Dessert Recipes

My nephew Leo asked why I couldn’t just use store-bought caramel sauce for the popcorn balls. I started to explain why that wouldn’t work—something about … Read more

I was standing in line at the hardware store—of all places—when the woman ahead of me turned around and started talking about popcorn. Not just … Read more

This was supposed to be a batch of classic chocolate crinkles. I had the powdered sugar ready, the cocoa measured out, and I was feeling … Read more

I swore I wasn’t a “dip person” for desserts. For years. I’d watch friends gather around a bowl of something sweet and creamy at parties, … Read more

My neighbor asked why I couldn’t just use the persimmons straight from the tree, skins and all, instead of going through the fuss of peeling … Read more

The neighborhood fall potluck was in six hours and I’d completely blanked on it. I mean, totally forgot. My phone buzzed with a reminder text … Read more

I was at the hardware store on a rainy Tuesday morning, of all places, trying to pick out the right size paintbrush for a trim … Read more

This was supposed to be a pumpkin roll. I had the cream cheese softened, the powdered sugar sifted, the kitchen towel dusted with flour—the whole … Read more

My neighbor across the hall, a retired pastry chef named Rosa, watched me struggle with a wobbly, gluten-free pie crust one October afternoon. She didn’t … Read more

This was supposed to be a pecan pie. A proper one, with a from-scratch crust and a filling that needed more patience than I had … Read more