Seasonal Sweets recipes Page 12

Desserts tied to a time of year, from Christmas and Valentine's Day to Easter, Thanksgiving and summer holidays. The sample runs from Festive Peppermint Meringues, Gingerbread Spice Cookies and a Christmas Star Bread to Mardi Gras King Cake, Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies and a Sheet Pan Flag Cake for July. Fruit follows the calendar too, with fresh peach muffins, pear ice cream, fig jam and spiced baked apples.

Many recipes are built for gatherings, so look for yields like 16 bars or 20 slices when feeding a crowd. Several are make-ahead friendly, such as cranberry sauce, trifles and no-bake cheesecakes, which helps on busy holiday weeks. Pick by occasion first, then by how much oven time you have.