Pear Crumble
This easy, comforting pear crumble is sure to please. Serve it as is or with low-fat ice cream. Read More
Caramel Cream Cheese Custard
Every panaderia (bakery) in Puerto Rico has many flavors of flan, from vanilla to guava. Reduced-fat cream cheese gives this version a rich, comforting texture. Read More
Old Fashioned Fruit Crumble
Use whatever fresh or frozen fruit you have on hand to make this old-fashioned crumble. Typical crumble topping has as much as a half cup of butter--ours has just a bit of canola oil and, for richness, chopped almonds, which are full of healthy monounsaturated fats. Read More
Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Streusel
This riff on the Thanksgiving favorite combines a traditional pumpkin pie filling with swirls of sweetened cream cheese. And since it's only Thanksgiving once a year, we've topped it all off with a buttery spiced-pecan topping. This easy pie recipe will please anyone at your table this holiday. Read More
Light and Luscious Pumpkin Pie
If pumpkin pie is a must for the holidays, this version fulfills that holiday tradition without derailing your meal plan. Read More
Riesling Baked Pears
Here's an elegant yet simple twist on the autumn classic. Pears are oven-poached in Riesling wine, which is known for its floral accents and aromas and hints of honey and pear. Serve this dessert with lightly sweetened ricotta cheese. Delicious hot, room temperature or chilled. Read More
Custard Pecan Pie
While every bit as delish as the classic pie, this one has less sugar. Cane syrup, a toasty alternative to corn syrup or molasses, sweetens the pie along with brown sugar. Because the filling for the pie is wet, we brush the crust with egg white and par-bake it to create a barrier to prevent sogginess. Read More
Sweet Potato Pudding Cake
This cake was inspired by the one of the most popular Jamaican desserts, sweet potato pudding. Traditionally, raw shredded sweet potatoes are used, but we found that sweet potatoes sold in the U.S. don't provide the same texture as those in Jamaica. Instead, we mix mashed sweet potato with eggs and flour to get a slightly different, but equally delicious, cheesecake-like result. Read More
Light Lemon Meringue Pie
Smooth and soothing; a great classic pie right down to the crust, redefined with a generous amount of lemon and fewer egg yolks in the filling. Read More
Basic Crustless Pumpkin Pie
This low-fat crustless pumpkin pie is a perfect dessert for the dieters at your holiday meal or people who are watching their carbs. Read More
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
Here's a simple recipe for low-fat vanilla ice cream. Our version has all the richness you'll need but about 90 fewer calories than store-bought premium ice cream and a whopping 15 grams less total fat and 10 grams less saturated fat per serving. Read More
Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
Pumpkin swirl cheesecake is a delicious dessert that everyone will love, especially during the holiday season. Read More
Carob Molasses Cake
With all due respect to baklava, we've found a new favorite Lebanese dessert. This rich, moist cake is sweetened with carob molasses and has a hit of anise. We may or may not have fought over it in the Test Kitchen. Read More
Dried Fruit Bars
Make a batch of these easy homemade dried-fruit bars to tuck into your kid's lunchbox all week. Read More
Chocolate Decadence
Inspired by the old-school, ultra-rich, mousselike chocolate cake that usually called for a whole pound of chocolate, half a dozen eggs and lots of butter, this enlightened rendition has deep bittersweet chocolate flavor and dense melt-in-your-mouth texture. No one will guess it's healthier. The secret is excellent natural cocoa powder and good-quality bittersweet chocolate, preferably with 70% cacao. Although the cake can be eaten once it's completely cool, it comes out of the pan much easier and even tastes better if it has been chilled at least overnight. Read More
Pear Custard Pie
A velvety, light custard surrounds ripe pears in this healthy pear pie recipe. Serve with a dollop of vanilla whipped cream. Read More
Cranberry Crumble Bars
These cranberry-orange bars freeze well. Make a batch on a free afternoon and pop them in the freezer so you’ll always have a healthy dessert on hand when company calls. Read More
Sweet Potato Pie with Cream Cheese Swirl
This creamy sweet potato pie recipe is seasoned like a pumpkin pie with plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg and gets nice ginger flavor from the gingersnap crust. For the best results, roast sweet potatoes in the oven; in a pinch, microwave them instead. Read More
