Desserts by Vanessa

12/04/2025

Level up your holiday baking in 20 seconds!

These tiny tweaks make a huge difference, from fluffier cakes to perfectly chewy cookies. Room-temp ingredients, weigh your flour, chill that dough, and please grab an oven thermometer if your treats keep burning.

Your cake and cookies will thank you!

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12/04/2025

🔥 Holiday cookie box glow-up coming in hot 🔥

Say hello to the White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies that steal the show every single time. Soft centers, golden edges, pops of tart cranberry and creamy white chocolate magic… this is the cookie that looks festive and tastes even better.

These beauties add color, texture, and that bakery-perfect sparkle your holiday cookie tray has been begging for. Pair them with your classics and watch your whole cookie box level up. Trust me, people will ask for the recipe.

Save this for your holiday baking lineup and tag me when you make them!

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Recipe by: Allison Mattina

12/03/2025

If fudgy brownies aren’t in your holiday cookie box this year… they should be!

These one bowl, microwave friendly brownies are rich, gooey, chocolate packed, and truly the easiest win of the season. I used high quality Cocoa Barry cocoa powder plus a mix of dark and milk chocolate pieces, and let me tell you… the compliments were nonstop when I sent these to my husband’s work. Total showstopper energy.

Add them to your holiday cookie trays, gifting boxes, dessert tables, or bake them just because you want something ridiculously delicious. They slice beautifully, travel well, and bring that cozy chocolate moment everyone loves during holiday baking season.

Save this recipe, share it with a friend, and follow along because I’m adding more cookie box favorites all season long. Happy holiday baking!

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Recipe by: Joanne Gallagher

12/02/2025

✨ These Holiday Meringue Trees might be the lightest, fluffiest cookie you add to your holiday baking this year. ✨

They’re sweet, crisp, melt-in-your-mouth, and honestly such a fun break from the richer cookies in your cookie box or cookie tray. Plus, they’re naturally gluten-free, easy to make, and such a pretty pop of color in any holiday dessert spread.

If you’ve been following along, we’re building a full collection of festive holiday cookie box recipes—bite-sized treats, nostalgic favorites, and showstoppers like these little trees. And there’s so much more coming.

Save this recipe, share it with a baker friend, and follow along for the next cookie in the series. Let’s bake our way through the holiday season together!

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Recipe by: Lynne Feifer

12/01/2025

If you’re building a holiday cookie box this year, don’t skip the brown butter blondies. Trust me, these cozy, caramel-y squares are the secret upgrade your cookie platter didn’t know it needed. They’re rich like a brownie, buttery like a cookie, and full of that warm brown-butter flavor everyone loves this time of year.

Holiday baking is truly where the magic happens. The shared kitchens, the family moments, the recipes that bring us all together. These blondies slice clean, pack beautifully, and add the perfect chewy contrast next to your classics. They’re a standout addition to any cookie box, cookie platter, holiday dessert table, or Christmas baking lineup.

If you’re looking for a new crowd-pleaser to gift or share, this is it. Follow along for more cozy, festive cookie box ideas all season long!

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Recipe by: Julianne Dell

11/30/2025

✨Millionaire Shortbread ✨
The nostalgia is real with this one; buttery shortbread, silky caramel, and a glossy chocolate top that snaps just right. It’s the kind of treat that takes you straight back to childhood cookie tins… but makes you feel like an absolute millionaire with every bite.

And if you’re building holiday cookie boxes this year? Add a few squares of these. TRUST ME. They’re the unexpected little luxury your friends and family won’t stop talking about.

Follow along, I’ve got more cozy, nostalgic, cookie-box-worthy recipes coming all season long.

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Recipe by: Emily Angle

11/30/2025

✨Millionaire Shortbread ✨
The nostalgia is real with this one; buttery shortbread, silky caramel, and a glossy chocolate top that snaps just right. It’s the kind of treat that takes you straight back to childhood cookie tins… but makes you feel like an absolute millionaire with every bite.

And if you’re building holiday cookie boxes this year? Add a few squares of these. TRUST ME. They’re the unexpected little luxury your friends and family won’t stop talking about.

Follow along, I’ve got more cozy, nostalgic, cookie-box-worthy recipes coming all season long.

💜 Follow for more baking & pastry tips, tricks and recipes!

Recipe by: Emily Angle

11/29/2025

✨Warm spices, cozy kitchens, and cookie boxes overflowing… this is what holiday baking should feel like. ✨

If you’re looking to try something new for your cookie box this year, these chewy molasses cookies are the perfect place to start soft, spiced, and ridiculously easy to make. Everyone can bake these… truly!

Holiday baking doesn’t have to be complicated. A bowl, a mixer, and a little patience while the dough chills, and you’ve got cookies that taste like pure seasonal joy. Add them to your cookie box lineup or bake a batch just to fill your home with that warm, spicy holiday smell.

