There’s just something magical about pie. It’s nostalgic, homey, a little bit messy, and my absolute favorite type of dessert! Over the years, I have shared so many incredible pie recipes here on Oh Sweet Basil, but a few of them have earned their place as true fan favorites—the best pie recipes you all make again and again.

This roundup features my most popular pies of all time, from classic fruit pies with buttery, flaky crusts to creamy custard pies and rich holiday favorites. Whether you’re planning your Thanksgiving menu or just craving a slice of something sweet on a Sunday afternoon, these tried-and-true pies deliver every single time.

Classic Fruit Pies

Fruit pies are the heart of homemade pie baking—simple ingredients, bright flavors, and that irresistible blend of tender fruit and flaky crust. These classic fruit pies are some of our most popular recipes because they never go out of style and always taste like home.

If you’ve been searching for the best brownie recipe, these Lunch Lady Brownies are it. These brownies are rich, chewy, and unapologetically fudgy! The kind with crackly tops that melts in the middle. Made with simple pantry staples and a silky cocoa frosting, they taste like the brownies your grandma should’ve made.

No fancy tricks, no boxed mix, just pure, old-school chocolate perfection.

Lunch Lady Brownies are moist, full of chocolate flavor, and feed a crowd! My roommate taught me the power of brownies with frosting, and they totally remind me of the ones I had as a kid that the lunch ladies served in elementary school, but this homemade version is better, thanks to one secret! These are rich and fudgy brownies, not crumby and cakey brownies.

Ingredients For Lunch Lady Brownies

Cake

• Unsweetened Cocoa: Adds deep chocolate flavor
• Butter, melted: Makes the brownies rich and fudgy
• All Purpose Flour: Provides structure
• Salt: Balances sweetness. The secret!
• Sugar: Sweetness that caramelizes beautifully
• Eggs, large: Adds richness and helps set the brownies
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances chocolate flavor

Frosting

• Evaporated Milk: Makes frosting creamy and smooth
• Butter, softened: Adds richness and fluff
• Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting
• Unsweetened Cocoa: Intensifies chocolate punch

These ingredients come together to make the ultimate fudgy brownies topped with rich, chocolate frosting.

How to Make Lunch Lady Brownies

If you’ve been searching for the best brownie recipe, this is it. We’re talking a thick, fudgy texture that comes together fast and tastes like they’re straight from a bakery. No fancy steps, no waiting overnight, just pure, chocolatey, from scratch bliss in under an hour.

1. Preheat: Set oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13&n

These potato rolls don’t require any kneading, and honestly, they’re hands down the best rolls we’ve ever had. Soft, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, they’re our #1 most requested roll recipe.

These rolls are ridiculously easy to make — no fancy equipment, no complicated techniques — and perfect for any meal, holiday dinner, or special occasion. Once you try them, you’ll see why everyone keeps asking for this recipe.

These are seriously the best potato dinner rolls ever. They are so soft and seriously melt in your mouth. They are ridiculously buttery. 

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• Potato Gems or Pearls – We use these dehydrated potatoes as they seem to give the best flavor and texture.
• Dough Scraper – Any ol’ scraper will do but we prefer a plastic scraper to scrape the dough and flour off our counter and out of bowls for 10x faster clean up.
• Silpat Baking Mat – We bake everything on a silpat; cookies, rolls and even loaf breads cook evenly and without sticking! No spray needed!
• Nordic Ware Cookie Sheet – The cookie sheet you use absolutely can make or break your recipe. If it’s too dark it will cause your food to look dark and over-bake. You want a cookie sheet that bakes evenly and won’t affect color.
• Stainless Mixing Bowls – I love glass mixing bowls, but the truth is, everyone should have good stainless bowls in all sizes and these are great ones.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Sugar: Feeds the yeast to help the dough rise and adds a touch of sweetness that enhances flavor. It also promotes browning, giving your rolls that beautiful golden color.
• Unsalted Butter: Butter adds richness, tenderness, and flavor to the rolls. The fat coats the flour proteins, which limits gluten development — that’s why your potato rolls turn out so soft and melt-in-your-mouth.
• Milk: Milk makes the dough tender and adds subtle sweetness and flavor. The natural sugars in milk also help with browning, while the proteins contribute to a soft, rich crumb.
• Potato Flakes: This is your secret weapon! Potato flakes (or mashed potatoes) make the rolls extra soft and moist by attracting and holding onto moisture.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness, enhances flavor, and strengthens the gluten structure so your rolls rise evenly and hold their shape.
  • PRO TIP: Always add salt after the yeast has been mixed in with other ingredients to avoid slowing yeast activity.
• Instant Yeast: The leavening agent that makes your rolls rise. Instant yeast works quickly and doesn’t require proofing in water first — just mix it right in with the dry ingredients.
• Eggs: Eggs add richness, flavor, and beautiful go

