39 Quick and Easy Weekday Baking Recipes

Buttery 3-Ingredient Shortbread Cookies

With only a few ingredients, these butter shortbread cookies are so simple to prepare. —Pattie Prescott, Manchester, New Hampshire

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Brownie Kiss Cupcakes

It’s fun to prepare individual brownie “cupcakes” with a chocolaty “surprise” inside. My goddaughter, Cara, asks me to make them for her birthday to share at school. This year, she requested 32. I later found out she only needed 27 for her class…wonder where the other five went!
-Pamela Lute, Mercersburg, Pennsylvania

Nutella Hand Pies

These pint-size Nutella hand pies made with puff pastry are too good to keep to yourself! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

40-Minute Hamburger Buns

Here on our ranch, I cook for three men who love burgers. These fluffy hamburger buns are just right for their big appetites. The buns are so good that I also serve them plain with a meal. —Jessie McKenney, Twodot, Montana

Honey-Peanut Butter Cookies

When my husband wants a treat, he requests these chewy peanut butter honey cookies. —Lucile Proctor, Panguitch, Utah

Peanut Butter Sheet Cake

I received this recipe from a minister's wife, and my family loves it. —Brenda Jackson, Garden City, Kansas

Magic Bars

These rich bar cookies will melt in your mouth! They’re ideal to have on hand for a snack. —Pauline Schrag, Theresa, New York

Pull-Apart Herb Bread

The ingredients for this recipe are so simple and the results so spectacular, I’m always willing to share the secret. It’s actually a variation of a doughnut recipe I made years ago, using refrigerated biscuits. The best part of having this bread is tearing it apart and eating it warm. —Evelyn Kenney, Hamilton, New Jersey

First-Place Coconut Macaroons

These coconut macaroon cookies earned me a first-place ribbon at the county fair. They remain my husband's favorites—whenever I make them to give away, he always asks me where his batch is! I especially like the fact that this recipe makes a small enough batch for the two of us to nibble on. —Penny Ann Habeck, Shawano, Wisconsin

Shortbread Lemon Tart

For a change from ordinary lemon bars, we added grated orange zest to both the crust and filling and turned the recipe into a tart. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Ice Cream Bread

Ice cream gets a whole new use in this tender bread recipe that I pared down to serve two. Be sure to use full-fat ice cream for best results. —Katherine Kuehlman, Denver, Colorado

Chocolate Chip Blondies

Folks who love the flavor of the classic cookie will enjoy that same great flavor in these chocolate chip bars. This blondie recipe can be mixed up in a jiffy, tastes wonderful, and is perfect for occasions when company drops by unexpectedly or you need a treat in a hurry. —Rhonda Knight, Hecker, Illinois

Yellow Cupcakes

Nothing is better than homemade cupcakes. They are so delicious and fluffy. Choose whatever frosting you want to top these treats. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Quick & Easy Pumpkin Crescents

These homemade goodies are simple enough for my children to help with. Sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, the yummy crescents are perfect with hot cocoa on a chilly morning.—Mindee Erickson, St. George, Utah

Cookie Sticks

If you have a craving for cookies and you want them now, these yummy strips take just a few minutes to make from start to finish. —Kathy Zielicke, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

Jam-Topped Mini Cheesecakes

We turned cheesecake into irresistible bite-sized snacks. Feel free to swap in any favorite flavor of jam. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Mint Brownie Pie

I first served this treat to my family on St. Patrick's Day, and it was an instant success. Now I serve it year-round; in the winter, I leave out the green food coloring to make a cool white mint pie. —Karen Hayes,Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania.

Easy Cake Mix Bars

I take this dessert to work for Friday pick-me-ups. It's one of my favorite yellow cake bar recipes. I love to share them because they're so easy to eat, easy to make and easy on the wallet. —Amy Rose, Ballwin, Missouri

Fluffy Biscuits

If you’re looking for a flaky basic biscuit, this recipe is the best. These golden brown rolls bake up tall, light and tender. They’re good on their own, but taste even better served warm and spread with butter or jam. —Nancy Horsburgh, Everett, Ontario

Berry Brownie Pizza

How could you not love pizza for dessert? A fudgy brownie base is layered with a whipped topping sauce, then topped with fresh strawberries, chopped nuts and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. —Karen Heleski, Ubly, Michigan —Karen Heleski, Ubly, Michigan