Fresh Apple Squares
One batch of dough does double duty as both the crust and streusel topping to make one of the easiest desserts around. Read More
Sweet Potato Bundt Cake with Maple Glaze
This sweet potato pound cake started out as a way to use up leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner, but quickly became its own reason to make sweet potatoes. The cake gets better as it sits, so it's a great make-ahead candidate for any occasion. Read More
Purple Sweet Potato Pie
This purple version of classic sweet potato pie contains a shot of brandy, which adds another layer of seasonal flavor. Serve with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream. Read More
The Best No Sugar Added Apple Pie
This no-sugar-added apple pie gets its natural sweetness from antioxidant- and fiber-rich dates. Cider vinegar helps to enhance the flavor. We like Gala apples for their sweetness and crisp texture, but any sweet, firm apple will work well. If you like your apple pie on the tart side, add a Granny Smith to the mix. We use frozen pie crusts for the bottom and top of the pie. The dough should release easily from the tin for the top crust within about 10 minutes out of the freezer. If not, let it sit out a bit longer until it releases easily. Read More
Bingka Labu Kuning
This Indonesian bingka labu kuning, or pumpkin cake, is a wonderful alternative to pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. A versatile cake, bingka’s core ingredient can comprise assorted root vegetables, from cassava to sweet potato and, yes, pumpkin. Once baked, it has a firm outer skin and a rich, custardy filling. Roasting your own pumpkin flesh is preferred, but you can use canned pumpkin in a pinch. Read More
Cranberry Nut Bread
This cranberry nut bread brings together the tartness of fresh cranberries with the crunch of walnuts, all wrapped in a moist, tender loaf. Whether enjoyed as a breakfast, snack or dessert with coffee, cranberry nut bread offers a little bit of holiday cheer in every bite. To make it a little sweeter and to bring out more citrusy flavor, drizzle it with the optional orange glaze before slicing and serving. Read More
Magic Chocolate Drizzle
Drizzle this homemade Magic Shell chocolate topping over ice cream; it will firm up and create a crunchy shell as it cools. Read More
Frosted Grapes
The perfect summertime dessert, these frozen grapes are healthy mini-popsicles. Try freezing other fresh fruit, like raspberries, peach wedges or cubes of watermelon. Read More
Sokolatakia Chocolate Dipped Walnut Stuffed Prunes
Adjust these boozy, nut-stuffed, chocolate-dipped prunes to suit your taste buds. While prunes are traditional for the bite-size Greek treats, you can substitute apricots, dates or dried figs, or play with the flavor by using rum, cognac, amaretto or cherry liqueur in place of the whiskey. Read More
Bourbon Whipped Cream
This easy vanilla-bourbon homemade whipped cream recipe makes a sophisticated topping for any pie, crisp or crumble, or dollop in after-dinner coffee for an elegant treat. Read More
Pink Lemonade Nice Cream
Sweet, tangy and so refreshing, this is a treat you could enjoy on repeat all summer long. The bananas make it ultra creamy, so it tastes like a cross between sorbet and ice cream. It's perfect for dessert or a midafternoon snack on a hot day. Read More
Ginger & Spice Crackles
These soft and moist cookies are spiked with ginger, cinnamon and a hint of clove and they crackle on top when they bake. Rolling them in powdered sugar gives them a lightly sweet coating on the outside that looks like a dusting of fresh fallen snow. Read More
Peanut Butter Bites
These not-too-sweet mini desserts combine the flavors of peanut butter cups and chocolate cake. Quinoa flour adds protein and makes these gluten-free, but feel free to substitute white whole-wheat flour instead. Read More
Garri Cookies
Garri is made from dried, fermented cassava, a tuber native to South America and introduced to Africa by Portuguese traders from Brazil in the 16th century. San Francisco chef Simileoluwa Adebajo says her family, like many in Nigeria, often eat garri mixed with ground nuts, sugar and milk, like a cereal. These subtly sweet cookies are crisp and delicious. Read More
Natural Cookie Icing
