Recipes with sugar

Harvest pumpkin torte layers a fluffy chocolate sponge with spiced pumpkin filling four times over, then finishes with a glossy chocolate glaze. Fall baking that looks like a bakery-case showpiece.

Lemon cookie sandwiches with bright lemon-zest filling pressed between crisp slice-and-bake butter rounds. The tops are brushed with egg white and chopped nuts for sparkle. A classic icebox cookie for the Christmas tray.

Whole wheat peanut butter muffins sweetened with molasses instead of sugar. No eggs, no refined flour. A hearty, nutty muffin with a deep caramel undertone in 25 minutes.

Upside-down apple pie with a caramelized brown sugar and pecan bottom that becomes the glossy top when flipped. Glazed and served warm with the nuts on display.

Old-fashioned peach shortcake with tender butter biscuits split and filled with sugared peaches and fresh whipped cream. Served warm for a classic summer dessert.

Molded ambrosia salad with orange juice gelatin, fresh banana, oranges, and shredded coconut. A vintage Southern gelatin salad that unmolds onto a bed of salad greens for a retro presentation.

Rich lemon muffins with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and melted butter, topped with a sugar crust. Bright, buttery, and intensely lemony with a golden crackly top.

Holiday eggnog made with beer, brandy, whipped cream, and beaten egg whites for a frothy, light texture. An unusual spiked eggnog recipe with a malty twist.

Apple coffee cake with a sour cream batter layered with sliced apples and a cinnamon-brown sugar-nut streusel. A buttery brunch cake with a hidden ribbon of fruit inside.

Lemon pie filling cooked over a double boiler with egg yolks, lemon juice, and zest into a glossy yellow curd, then poured into a baked pie shell to set.

Classic peanut butter crisscross cookies with brown sugar and vanilla. The iconic fork-pressed cookie with a crumbly, nutty bite that bakes in just 10 minutes.

Pecan brownies made with melted semi-sweet chocolate and a full cup of dark brown sugar for deep, fudgy texture and a shiny crackled top. A bakery-style brownie with toasted nuts.

Golden apricot nog made from simmered dried apricots blended with skim milk, vanilla, nutmeg, and stiff meringue, spiked with rum or brandy. A fruity, lighter twist on traditional holiday eggnog.

Molasses crinkle cookies bake into chewy spiced rounds with a sugary, crackled top, deeply scented with cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. A lower-fat take using egg whites and soft margarine.

Make-ahead frozen French toast using Texas toast soaked in an egg, milk, vanilla, and nutmeg custard. Freeze, then bake from frozen for a quick hot breakfast.

Creamy fresh tomato soup made from ripe tomatoes, basil, whole cloves, and brown sugar, pureed and finished with half-and-half and milk. Far better than anything from a can.