Bite-Sized Treats

Mini Raspberry Cheesecakes Recipe

We had the greatest success using a pan with 2 1/2-ounce cups, such as Chicago Metallic's 12-Well Mini Cheesecake Pan ($25, chicagometallicbakeware.com). This pan has removable bottoms (similar to a tart pan) so that you simply push each cheesecake up to remove it. You can also bake them in a standard muffin tin; line it with foil liners for easier removal.

Chocolate-Chestnut Cream Bites Recipe

These cream bites are the perfect way to indulge in something sweet and satisfy your chocolate craving.

Bourbon-Pecan Tassies Recipe

Think of these tasty little tassies as your own personal pecan pie. They're both salty and sweet, with a hit of oaky bourbon. Whole-grain rye flour adds the perfect touch of sour to the shortbread-like crust, while toasted pecans do double duty in the crust and in the maple-splashed filling. As if that weren't enough to jingle your bell, we drizzle warm bittersweet chocolate over each bite to ensure maximum satisfaction.

Mini Hazelnut Tarts Recipe

There are many make-ahead opportunities for preparing this dessert, so you can have it on hand whenever you want. The hazelnut dough can be made and frozen for up to 3 months. Form it into a disk and wrap it in plastic wrap for added protection against freezer burn, and slip the wrapped dough into a ziplock plastic freezer bag. Thaw the dough, still wrapped, in the refrigerator. You can also form and bake the tart shells a day ahead, and store them at room temperature; or you can cool them completely, wrap in aluminum foil, transfer to a ziplcok plastic freezer bag, and freeze for up to 1 month. The filling comes together in minutes, but you can mix it 2 days ahead and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the tarts. Bring the filling back to room temperature before spooning it into the tart shells.

Goat Cheese Cheesecake Bites Recipe

Blood Orange Cannoli Cups Recipe

These cute cannoli cups are filled with ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, orange rind, orange juice, and cream, and topped with mini chocolate chips. 

Blood Orange and White Chocolate Cream Cups Recipe

Return toasted and cooled cups to the tray they came in. It's a steady base to use when filling. For ease, work with two spoons: one to scoop, and the other to scrape the mixture neatly into the cups. You can make the cups up to a day ahead.

Chocolate Thumbprints Recipe

Classic thumbprint cookies are always a hit! Start with a simple butter cookie recipe, then fill thumb depressions with gooey chocolate ganache. To save time, substitute a small milk chocolate candy for the ganache and let the piping-hot cookie transform it into a melty treat.

Bite-Sized Cookie Recipes Recipe

Just a bite of sweetness may be all you need when serving a crowd during the holidays or packing treats for a school party. And all of these recipes promise big flavor in small cookies.

Strawberry Cheesecake Tartlets Recipe

Delicious things come in small packages. Serve Strawberry Cheesecake Tartlets at your next brunch or luncheon for an impressive, bite-sized dessert your guests will rave over for days.

Cheesecake Christmas Trees Recipe

A tray of these Christmas trees makes a festive open house dessert. For more chocolate decadence, use mini Twix bars (cut in half) for the tree trunks, as shown here.

White Christmas Dream Drops Recipe

For an elegant touch, dip the edges in melted dark chocolate.

Peanut-Chocolate Macaroons Recipe

These delicate cookie sandwiches, made from egg whites and rich chocolate ganache, taste best the day they're baked. If you do make them ahead, store them in an airtight container for no more than three days. But these tasty treats will probably be long gone before then.

Vegan Mini Peanut Butter Pies Recipe

Love peanut butter cups? This is the treat for you. With a rich, chocolatey crust and a deep, nutty, creamy inside, this dessert is for all the peanut butter and chocolate lovers, whether you're vegan or not. Silken tofu acts as a smooth, thickening component for the filling, as well as canned coconut cream. This easy, no-bake dessert packs all the indulgent flavors of your favorite candy bar, yet it's still dairy-free, gluten-free, and made with natural sweeteners.

Caramel-Coconut-Pecan Brownies Recipe

In our opinion, this decadent mix of chocolate, nuts, and gooey caramel needs no further introduction. But just in case you need one more reason to try it, remember that a hint of crunchy coconut rounds out the flavor combination.

Double-Chocolate Meringue Cookies Recipe

Flavor your meringue with cocoa, then fold in mini chocolate chips for a lightly-browned cookie that's doubly sweet.

Chocolate-Peanut Bars Recipe

Give your oven a break and serve these sweet-and-salty bars. The crunchy peanut butter and crushed vanilla wafers add an unexpected crispy crunch to the dessert.

Coffee Meringues Recipe

Serve these vanilla-flavored coffee treats with an after-dinner cup of espresso. The cream of tartar helps boost the egg whites into a fluffy whipped concoction that bakes slowly, so start this dessert before dinner guests arrive.

Lemon-Scented Coconut Macaroon Bars Recipe

When your chocoholic side goes on vacation, reach for one of these buttery, lemon-infused confections topped with flaky coconut. Your taste buds will celebrate the easy-to-make dessert's resemblance to lemon meringue pie.

Santa and Reindeer Truffles Recipe

Start with store-bought truffles to make an easy, giftable Christmas treat for friends, family, or holiday visitors. Save one for Santa; we hear he likes truffles too, and certainly deserves one all to himself.

Chocolate Chip Meringues Recipe

Although it looks fancy, a meringue is simply a mixture of egg whites and sugar. Flavored with almond extract and semisweet chocolate, these "hard meringues" (meringues baked at a very low temperature) box up beautifully as hostess gifts and hit the spot during a sweet-tooth craving.

Mini Whoopie Pies Recipe

These bite-sized treats are heart-healthy! The secret is unsweetened applesauce and vegetable oil, not vegetable shortening.

Bourbon Balls Recipe

Bourbon Balls offer up a powerful punch while packaged in a small bite. These sweet, no-bake treats are a favored gift and a perfect nibble for parties.

Mini Apple Crumb Cakes Recipe

These walnut-filled apple cakes are made in muffin pans and just the right size for your own personal cake.

Brownie Ice Cream Mini-wiches Recipe

If you just need a little bite of something sweet, these mini ice cream sandwiches are just for you.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies with Bourbon Ganache Recipe

Double chocolate is great, but with ganache is even better.

Spicy Chocolate-Chili Truffles Recipe

If these bite-sized truffles pack too much of a punch for your palate, try excluding the chipotle, cayenne, chili powder, and cinnamon.