summer to indulge in a real-deal s’more? With this iteration of the seasonal delicacy, you won’t have to brave the great outdoors when it’s below freezing to dig in. In fact, you won’t even need to turn on the oven.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, no bake
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Serves: 20
Otherwise known as the tastiest way to repurpose leftover sugar cookies. The secret to binding these festive, tangy bites is cream cheese. But the real key to their charming appearance is sprinkles, of course. Use any color or shape that suits your fancy.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 50 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Because no baker (or eater) should ever have to choose between cookies and brownies, this fun thing to bake delivers the best of both worlds. Top them with ice cream, dunk them in milk or demolish them straight from the pan.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 30 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients
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Serves: 4 to 6
Craving this summer staple in the off-season? Trade the bonfire for your oven’s broiler and skewers for a a cast iron skillet, and you’re in business. Make sandwiches with the toasty graham crackers or dig in with spoons—the dessert is your oyster.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 10 minutes
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Why I Love It: gluten free, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
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Serves: 12
There’s no salve for a bad day quite like raw cookie dough. That said, do yourself a favor and indulge in it safely with this egg- and wheat-free take (which uses almond flour in place of all-purpose) instead of the store-bought kind.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 5 minutes
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Why I Love It: ready in <15 minutes, no bake
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Serves: 6 to 8
This no-bake, five-minute crowd-pleaser can make any day feel like your birthday. To make the cake mix safe to eat, microwave it in a bowl on high in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until an instant-read thermometer reaches 165°F throughout.
Ridiculously Easy Fun Things to Bake
Katherine Gillen
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Time Commitment: 30 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
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Serves: 24
Believe it or not, the marbled design is a breeze to master, even for the culinarily challenged. “It’s best to stick to two colors (three, max) to avoid a muddy result,” Gillen writes. “More mixing will have a softer, more marbled effect; less mixing will yield bright streaks of color.” Start with store-bought sugar cookie dough to save time.
Taryn Pire
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes (includes chilling)
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, <10 ingredients
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Serves: 15
These Brazilian sweets, starring sweetened condensed milk, are dangerously poppable, not to mention a breeze to make. My spin on it comes in classic chocolate and unexpected strawberry milk varieties. Keep it traditional by hand-rolling the mixture into tiny balls and coating them in sprinkles, or save time by eating the mixture straight from the pan once it’s chilled (that’s called brigadeiro de colher, or spoon brigadeiro).
Yumna Jawad/Feel Good Foodie
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Time Commitment: 20 minutes
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Why I Love It: gluten free, dairy free, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
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Serves: 18
These sweet-and-salty handhelds, made with sugar-free peanut butter, keep in the freezer for up to three months. (That means you can prep the dough ahead and bake some whenever you get a craving.) Bonus: You probably have everything you need already on hand.
Aubrie Pick/Cravings: Hungry for More
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Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
How chic is this? The mousse is crowned with salted crisped rice-hazelnut crackle for good measure (and fresh whipped cream, of course). “Bonus points if you load it into pretty glasses, though it tastes just as good in a Dixie cup,” Tieghan writes. Say less, Chrissy.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, one pan, crowd-pleaser
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Serves: 10
Your cast iron skillet basically guarantees crispy edges and a fluffy center, aka the perfect cake. Feel free to use frozen cherries in the off season; the rest is pantry staples. P.S.: I wouldn’t blame you for serving this beaut at brunch.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Trade baking for frying to make these cinnamon-sugar tortilla chips, topped with a slew of sweet fixings. I’m talking chocolate sauce, caramel, whipped cream and raspberries. It’s giving churros for a fraction of the work, no?
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 10 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, one bowl, <30 minutes
Face it, there’s no better way to get your chocolate fix than with this lightning-fast treat. It bakes to gooey perfection in the microwave for minimal fuss and cleanup. Let your kids add the chocolate chips (and miniature PB cups) to theirs.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 45 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy
Who knew a five-ingredient dessert could look this gorgeous? It’s all thanks to vibrant rhubarb (oh, and handy store-bought pie dough). Simply roll it out, pile rhubarb slices in the middle and fold up the edges to hold it all together.
