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  1. Midwest Living
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  3. Desserts & Baking
  4. Warm and Cozy Dessert Recipes

Warm and Cozy Dessert Recipes

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com Updated June 27, 2022
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Cinnamon Toast Bread-and-Butter Pudding
Credit: Carson Downing

Cinnamon, chocolate. ginger, maple, apple, pumpkin and other favorites flavor these 30 dessert recipes perfect for cooler weather.

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Cinnamon Toast Bread-and-Butter Pudding

Cinnamon Toast Bread-and-Butter Pudding
Credit: Carson Downing
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

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CCCC Cookies

CCCC Cookies
Credit: Carson Downing
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

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Five-Spice Plum Cobbler with Orange Biscuits

Five-Spice Plum Cobbler with Orange Biscuits
Credit: Carson Downing
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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!

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Fig and Pecan Scones

Fig Scones
Credit: Carson Downing
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

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Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars
Credit: Carson Downing
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

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Apple Sour Cream Kuchen

Apple Sour Cream Kuchen
Credit: Carson Downing
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

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Fudgy Stout Brownies

Fudgy Stout Brownies
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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.

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Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake

Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake
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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.

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Lazy Morning Cinnamon Rolls

Lazy Morning Cinnamon Rolls
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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.

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Bourbon-Apple-Rye Upside-Down Cake

Bourbon-Apple-Rye Upside-Down Cake
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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.

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Salted Almond Truffle Tart

Salted Almond Truffle Tart
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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.

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Maple-Walnut Apple Cobbler

Maple-Walnut Apple Cobbler
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This easy skillet cobbler is bursting with harvest flavor: crisp apples, cinnamon, toasted walnuts and sweet maple syrup.

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Apple-Almond Brave Betty

Apple-Almond Brave Betty
Credit: Adam Albright
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

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Banana-Fig Skillet Crisp

Banana-Fig Skillet Crisp
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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!

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Caramel Pecan Skillet Brownie

Caramel Pecan Skillet Brownie
Credit: Blaine Moats
View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

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.

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Amish Apple Dumplings

Amish Apple Dumplings
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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.

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Salted Oatmeal Bars with Roasted White Chocolate Frosting

Salted Oatmeal Bars with Roasted White Chocolate Frosting
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Roasting white chocolate gives it a nutty flavor and caramel color; show both off in these utterly delicious salty-sweet bars.

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Molasses Cookies

Molasses Cookies
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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.

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Country Chocolate Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting

Country Chocolate Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting
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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.

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Caramel Apple Cookies

Caramel Apple Cookies
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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.

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Vanilla Apple Gratin

Vanilla Apple Gratin
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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.

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Blackberry Clafouti

Blackberry Clafouti
Credit: Blaine Moats
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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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Pioneer Wedding Stack Cake

Pioneer Wedding Stack Cake
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This wonderfully moist and generously spiced six-layer cake is a showy spin on humble applesauce cake.

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Cranberry-Pecan Tarts

Cranberry-Pecan Tarts
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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.

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Danish Pastry Apple Bars

Danish Pastry Apple Bars
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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. 

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Maple-Apple Pudding Bake

Maple-Apple Pudding Bake
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The Wisconsin Maple Producers created this recipe to showcase maple syrup and juicy apples in a moist, rich dessert.

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Fabulous Red Velvet Cake

Fabulous Red Velvet Cake
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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.

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Gingersnap Gems

Gingersnap Gems
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The recipe for these sweet-and-spicy cookies comes from the Warren family in Stanley, Kansas. The gingersnaps are a favorite at family gatherings.

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Mom's Oatmeal Pie

Mom's Oatmeal Pie
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We love the nutty oatmeal taste of this sweet treat, and it's a healthier alternative to most desserts. If you're watching calories, serve this pie with a berry topping instead of whipped cream. 

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Single-Serving Caramel Apples

Single-Serving Caramel Apples
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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."

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By The editors of MidwestLiving.com

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    1 of 30 Cinnamon Toast Bread-and-Butter Pudding
    2 of 30 CCCC Cookies
    3 of 30 Five-Spice Plum Cobbler with Orange Biscuits
    4 of 30 Fig and Pecan Scones
    5 of 30 Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars
    6 of 30 Apple Sour Cream Kuchen
    7 of 30 Fudgy Stout Brownies
    8 of 30 Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake
    9 of 30 Lazy Morning Cinnamon Rolls
    10 of 30 Bourbon-Apple-Rye Upside-Down Cake
    11 of 30 Salted Almond Truffle Tart
    12 of 30 Maple-Walnut Apple Cobbler
    13 of 30 Apple-Almond Brave Betty
    14 of 30 Banana-Fig Skillet Crisp
    15 of 30 Caramel Pecan Skillet Brownie
    16 of 30 Amish Apple Dumplings
    17 of 30 Salted Oatmeal Bars with Roasted White Chocolate Frosting
    18 of 30 Molasses Cookies
    19 of 30 Country Chocolate Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting
    20 of 30 Caramel Apple Cookies
    21 of 30 Vanilla Apple Gratin
    22 of 30 Blackberry Clafouti
    23 of 30 Pioneer Wedding Stack Cake
    24 of 30 Cranberry-Pecan Tarts
    25 of 30 Danish Pastry Apple Bars
    26 of 30 Maple-Apple Pudding Bake
    27 of 30 Fabulous Red Velvet Cake
    28 of 30 Gingersnap Gems
    29 of 30 Mom's Oatmeal Pie
    30 of 30 Single-Serving Caramel Apples

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