Warm and Cozy Dessert Recipes (2024)

Cinnamon, chocolate, ginger, maple, apple, pumpkin and other favorites flavor these favorite fall and winter dessert recipes.

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Five-Spice Plum Cobbler with Orange Biscuits

Zesty orange biscuits lay atop a bubbling mixture of tart plums, brown sugar and five-spice in this oh-so-heavenly cobbler. Top with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream before serving and enjoy!

Easy Cobbler and Crisp Recipes

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Maple-Apple Pudding Bake

The Wisconsin Maple Producers created this recipe to showcase maple syrup and juicy apples in a moist, rich dessert.

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Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars

With creamy cheesecake and traditional pumpkin pie filling swirled together, this dessert is as aesthetically pleasing as it is delicious! Cut into bars to easily transport and share at your next gathering.

Pumpkin Recipes We Absolutely Love

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Cinnamon Toast Bread-and-Butter Pudding

Buttery brioche, vanilla custard and a cinnamon drizzle? Sign us up! Served straight out of the oven, this English-style bread pudding is destined to warm up any chilly morning brunch.

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CCCC Cookies

Although it's rare to outdo a classic, this riff gives the familiar chocolate chip cookie a cozy, chai-like upgrade with the addition of cloves, cardamom and coffee. Instead of chips, melt 8 oz of bittersweet chocolate, spread into an even layer and break into shards. Trust us, the extra effort pays off.

The Midwest's Best Cookie Recipes

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Apple-Almond Brave Betty

We gave a classic dessert a new name, in honor of all the people who have cooked in servitude or fought for social justice over the centuries—and we updated the flavors, too, with almond cookies and a splash of bourbon.

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Fig and Pecan Scones

This semi-sweet, buttery scone pairs perfectly with a steamy cup of coffee or afternoon tea. Use any variety of dried fig along with lemon zest for added brightness.

Simple Recipes for Tender, Buttery Scones

Fudgy Stout Brownies

Fans of cakey brownies, step away now. These squares are dense and rich, thanks to brown sugar, extra egg yolks—and more than half a can of stout. Your friends and family may not be able to identify the beer, but its toasted malt flavor brings depth to every bite.

Rich, Moist Brownie Recipes

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Apple Crumble

This gloriously simple recipe comes from Chef Jason Qureshi of River Roast in Chicago. He prefers to use Granny Smith apples for their firm texture and tart taste.

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes

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Apple Sour Cream Kuchen

In Germany, kuchen, or cakes, are made with sweet, yeasty dough. Apples (of any kind) star in this version topped with cinnamon and cardamom-infused streusel.

Rise and Shine Breakfast Breads

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Aint Helen's Sweet Potato Cheesecake

Besides tinting the cake a lovely pale orange, sweet potatoes lend a pleasant texture to the rich, creamy filling. This recipe comes from Sweets by Michigan cookbook author Patty Pinner.

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Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake

This gingery icebox cake is an ultra-cozy twist on the chocolate-and-vanilla retro classic. No baking is required—but it does call for some make-ahead assembly.

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Lazy Morning Cinnamon Rolls

Store-bought pizza dough is the secret to these super-quick cinnamon rolls. No need to prepare the night before, just butter the dough and sprinkle it with sugar, cinnamon and salt before rolling, cutting and baking.

Warm and Comforting Breakfast Breads

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Roasted White Chocolate

Roasting white chocolate gives it a nutty flavor and caramel color. Learn how to make it—and how to use it in recipes!

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Bourbon-Apple-Rye Upside-Down Cake

Bourbon makes everything better, right? Adding a splash to the caramel and dough creates a warm depth to this upside-down cake, and shredded apples boost its density and moisture.

Upside-Down Cake Recipes You'll Flip Over

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Salted Almond Truffle Tart

One of our testers described this tart's filling as "chocolate butter." We couldn't agree more. It's fantastically rich, with roast-toasty salted almonds in the crust and flaky sea salt on top to balance the sweetness.

Decadent Chocolate Dessert Recipes

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Maple-Walnut Apple Cobbler

This easy skillet cobbler is bursting with harvest flavor: crisp apples, cinnamon, toasted walnuts and sweet maple syrup.

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Caramel Pecan Skillet Brownie

Caramel in the bottom of the pan melds with the brownie, creating a dessert so rich and gooey that you need a spoon to serve it. Because cast iron holds heat, the brownie will still be warm when you go back for seconds.

How to Season, Cook With and Clean Cast-Iron Pans

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Vanilla Apple Gratin

This simple, orchard-fresh dessert captures the flavor of vanilla ice cream melting into the warm apples in a pie—but more quickly, and with way less fat and sugar.

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Amish Apple Dumplings

We often equate Amish food with comfort. Here's our version of a favorite dessert you might find at Amish-based restaurants in the Midwest.

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Molasses Cookies

Crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside: This spice cookie has it all. It's a state fair prizewinning recipe from Catherine Blackwood of Columbus, Ohio.

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Cranberry-Pecan Tarts

These tiny tarts mix cranberries and orange peel into a delightful pecan tassie recipe. Butter and cream cheese make the crust rich in this state fair blue-ribbon recipe from Sheila Bethia of West Allis, Wisconsin.

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Danish Pastry Apple Bars

Put apple pie flavor into a convenient bar, and you have one of the most popular recipes ever published on our website. The flaky, double-crust pastry and sweet apple filling add up to a sure sellout at every bake sale.

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Fabulous Red Velvet Cake

We gussied up chocolate cake mix with sour cream and red food coloring for Fabulous Red Velvet Cake. Then, we crowned the cake with a white chocolate-cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut.

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Single-Serving Caramel Apples

Joan Wagner of Overland Park, Kansas, considers this baked apple dish her easy-entertaining recipe. "You can make these up to six hours ahead and cover them with plastic wrap, so the puff pastry doesn't dry out," she says. "The desserts bake while your coffee is brewing."

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Caramel Apple Cookies

Chopped apple, pecans, apple juice, apple pie spice and more combine for a hearty, delicious cookie. The frosting and nuts add just the right touch of sweetness and crunch on top.

Our Favorite Fall Cookie Recipes

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Country Chocolate Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting

Begging for a crown of birthday candles, this layer cake has two kitchen tricks working in its favor. Mayonnaise yields a moist crumb; sour cream keeps sugary buttercream in tangy check. (Note: This recipe makes enough frosting to fill and frost the entire cake [top and sides]. To leave the sides unfrosted as we did in our photograph, just make a half batch.

Ultimate Cake Recipes

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Blackberry Clafouti

Cherries usually dot this French country dessert, but we opted for plump blackberries and a wisp of orange liqueur. Baked in a large skillet or a group of minis, the simple, eggy batter yields a texture between cake and custard.

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