Spend with Pennies
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Time Commitment: 10 minutes (plus chilling time)
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, no-bake, gluten free
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Serves: 15
The best impromptu baking recipes are those that require no baking at all. I’m looking at you, cheater’s fudge. It’ll keep in the fridge for up to two weeks, but I doubt you’ll be able to resist its charms for that long. Best of luck.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 10 minutes
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Why I Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
For when you’re craving freshly baked cobbler but don’t want to turn on the oven, there’s this edible shortcut. Feel free to toss in whatever berries you have on hand; the whipped cream, however, is nonnegotiable.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 30 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, <10 ingredients
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Serves: 24
They taste like a blissful combo of sugar cookies and coconut macaroons, and I’m here for it. The topping is nothing but shredded coconut, confectioners’ sugar and egg white, so even total newbies can conquer this fun thing to bake on their first go.
Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 30 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, make ahead
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Serves: 12
Light as air and heavenly in flavor, these cupcakes are so much easier to pull off than traditional angel food cake, which is surprisingly finicky and takes longer to bake. The whipped cream frosting stays firm and pink, thanks to freeze-dried strawberries.
Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
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Serves: 10
Slivered almonds + sugar = a sweet, crunchy caramel topping that will impress every guest imaginable. Right before the cake is done baking, it’s crowned with the sugary nuts that transform into a drool-worthy crust in mere minutes. You won’t miss the frosting, promise.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 45 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
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Serves: 16
Thanksgiving breakfast, anyone? I’ll be washing mine down with a pumpkin spice latte, obvi. Shoutout to refrigerated canned biscuit dough for the beyond-easy crust and store-bought pumpkin purée for the filling.
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 25 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <30 minutes, kid-friendly, make ahead
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Serves: 10
I’ll never turn one of these cinnamony handhelds down. These are soft and chewy like the O.G., but also rolled in sugar before baking for crunchy, caramelized bottoms. This calls for a tall, ice-cold glass of milk (or a warm mug of apple cider).
Photo: Christine Han/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 40 minutes
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
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Serves: 24
A simple caramel sauce sweetens the cookies and gives them a killer burnt sugar flavor. Feel free to dip the bottoms in dark chocolate or top them with flaky salt for a wow-worthy finishing touch.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 55 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Think of the galette as pie’s laid-back, super cool cousin. This one is as easy as crinkling store-bought dough into a skillet, plopping in fresh plums and letting your oven do the rest. All that’s missing is a dollop of ice cream or whipped cream, or even just a few glugs of cold heavy cream.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 30 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
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Serves: 24
Fact: You can get your cheesecake fix *without* a fussy water bath. You’ll have two dozen of these cookies ready to serve in less time than it takes to watch an episode of Love Is Blind. How’s that for simple?
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 2 hours and 15 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
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Serves: 18
Dessert or work of art? I say both. Violets, pansies, lavender, roses—the garden’s limit does not exist when it comes to garnishing these simple shortbread cookies. There’s no need to dry and press the blossoms before baking, either. Just use egg wash to glue them down.
Eva Kolenko
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Time Commitment: 3 hours and 5 minutes
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Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
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Serves: 2 loaves
And just like that, I’m craving buttered toast. This peasant bread recipe is mind-blowingly painless to pull off (and it’s hiding a generous layer of cinnamon sugar). Best of all, it calls for a quick, yeast-based dough that requires almost no handling.
Yossy Arefi/Snacking Bakes
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Time Commitment: 30 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, one bowl
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Serves: 20
If the goal is to satisfy your sweet tooth without filling the sink with dirty dishes, turn to these ridiculously simple sugar cookies. Malted milk powder infuses them with nutty, toasty flavor, but you can up the ante with crushed, freeze-dried berries too, if you’d like.
Special Occasion-Worthy Fun Things to Bake
Photo: Matt Dutile/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
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Serves: one 9-inch cake
Let the oohs and ahhs roll in. This dessert is inspired by light-as-clouds semlor, a yeasted Swedish cake. “Traditionally, the cake is scored to show people where to cut it,” McDowell explains. “My version is much easier to shape because it’s simply baked in a Bundt pan.”
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 55 minutes
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
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Serves: 12
Vino, dessert and sprinkles—the gang’s all here, and their presence calls for a party. Why not wash ’em down with Champagne? I won’t tell if you start with store-bought confetti cake mix, either; they’ll turn out festive no matter what.
Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 50 minutes
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
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Serves: 20
Lemon meringue pie, meet sugar cookie. These gems are equal parts tart, sweet and gorgeous. Hot tip: Rubbing lemon zest into the sugar before beginning helps release more of its natural citrus flavor into the treats.
Photo: Christine Han/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 55 minutes
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Store-bought puff pastry meets sticky-sweet, caramelized produce to create an unforgettably elegant dessert. Bookmark this beauty now to wow your relatives with after Christmas dinner (or any old weeknight).
