Easy Sweets

This was supposed to be a batch of gingerbread men for a cookie swap. I had it all planned out—the royal icing was ready, the … Read more

The woman at the next stall watched me staring at a bag of rainbow sprinkles like they held the secrets to the universe. I was … Read more

My husband swore he hated chocolate lava cake. For three whole years of marriage, he dodged it at restaurants, wrinkled his nose at bakery versions, … Read more

I was standing in the middle of the grocery aisle last October, staring at a jar of white miso paste that was definitely not on … Read more

I was at the hardware store last October, of all places, buying a new putty knife because I’d somehow managed to lose mine mid-caulking project. … Read more

I wasn’t supposed to be there for the candy corn thing. I’d stopped by my neighbor Jen’s house on a Tuesday afternoon to grab a … Read more

This was supposed to be a classic strawberry shortcake. I had the biscuits cooling on the rack, the berries macerating in a bowl, and the … Read more

My nephew, Leo, asked me why I couldn’t just skip the whole “creaming butter and sugar” step. He watched me haul out the mixer, watched … Read more

It was 11:17 PM on a drizzly Tuesday in late September, and I had a very specific craving for something warm, buttery, and full of … Read more

My neighbor wasn’t trying to impress me. I’d stopped by to borrow a ladder—our gutters were overflowing from the sudden October rain—and the smell hit … Read more