Dessert Recipes

Leo wasn’t trying to impress anyone. I’d stopped by to drop off a box of books I’d meant to return three weeks ago, and the … Read more

It was 11:47 PM on a rainy Wednesday in late September, and I had a very specific craving for something that felt like a celebration … Read more

My neighbor, Sarah, asked why I couldn’t just use black cocoa powder instead of all that food coloring. I started to explain why that wouldn’t … Read more

The woman at the pumpkin patch watched me fumbling with a wriggling toddler and a half-empty bag of gourds. She didn’t say anything at first. … Read more

My sister swore she hated Halloween baking. For years. The kind of hate that comes with crossed arms and a firm “I don’t do themed … Read more

I wasn’t expecting baking advice from a stranger, but there I was, sitting on a cracked vinyl stool at a gas station diner, listening to … Read more

My niece Leo asked why I couldn’t just use marshmallow fluff instead of whipping egg whites. I started to explain why that wouldn’t work — … Read more

The power went out right as the frosting was being mixed, and honestly, that was the best thing that could have happened to my dessert … Read more

There used to be this tiny bakery tucked away on a side street in Portland, right near the old Powell’s Books, that made the most … Read more

This was supposed to be a pumpkin pie. I had it all planned out—a beautiful, classic pumpkin pie with a homemade crust, the kind my … Read more