Food Desserts & Baking Warm and Cozy Dessert Recipes By Midwest Living editors Midwest Living editors Midwest Living's experienced editors create best-in-class travel, lifestyle, food, home and garden content you won't find anywhere else. We're loudly, proudly Midwestern, and we're passionate about helping our audience explore and create through award-winning storytelling. Midwest Living's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 20, 2023 Trending Videos Photo: Adam Albright Cinnamon, chocolate, ginger, maple, apple, pumpkin and other favorites flavor these dessert recipes perfect for cooler weather. 01 of 29 Five-Spice Plum Cobbler with Orange Biscuits Carson Downing Zesty orange biscuits lay atop a bubbling mixture of tart plums, brown sugar and five-spice in this oh-so-heavenly cobbler. Top with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream before serving and enjoy! Easy Cobbler and Crisp Recipes View Recipe 02 of 29 CCCC Cookies Carson Downing Although it's rare to outdo a classic, this riff gives the familiar chocolate chip cookie a cozy, chai-like upgrade with the addition of cloves, cardamom and coffee. Instead of chips, melt 8 oz of bittersweet chocolate, spread into an even layer and break into shards. Trust us, the extra effort pays off. The Midwest's Best Cookie Recipes View Recipe 03 of 29 Apple Crumble Carson Downing This gloriously simple recipe comes from Chef Jason Qureshi of River Roast in Chicago. He prefers to use Granny Smith apples for their firm texture and tart taste. Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes View Recipe 04 of 29 Cinnamon Toast Bread-and-Butter Pudding Carson Downing Buttery brioche, vanilla custard and a cinnamon drizzle? Sign us up! Served straight out of the oven, this English-style bread pudding is destined to warm up any chilly morning brunch. View Recipe 05 of 29 Apple-Almond Brave Betty Adam Albright We gave a classic dessert a new name, in honor of all the people who have cooked in servitude or fought for social justice over the centuries—and we updated the flavors, too, with almond cookies and a splash of bourbon. View Recipe 06 of 29 Fig and Pecan Scones Carson Downing This semi-sweet, buttery scone pairs perfectly with a steamy cup of coffee or afternoon tea. Use any variety of dried fig along with lemon zest for added brightness. Simple Recipes for Tender, Buttery Scones View Recipe 07 of 29 Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars. Carson Downing With creamy cheesecake and traditional pumpkin pie filling swirled together, this dessert is as aesthetically pleasing as it is delicious! Cut into bars to easily transport and share at your next gathering. Pumpkin Recipes We Absolutely Love View Recipe 08 of 29 Apple Sour Cream Kuchen Carson Downing In Germany, kuchen, or cakes, are made with sweet, yeasty dough. Apples (of any kind) star in this version topped with cinnamon and cardamom-infused streusel. Rise and Shine Breakfast Breads View Recipe 09 of 29 Fudgy Stout Brownies Fans of cakey brownies, step away now. These squares are dense and rich, thanks to brown sugar, extra egg yolks—and more than half a can of stout. Your friends and family may not be able to identify the beer, but its toasted malt flavor brings depth to every bite. Rich, Moist Brownie Recipes View Recipe 10 of 29 Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake This gingery icebox cake is an ultra-cozy twist on the chocolate-and-vanilla retro classic. No baking is required—but it does call for some make-ahead assembly. View Recipe 11 of 29 Lazy Morning Cinnamon Rolls Store-bought pizza dough is the secret to these super-quick cinnamon rolls. No need to prepare the night before, just butter the dough and sprinkle it with sugar, cinnamon and salt before rolling, cutting and baking. Warm and Comforting Breakfast Breads View Recipe 12 of 29 Bourbon-Apple-Rye Upside-Down Cake Bourbon makes everything better, right? Adding a splash to the caramel and dough creates a warm depth to this upside-down cake, and shredded apples boost its density and moisture. Upside-Down Cake Recipes You'll Flip Over View Recipe 13 of 29 Salted Almond Truffle Tart One of our testers described this tart's