I’m from Ohio, and we love our buckeye candy! Buckeyes are a delicious combination of peanut butter and chocolate, which is exactly what this cookie is. All you need is a box of cake mix, a few common pantry ingredients, and voila—you have a tasty dessert ready for family and friends in under an hour. You can customize it, too, by substituting other mix-ins for the chocolate chips. We serve it warm with ice cream or whipped cream. —Arianna Harding, Cincinnati, Ohio
A moist cake and generous frosting are filled with the fabulous flavor of caramel. The candied pecans are almost a dessert by themselves!—Jennifer Rodriguez, Midland, Texas
This rich bread pudding recipe goes together in minutes. There’s plenty of old-fashioned flavor, so it’s sure to become a favorite! —Edna Hoffman, Hebron, Indiana
My grandmother gave me this 7UP pound cake recipe. On top of being delicious, this 7UP cake represents family tradition, connection and love. —Marsha Davis, Desert Hot Springs, California
These tempting fudgy cookies need only five ingredients—what could be easier? The melt-in-your-mouth goodies go over big with kids and make a fantastic pick-me-up for adults. —Elaine Stephens, Carmel, Indiana
Two favorite fall fruits bring out the best in each other — and rum works its own mellow magic. Few people pass up a piece of this pie. — Adri Barr Crocetti, Sherman Oaks, California
This luscious lemon poppy seed cake recipe uses cake mix and pudding mix for an easy dessert highlighting the classic flavor combination. —Betty Bjarnason, Egbert, ON
I was raised on a small farm, the youngest of eight children and the only girl. My mom taught me how to make all kinds of pies from scratch, and this is one of my favorites. Caramels and apples are a delicious combination.
Take these deeply fudgy cookies to a party, and you're sure to make a friend. A little espresso powder in the dough makes them over-the-top good. —Rebecca Cababa, Las Vegas, Nevada
I make this cake on birthdays and other special occasions because it looks and tastes so amazing. The combination of mild hazelnut and coffee flavors is impossible to resist. —Christina Pope, Speedway, Indiana
Nothing says the holidays to me more than the warming spices of chai. This bread pudding incorporates those flavors to make a dessert that everyone raves about. —Jessie Apfe, Berkeley, California
Searching for a dessert superstar? This chocolate swirl cheesecake is the one that people ask for again and again. —Jeanne Holt, Mendota Heights, Minnesota
This splurge dessert is the kind you just have to linger over. Plunge your fork into one of the cakes and the chocolate and conversation start flowing. —Deb Carpenter, Hastings, Michigan
It was so fun to experiment with this brownie recipe. When my daughter tasted the final version, she told me they were the best brownies ever! Now that sure makes a mom feel good.
—Dion Frischer, Ann Arbor, MI
This new twist on traditional bread pudding is a decadent and delicious family favorite! —Sonya Labbe, West Hollywood, California
Pairing the old-fashioned flavor of peanut brittle with yummy chocolate chips turns these bars into a satisfying treat and a sought-after holiday gift. —Kristin Gleason, St. John, Kansas
“A big piece of this moist cake is a chocolate and coconut devotee's dream," notes Johnnie. "You should see my husband, children and grandkids smile when I serve it.”
Cranberries, orange and nuts make one of my favorite flavor combinations, and this special drop cookie fits in particularly well at holiday potlucks. For a fruitcake-type cookie, use a mixture of dried fruits and substitute rum flavoring for half the vanilla. —Deborah Biggs, Omaha, Nebraska
I named these dessert bars for Broadway because they're a hit every time I serve them. I especially like to make them as a gift for anyone with a sweet tooth! —Anne Frederick, New Hartford, New York
This tender, buttery cream cheese cake with a thin layer of fudge frosting is perfect for a crowd. It's always popular at potlucks and parties. It's not uncommon to see folks going back for second and even third pieces. —Gaye Mann, Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Simple and delicious, this is our all-time favorite low-fat dessert. You'll be surprised how well the citrus flavor comes through in every bite.
