Snack

Spritz cookies are the backbone of holiday baking. You can decorate them with any kind of sprinkles, drizzle them with chocolate, dust them with sparkly sugars, add food coloring to make them in a rainbow of colors, press them out into any shape . . . they’re endlessly versatile. I’ve spruced up the classic recipe slightly by adding a hint of orange flavor, giving them just a little special oomph. I’ve written proportions for a large batch so you can give them as gifts or make them for a party. They also store well in the freezer, so you can keep them on hand for treats anytime.

My grandmother Catherene used to make a version of these when I was a child. I still remember waiting in the kitchen for them to set, barely able to contain myself as their tempting aroma wafted through the house.

A hearty, chewy classic! Pack these in your kids’ lunch for a snack, or serve them after school with a big chilled glass of rice milk for dunking!

Pretty and elegant, these cookies will make your mouth water, and they’re fun to make! Kids love sticking their thumb in the middle of the cookies, and filling the mini pool with creamy delicious chocolate. See below for a fruity variation.

When I give these to vegan friends, they think they’ve died and gone to heaven. Nobody can believe they’re vegan and gluten-free. They disappear as fast as I can bake them, so I make them in bulk and keep them in the freezer.

These are my son Lennon’s favorite cookies. They’re like a soft Oreo, but unlike Oreos, where most kids just break them open, eat the cream filling, and discard the hard cookie exterior, Lennon ooohs and ahs and chows down the whole thing. Store them in a tightly sealed container and they’ll last well for days.

These could just as easily be called “Allergen-Free Heaven.” Need I say more?

Maple syrup is a great way to sweeten chocolate treats in place of refined sugar. I prefer to use Grade B maple syrup, which is richer in flavor, higher in nutrients, but lighter on the wallet than Grade A.

These lightly floral, agave-sweetened gems are a multipurpose cupcake. Pair them with any frosting you like.

My French friend Christèle was kind enough to share her recipe for gâteau au yaourt. I have adapted it here to be allergen-free, but it doesn’t suffer one bit. The beauty of this recipe is in its simplicity. It is easy, fast, and clean. You use the yogurt container (called “measure” in the recipe) as a measuring tool. Feel free to experiment with adding additional flavors to this cake, such as lemon or orange zest, or more rum, brandy, or cardamom. It’s a great basic template to play with.

Tender, moist, and so easy to make, this cake is great as an after-school snack or at teatime, but it also makes a fabulous easy breakfast. It reminds me of Sara Lee Banana Cake, which my mom used to keep in the freezer for those times she wasn’t baking. I was always sneaking a sliver.

This fabulous low-fat teacake is a favorite with kids and grown-ups alike. My sons like it for breakfast with a glass of rice milk, I prefer it in the afternoon with a nice cup of tea, and my husband eats his with a scoop of Vanilla Rice Dream for dessert. Make it a day in advance so the flavors meld.

This rich and highly nutritious cake is loaded with vitamin C and vitamin A. It’s moist and keeps well for days.

I would argue that these egg-free, dairy-free, wheat-free cookies are even better than traditional counterparts. The edges have that coveted toffee-like crunch, and the inside is soft and chewy.

These chewy, brownielike cookies contain a double dose of chocolate and are full of Enjoy Life Boom Choco Boom chunks. They’re perfect for every chocoholic (and I should know!).

I take this cake to meetings at my sons’ school and wow the teachers. It’s a conference room favorite. Nobody can believe it’s vegan and gluten-free. It’s straight-up classic coffee cake—moist and buttery, with a scrumptious crumb topping.

This simple quick bread is one of my favorites. It’s wholesome and subtly sweet. Whole-grain amaranth has a nutty flavor, adds great texture, and is packed with protein and fiber.

This moist, buttery coffee cake with its crisp, cinnamon-sugar topping is based on an old fashioned recipe from the 1950s, called Blueberry Boy Bait, a coffee cake named for the effect it had on teenage boys. My boys aren’t teens yet, but this bait works for them. They’ll gobble it up in one day—with not a crumb left over.

This tasty quick bread is a great way to sneak vegetables into your kid’s diet. When you combine chocolate and zucchini, the zucchini disappears. I tell my veggie-phobic son Lennon he’s eating chocolate cake and he’s none the wiser! He thinks he’s really lucky to get chocolate cake for breakfast.

With rich, tempting spices and a lovely autumnal hue, this bread is perfect during the harvest season.