Recipes

21 Snowy Desserts

21 snow-inspired sweets, from salted caramel recipe to oeufs a la neige recipes, with photos

Semlor (Cardamom Cream Puffs)
Semlor (Cardamom Cream Puffs)

Cardamom adds warm spice to towering, cream-filled pastries. See the recipe for Semlor (Cardamom Cream Puffs) »

Coconut Cake
Coconut Cake

Asst. Test Kitchen Director Ben Mims shared his family recipe for coconut cake, which showers three layers with flurries of freshly grated coconut.
Get the Coconut Cake recipe »

Oeufs a la Neige
Oeufs a la Neige

Though we call them “Floating Islands,” the original name of this French dessert translates into “Eggs in the snow.”
Get the Oeufs a la Neige (Floating Islands) recipe »

Coeur a la Creme with Caramelized Strawberries
Coeur a la Creme with Caramelized Strawberries

This classic French heart-shaped dessert combines a creamy cheese base with a rich, syrupy strawberry compote. Get the Coeur a la Creme with Caramelized Strawberries recipe »

Marbled Coffee Cake
Marbled Coffee Cake

Austria’s Viennese sweets are as well known as its Alpine slopes. This classic confectioners’ sugar-topped coffee cake comes from Demel, a 200-year-old Austrian pastry shop. Get the Marbled Coffee Cake recipe »

Vanillekipferl (Vanilla Crescents)
Vanillekipferl (Vanilla Crescents)

After baking, shower these crumbly walnut cookies with deep drifts of confectioners’ sugar. They’re akin to Mexican wedding cookies and Greek kourabiedes. Get the Vanillekipferl (Vanilla Crescents) recipe »
See also: Gluten-Free Vanillekipferl (Vanilla Crescents) »

Nutmeg Doughnuts
Nutmeg Doughnuts

The frost-like sugar crystals add a sandy crunch to these spicy doughnuts. Serve them warm with a hot beverage for dunking. Get the Nutmeg Doughnuts recipe »

Salted Caramels
Salted Caramels

Fleur de sel mimics crunchy ice crystals atop these chewy bites of vanilla caramel.

Chocolate Truffles
Chocolate Truffles

Downy flakes of finely shredded coconut add texture to these subtly sweet cocoa confections.

Peppermint Caramels
Peppermint Caramels

Crushed hard peppermint candies add a cool crunch to this classic Swedish toffee. (And minty sweets are extra-refreshing when it’s cold outside.) Get the Peppermint Caramels recipe »

Pashka (Russian-Style Farmers' Cheese)
Pashka (Russian-Style Farmers' Cheese)

This creamy Russian pressed cheese is fortified with golden raisins and ground almonds.
Get the Pashka (Russian-Style Farmers’ Cheese) recipe »

Butter Balls
Butter Balls

Dredge these mini-snowball treats in confectioners sugar twice — once while they are warm so the coating melts into the cookie a bit, and once when they are cool to insure a generous covering.
Get the Butter Balls recipe »

Cherry Clafoutis
Cherry Clafoutis

This French dessert is made the traditional way, with unpitted cherries for extra flavor. If this idea unsettles you, don’t hesitate to use pitted ones. See the recipe for Cherry Clafoutis »

Baked Alaska
Baked Alaska

The meringue dome on this American classic gives it a dramatic igloo-like shape. The insulating egg white hides strawberry ice cream and cake. Get the Baked Alaska recipe »

Victoria Sponge Cake
Victoria Sponge Cake

This delicious layer cake, popular at afternoon teas in England, was named in honor of Queen Victoria. It eschews cloying frosting for a shower of confectioners’ sugar and a filling of whipped double Devon cream with strawberry jam. Get the Victoria Sponge Cake recipe »

Buttermilk Panna Cotta
Buttermilk Panna Cotta

Chef Claudia Fleming adds tangy buttermilk to this rich, simple panna cotta. The result is a pristine, snowy custard flecked with vanilla bean. See the recipe for Buttermilk Panna Cotta »

Acadian Syrup Cake
Acadian Syrup Cake

Like a tan-toned gingerbread, this cake uses dark cane syrup and a feather-light dusting of confectioners’ sugar, for garnish. Get the Acadian Syrup Cake recipe »

Pastel de Tres Leches
Pastel de Tres Leches

In our version of Pastel de Tres Leches, blond sponge cake is soaked in sweet milk and topped with a fluffy, white meringue frosting. Get the Pastel de Tres Leches recipe »

Vistorta Chocolate Cake
Vistorta Chocolate Cake

A liberal dusting of confectioners’ sugar blankets this dark, dense cake in pure white.

Rice Pudding
Rice Pudding

Whipped cream adds body and richness to this simple rice pudding from the SAVEUR archive. Get the Rice Pudding recipe »

Chocolate Souffle
Chocolate Souffle

A ramekin of flourless souffle always looks more inviting with the lightest dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Get the Chocolate Souffle recipe »

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