Recipes with sugar

Sesame curried walnuts toasted in sesame oil with curry powder, sesame seeds, and a lemon-hot sauce glaze. An addictive spiced nut snack or cocktail party appetizer.

Chocolate pound cake made with melted German chocolate and coconut, baked in a bundt pan and finished with a semi-sweet chocolate glaze. Dense, rich, and deeply chocolatey.

Cinnamon ribbon bread layers tender sour cream cake batter with cinnamon-sugar swirls and a pecan crown. A breakfast loaf with a marbled cinnamon ribbon running through every slice.

Macadamia butterballs with chopped chocolate chips and macadamia nuts rolled in powdered sugar. A melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookie that makes five dozen for holiday gifting.

Chocolate wafer crumb crust for cheesecake: three ingredients (crushed chocolate wafers, sugar, melted butter) pressed into a springform pan. The go-to base for mocha and chocolate cheesecakes.

Freezer-friendly slice and bake peanut butter cookies with the classic fork crisscross pattern. Make the dough in bulk, freeze in logs, and bake fresh anytime.

Sweet milk cakes made from pancake mix with extra sugar, egg, milk, and melted shortening. Quick griddle cakes with a slightly sweeter flavor than regular pancakes.

Torta di nocciole: Italian hazelnut cake made with toasted ground hazelnuts and barely any flour, topped with soft whipped cream. A light, elegant Piedmontese dessert with intense nut flavor.

Chocolate pepper cookies bring a slow, smoky heat from black pepper, cayenne, and cinnamon layered into deep unsweetened cocoa. Rolled thin and cut into shapes, they bake crisp with a warm spiced finish.

Buttery coconut shortbread squares dipped diagonally in semi-sweet chocolate. A crisp, sandy cookie with toasted coconut flakes baked low and slow.

Harvest focaccia studded with golden raisins, fresh grapes, and rosemary, finished with a sprinkle of sugar and salt. A sweet-savory Italian flatbread for fall.

Sky-high lemon meringue pie crowned with coconut chips. Tall lemon-extract-spiked meringue, glossy lemon curd filling, and a flaky stand-up edge make this a showstopping classic.

Strawberry apple frost smoothie blended with plain yogurt, fresh strawberries, apple juice, vanilla, and ice. A light, low-calorie frozen drink that's naturally sweet and frothy.

Baked cheese pita custard with cottage cheese, Monterey Jack, and a buttery flour-crumb topping. A sweet-savory cheese bake that slices clean into twelve tidy squares for brunch or dessert.

Old-fashioned chocolate fudge made from scratch with unsweetened chocolate, sugar, and milk. Hand-stirred on a platter until it transforms from glossy to creamy and firm.

Stove-top cream of pea soup: a 30-minute vegetarian soup of fresh or frozen green peas pureed with butter, onion, and milk. Six ingredients, one pot, supremely simple.