Baking

Hold these sesame-coated chocolate-and-nut cookies up to the light to appreciate the stained-glass effect of the dried fruit.

If butter pecan ice cream were a cookie, it would be this all-levels skillet shortbread.

Gluten-free and literally packed with good things, a slice of this bread is a great way to get your daily dose of seeds and nuts.

In this cake, the natural pectin in the citrus, combined with the sugar, creates a pudding-like upside-down layer that’s similar to a buttery marmalade.

Hate pouring excess sourdough starter down the drain? Instead, use it in this biscuit recipe, where it takes the place of buttermilk, adding tang and just a bit of lift. Milk-based starter (yeah, that’s a thing) is our preference, but for a delicious and totally dairy-free biscuit, use water-based starter and vegan butter.

Sumac is a Middle Eastern spice with a tart, lemony flavor and the most beautiful deep red color. More commonly used in savory dishes, its citrus fragrance also works just as well in a sweet cake. The spelt flour gives this vegan number a rustic look and nutty taste, producing a delightfully crunchy crust that hides a soft, moist crumb underneath, with chunks of sweet apple running all the way through.

This is my adult version of cheesecake, full of togarashi. I use it a lot in savory recipes to add spice, but here it gives the cake a sharp, spicy note that helps balance the denseness.

The texture is delightfully soft, almost cake-like, and sweetened with a quick-and-easy lime glaze. These cookies make great holiday gifts.

Savory cornmeal meets the sweetness of blueberries and zest of a lemon for tender muffins that come together in 45 minutes.