Our version of the classic cookie is based on a recipe from a California bakery called Hungry Bear. The chocolate chip cookie is big, thick and chewy—perfect for dunking. —Irene Yeh, Mequon, Wisconsin
Festive and oh, so good, this cheesecake will become a fixture on your Christmas dessert menu. The red velvet filling is spiked with cocoa, topped with cream cheese frosting and baked in a chocolate cookie crumb crust. —Karen Dively, Chapin, South Carolina
Even though we've lived in Florida for three years, I still feel like a Vermonter. My parents send us a bushel of Vermont apples each fall, and we try to visit in the spring to do some sugaring. —Patricia Putnam, Lakeland, Florida
All my leftover bread ends (raisin bread is a favorite in this house) and buns go in the freezer. Then, when I've stashed away enough, I whip up a batch of this pudding. It's an all-occasion dish—I've made it for holidays, potlucks, picnics...for any occasion or no occasion! —Dawn Green, Hopkins, Michigan
This easy lime bar recipe is a dessert that will wow your guests. I baked these bars for a luncheon on a hot summer day. A gentleman made his way to the kitchen to compliment the cook who made them. —Holly Wilkins, Lake Elmore, Vermont
I found this Kentucky butter cake recipe in an old cookbook I bought at a garage sale and couldn’t wait to try it. I knew it had been someone’s favorite because of the well-worn page. —Joan Gertz, Palmetto, Florida
Turn the traditional hummingbird cake—flavored with pineapple, bananas and walnuts—into a bite-sized treat with these moist cupcakes. —Jessie Oleson, Santa Fe, New Mexico
I was hosting a fun Mexican-themed cocktail party and needed a quick dessert. Dressing up an ordinary boxed brownie mix made life easy and delicious! —Susan Stetzel, Gainesville, New York
During apple season, I always look forward to making this yummy torte. It has a cream cheese layer and apples galore. —Margaret Wilson, San Bernardino, California
I created this recipe for a national pie contest and won second place for my state. Many peanuts are grown in Virginia, and I always look for ways to use local products. —Vivian Cleeton, Richmond, Virginia
As a young girl, I dreamed of being able to make pies like my mother. Her rolling pin, which I inherited, is 2 feet long and 8 inches wide! In fact, this is Mom's recipe, although I substituted cherries for the strawberries in her version. I first made this pie for a church gathering 20 years ago, and everyone's looked for it at every potluck since! —Eunice Hurt, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
I reconstructed this dessert based on an old recipe that had been in the family for years but was never written down. The subtle cinnamon flavor of the zwieback crust reminds me of the cheesecake I enjoyed as a child, but substitute other crumbs if you like. —Mary Beth Jung, Hendersonville, North Carolina
When I visited my grandmother in summer, I always looked forward to the comforting banana bread pudding she'd make. With its crusty golden top, custard-like inside and smooth vanilla sauce, this pudding is a real homespun dessert. Now I make it for my grandchildren. —Mary Detweiler, Middlefield, Ohio
With seven of us in our family, including two teenage boys, these peanut butter squares never last long! It's hard to believe how simple they are to prepare. —Deb DeChant, Milan, Ohio
We sold pieces of this to-die-for carrot cake at an art show. Before long, we sold out of all the 10 cakes we had made! —Dottie Cosgrove, South El Monte, California
When we lived on the East Coast, a nearby fruit and vegetable stand had a bakery featuring these soft, cakelike cookies. We missed every bite when we moved away, so I developed this recipe. —Barbara Franklin, Tucson, Arizona
Gail Mehle of Rock Springs, Wyoming submitted the original recipe for these brownies with a secret ingredient: cinnamon. The spicy chocolate cinnamon cane sugar was a perfect fit for her recipe, adding just a hint of heat. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
When I found this recipe in an Amish cookbook, I had to try it. It’s traditional in regions with Amish populations—Pennsylvania, Ohio and the Upper Midwest. Now it’s a staple for our family and the folks at our church fellowship, too. —Jori Schellenberger, Everett, Washington
These rich, gooey bars are my most-requested treats. They're popular at school functions, family barbecues and picnics. We like them alone or topped with a scoop of ice cream. —Betty Hagerty, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Since our area has an annual blueberry festival, my daughters and I are always looking for amazing new recipes to enter in the cooking contest. These lovely bars won a blue ribbon one year. —Debbie Ayers, Baileyville, Maine
I make these flavorful pumpkin cupcakes each Halloween, but they're wonderful year-round. —Amber Butzer, Gladstone, Oregon
I get lots of compliments and recipe requests whenever I make this eye-catching cake. The filling is similar to German chocolate cake. —Judy Lamon, Louisville, Tennessee