Follow along, I’ll be sharing cookie-box-ready recipes all season long, and you don’t want to miss what’s coming next.

💜 Follow for more baking & pastry tips, tricks and recipes!

Recipe by: Ali Martin

11/29/2025

✨Warm spices, cozy kitchens, and cookie boxes overflowing… this is what holiday baking should feel like. ✨

If you’re looking to try something new for your cookie box this year, these chewy molasses cookies are the perfect place to start soft, spiced, and ridiculously easy to make. Everyone can bake these… truly!

Holiday baking doesn’t have to be complicated. A bowl, a mixer, and a little patience while the dough chills, and you’ve got cookies that taste like pure seasonal joy. Add them to your cookie box lineup or bake a batch just to fill your home with that warm, spicy holiday smell.

Follow along, I’ll be sharing cookie-box-ready recipes all season long, and you don’t want to miss what’s coming next.

💜 Follow for more baking & pastry tips, tricks and recipes!

Recipe by: Ali Martin

11/29/2025

11/26/2025

Throwback to one of my favorite marble cakes. It’s still one of my favorite easy baking projects that looks bakery level with simple techniques.

I’m so grateful for every one of you who shows up here to learn, bake, and grow with me. My goal is always the same. Make baking feel doable. Make pastry feel fun. And help you feel confident enough to try something new in your own kitchen.

Thank you for being here for the tips, the tutorials, the recipes, and the inspiration.

From my kitchen to yours, I hope you always feel encouraged to bake something homemade.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

❤️ Vanessa

11/25/2025

If you’ve been wanting to bake an apple crumb pie but weren’t sure where to start, this is your sign. This recipe is cozy, simple, and beginner-friendly, all you need are fresh apples, a quick crumble topping, and a little kitchen confidence.

Mix your apples, pile on the crumble, and let the oven do the magic. No fancy tools. No bakery training. Just real home baking that tastes like fall comfort and feels so doable.

Whether you’re making dessert for family, hosting Thanksgiving, or just craving something warm and sweet, this apple crumb pie is the perfect place to start. You can absolutely bake this and it’s going to turn out amazing.

Save this recipe to try later, tag me when you make it, and happy baking!

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11/24/2025

Pumpkin whoopie pies might look fancy, but they are so easy to make at home. Soft pumpkin cookies, creamy filling, and the kind of treat that disappears the minute you put them on the counter.

If you have canned pumpkin and a bowl, you can bake these. They come together fast, the house smells incredible, and they’re the perfect fall baking project for any skill level.

Bake a batch for a cozy weekend, a classroom treat, or just because you want something delicious waiting for you in the kitchen.

Happy baking, you got this.

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Recipe by: All Recipes

11/23/2025

The best pies are the ones made with slightly uneven crimps and a whole lot of intention.

Every pie tells a story. Who you baked it for. What pan you grabbed from the cabinet. The playlist in the background while you rolled out the dough. The deep breath you took before cutting that first slice.

The magic isn’t in perfect technique. It’s in the moment you slow down enough to make something from scratch.

Save for your next baking day and tag me when you bake yours.

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11/22/2025

If homemade pie crust feels intimidating, this method will change everything. Frozen butter, a food processor, and a little patience in the fridge are all you need to make dough that feels bakery level at home.

Once you try it, you are going to wonder why you ever settled for store bought. Bake it for holiday pies, cozy weekend baking, or just because you want something delicious cooling on your counter.

Happy baking, you got this.

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11/22/2025

If homemade pie crust feels intimidating, this method will change everything. Frozen butter, a food processor, and a little patience in the fridge are all you need to make dough that feels bakery level at home.

Once you try it, you are going to wonder why you ever settled for store bought. Bake it for holiday pies, cozy weekend baking, or just because you want something delicious cooling on your counter.

Happy baking, you got this.

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11/21/2025

Let’s do it the pro pastry way.

We’re using frozen butter and a food processor to keep everything ice cold. Cold fat equals visible, crispy layers every time.

Here’s how to nail it:
• Pulse dry ingredients first so the flour gets coated in fat and stays tender.
• Add frozen butter and pulse until you see distinct chunks. No smooth blending.
• Stream in ice cold water and stop when it just starts to come together. Slightly uneven dough is perfect.
• Press into a disc and chill overnight to hydrate the flour, relax gluten, and keep that butter cold.
• Roll on a lightly floured surface and chill any time the dough softens.

Those butter pockets puff in the oven and create crisp, flaky layers. I used this method for years at The Copper Crow and it never failed me.

Ingredients
AP Flour 1 3/4 C (208g)
Salt 3/4 tsp
Sugar 1 1/2 Tbsp
Butter 10 Tbsp (153g)
Ice water 1/2 C (100g)

If you make this, tag me so I can see your pie magic.