filling as "chocolate butter." We couldn't agree more. It's fantastically rich, with roast-toasty salted almonds in the crust and flaky sea salt on top to balance the sweetness. Decadent Chocolate Dessert Recipes View Recipe 14 of 29 Maple-Walnut Apple Cobbler This easy skillet cobbler is bursting with harvest flavor: crisp apples, cinnamon, toasted walnuts and sweet maple syrup. View Recipe 15 of 29 Caramel Pecan Skillet Brownie Blaine Moats Caramel in the bottom of the pan melds with the brownie, creating a dessert so rich and gooey that you need a spoon to serve it. Because cast iron holds heat, the brownie will still be warm when you go back for seconds. How to Season, Cook With and Clean Cast-Iron Pans View Recipe 16 of 29 Banana-Fig Skillet Crisp Toast oats, coconut and macadamia nuts, set them aside, then warm bananas and dried figs in brown sugar and rum. Put the two together and you've got crisp, no oven required! View Recipe 17 of 29 Vanilla Apple Gratin This simple, orchard-fresh dessert captures the flavor of vanilla ice cream melting into the warm apples in a pie—but more quickly, and with way less fat and sugar. View Recipe 18 of 29 Amish Apple Dumplings We often equate Amish food with comfort. Here's our version of a favorite dessert you might find at Amish-based restaurants in the Midwest. View Recipe 19 of 29 Molasses Cookies Crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside: This spice cookie has it all. It's a state fair prizewinning recipe from Catherine Blackwood of Columbus, Ohio. View Recipe 20 of 29 Pioneer Wedding Stack Cake This wonderfully moist and generously spiced six-layer cake is a showy spin on humble applesauce cake. View Recipe 21 of 29 Cranberry-Pecan Tarts These tiny tarts mix cranberries and orange peel into a delightful pecan tassie recipe. Butter and cream cheese make the crust rich in this state fair blue-ribbon recipe from Sheila Bethia of West Allis, Wisconsin. View Recipe 22 of 29 Danish Pastry Apple Bars Put apple pie flavor into a convenient bar, and you have one of the most popular recipes ever published on our website. The flaky, double-crust pastry and sweet apple filling add up to a sure sellout at every bake sale. View Recipe 23 of 29 Maple-Apple Pudding Bake The Wisconsin Maple Producers created this recipe to showcase maple syrup and juicy apples in a moist, rich dessert. View Recipe 24 of 29 Fabulous Red Velvet Cake We gussied up chocolate cake mix with sour cream and red food coloring for Fabulous Red Velvet Cake. Then, we crowned the cake with a white chocolate-cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut. View Recipe 25 of 29 Single-Serving Caramel Apples Joan Wagner of Overland Park, Kansas, considers this baked apple dish her easy-entertaining recipe. "You can make these up to six hours ahead and cover them with plastic wrap, so the puff pastry doesn't dry out," she says. "The desserts bake while your coffee is brewing." View Recipe 26 of 29 Caramel Apple Cookies Chopped apple, pecans, apple juice, apple pie spice and more combine for a hearty, delicious cookie. The frosting and nuts add just the right touch of sweetness and crunch on top. Our Favorite Fall Cookie Recipes View Recipe 27 of 29 Salted Oatmeal Bars with Roasted White Chocolate Frosting Roasting white chocolate gives it a nutty flavor and caramel color; show both off in these utterly delicious salty-sweet bars. View Recipe 28 of 29 Country Chocolate Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting Begging for a crown of birthday candles, this layer cake has two kitchen tricks working in its favor. Mayonnaise yields a moist crumb; sour cream keeps sugary buttercream in tangy check. (Note: This recipe makes enough frosting to fill and frost the entire cake [top and sides]. To leave the sides unfrosted as we did in our photograph, just make a half batch. Ultimate Cake Recipes View Recipe 29 of 29 Blackberry Clafouti Blaine Moats Cherries usually dot this French country dessert, but we opted for plump blackberries and a wisp of orange liqueur. Baked in a large skillet or a group of minis, the simple, eggy batter yields a texture between cake and custard. 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