Soft, buttery brown sugar cookies loaded with chopped leftover Halloween candy and brightened with lemon and lime zest. Use whatever’s in your candy bowl: Snickers, peanut M&M’s, Butterfingers, Reese’s, Payday. Bake a couple now and freeze the rest of the dough as scoops, so a fresh cookie is always about 10 minutes away.

Bittersweet and Mexican chocolate are melted together with warm cream to create a smooth, spiced fondue served alongside marshmallows, sprinkles, chopped nuts, and fresh fruit for dipping. This interactive dessert station turns a weeknight dinner into a fun family activity that kids can customize themselves.

A crunchy medley of wheat, rice, and oat cereals mixed with fish crackers is tossed in a fragrant honey-butter-rosemary mixture, then baked at 300°F until toasted and irresistible. This sweet-savory-herby snack mix is perfect for munching during a competitive payback showdown.

Farfalle is tossed in nutty browned butter and topped with toasted panko-parsley-lemon breadcrumbs and a generous shower of Parmesan. This quick, five-ingredient pasta is a busy mom's secret weapon, delivering rich, satisfying flavor in under twenty minutes.