Recipes with vanilla extract

Hawaiian chocolate chip cookies loaded with macadamia nuts, shredded coconut, oats, and semi-sweet chocolate. Big, chewy island-style cookies flattened with a glass.

You will be wondering what's the secret to this decadent and delicious pecan pie.

Rich cheesecake swirled with brown sugar caramelized bananas on a toasted pecan crust. Baked in a water bath for a creamy, crack-free finish with an optional splash of dark rum.

Palm Beach pineapple squares: a chocolate walnut cake base topped with a lemon-scented pineapple layer, baked together into one tropical dessert bar.

Dense tube cake loaded with apples, coconut, and pecans. Bake 90 minutes, then soak with hot buttery brown sugar topping poured over.

Foolproof cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, creamy filling blended smooth in a food processor, and a tangy sour cream topping. No water bath needed, no fussy technique.

Vintage no-bake checkerboard cake suspends torn angel food cake pieces in a chocolate-whipped-cream mousse with almonds. A retro icebox cake that sets overnight in a tube pan.

Butter ball cookies (Russian tea cakes) with ground walnuts, cake flour, butter, and vanilla rolled in powdered sugar twice. A melt-in-your-mouth holiday cookie with just five ingredients.

A moist double-chocolate sheet cake hiding two cups of grated zucchini in every batch. Cocoa-rich batter studded with chocolate chips, kept extra tender by sour cream. The best way to sneak vegetables into dessert.

Cocoa cookies with semisweet chocolate chips, pecan-crusted tops, and a gooey caramel center pressed into each one. Soft, fudgy, and done in 35 minutes. Makes 4 dozen.

This recipe is from my father-in-law Ed Stang. He just dumped in whatever goodies are on hand; they always taste great.

A thick, fudgy chocolate pie packed with pecan halves and baked in a flaky crust. Sweetened condensed milk and cocoa create a dense, truffle-like filling. Serve warm or cold with a crown of whipped cream.

Martha Washington's devil's food cake made with unsweetened chocolate, buttermilk, and cake flour. A rich, old-fashioned two-layer chocolate cake baked in a single sheet pan.

Creamy New York-style cheesecake with a graham cracker crust and tangy sour cream topping. Baked low and slow at 300F for a crack-free finish every time.

No-cook tofu cheesecake with a Grape-Nuts crust sweetened by apple juice concentrate and honey-vanilla filling. Dairy-free, vegetarian, and richer the longer it chills.

Chewy blond brownies loaded with brown sugar, butter, chopped nuts, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Butterscotch-rich and fudgy in the center with barely crisp edges. Ready in 40 minutes with ingredients you probably already have.