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Get in the Spirit With Holiday Sweets

Try these five delectable dessert recipes from new cookbooks

Jennifer Bradley Franklin,

AARP

Published November 30, 2023

dark chocolate cookies with hershey's kisses on top; some cookies coated in silver sprinkles and some in gold

Kelsey Foster

What’s a festive gathering without a sweet finale? Find recipe inspiration in five new cookbooks that feature desserts primed to inspire you to share the joy of the season.

star-shaped cookies with half of each star dipped in chocolate

EE Berger

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Chocolate-Dipped Espresso Stars

Zingerman’s Bakehouse has developed a serious fan following at its Ann Arbor, Michigan, location, drawing on more than 30 years of experience turning out flawless pies, bread, cakes and cookies. As a follow-up to their first successful cookbook, the Zingerman team of Amy Emberling, Lindsay-Jean Hard, Lee Vedder and Corynn Coscia shares Zingerman’s Bakehouse Celebrate Every Day: A Year's Worth of Favorite Recipes for Festive Occasions, Big and Small. With 80 recipes and more than 100 colorful photos, you’re sure to find something to suit all of your holiday festivities. The recipe for Chocolate-Dipped Espresso Stars infuses buttery shortbread with rich coffee flavors. You can serve them as a holiday party treat or nibble on them while wrapping gifts or waiting up for Santa.

Get Recipe: Chocolate-Dipped Espresso Stars

Rachelle Beatty

Baked Apples With Oat Crumble

It’s often said that the best dishes are made with love. In their new cookbook, Fraiche Food, Fuller Hearts: Wholesome Everyday Recipes Made with Love, cousins Jillian Harris and Tori Wesszer draw inspiration from the large family meals they’ve eaten together their entire lives. The collection of more than 135 recipes by the duo of influencers (Harris of the Jilly Academy for entrepreneurs and Wesszer of lifestyle blog Fraîche Living) is a charming follow-up to their previous best-selling cookbook. While you’ll find plenty of hearty, wholesome dishes for every kind of meal all year round, try the simple recipe for Baked Apples With Oat Crumble for a sweet, seasonal treat. Tip: In the unlikely event you have leftovers, the recipe includes a tip on how to blend them into a delicious smoothie.

Get recipe: Baked Apples With Oat Crumble

Kelsey Foster

Midnight Kiss Cookie Bites

Maegan Brown, the recipe developer behind The Baker Mama blog and best-selling author of Beautiful Boards and Spectacular Spreads, believes that the best dishes can be enjoyed in one or two bites. With that in mind, she’s released her third cookbook, Brilliant Bites: 75 Amazing Small Bites for Any Occasion, packed full of delicious treats, most of which don’t even require utensils to serve. Brown’s Midnight Kiss Cookie Bites are the perfect dessert to serve as you ring in the new year — or really, anytime you need a sweet pick-me-up.

Get Recipe: Midnight Kiss Cookie Bites

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cake with dark filling and fluffy white topping

Audrey Leonard

Eierlikör Walnut Cake

German bakers are known for their luscious, sky-high cakes and hearty breads. New York City-based food photographer and recipe developer Audrey Leonard shares all manner of German-inspired desserts on her popular Red Currant Bakery blog. Now, in her debut cookbook, Süss: Sweet German Treats for Every Occasion, she offers beautifully illustrated step-by-step instructions for creating desserts fit for St. Nicholas himself. Try your hand at this recipe for the elegant Eierlikör Walnut Cake, made with an eggnog-like liqueur. It will be an impressive finale to any holiday meal.

Get Recipe: Eierlikör Walnut Cake

cheesecake pie slices with dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of chocolate shavings on each one

Rikki Snyder

Creamy Dreamy Cheesecake Pie

To help ensure readers can confidently tackle everything from cookies to tarts and decadent cakes to pies, Dan Langan’s new book, Bake Your Heart Out: Foolproof Recipes to Level Up Your Home Baking, breaks down every step, including techniques for making your desserts look as good as they taste. Whether you’re entertaining friends or family, Langan’s Creamy Dreamy Cheesecake Pie is a universal crowd-pleaser. Bonus: Putting a traditional cheesecake into a pie crust eliminates the need for a water bath, making this technique even easier than the classic.

Get Recipe: Creamy Dreamy Cheesecake Pie

Jennifer Bradley Franklin is an Atlanta-based journalist, editor and author who has contributed to the Wall Street Journal, Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, People magazine, USA Today and others. She's an avid traveler, ballroom dancer and is more than a little coffee obsessed. Read more of her work at jenniferbradleyfranklin.com.

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