This recipe features a luscious peanut butter filling surrounded by devil's food and then iced with a rich layer of ganache. They're to die for! —Mary Lou Timpson, Colorado City, Arizona
Both of my boys loved this makeover version of a family favorite, and even my husband, who is a bit picky, wants a piece in his lunch tomorrow! —Mary Lou Moeller, Wooster, Ohio
Three types of milk wonderfully moisten these cupcakes. Toasted coconut on top adds an elegant touch. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
I love chocolate and nuts, and they come together deliciously in this torte. Serve it with sweetened whipped cream or your favorite ice cream. —Thomas Faglon, Somerset, New Jersey
What did I do when I couldn’t decide between two of my favorite desserts? I combined them! This snickerdoodle-blondie hybrid proved even better with caramel, always a favorite ingredient. —Niki Plourde, Gardner, Massachusetts
I converted these blondies to be gluten free so that my family could enjoy a comforting dessert. We were craving brownies one night, and these cakelike treats hit the spot. They are a fantastic spin on gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. —Becky Klope, Loudonville, New York
As a teenage foreign exchange student in the south of France, I was horribly homesick. Then my host family's Grandmother Miette arrived and asked if I'd like to help her bake this nutty tart from scratch. It turned my trip around and inspired my lifelong passion for baking. Weighing ingredients, roasting nuts, kneading dough—the art of baking transcends language. —Lexi McKeown, Los Angeles, California
Here's the perfect dessert for chocoholics—like me! I bake this melt-in-your-mouth torte all the time for special occasions. For an elegant finish, dust it with confectioners' sugar. —Kayla Albrecht, Freeport, Illinois
My grandmas and mom created this recipe with chocolate chips, cherries and spices, a combo of their favorite parts of different cookies. Then dad made ice cream to turn them into ice cream sandwiches. We'd eat these sandwiches in the summer heat, each bite cooling us as the ice cream melted down our arms. —Wade Rouse, Fennville, Michigan. For more info on author Wade Rouse, please visit www.ViolaShipman.com
This is the cookie recipe I created for the Las Vegas World Food Championships in 2013. It's similar to a shortbread thumbprint cookie, but with lots more personality. —Amy Freeze, Avon Park, Florida
This cake bakes up tender and light with a subtle orange taste. It tastes rich but is comparatively low in saturated fat. Serve the cake as is, or dress it up with a dollop of whipped cream and strawberries or raspberries. It is wonderful warm, but the flavor improves as it sits, so make it a day or two before you plan to serve it. Store the cake at room temperature. —Leigh Rys, Herndon, Virginia
My mother-in-law loved chocolate
malts—and cheesecakes, too. Can you guess who passed this recipe on to me? Sometimes, I substitute pretzel crumbs for the graham cracker crumbs. They make a surprisingly good crust! —Anita Moffett, Rewey, Wisconsin
It wouldn't be Christmas if I didn't make this cookie. Several years ago, I submitted the recipe to our local newspaper and it won first prize of $35. Since then, my family refers to it as the "&35 Cookie"!
The tangy lemon flavor of this no-fuss dessert is especially delicious on a warm day. It gives me delightful flashbacks of selling lemonade on the sidewalk as a little girl. —Donna Biddle, Elmira, New York
I began making these moist cupcakes in grade school and still bake them today. —Edna Hoffman, Hebron, Indiana
This luscious dessert is just as wonderfully tasty as the campfire snack that inspired it. It's a great way to savor a summer classic anytime of year. Our 4-year-old daughter likes it so much that she's requested it for her next birthday! —Robin Andrews, Cary, North Carolina
Before we five kids headed off to school each day, Mom took our requests for that day's dinner. I usually asked her to make these cookies for dessert, and she would rarely disappoint. I still enjoy them today. —Patricia Ramczyk, Appleton, Wisconsin
When you don't have time to bake a real cheesecake, reach for this easy recipe. An almond-flavored dough serves as both crust and topping for a soft fudgy filling. —Louise Good, Flemington, New Jersey
Yes, you can watch your diet and enjoy treats, too! These healthy brownies are the perfect cure for a serious chocolate craving. —Rita Ross, Delta, Ohio
This is my favorite blueberry cheesecake recipe, which I often make for family get-togethers. —Cathy Medley, Clyde, Ohio
It takes just two ingredients to make these impressive but easy-to-do French pastries, which are often called palm leaves. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Hints of lavender and lemon zest in the crust make these treats a favorite. —Judith Hilinski, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Inspired by an abundance of zucchini, I found a new way to use it up in this spiced and lightly sweet cake. It even won a blue ribbon at our county fair! —Regina Stock, Topeka, Kansas