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 45 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
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Serves: 10
This fun thing to bake is destined to be the finale of your Thanksgiving feast. Can you believe it starts with store-bought dough? (Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.) Your guests will want to snap a photo before digging in, trust.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, no-bake, gluten free
Mangia on this: You only need six ingredients and a couple of hours to pull off this sophisticated Italian treat. It’s just right for after a big meal, when you’re craving something sweet-ish yet light that won’t bog you down. I feel a dinner party coming on, amica.
Photo: Christine Han/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 4 hours and 30 minutes
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
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Serves: 24
On the hunt for a weekend baking project? Look no further than this impressive pick, starring homemade puff pastry. They require a bit more patience and skill than most of these recipes, but I promise they’re well worth the effort.
Gimme Some Oven
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Time Commitment: 10 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <30 minutes, gluten free
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Serves: 8 to 10
Keep this fun Brie recipe in your back pocket for the next time your in-laws make an unexpected visit. It’s just fancy-looking enough to impress them, but simple enough that you won’t be stressed when preparing it (and you can easily pull it off at a moment’s notice).
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
This tri-flavored (and tri-colored) custard pie, layered with chocolate, vanilla and strawberry fillings, is the definition of nostalgia. The whipped topping is just a tasty bonus. Slice it in front of your guests for maximum drama.
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients, gluen free
Even the fussiest guests will be wowed by this chic number. “Steeping cardamom in the cream before you begin the process adds beautiful, warm flavor to the custard,” McDowell explains. “Don’t skip the whole cardamom pods—they’re a lot spicier than the ground version.”
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 50 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, gluten free, no-bake, special occasion-worthy
Table this pear-y (sorry) elegant idea for your next fancy dinner soirée. All it takes is simmering the fruit in spiced wine until warmed through and tender. Wash it down with…well, you know.
Photo: Jon Cospito/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 45 minutes
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly, make ahead
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Serves: 24
There’s truly nothing your muffin tin can’t do. Oh, and FYI, there’s no way you’ll be able to stop noshing on these nutty, caramelly delights after just one. The cinnamon roll crust is half-homemade, since it starts with store-bought dough but gets zhuzhed with warm spices and butter.
Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
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Serves: one 9-inch cake
Sticky toffee pudding, a holiday date spongecake from Britain, was long overdue for an upgrade. This version boasts a thick honey-butter caramel that you’ll want to savor every drop of, and it looks gorgeous to boot. Ten bucks at least one guest asks you for the recipe.
Photo: Christine Han/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 3 hours and 15 minutes
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Why I Love It: gluten free, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
This fall gem is so light, yet supremely decadent. Think meringue topped with roasted, spiced apples and honey-vanilla whipped cream. Are you drooling yet? (No? Just me?)
Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 55 minutes
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
Since the recipe calls for frozen berries instead of fresh, you can whip up this impressive, fun thing to bake any time of year. Just be sure to not over-mix the batter and to handle them as gently as possible when taking them out of the oven. No one wants deflated soufflé.
Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell
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Time Commitment: 3 hours and 10 minutes
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
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Serves: one 9-inch pie
I hope you like your dessert a lil’ spicy, because this beauty calls for fresh, ground *and* crystallized ginger. Sour cherries work best in this pie since it balances the filling (and it’s OK to use frozen or canned), but sweet ones will work in a pinch, too.
Alana Kysar/Dinner Party Project
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
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Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
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Serves: 6 to 8
If the recipe calls for refrigerated biscuit dough, you know it’s a cakewalk, even for newbies. Every buttery bite is laced with cinnamon, sugar and semisweet chocolate, in case you need more convincing. (I didn’t think so.)
Yossy Arefi/Snacking Bakes
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Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
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Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Leave it to liquid gold (aka brown butter) to upgrade this deliciously simple snacking cake. Asymmetrical dollops of chocolate and vanilla batter are the trick to its cow spot-like look. Serve it with confectioners’ sugar, berry jam, mocha glaze or nothing at all.
Yossy Arefi/Snacking Bakes
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Time Commitment: 45 minutes
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Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
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Serves: 16
Loaded with warm spices and a brown sugar-molasses base, these cookie bars will make any coffee lover swoon. Might I suggest making a double batch of the four-ingredient espresso glaze to drizzle over vanilla ice cream, banana bread and brownies alike?
The Best 10-Minute Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, Like, Now
