Get ready for a month full of deliciously easy dessert recipes, with everything from chocolate cake to apple pie tarts and snickerdoodle cheesecake. Go ahead, treat yourself!
A Dessert-A-Day Meal Plan Because You Deserve It
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Day 1: Layered Turtle Cheesecake
After receiving a request for a special turtle cheesecake and not finding a good recipe, I created my own. Everyone is thrilled with the results and this cheesecake remains a favorite at the coffee shop where I work. —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
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Day 2: Lemon Layer Cake
This four-layer lemon cake uses lemon juice, lemon zest, a sweet-tart lemon syrup and a lush cream cheese frosting to make sure there's a sunshiny taste of citrus in every bite. Â
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Day 3: Slow Cooker Chocolate Pots de Creme
Lunch on the go just got a whole lot sweeter. Tuck the jars of rich chocolate custard into lunch bags for a midday treat. These portable desserts are fun for picnics too. —Nick Iverson, Denver, Colorado
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Day 4: Snickerdoodle Cheesecake
Snickerdoodle cheesecake has the signature tangy softness of snickerdoodle cookies but in the form of a rich, cinnamon-flavored cheesecake.
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Day 5: Key Lime Pie Cookies
The classic creamy filling, graham cracker crust and burst of lime are all mixed together in every bite of these rolled cookies. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Day 6: Quick and Easy Baklava Squares
I love baklava but rarely indulge because it takes so much time to make. Then a friend of mine gave me this simple recipe. I’ve made it for family, friends and co-workers—they can’t get enough. I’m always asked to bring these squares to special gatherings and parties, and I even give them as gifts during the holidays. —Paula Marchesi, Lenhartsville, Pennsylvania
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Day 7: Blue Ribbon Red Velvet Cake
This two-layer beauty features a striking red interior. It calls for more cocoa than most red velvet cakes, making it extra chocolaty. Feel free to change the color of the food coloring to suit the occasion. This recipe won a blue ribbon in the holiday cake division at the 2006 Alaska State Fair. I think this cake will be a winner in your house, too! —Cindi DeClue, Anchorage, Alaska
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Day 8: Maine Potato Candy
Years ago, folks in Maine ate potatoes every day and used leftovers in bread, doughnuts and even candy. This chocolate potato candy recipe captures the old-school flavors. —Barbara Allen, Chelmsford, Massachusetts
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Day 9: Lemon Berry Dump Cake
Lemon blueberry dump cake comes together like magic, no mixing needed. It's loaded with fresh berries and served with a sweet, creamy topping.
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Day 10: Raspberry Ice Cream in a Bag
Making homemade ice cream is fun for the whole family, and the fresh raspberry flavor of this treat makes it a perfect summer activity. Kids can shake the bags until the liquid changes to ice cream and then enjoy the reward! —Erin Hoffman, Canby, Minnesota
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Day 11: Dutch Apple Pie Tartlets
These adorable mini apple pie pastries make a delightful addition to a dessert buffet or snack tray. The recipe calls for convenient frozen phyllo shells, so they're surprisingly easy to prepare. The lemon curd filling adds a unique flavor twist. —Mary Ann Lee, Clifton Park, New York
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Day 12: Easy Bourbon Pecan Pie
This pie has a mellow bourbon flavor that's not too strong and not too sweet. And it is easy, crunchy and chewy—just what you want in a pecan pie. —Nick Iverson, Denver, Colorado
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Day 13: Trail Mix Slices
With big handfuls of dried apricots and cherries, almonds and pistachios, we make dozens of treats you can take anywhere.—Donna Pochoday-Stelmach, Morristown, New Jersey
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Day 14: Mississippi Mud Pie
Mississippi mud pie is a classic, crowd-pleasing dessert. With a little help from boxed pudding mix and frozen whipped topping, it's ready in a flash without any fuss.
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Day 15: Creamy Layered Blueberry Ice Pops
These delicious ice pops can also be made with raspberries or blackberries. The rosemary sprig and lemon zest bring another layer of flavor. The pops are quick, easy, kid-friendly and freezable. —Gloria Bradley, Naperville, Illinois
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Day 16: Apricot-Hazelnut Triangles
These crispy cookie treats can be changed up—try different nuts and jams, and dark or white chocolate depending on the holiday. —Johnna Johnson, Scottsdale, Arizona
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Day 17: Fresh Raspberry Icebox Cake
Layered icebox cakes are so fun because they look impressive but couldn't be easier. Fresh raspberries make this one really special. Use Anna's Ginger Thins to get the scalloped edges, or regular gingersnaps if those are not available. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
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Day 18: Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
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
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Day 19: Frosted Carrot Cake Cookies
Carrot cake cookies combine the classic flavors of carrot cake in a hand-held spiced treat. Shredded carrots, crushed pineapple and a tangy cream cheese frosting are the not-so-secret ingredients.
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Day 21: Aunt Rose's Fantastic Butter Toffee
Elevate your homemade candy game with this easy butter toffee recipe—wonderful for gifting, sharing or indulging in a sweet, crunchy treat.
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Day 22: Double-Dipped Shortbread Cookies
My mom and her friend did a lot of cookie swaps together. They were always finding new recipes to share, including this one. There's something about a dipped cookie that makes it seem so special, so we usually save these for the holidays. —Ginger King, Big Bear Lake, California
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Day 23: Frosted Chocolate Cake
This recipe is my mother's oldest and most popular chocolate cake recipe. I always thought it should have a fancier name, but this is what she called it. Mom would say a fancy name would not make it taste better. —Beth Bristow West Plains, Missouri
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Day 24: Berry Tartlets
When you need a recipe to feed a crowd, these mixed berry tarts have a butter crusty and burst with fruit flavor. The citrusy whipped topping brings it all together.
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Day 25: Chocolate Marshmallow Peanut Butter Squares
I combined a couple of recipes to create these crunchy, chocolaty bars that burst with peanut butter flavor, marshmallows and pretzel pieces. The bars could also pass for fudge! —Dawn Lowenstein, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
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Day 26: Macaroon-Topped Rhubarb Cobbler
Crumbled macaroons are a surprising addition to this cobbler’s topping. We love that you can make the sweet treat in a baking dish or a cast-iron skillet. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Day 27: Old-World Ricotta Cheesecake
Indulge in the rich, velvety texture of this classic ricotta cheesecake, featuring a crisp cinnamon-spiced crust and tangy sour cream topping.
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Day 28: Chocolate Almond Drops
So much rich, chocolaty flavor, so little time! My trufflelike cookies are deceptively easy to make and look so elegant on a party tray. —Betsy King, Duluth, Minnesota
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Day 29: Peach Crumb Bars
These tasty, crumbly peach bars are somewhere between a pastry and a natural energy bar, and they're a treat you'll be glad you made during peach season.
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