6 of the best dessert recipes we’ve found this year

If 2020 was the year we all made sourdough bread, 2022 has been the year for dessert baking at LDS Living! So whether your treat of choice is fruity, chocolate-y, or cinnamon-y, comes in a cookie, or in a cheesecake, here are six of our new favorite dessert recipes that will satisfy any sweet tooth!

From Delicious Gatherings

• 2¼ cups (288 g) all-purpose flour
• 1¼ teaspoons cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1½ teaspoons cinnamon, divided
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1¾ cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. In a bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and 1¼ cups sugar on medium speed until mixture is smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add egg and vanilla and mix until completely combined. Add flour mixture and stir until combined well, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Scoop dough into ¼-cup-sized balls (or use a #16 cookie scoop) and place on a plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or more.
4. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment. In a small bowl, combine remaining ½ cup granulated sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
5. After at least 30 minutes, roll chilled balls in your hand to smooth the shape, then roll in cinnamon sugar to coat. Place on baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
6. Bake until edges are golden and centers are puffed and just set, 11 to 13 minutes. To get the perfect wrinkled edge, bang the baking sheet on the countertop once or twice to settle the cookies. Slide the parchment with the cookies onto a cooling rack and let cool completely. Cookies can be stored airtight for up to 3 days.

From Scrumptious

CRUST

• 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon sugar

BROWNIES

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, cubed
• 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup baking cocoa
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup flour
• 1 ½ cups mini marshmallows

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine all crust ingredients in a medium bowl. Press firmly into prepared pan in an even layer. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes. Let crust cool.
3. Add butter and baking chocolate to a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals until butter and chocolate are melted and smooth, stirring in between.
4. Stir in sugars, cocoa, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Stir in flour until just combined. Pour onto cooled crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until middle of brownies is set.
5. Sprinkle on marshmallows. Bake for about 5 minutes or until marshmallows puff up but do not turn brown.
6. Let cool completely. Cut and serve.

From Instant Cooking with Six Sisters’ Stuff

• 16 Rhodes frozen dinner rolls
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 1 (3.5-ounce) package cook and serve butterscotch pudding
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Place frozen rolls in a gallon-sized zipper top bag, seal bag, and let rolls thaw 1½ to 2 hours in bag. Do not let dough begin to rise.
2. Spray a 7-inch Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Scatter pecans in the bottom of the Bundt pan. In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar and melted butter.
3. Remove rolls from bag and cut each roll into 6 pieces using kitchen shears. Arrange half of the cut rolls over pecans and drizzle half of the sugar-butter mixture over rolls. Sprinkle half of the dry pudding mix over rolls.
4. Repeat with remaining rolls, sugar-butter mixture, and pudding mix.
5. Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and let rise in the refrigerator 4 to 8 hours, until double in size.
6. When ready to bake, remove plastic wrap from the rolls, cover the pan with foil, and place 1 cup of water and then the pan in the insert of a multicooker.
7. Secure the lid and make sure the valve is pointing up to SEALING.
8. Press MANUAL (or press PRESSURE COOK and select HIGH PRESSURE) and adjust time to 30 minutes.
9. When multicooker signals the end of cooking time, press CANCEL, and then quick release the pressure by turning the valve down to VENTING with the handle of a wooden spoon or other device to prevent the steam from burning your hands during the release.
10. Remove lid and carefully transfer pan from the multicooker insert to a wire rack. Let cool 5 minutes then invert pan onto a plate so the butterscotch sauce and pecans are on the top of the monkey bread.
11. Serve warm.

from Raised in the Kitchen

CRUST

• 9 whole graham crackers
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• ⅓ cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided

FILLING

• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup halved Twix Caramel Bites Chocolate Cookie candies, divided
• ¼ cup caramel sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, butter, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Portion crumbs into prepared muffin tin, using a spoon to press down mixture. Bake 5 minutes, then remove and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric hand mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add remaining ⅓ cup sugar and vanilla extract and beat again.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed until just incorporated.
5. Gently fold ½ cup of the Twix Bites into the batter. Divide batter evenly between the cupcake liners. Drizzle a little caramel over each and then use a toothpick to swirl caramel into batter. Sprinkle as many remaining Twix Bites as you’d like over each top.
6. Bake 15 to 16 minutes, until set. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, then chill in refrigerator 1 to 2 hours.

From Delicious Gatherings

COOKIE CRUST

• 40 vanilla wafer cookies
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

MOUSSE

• 6 cups strawberry puree from 4 pints (3 pounds) strawberries, rinsed and hulled (thawed if frozen)
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 6 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• ¼ cup cold water
• 2 cups heavy cream, divided

TOPPING

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Freeze-dried strawberries, crushed, for garnish

1. For the cookie crust: Heat oven to 350°F. Cover the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a circle of parchment and set aside.
2. In a food processor, combine cookies and sugar. Blend until cookies are finely crushed. Add butter and blend until completely combined.
3. Press crust crumbs onto the bottom of prepared pan. Crust will be just under ¼-inch thick. Bake 7 minutes, then set aside to cool.
4. For the mousse: In a blender or food processor, purée strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar. Press mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, discarding pulp. You should have 6 cups purée. If there is excess, save for another use.
5. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and a little water. Set aside.
6. In a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, dissolve gelatin in cold water. Add 1½ cups strawberry purée and stir to combine with gelatin. Return strawberry-gelatin mixture to the bowl with remaining strawberry purée and stir to combine. (If you’d like to make swirls on top, set aside ½ cup purée mixture now and keep at room temperature.)
7. Set the bowl of strawberry-gelatin purée over the ice bath. Stir frequently until mixture is chilled and slightly thick, about 20 minutes.
8. In a separate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks. Fold into chilled strawberry purée.
9. Transfer mousse to pan with crust. (If making swirls, spoon reserved purée on top in 1-inch dots and drag a skewer through the center of each to make a swirled heart.) Transfer dessert to the fridge and chill until set, at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours.
10. To serve, run a knife around the edges to loosen. Remove the springform ring and transfer dessert to a serving platter, removing parchment.
11. For the topping: Whip sugar and cream to soft peaks and spoon on top. Garnish with crushed freeze-dried strawberries.

From Scrumptious

DOUGH

• 1 ¼ cups warm water (105 to 115° F)
• 1 (.75-ounce) package active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
• 1 (15.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 2 to 3 cups flour

FILLING

• ¼ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles, plus more for topping

FROSTING

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon milk

1. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes until mixture gets foamy.
3. In a large bowl, add cake mix and 2 cups flour. Mix in yeast mixture. Add up to 1 more cup flour a little at a time until dough pulls away from sides of bowl and forms a ball. You may not need to add all of the flour.
4. Once mixture is in a ball, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until doubled in size.
5. Roll dough into a large rectangle, about 18x10 inches.
6. Brush softened butter on dough. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture and rainbow sprinkles on butter.
7. Roll up jelly roll style, starting with long end. Slice into 12 rolls and place in prepared pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
8. While rolls rise, preheat oven to 350° F and prepare frosting. In a medium bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Mix slowly at first, then increase speed until fluffy. Add more milk if needed.
9. Bake rolls for 15 to 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before frosting.
10. Frost cinnamon rolls and sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles.