The 10 Desserts Our Readers Saved the Most This Year

You loved speedy, simple desserts, but you also weren't afraid of showstoppers.

By
Genevieve Yam
Genevieve Yam headshot
Genevieve Yam
Senior Editor
After graduating from the International Culinary Center, Genevieve cooked at Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Per Se. Prior to joining Serious Eats, she was an editor at Epicurious. She grew up between Toronto and Hong Kong and is a graduate of the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She currently lives in New York with her husband and two cats.
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Published December 28, 2025
Spoon of mug cake

Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

Whether it's a mid-afternoon cookie break or a luxurious dessert after dinner, my day just isn't complete without something sweet. It appears many of our readers are the same—you saved an impressive number of desserts this year on MyRecipes, our free tool for keeping track of all your favorite dishes. You gravitated towards speedy, simple desserts, such as senior culinary editor Leah's five-minute molten chocolate mug cake, but you also embraced impressive showstoppers like our test kitchen colleague Melissa Gray-Streett's maple walnut cake. Below, you'll find our most-saved desserts of the year. There's a little something sweet for everyone, and I'm confident you'll find at least one new favorite to add to your dessert roster—if it isn't already there.

Love these recipes? With MyRecipes—your personal home for recipes—easily save and organize your favorites, plus thousands more, in one convenient place.

  • 10-Minute Microwave Apple Crisp for One

    Overhead view of apple crisp

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    This might be the easiest apple crisp recipe out there: It requires a handful of ingredients (most of which you probably already have) and one bowl. Plus, the crisp topping and apple filling are cooked within minutes right in the microwave—no need to wait for the oven to preheat.

  • Nanaimo Bars

    Side view of nanaimo Bars

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    With a chocolaty coconut base, a creamy custard icing in the middle, and more chocolate on top, Nanaimo bars are an iconic Canadian treat.

  • Molten Chocolate Mug Cake

    Spoon of mug cake

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    A few minutes in the microwave is all you need to make this warm, rich chocolate cake. It's meant to be enjoyed warm by the spoonful, like a mini soufflé or an oven-baked chocolate cake.

  • Peach Crisp

    Overhead view of peach crisp served with ice cream

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    With a jammy, sweet filling of vanilla-scented peaches beneath a crunchy topping of whole-wheat flour, oats, and toasted pecans, this peach crisp tastes like the best of summer.

    Continue to 5 of 10 below

  • Atlantic Beach Pie

    A slice of creamtopped pie on a green plate with a fork a pie plate with the rest of the pie in the background

    Serious Eats / Deli Studios

    Along the North Carolina coast, many seafood restaurants serve some version of "lemon pie," but Bill Smith's may be the most popular. This easy Southern dessert features a salty cracker crust and a bright, citrusy filling for a cool and delicious treat.

  • Easy No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe

    20170526-no-bake-cheesecake-vicky-wasik-18.jpg

    A no-cook dessert is great for beating the summer heat, but we love this cheesecake so much that we'd happily make it any time of year. Its simplicity makes it an excellent vehicle for fresh fruit, where it takes on a real berries-and-cream vibe.

  • No-Bake Fudgy Chocolate Squares

    A plate of layered chocolate squares with a fudgy and textured appearance topped with sea salt

    Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Glaze

    Fudgy and rich with bittersweet chocolate, these no-bake fudgy chocolate squares combine the best of brownies, fudge, and mousse. Plus, they only take 20 minutes of active prep time.

  • Baked Apples

    Baked apple served with a scoop of ice cream on a plate dessert prepared for serving

    Serious Eats / Melati Citrawireja

    Apples are excellent vessels for baking, especially when you carve out their cores, fill them with cinnamon sugar and butter, and scatter a crispy crumble over the top. What you're left with is an individual-sized apple crisp: an easy dessert that feels special even on an ordinary weeknight.

    Continue to 9 of 10 below

  • Maple Walnut Cake

    A slice of cake with layers of frosting and walnut garnish on a plate a partially sliced cake and a drink in the background

    Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Ward, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey

    This confection consists of two nutty layers made with ground walnuts, brown sugar, and maple syrup for a deep, toffee-like flavor, then stacked and cloaked with swoops of tangy maple-cream cheese frosting.

  • Pumpkin Spice Latte Tiramisu

    Slice of PSL Tiramisu on a stylish blue and white plate, with a blue tablecloth, sparkling water, and a gold fork

    Serious Eats / Robby Lozano

    This fun riff on tiramisu incorporates pumpkin purée and warm fall spices into a mascarpone mixture and pairs it with coffee-soaked ladyfingers, evoking the flavors of a classic pumpkin spice latte.

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