This natural cookie icing recipe is quick and uses natural dyes to create vibrant colors for decorating cookies. The basic icing recipe makes natural white icing and has substantially less sugar than traditional cookie icing recipes. For creating colored cookie icings, try thawed juice concentrates: cranberry for pink, orange for pale orange or Concord grape for pastel purple. Read More
Vegan Meringue Cookies
Magical aquafaba—the liquid from canned chickpeas that often gets poured down the drain—mimics egg whites in these airy vegan meringue cookies. The other magical thing? These cookies require just three ingredients! Save the chickpeas themselves for hummus, stew or any one of our other recipes that call for canned chickpeas. Read More
Cinnamon Icebox Cookies
Slice-and-bake icebox cookies are the ultimate make-ahead treat. You can make a batch and bake as many as you like, saving the rest of the dough in the freezer. These simple swirled cookies are rolled in finely chopped pecans. They're mildly sweet—perfect for after dinner or paired with coffee. Read More
Raspberry Pistachio Greek Yogurt Bark
Mix Greek yogurt with sweet jam and crunchy pistachios and freeze so you can break into chunks just like chocolate bark (but healthier!). This colorful snack or healthy dessert is perfect for kids and adults alike. Use full-fat yogurt to ensure the creamiest bark possible. Read More
Lemon Thins
These lemon cookies are made healthier with whole-wheat pastry flour and they get their zippy flavor from fresh lemon zest and juice rather than lemon extract. This lemon cookie recipe would be the perfect accompaniment to afternoon tea. Read More
Cherry Cocoa Pistachio Energy Balls
Minced dried cherries and pistachios make these energy balls a salty-sweet snack to satisfy all your cravings. Almond butter and cocoa add substance and chocolaty appeal. Serve any time of day as a snack or dessert, or pack them for a hike. Read More
Cashew Cardamom Shortbread
These cardamom-spiced shortbread cookies were inspired by the Indian sweet kaju katli. Read More
Mini Pecan Pies
The key to these decadent treats is the portion size--baking them in mini-muffin tins keeps the carbs and saturated fat in check. And maple syrup allows you to make this pecan pie recipe without corn syrup. Read More
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
This makeover recipe was one of the favorites chosen for our 30th anniversary issue. Tahini gives this cookie a subtle sesame flavor. Read More
Italian Hazelnut Cookies
These crispy cookies are made with Piedmontese staples--hazelnuts and eggs--and called Brutti Ma Buoni: literally, “Ugly But Good.” But they are really more plain-looking than “ugly,” and pack a powerful, sweet, nutty burst of flavor, making them welcome at any table. Read More
Coconut Peanut Butter Balls
All you need are four simple ingredients to make healthier coconutty peanut butter balls that kids and grownups will love. Make this easy recipe for a bite-size treat, on-the-go snack or easy homemade gift. You can swap the peanut butter for almond butter or even sunflower seed butter if you need a nut-free snack for school. Read More
Apple Oatmeal Cookies
These healthy apple cookies made with oats, shredded apples and brown sugar make snack time enjoyable for everybody. Read More
Spiced Pumpkin Cookies
The deep flavors of molasses, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg make these wholesome pumpkin cookies delicious without the addition of butter--and they lend themselves beautifully to the inclusion of whole-wheat flour. They are also the perfect texture for a sandwich cookie--fill them with a slightly sweetened cream cheese frosting. Read More
4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookie
This irresistible diabetic-friendly peanut butter cookie recipe contains no flour. For Christmas or special occasions, imprint them with cookie cutters to fit the season instead of the star-shaped cutter. Read More
Meringues
Perfect meringues depend on totally yolk-free whites. The seemingly fussy step of separating each egg into a small bowl before combining them guarantees yolk-free whites for bakeshop-quality meringues every time. These crispy little morsels travel well and make great gifts too. Read More
Banana Energy Bites
Perfect for an on-the-go breakfast or snack, these energy bites will keep you fueled. Read More
Khanom Tom Coconut Balls
This recipe for traditional Thai coconut balls is all about the coconut. First, skip the preshredded stuff (the filling won't hold together with it) and get yourself to the produce department for a fresh one. Read More
Blackberry Sauce
Serve this easy blackberry sauce with ice cream, lemon mousse, angel food cake or sliced peaches—the list goes on! Read More