Dessert Recipes

I was standing in line at the hardware store, of all places, holding a bag of lightbulbs and a new garden hose, when the woman … Read more

It was 11:47 PM on a quiet Wednesday, and I had a desperate, irrational need for something swirled, spiced, and cream-cheese-filled. I didn’t have the … Read more

My sister asked why I couldn’t just use applesauce instead of oil in my pumpkin bars. I started to explain why that wouldn’t work—then stopped. … Read more

My sister claimed she hated pumpkin bread for a solid decade. Ten years of eyeing my fall baking with suspicion, insisting that pumpkin belonged in … Read more

I’d spent three years avoiding pumpkin in baked goods. Not because I didn’t like it—I mean, pumpkin pie was fine, pumpkin bread was acceptable—but because … Read more

There used to be a tiny bakery tucked into a converted gas station on Route 9 that made a maple pecan pumpkin bread that ruined … Read more

I was at my local hardware store—of all places—picking up a new caulk gun for a bathroom project that was already two weekends overdue. The … Read more

The neighborhood fall block party was in six hours and I’d completely forgotten. Everyone else would be bringing those elaborate, multi-day preparations—you know, the kind … Read more

This was supposed to be my famous pumpkin loaf—the one I bake every October without fail. You know the one. It’s the recipe I’ve perfected … Read more

I was elbow-deep in flour and butter last November when the power went out. Halfway through creaming butter for a traditional pumpkin cheesecake, the mixer … Read more