Snickerdoodles

The history of this whimsically named treat is widely disputed, but the popularity of this classic cinnamon-sugar-coated cookie is undeniable! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Frosted Banana Bars

These bars are always a hit at potlucks in the small rural farming community where my husband and I live. I also like to provide them for coffee hour after church. They're so moist and delicious that wherever I take them, they don't last long. —Karen Dryak, Niobrara, Nebraska

Blueberry Scones

I love serving this blueberry scone recipe to visiting friends and family. I always make sure a have a few in the freezer. Just pop a frozen scone in the microwave for 20 seconds or so. —Joan Francis, Spring Lake, New Jersey

Chunky Drop Cookies

The night before I make these drop cookies, I measure out the pretzels, peanuts, raisins and chocolate. Assembly goes quickly the next day. —Kelly Ward-Hartman, Cape Coral, Florida

Gooey Chocolate-Peanut Bars

These are so easy to make and take no time at all. They’re great to package up for those college kids looking for something from home. Everyone will want this recipe. —Elaine Grimme, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Lemon Sheet Cake

Lemon pie filling lends a splash of citrus flavor to a convenient cake mix, and a rich cream cheese frosting gives it sweetness. My family likes this lemon sheet cake cold, so I cut it into squares and freeze it before serving. —Alyce Dubisar, North Bend, Oregon

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Everyone who tries these beloved gems is amazed that they use only five ingredients. Baking cookies doesn't get much easier than this. —Dee Davis, Sun City, Arizona

Crumb-Topped Raspberry Coffee Cake

Raspberries are abundant at our summer home nearby Aziscohos Lake. So I developed this recipe to share the bounty with our guests. The pretty crumb-topped cake's fruity flavor really shines through. —Marian Cummings, West Paris, Maine

Basic Banana Muffins

This banana muffin recipe goes over so well with kids. Not only are these banana bread muffins like cupcakes, but they’re ready, start to finish, in just half an hour! —Lorna Greene, Harrington, Maine

Texas Sheet Cake

This chocolaty delight was one of my favorites growing up. The Texas sheet cake is so moist and the icing so sweet that everyone who samples it wants a copy of the recipe. —Susan Ormond, Jamestown, North Carolina

Strawberry Shortcake

I grew up helping my mom make a lot in our farmhouse kitchen; strawberry shortcakes, roasts, soups and pies. This sunny strawberry shortcake recipe brings back memories of family summers on the farm. —Janet Becker, Anacortes, Washington

Super Chunky Cookies

Chocolate lovers will go crazy over these cookies that feature loads of chocolate! When friends ask me to make "those cookies," I know exactly what recipe they mean. —Rebecca Jendry, Spring Branch, Texas

Chewy Salted Peanut Bars

My rich bars are studded with the all-American peanut. I like to think famed peanut farmer Jimmy Carter would approve. —Ann Marie Heinz, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pizza

This is probably the most unusual “pizza” you’ll ever see! It’s a great dessert for kids, although adults snap it up, too. Everyone loves the chewy crust and the great flavor. Chocolate and peanut butter are a nice combination.
—Bernice Arnett, Marshfield, Missouri

Frosted Cranberry Drop Cookies

I started making these treats after tasting a batch my friend whipped up. I immediately requested the drop cookie recipe and have been baking them by the dozens ever since. The icing is an ideal complement to the tart berries in the cookies. —Shirley Kidd, New London, Minnesota

Fudgy Brownies with Peanut Butter Pudding Frosting

Rich brownies are topped with a peanut butter pudding frosting to make this a recipe the whole family will love. These are perfect for a potluck, bake sale or yummy after-dinner treat. —Amy Crook, Syracuse, Utah

Warm Chocolate Melting Cups

These little cakes have become a favorite of our guests. They are always surprised that such a chocolaty dessert is so light­—less than 200 calories apiece! —Kissa Vaughn, Troy, Texas

Toffee Coffee Cake

I suggest topping this delightfully moist snack with a dollop of your favorite ice cream. —Edie DeSpain, Logan, Utah

Zucchini Cupcakes

I asked my grandmother for this recipe after trying these irresistible spice cupcakes at her home. I love their creamy caramel frosting. They're such a scrumptious dessert, you actually forget you're eating your vegetables, too! —Virginia Lapierre, Greensboro Bend, Vermont