37 Desserts with a Surprise Inside
Updated: Jan. 31, 2022
Surprise! These delicious dessert recipes all feature a hidden filling that takes an ordinary cake, cookie or cupcake to a new level of tasty.
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Peanut-Filled Devil's Food Cupcakes
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
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Cranberry-Filled Orange Pound Cake
I made this for a holiday dinner with my family. Everyone loved the cran-orange flavor and the sweet glaze drizzled on top. For a fun variation, include 2/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut when adding the orange juice to the batter, and sprinkle the finished cake with toasted coconut. —Patricia Harmon, Baden, Pennsylvania
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Cheesecake-Stuffed Strawberries
These luscious cheesecake-stuffed strawberries are the perfect bite-sized dessert. —Stephen Munro, Beaver Bank, Nova Scotia
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Truffle-Filled Cookie Tarts
I made chocolate truffles as a Christmas tradition for many years. I created this recipe to incorporate my truffles into the center of fudgy cookies. It was a hit with friends and family.—Patricia Harmon, Baden, Pennsylvania
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Cherry Surprise Cookies
I tuck a rich chocolate surprise into each of these cute bites. Candied cherries add a colorful finishing touch.—Gloria McBride, Payson, Utah
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Orange Ricotta Cake Roll
I come from a big Italian family. When I was growing up, my mom cooked and baked many delicious meals and desserts from scratch. Now I do the same for my family. This cake is my finale to our special-occasion dinners. —Cathy Banks, Encinitas, California
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Cream-Filled Pumpkin Cupcakes
Here's a charming use for pumpkin. Bursting with flavor and plenty of eye-catching appeal, these sweet and spicy filled cupcakes are bound to dazzle your family any time of the year. —Ali Johnson, Petersburg, Pennsylvania
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Rhubarb-Filled Cookies
I won a blue ribbon at our local fair for these tender cookies. They're so pretty with the ruby-red filling peeking through the dough. Try making these special cookies and watch the smiles appear. —Pauline Bondy, Grand Forks, North Dakota
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Chocolate-Drizzled Ravioli Cookies
My daughter Madalyn came up with the recipe for these Oreo-filled ravioli. Our family couldn't stop eating them! Even her teachers were asking her to make them and to share the recipe! —Sarah Sandifer, Bamberg, South Carolina
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Surprise Carrot Cake
A cousin gave me this carrot cake recipe. It's a wonderful potluck pleaser with its "surprise" cream cheese center. My husband and our two young children love it, too! —Lisa Bowen, Little Britian, Ontario
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Strawberry Pillows
Make cookie trays extra special with these mini pie look-alikes stuffed with sweet strawberry preserves. Yum! —Amy Sauerwalt, Columbia, Maryland
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Mint-Filled Cookies
I tuck a peppermint patty inside these treats for a fun surprise. The bites will melt in your mouth. —Karen Nielson, St. George, Utah
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Raspberry Chocolate Puffs
This chocolaty, flaky dessert is one of my favorite show-off recipes because it makes a spectacular presentation. The best part? It’s actually surprisingly easy and quick to make. —Anneliese Deising, Plymouth, Michigan
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Walnut-Filled Pillows
These tender cookie pillows, filled with a delicious walnut mixture, are my husband's favorite. He says it wouldn't be Christmas without them. —Nancy Kostrej, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
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Apricot-Filled Triangles
Traditionally called hamantaschen, these crisp, buttery triangle cookies truly do melt in your mouth. It's a good thing this classic Jewish dessert recipe makes a big batch because no one can stop after eating just one! —Mildred Lorence, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
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Orange Dream Mini Cupcakes
The bright taste of these cute cupcakes reminds me and my friends of orange-and-vanilla frozen treats. —Jen Shepherd, St. Peters, Missouri
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Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes
My husband's love for classic peanut butter and jelly inspired this recipe. The strawberry buttercream and peanut butter frosting are a delicious combination. —Kelly McCrea, North Kingsville, Ohio
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Chocolate Macaroon Cupcakes
A delightful coconut and ricotta cheese filling is hidden inside these chocolate cupcakes. —Dolores Skrout, Summerhill, Pennsylvania
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Spiced Pumpkin Ice Cream Puffs
This extraordinary dessert showcases homemade pumpkin ice cream and cream puffs. The effort is worthwhile...and you can make the parts ahead of time for easy assembly later.—Richard Lasher, Stuarts Draft, Virginia
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Sherbet-Filled Angel Food Cake
Here’s a cool way to treat angel food cake: Fill it with sherbet or ice cream. We finish this cake with a tart, sweet lime glaze. —Leah Rekau, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Cherry Snowballs
A juicy maraschino cherry is the secret center tucked inside these special cookies. My mom was inspired to create this by a recipe she clipped out of a newspaper more than 30 years ago. —Evy Adams, West Seneca, New York
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Almond Bonbon Cookies
These bonbons remind me of England, with a touch of America. Dip cooled cookies into one frosting or each side into different frostings. Have fun adding any kind of sprinkle toppings you like. — Teri Rasey, Cadillac, Michigan
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Chocolate-Filled Angel Food Cake
This decadent angel food cake has a secret tunnel of Amaretto-and-chocolate-flavored whipped cream and a luscious chocolate glaze. It's sure to impress. —Leah Rekau, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Surprise Meringues
These crisp, delicate cookies are light as a feather. Mini chocolate chips and chopped nuts are a delightful and yummy surprise in every bite. Mom knows this fun dessert is a fitting finale to a big meal. —Gloria Grant, Sterling, Illinois
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Chocolate-Filled Cookies with Peppermint Frosting
Baking is one of my favorite traditions around the holidays. These special cookies draw you in with candy-topped frosting and seal the deal with a chocolate center. —Deborah Puette, Lilburn, Georgia
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Cream-Filled Cupcakes
These chocolate cupcakes have a fun filling and shiny chocolate frosting that make them different from any other. They always disappear in a flash! —Kathy Kittell, Lenexa, Kansas
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Lemon Meringue Angel Cake
I've been told that this dessert tastes exactly like a lemon meringue pie and that it's the best angel food cake anyone could ask for. I'm not sure about all of that, but it is delightful to serve, and each slice is virtually fat free. —Sharon Kurtz, Emmaus, Pennsylvania
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Cream Cheese Chocolate Cupcakes
Smooth cream cheese inside makes these cupcakes so rich. The classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate chips comes through in every yummy bite. You'll be asked to make them again and again. —Shirley Dunbar, Mojave, California
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Cranberry Stuffed Apples
Cinnamon, nutmeg and walnuts add a homey autumn flavor to these stuffed apples, while the slow cooker does most of the work. —Graciela Sandvigen, Rochester, New York
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Moist Lemon Angel Cake Roll
Tart and delicious, this pretty cake roll will tickle any lemon lover's fancy. Its feathery, angel food texture enhances its guilt-free goodness. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Walnut Horn Cookies
At our house, it wouldn't be Christmas without these Pennsylvania Dutch cookies, which are known locally as kiffels. —Sharon Allen, Allentown, Pennsylvania
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Sugar Plum Phyllo Kringle
Thanks to store-bought phyllo dough, this pastry is easier to make than it looks. Serve it not only for breakfast, but also for dessert with a scoop of ice cream. —Johnna Johnson, Scottsdale, Arizona
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Lemon Curd-Filled Angel Food Cake
For a sunny angel food cake, we make a filling of mascarpone, cream cheese and lemon curd, and then drizzle the cake with a lemony sweet glaze. —Leah Rekau, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Originally Published: September 03, 2019
