Recipes with sugar

Lighter cocoa oatmeal cookies made with egg whites and nonfat yogurt instead of whole eggs and butter. Studded with mini chocolate chips and chewy with 3 cups of quick oats. Makes a whopping 66 cookies.

Make-ahead chocolate chip cookie dough that keeps in the fridge for up to 4 weeks. Sour cream keeps them soft and chewy, pecans add crunch, and you can bake a fresh batch whenever the craving hits.

Light almond sponge cake layers stack with blueberry ricotta filling and whipped cream, then get crowned with fresh berries for a patriotic red, white, and blue celebration dessert.

Carthusian dumplings (Kartaeuserkloesse) transform stale kaiser rolls into sweet, deep-fried dumplings soaked in lemony custard, breaded, and rolled in cinnamon sugar. A German classic.

Homemade cereal waffles with multi-grain cereal and chopped raisins baked right into the batter. Crispy, hearty, and on the table in 30 minutes for a weekend breakfast.

Poached pears in mint sugar syrup served chilled with chocolate morsels. An elegant, light dessert with fresh mint-infused fruit and a simple chocolate garnish.

Russian black bread for the bread machine: a dense, dark rye loaf colored and flavored with cocoa, instant coffee, vinegar, and caraway seeds. The hearty Slavic bread that pairs perfectly with smoked fish or hearty soups.

Frozen margarita pie with salty pretzel crust, boozy lime filling, and clouds of whipped topping for the ultimate party dessert.

A flourless chocolate torte layered with whipped ganache, apricot preserves, and espresso buttercream, finished with piped rosettes and chocolate coffee beans.

German apple cake with tender yeast dough topped with cinnamon apples and buttery streusel crumble for a not-too-sweet dessert that's perfect with coffee.

Lemon tomato relish turns end-of-summer tomatoes into a sweet-tart preserve with bright lemon zest, juice, sugar, and liquid pectin. A spreadable, jelly-like condiment for cheese boards, toast, or roasted meats.

Danish chocolate shortbread cookies shaped into finger-thick ropes, filled with raspberry preserves, and drizzled with melted chocolate. An elegant holiday cookie with a buttery cocoa base.

Mary Jane's brownies melt butter, sugar, and water on the stove, then stir in a full bag of chocolate chips for an intensely fudgy brownie with nuts. So gooey they're best stored in the fridge.

A quick one-bowl blueberry oatmeal breakfast cake that's ready in 35 minutes. Lightly sweet with a tender crumb from the oats, best served warm straight from the pan.

Banana double cream pie: blind-baked pastry shell layered with fresh banana slices, silky vanilla pastry cream, and a whipped double cream border. British classic.

Mississippi mud cake with a fudgy cocoa and pecan cake base, melted marshmallow layer, and rich chocolate pecan icing. A three-layer Southern chocolate dessert that's pure indulgence.