17 Easy Treats to Bake This Weekend

There’s something so magical about spending the weekend indoors baking sweet treats — especially as the temperatures outside drop. That’s where a little planning ahead will really make a difference. All of these desserts are easy to make and easy to portion, so you can be sure they will last beyond the weekend and into the week ahead. Just choose your favorite, make it this weekend, and make next week even better than you imagined.

Yes, these graham cracker cookies are irresistible on their own, but what really makes them winners is that you can use them as the base for your indoor s’mores. (You’re welcome.)

It may be getting colder outside, but we’re fans of ice pops year-round. A riff on our popular one-ingredient banana ice cream, these ice pops get a bit more structure from the peanut butter, and are made even tastier by the chocolate dip.

Layer cakes are all well and good, but sometimes nothing can beat a good old-fashioned sheet cake. They are a cinch to make and easy to transport for parties or potlucks.

A definite bonus to making this slow-cooker dessert is that your house will smell amazing while it is baking. And don’t overlook the pleasure of a serving of cold apple crisp — especially with a bit of heavy cream on top. It actually makes a great breakfast.

I know what you’re thinking — chickpeas in a dessert? — but this recipe, which can be made vegan by using a butter substitute, is gold. You won’t even be able to tell it has chickpeas in it.

Full-sized ice cream cakes are fussy to make and eat, but these mini cakes made in your muffin tin are a breeze. Plus, because they’re already portioned, it’s easy to make them last for a while — theoretically, at least.

If you grew up eating oatmeal cream pies, this recipe will bring up quite a bit of nostalgia. They are the perfect dessert to bring to a potluck or book club, but we’re also partial to freezing some and enjoying them over several weeks.

Give your traditional popcorn balls a sophisticated upgrade with this recipe for chai-spiced popcorn bars. Not only are they easier to make (think more like Rice Krispies Treats), but they will also fit in with your afternoon tea better than a super-sweet caramel popcorn ball.

Sometimes you just can’t go wrong with an incredible flourless chocolate cake. If you want to make individual portions, you can also bake the cake in ramekins. Just be sure you coat them thoroughly with butter and cocoa powder so they slide out easily.

What’s the secret to making these deliciously chewy brownies even better? Baking them with dark brown sugar for an incredibly rich sweetness.

Fig newtons have always been a favorite, but these homemade apricot ones are slowly creeping up on the classic cookie. Look for the best-quality dried apricots you can find for the filling. Or make them even easier by using jam instead.

These bars have a lot of things going for them. First, they’re a no-bake dessert. Second, they use labneh for a slightly tarter, more grown-up flavor. And third, they are drizzled with salted honey, which makes them completely perfect.

If you’re looking for a way to use up all those apples that you scored on your trip to the orchard over the weekend, allow us to suggest these mini apple rose pies. Yes, they require a bit of assembly, but when you pull them out of the oven the oohs and aahs they’ll evoke will make it all worth it.

If you’re still trying to be healthy when you enjoy your desserts, look no further than this vegan chocolate pudding. It gets its texture and a nutritional boost from chia seeds.

Rice Krispies Treats? Forget ’em. These peanut butter-packed cornflake squares will completely replace them. Just look at that chocolate drizzled all over the top.

For anyone who doesn’t like super-sweet desserts, these tahini cookies are the answer. Somewhat akin to peanut butter cookies, they are a great nut-free option for school lunches and treats as well.

If you just need a little bit of chocolate to get you through a post-dinner sweets craving, try keeping these perfectly portioned dark chocolate bites on hand. You can customize them with your favorite toppings, and keep them for several weeks in an airtight container.