Recipes with vanilla extract

Referee cookies with chocolate cocoa dough loaded with semi-sweet chocolate chips, decorated with white chocolate stripes piped on top. A fun game-day treat that looks like a referee jersey.

Spiked hot white chocolate made with real white chocolate, brandy or rum, egg yolks, and scalded milk. A rich, creamy after-dinner drink for cold nights.

Orange poppy seed muffies, a drop cookie-muffin hybrid made with orange sugar, buttermilk, whole wheat pastry flour, and allspice. Lightly crisp edges with a soft, citrusy center.

Triple-chocolate dessert with a brownie shell, Kahlua-spiked chocolate mousse filling, and a coffee-chocolate glaze. A showpiece that needs thin slices and earns every one.

Classic walnut-crusted thumbprint cookies with tender shortbread base and jewel-toned jelly centers perfect for cookie swaps and holiday gift boxes.

Halloween ghost, bat, and moon sugar cookies mounted on sticks and arranged on a chocolate-frosted sheet cake. A project bake for kids with simple sugar cookie dough and easy gel-icing faces.

Pecan fingers with a buttery shortbread base and a chewy brown sugar pecan topping, dusted with powdered sugar. Two-layer bar cookies made entirely in the microwave.

Cream cheese apple dip blended with brown sugar, vanilla, and milk for a sweet, caramel-like dipping sauce. Serve with sliced Granny Smith apples rolled in crushed peanuts.

Chocolate chip cookies loaded with raisins for a chewy, fruity twist on the classic. Crispy edges, soft centers, and a big-batch recipe that makes 6 dozen.

Pepper poached pears simmer in white wine with black peppercorns, ginger, cinnamon and a whisper of chili heat, then chill in a syrup reduced from the poaching liquid. An elegant, lightly spiced dessert.

Chocolate oatmeal chippers: spiced chocolate chip oatmeal cookies with cinnamon, nutmeg, pecans, and quick oats. Chewy center, crisp edges, classic drop cookie.

Mocha crinkle cookies with deep cocoa, instant espresso, and a surprising pinch of black pepper, rolled in powdered sugar for that signature cracked-top look. A grown-up twist on classic chocolate crinkles.

Classic New York cheesecake with graham cracker crust and egg whites. Creamy engagement cheesecake baked for 3 hours with special cooling method.

Oatmeal orange-walnut cookies use yogurt instead of egg for a soft, tender crumb. Brightened with grated orange zest and crunchy walnuts. Lower-fat than classic oatmeal cookies, ready in 40 minutes.

Ribbon cookies with three colorful layers: red rum-flavored, green with chopped nuts, and chocolate, pressed in a loaf pan and sliced thin. A festive holiday cookie for Christmas tins.

Giant chocolate chip cookies shaped into 2-inch balls for thick, bakery-style results. Crispy edges, chewy centers, and loaded with chocolate chips.