39 Quick and Easy Weekday Baking Recipes

From the Recipe Creator: It’s fun to prepare individual brownie “cupcakes” with a chocolaty “surprise” inside. My goddaughter, Cara, asks me to make them for her birthday to share at school. This year, she requested 32. I later found out she only needed 27 for her class…wonder where the other five went!
-Pamela Lute, Mercersburg, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: These pint-size Nutella hand pies made with puff pastry are too good to keep to yourself! —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: Here on our ranch, I cook for three men who love burgers. These fluffy hamburger buns are just right for their big appetites. The buns are so good that I also serve them plain with a meal. —Jessie McKenney, Twodot, Montana

From the Recipe Creator: When my husband wants a treat, he requests these chewy peanut butter honey cookies. —Lucile Proctor, Panguitch, Utah

From the Recipe Creator: I received this recipe from a minister's wife, and my family loves it. —Brenda Jackson, Garden City, Kansas

From the Recipe Creator: These rich bar cookies will melt in your mouth! They’re ideal to have on hand for a snack. —Pauline Schrag, Theresa, New York

From the Recipe Creator: The ingredients for this recipe are so simple and the results so spectacular, I’m always willing to share the secret. It’s actually a variation of a doughnut recipe I made years ago, using refrigerated biscuits. The best part of having this bread is tearing it apart and eating it warm. —Evelyn Kenney, Hamilton, New Jersey

From the Recipe Creator: These coconut macaroon cookies earned me a first-place ribbon at the county fair. They remain my husband's favorites—whenever I make them to give away, he always asks me where his batch is! I especially like the fact that this recipe makes a small enough batch for the two of us to nibble on. —Penny Ann Habeck, Shawano, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: For a change from ordinary lemon bars, we added grated orange zest to both the crust and filling and turned the recipe into a tart. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: Ice cream gets a whole new use in this tender bread recipe that I pared down to serve two. Be sure to use full-fat ice cream for best results. —Katherine Kuehlman, Denver, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: Folks who love the flavor of the classic cookie will enjoy that same great flavor in these chocolate chip bars. This blondie recipe can be mixed up in a jiffy, tastes wonderful, and is perfect for occasions when company drops by unexpectedly or you need a treat in a hurry. —Rhonda Knight, Hecker, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: Nothing is better than homemade cupcakes. They are so delicious and fluffy. Choose whatever frosting you want to top these treats. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: If you have a craving for cookies and you want them now, these yummy strips take just a few minutes to make from start to finish. —Kathy Zielicke, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: We turned cheesecake into irresistible bite-sized snacks. Feel free to swap in any favorite flavor of jam. —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: I first served this treat to my family on St. Patrick's Day, and it was an instant success. Now I serve it year-round; in the winter, I leave out the green food coloring to make a cool white mint pie. —Karen Hayes,Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania.

From the Recipe Creator: I take this dessert to work for Friday pick-me-ups. It's one of my favorite yellow cake bar recipes. I love to share them because they're so easy to eat, easy to make and easy on the wallet. —Amy Rose, Ballwin, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: If you’re looking for a flaky basic biscuit, this recipe is the best. These golden brown rolls bake up tall, light and tender. They’re good on their own, but taste even better served warm and spread with butter or jam. —Nancy Horsburgh, Everett, Ontario

From the Recipe Creator: How could you not love pizza for dessert? A fudgy brownie base is layered with a whipped topping sauce, then topped with fresh strawberries, chopped nuts and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. —Karen Heleski, Ubly, Michigan —Karen Heleski, Ubly, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: The history of this whimsically named treat is widely disputed, but the popularity of this classic cinnamon-sugar-coated cookie is undeniable! —Taste Recipes Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: These bars are always a hit at potlucks in the small rural farming community where my husband and I live. I also like to provide them for coffee hour after church. They're so moist and delicious that wherever I take them, they don't last long. —Karen Dryak, Niobrara, Nebraska

From the Recipe Creator: I love serving this blueberry scone recipe to visiting friends and family. I always make sure a have a few in the freezer. Just pop a frozen scone in the microwave for 20 seconds or so. —Joan Francis, Spring Lake, New Jersey

From the Recipe Creator: The night before I make these drop cookies, I measure out the pretzels, peanuts, raisins and chocolate. Assembly goes quickly the next day. —Kelly Ward-Hartman, Cape Coral, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: These are so easy to make and take no time at all. They’re great to package up for those college kids looking for something from home. Everyone will want this recipe. —Elaine Grimme, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

From the Recipe Creator: Lemon pie filling lends a splash of citrus flavor to a convenient cake mix, and a rich cream cheese frosting gives the cake sweetness. My family likes this dessert cold, so I cut it into squares and freeze it before serving. —Alyce Dubisar, North Bend, Oregon

From the Recipe Creator: Here's proof that peanut butter and chocolate just belong together. These peanut butter blossom cookies are an easy family favorite and never fails to make my children smile. —Tammie Merrill, Wake Forest, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: Raspberries are abundant at our summer home nearby Aziscohos Lake. So I developed this recipe to share the bounty with our guests. The pretty crumb-topped cake's fruity flavor really shines through. —Marian Cummings, West Paris, Maine

From the Recipe Creator: This banana muffin recipe goes over so well with kids. Not only are these banana bread muffins like cupcakes, but they’re ready—start to finish—in just half an hour! —Lorna Greene, Harrington, Maine

From the Recipe Creator: This chocolaty delight was one of my favorites growing up. The Texas sheet cake is so moist and the icing so sweet that everyone who samples it wants a copy of the recipe. —Susan Ormond, Jamestown, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: I grew up helping my mom make a lot in our farmhouse kitchen; strawberry shortcakes, roasts, soups and pies. This sunny strawberry shortcake recipe brings back memories of family summers on the farm. —Janet Becker, Anacortes, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: Chocolate lovers will go crazy over these cookies that feature loads of chocolate! When friends ask me to make "those cookies," I know exactly what recipe they mean. —Rebecca Jendry, Spring Branch, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: My rich bars are studded with the all-American peanut. I like to think famed peanut farmer Jimmy Carter would approve. —Ann Marie Heinz, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: This is probably the most unusual “pizza” you’ll ever see! It’s a great dessert for kids, although adults snap it up, too. Everyone loves the chewy crust and the great flavor. Chocolate and peanut butter are a nice combination.
—Bernice Arnett, Marshfield, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: I started making these treats after tasting a batch my friend whipped up. I immediately requested the drop cookie recipe and have been baking them by the dozens ever since. The icing is an ideal complement to the tart berries in the cookies. —Shirley Kidd, New London, Minnesota

From the Recipe Creator: My husband and I have two sons, and I sent these peanut butter brownies to them regularly when they were in college. They told me that they used to hide a few from their roommates just to make sure there would be some left! —Patsy Burgin, Lebanon, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: These little cakes have become a favorite of our guests. They are always surprised that such a chocolaty dessert is so light­—less than 200 calories apiece! —Kissa Vaughn, Troy, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: I suggest topping this delightfully moist snack with a dollop of your favorite ice cream. —Edie DeSpain, Logan, Utah

From the Recipe Creator: I asked my grandmother for this recipe after trying these irresistible spice cupcakes at her home. I love their creamy caramel frosting. They're such a scrumptious dessert, you actually forget you're eating your vegetables, too! —Virginia Lapierre, Greensboro Bend, Vermont