Cooking Method: Baking

Chocolate cheesecake

The Ultimate Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

A sandwich cookie takes more effort than a drop cookie, because you have to make both cookies and filling. In addition, this recipe involves a chilling step and requires the cookies to be double-panned. But the results are worth it for the best-textured peanut butter cookie with the creamiest peanut filling.

Holiday Biscotti with Cranberries and Pistachios

The pleasingly chewy biscotti are coated on one end with white chocolate. In our test kitchen, imported white chocolate, such as Perugina or Lindt, yielded the best results.

Triple-Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Key Lime Cheesecake

Reminiscent of Sara Lee’s 1950s-era graham-cracker and sour-cream cheesecake, this version features a thick layer of delicious sour cream atop the creamy filling and tart Key lime custard.

Tropical Carrot Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

This cake can be prepared one day ahead. Sweetened cream of coconut is available in the liquor section of most supermarkets.

Goat Cheese & Fig Cake w/Fig Mascarpone

This light-as-can-be buttermilk cake has an easy sophistication, its Sherry-spiked berries harmonizing with the tangy cream.

Quick Sausage and Mushroom Lasagna

If possible, use flat no-cook lasagna noodles: They look and taste more like homemade than the curly kind.

Chicken Pot Pie with Butternut Squash

Lay the puff pastry over the skillet for a pretty look. Use any brand; the weight may vary, but either way you’ll have enough to work with.

Simple Roast Chicken

This simple roast chicken recipe by legendary chef Thomas Keller is one of the top-rated chicken recipes on Epicurious. It’s an essential, delicious chicken recipe any home cook can master and enjoy.