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11/20/2025

Swipe for 18 Thanksgiving desserts that AREN’T pumpkin pie
(but don’t worry, pumpkin still shows up for the party 🧡)

Hosting this year or just showing up with the dessert everyone talks about?
These recipes bring all the cozy holiday vibes without repeating the same classics.

Think:
• pumpkin roll that disappears in seconds
• apple cider donut cake that tastes like a fall festival
• caramel apple cheesecake that’s dangerously good
• chai-spiced cake that smells like a hug
• pumpkin mousse for the non-bakers who still want a WOW moment
• brown butter spice rice crispy treats for the kids and adults
• chocolate pumpkin cake that’s rich, bold, and totally seasonal
• cranberry pear pie that deserves a spotlight moment

Save this for your Thanksgiving menu plan and tag me if you bake one — I want to see those dessert tables shine ✨🍂

Which one are you making first?

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📸: Opeah Daily

11/19/2025

🍂 If you want to bring something a little different than pumpkin pie this year… this is it! 🦃

My Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake served last year was a total crowd favorite.

🍂 Now you get the exact recipe scaled for your home kitchen, tested, and loaded with pastry-chef tips so yours turns out just as silky and stunning!

✨ Wishing you happy fall baking and the warmest holiday season ahead. From my kitchen to your table, I hope you enjoy every delicious moment. 🧡

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11/17/2025

✨Holiday baking PSA✨

If you want to make holiday cupcakes and decorated cookies but don’t know how to fill a pastry bag, you’re in the right place.

Flip your 24 inch bag over your hand, add your filling, then use your spatula to cleanly scrape the rest in. A larger bag actually makes this step easier, so don’t be afraid to size up.

Baking doesn’t have to be overcomplicated or tricky. With a few simple techniques, you’ll be piping like a pro and feeling way more confident in your holiday kitchen.

You’ve got the holiday magic, you just need the technique. Once you try this, you’ll wonder why you waited so long. Let’s make piping feel fun, simple, and totally doable.

Nail this simple move and get back to piping those gorgeous treats like the pastry pro you are!

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11/16/2025

Our hearts are broken 💙❤️💚

Our Williams syndrome community has lost three beautiful children this month, and it has shaken us to our core. These sweet kids passed suddenly, without warning, going into cardiac arrest, and it has left all of us breathless.

The Williams syndrome community is such a tight knit group. When we lose one, we all feel it. When one family suffers, the rest of us carry that sorrow right along with them. Us parents lean on each other, drawing strength from our shared experiences and from the memories of these precious children who left this world far too soon.

The latest child collapsed while eating dinner with her family. It is a heartbreaking reminder to cherish every single moment we get. This syndrome is rare, there is still so much unknown, and we desperately need more research so we can understand it better and protect our children.

And if I am being honest, we are all on edge. We are all worrying if our child could be next. It is a fear no parent should ever have to sit with.

Please keep these families in your thoughts and prayers. Hug your little ones extra tight today, because tomorrow is never promised. 💙❤️💚

To learn more about Williams Syndrome, please visit and

11/16/2025

Thinking about switching up your Thanksgiving dessert this year?

🍂 These Pumpkin Pie Bars are the perfect swap for a traditional pumpkin pie, same creamy, cozy fall flavor, but way easier to bake, slice, and serve.

You still get that silky pumpkin filling, warm cinnamon spice, and buttery crust… just in a bar form that absolutely flies off the dessert table.

Make them for a cozy weekend bake, Friendsgiving, or your big Thanksgiving dinner. Once you try them, you might never go back to classic pumpkin pie.

Recipe by: The Joy Filled Kitchen

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11/14/2025

✨ The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies You Will Ever Bake!

📍Save this recipe because these cookies are soft, chewy, packed with melty chocolate, and bake up with perfect golden edges every time.

Keep swiping for my pastry chef secrets that show you how to get crispy edges, soft centers, thick bakery style cookies, and the best way to keep them fresh.

If you make these, tag me so I can share your bake.

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11/11/2025

Huge thanks to for the sweetest gift! 🍫 I got to try the French White Nougat and Coffee Toffee bars and wow… pure chocolate heaven. 🤎 Handcrafted, bean to bar, organic, and fair trade!

Treat yourself and grab some using my code desserts-by-vanessa10 for 10% off your order! ✨

11/10/2025

You don’t have to be a pro to make homemade cinnamon rolls that taste bakery-level! 💛

This recipe is simple, cozy, and totally doable, even if you’ve never baked with yeast before. Just follow along, take your time, and let that sweet cinnamon smell fill your kitchen.

Because baking isn’t about perfection… it’s about joy and gooey rolls fresh from the oven. ✨

Save this recipe for the weekend, your future self will thank you!

Recipe by: Malinda Linnebur

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