A friend gave me the recipe for these rich cakelike brownies topped with a creamy coffee-enhanced filling and a chocolate glaze. I like to garnish each square with a coffee bean. —Michelle Tiemstra, Lacombe, Alberta
Sweet and chewy, these fun bars combine the flavors of oats, cranberries, brown sugar and pecans. I like to sprinkle the squares with confectioners’ sugar before serving. —Sally Wakefield, Gans, Pennsylvania
Sweet cravings, begone: This free-form plum tart is done in only 35 minutes. It's extra awesome when served warm. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
These soft banana cookies have a cakelike texture and lots of flavor that everyone seem to love. It's one of the best banana cookie recipes I've found. —Vicki Raatz, Waterloo, Wisconsin
Friends sometimes ask me to make these for wedding receptions. For a fancier presentation, I cut the bars into triangle shapes and drizzle white chocolate over each one individually. —Erika Busz, Kent, Washington
Most cake recipes feed a crowd. So we came up with this elegant little cake that serves six. That's enough for two…with just the right amount of leftovers! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Pumpkin pie does not have to be difficult to make. This
easy Thanksgiving dessert recipe has a wonderful taste and will be a hit at your holiday meal. —Marty Rummel, Trout Lake, Washington
I used to think cheesecake sounded intimidating, but since I started making them I can’t stop! This simple but special cookie-topped version will make your family feel fussed over. —Rose Yoder, Middlebury, Indiana
Croissants make an incredible base for this rich, chocolaty bread pudding. I prefer dark chocolate, but semisweet or white chocolate work, too. Garnish with your favorite nuts. —Jennifer Tidwell, Fair Oaks, California
We like a touch of rum for the holidays, and this orangy rum cake is decadent alone or with big swoops of whipped cream. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada
With sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs, my unique baklava cheesecake makes a grand display for office parties and other special events. —Aryanna Gamble, New Orleans, Louisiana
You can add many different flavors to butter cookies to make them your own. Try an alternate type of citrus zest, or add an alternate liquid to change things up. —Sara Lark, Raton, New Mexico
This recipe has been used in my family as long as I can remember. My mom would make these for us when we were young and I have continued the tradition to my own family. When my husband and I were engaged, I would send these to him during his deployment overseas. In no time, he and his buddies would have the entire container emptied. These are the best chocolate chip brownies you will ever taste! —Amanda Green, Salisbury, Missouri
This cheesecake is easy to make—but it's definitely not easy to wait till the next day to eat it! The recipe is from a friend I used to work with. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
Oats, chopped peanuts and peanut butter frosting make this a nice change of pace from a traditional peanut butter cookie. After folks sample these, compliments and recipe requests always follow. —Alicia Surma, Tacoma, Washington
These moist and fudgy squares are bursting with such rich chocolate flavor, you'd never know they're low in fat. They're ideal for taking to bake sales and family gatherings. For holidays, I like to dress them up with colorful candy sprinkles. —Deb Anderson, Joplin, Missouri
My family runs a maple syrup operation, and I'm always looking for new ways to incorporate maple syrup into my cooking and baking. These bars are delicious! —Cathy Schumacher, Alto, Michigan
Family and friends say this patriotic pie is better than a local favorite from one of our best neighborhood restaurants. Sometimes, I switch things up and use gooseberries for half of the blueberries. —Nancy Barker, Silverton, Oregon
I grew up on a farm, and we always picked fruits in early summer and used them to make desserts. This blackberry pie is a real stunner. —Gladys Gibbs, Brush Creek, Tennessee
This lemon ricotta cake recipe is a family gem that was passed down from my grandmother and mother. Garnished with shaved lemon zest, the moist four-layer cake is the perfect dessert when you want to impress. —Nanette Slaughter, Sammamish, Washington
I love cinnamon chips, and this is an intriguing way to use them. Make sure to stock up on them during the holiday season. —Marietta Slater, Justin, Texas
In fall, I stock up on fresh cranberries and freeze them so I can make these cookies throughout the year. Tangy cranberries are a nice addition to a buttery cookie. —Machelle, Wall, Rosamond, California
This margarita cake is perfect for a picnic on a warm day. You'll be surprised at how closely it tastes like the real thing. These other
margarita dessert recipes are delicious, too. ?—Dawn Lowenstein, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
I love to cook. My family can't possibly eat all the sweets I whip up, so my co-workers are more than happy to sample them—particularly these rich, chewy brownies that are full of gooey caramel, chocolate chips and crunchy walnuts. —Clara Bakke, Coon Rapids, Minnesota