Comfort Food Dessert Recipes

Photo: Anna Williams

Our Favorite Comfort Food Dessert Recipes

Don't let the comfort food end with the main course. Top off your mealtime with a delicious and comforting dessert that will prove to be the perfect finishing touch.

First up, Rich Chocolate Pudding Pie. Melted chocolate binds cookie crumbs for the crust—and makes it extra delicious. Substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the rum.

View Recipe: Rich Chocolate Pudding Pie

Photo: John Autry

Tropical Sherbet

Try this in a cocktail glass with a shot of chilled dark rum spooned over the top. FYI: Make sure you buy ripe fruit. Papayas yellow as they ripen: Look for full, yellowish skin with slightly soft flesh for the best musky melon flavor. The base of a pineapple should be red-orange in color. Smell it and check for a sweet aroma.

View Recipe: Tropical Sherbet

Photo: Randy Mayor

Chipotle Peanut Brittle

This smoky-sweet brittle is a great snack; substitute pecans or almonds, if you prefer. For plain peanut brittle, omit the chile powder.

View Recipe: Chipotle Peanut Brittle

Photo: Randy Mayor

Vanilla Bean Shortbread

This half-oil, half-butter version yields a crisp, delicate cookie. The cookies can be made in advance and will keep for several days stored in an airtight container.

View Recipe: Vanilla Bean Shortbread

Photo: John Autry

Lemon Cream Pie

Fluffy, topping, silky filling, and crisp crust: This cream pie is truly dreamy.

View Recipe: Lemon Cream Pie

Photo: John Autry

Banana Split Ice-Cream Sandwiches

Crisp vanilla cookies add a textural twist to conventional banana split ingredients in this delightful sweet treat.

View Recipe: Banana Split Ice-Cream Sandwiches

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Fresh Coconut Cake

If your coconut water does not measure 1 cup (8 fluid ounces), add enough tap water so the liquid measures 1 cup. Even though fresh coconut is sublime, you can use Goya brand coconut water in place of fresh coconut water and buy coconut flakes in the baking aisle. A cooked Italian-meringue does big-time nutritional pinch-hitting for a high-fat cream-based frosting.

View Recipe: Fresh Coconut Cake

Photo: Nina Choi

Sponge Cake with Orange Curd and Strawberries

Matzo and almond flour sponge cake is delightful—floral and sweet, with lemon, orange, and tangy berries. This cake is a winner year-round.

View Recipe: Sponge Cake with Orange Curd and Strawberries

Photo: Randy Mayor

Roasted Banana Pudding

Many folks say banana pudding is best the next day, after the flavors have blended overnight and the cookies have softened. In our classic recipe makeover, roasting the bananas in the peel intensifies the flavor.

View Recipe: Roasted Banana Pudding

Photo: Randy Mayor

Giant Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These cookies are big with lots of chocolate chips. They're also easy to freeze—just wrap individually in heavy-duty plastic wrap, and store in a zip-top bag.

View Recipe: Giant Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Photo: Gentl & Hyers

Chocolate-Cranberry Parfaits

The cranberry steeping liquid clings to the berries and helps the sugar adhere for the sparkling, jewel-like effect. You can use the liquid drained from the cranberries in cocktails or over ice cream. If you can't find mascarpone cheese, use regular cream cheese.

View Recipe: Chocolate-Cranberry Parfaits

Photo: John Autry

Carrot Cake

Warm spices and brown sugar add rich, caramelized flavors to this carrot cake. If you can't find fromage blanc, use more cream cheese.

View Recipe: Carrot Cake

Photo: Anna Williams

Grapefruit-Buttermilk Sherbet

Vodka keeps the sherbet from freezing rock hard, but it's optional. For a delicious garnish, boil julienne strips of grapefruit rind in simple syrup for 30 minutes; drain and toss in sugar.

View Reicpe: Grapefruit-Buttermilk Sherbet

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Spiced Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Vegetable shortening gives this piecrust—which we've deemed our best ever—a delicious, flaky texture. Be sure to read the nutrition labels and buy a brand with no trans fats though.

View Recipe: Spiced Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Fresh Mint Ice Cream

This make-ahead creamy treat makes an ideal dessert for summertime entertaining. Not a mint fan? Substitute toasted coconut for mint.

View Recipe: Fresh Mint Ice Cream

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Salted Caramel Ice Cream

It is hard to beat the sweet and salty flavor of this indulgent yet lightened ice cream.

View Recipe: Salted Caramel Ice Cream