Kara Middleton, Recipe Tester

Kids can’t resist these sweet little somethings. That includes the kid in all of us.

Chock-full of crunchy nuts and moist dried fruit, this cake is a taste sensation. May we suggest a choice of apricots, plums, pears, or peaches?

Crisp-on-the-edge, gooey-in-the-middle, stuffed-full-of-chocolate, and gluten-free through and through, these cookies are perfection.

These diminutive queques are flavored with a hint of citrus that’s equally welcome at breakfast, tea, or any other hour of the day, quite frankly.

A harmony of sweet citrus notes nudges the classic lemon poppy seed cake in a less one-dimensional direction here. We may even be thinking of this as a 5D cake.

Dark chocolate-y, appropriately (and not too) rich, just sweet enough, and the entire surface blanketed with that coveted crackly surface. Let the love affair commence.

French toast any day of the week becomes reality with this overnight rendition that’s heavy on the indulgence. Finally, a way to get everyone to clamber out of bed without complaint!

Just like those classic and towering pudding pies you experienced as a kid at diners. But better.

An easy weeknight meal that’s an unassuming melding of red lentils, harissa, sautéed onions, and garlicky tahini sauce that can only be described as magical. (Yes, lentils can be magic.)

We’re hearing from folks who’ve tried this cheesecake that it’s “unbelievable” just how spectacular it is for being no-bake and no-fuss. We couldn’t agree more.

Infused with spice, suffused with booze, and wrapped oh so neatly, this last course makes quite the lovely gift for guests to unwrap.