This Nutella and Dulce de Leche Puff Pastry Christmas Tree looks impressive, but it’s actually one of the easiest Christmas desserts you’ll ever make! Layers of rich Nutella and creamy dulce de leche sandwiched between flaky puff pastry! It tastes like pure holiday heaven.

A few years ago, puff pastry Christmas tree recipes started popping up everywhere, but I hadn’t seen one featuring Nutella and dulce de leche, so of course, I had to create my own!

Every Christmas Eve, my mom made homemade donuts. Honestly, I’ve never been a huge fan; they’re not quite sweet enough, yet somehow too rich at the same time. Don’t worry, she doesn’t love them either. Go figure.

Last Christmas, I wanted something that captured the nostalgia of those donuts without actually being one because deep frying is messy, smelly, and a bit of a hassle. That is how this adorable puff pastry Christmas tree was born!

Ingredients for This Recipe

This festive puff pastry tree comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients, and the result is the yummiest pull-apart Christmas Tree dessert. Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 Sheets Puff Pastry, partially frozen: The base of the tree.
• Nutella: For rich chocolate flavor.
• Dulce de Leche: Adds creamy caramel sweetness.
• Egg Yolk: Used as an egg wash to brush on the pastry for a glossy, golden finish.
• Water: To mix with the egg yolk.
• Unsalted Butter: Optional, brushed for extra richness.
• Cinnamon Sugar: For sprinkling on top.

That’s it! Just a few ingredients for a dessert that looks impressive and tastes incredible. Now let’s get baking!

Other Fun Puff Pastry Christmas Tree Fillings To Try

This puff pastry tree is a versatile base for all kinds of delicious fillings! While we love the classic Nutella and Dulce de Leche version, you can easily swap in apricot jam, strawberry jam, raspberry jam, fig jam, or even chocolate sauce! Feeling savory? Try ham and cheese, pesto with chicken, or chicken and Parmesan for a flavor-packed alternative.

How to Make This Puff Pastry Christmas Tree?

These Christmas Trees look fancy but are surprisingly easy to make! Flaky puff pastry layered with rich Nutella and creamy dulce de leche makes a festive, show-stopping dessert everyone will love.

1. Prepare: Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with a Silpat mat. (Parchment paper also works, but be warned: melted dulce de leche tends to stick more to parchment than to Silpat.)
2. Cut: Unfold the puff pastry sheets and stack them on top of each other. Using a sh

If you’re craving something creamy, sweet, and a little bit fancy, these No Bake Mini Cheesecakes are just the thing! With a buttery graham cracker crust, smooth cheesecake filling, and a bright raspberry sauce on top, they are the perfect holiday dessert. No tying up the oven for hours, and they look so sophisticated but are really so simple to make!

I love treating myself to something sweet, especially when it’s simple to make and sure to impress. No-bake mini cheesecakes are perfect for sharing with the whole family or for a special Christmas treat or Valentine’s Day dessert.

A buttery graham cracker crust holds a rich, creamy cheesecake filling, all topped with a bright raspberry drizzle. The result is a stunning, bite-sized dessert that looks as good as it tastes. I promise you these won’t last on your counter for long!

Mini Cheesecake Ingredients

These mini cheesecakes come together with a handful of simple, easy-to-find ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to make the crust, filling, and raspberry sauce. Best of all, there is no need to turn on the oven because these are no-bake.

The Crust

• Graham Cracker Crumbs: Base for the mini cheesecake crusts.
• Sugar: Adds sweetness to the crust.
• Unsalted Butter: Binds the crumbs together and adds richness.

Mini Cheesecake Filling

• Heavy Cream: Whipped to add lightness to the filling.
• Cream Cheese: Creates a creamy, tangy cheesecake base.
• Crème Fraîche: Adds richness and a slight tang.
• Confectioners’ Sugar: Sweetens the filling.

Raspberry Topping

• Cornstarch: Thickens the raspberry sauce.
• Sugar: Sweetens the raspberry sauce.
• Water: Combines with cornstarch to make a smooth sauce.
• Frozen Raspberries: Main flavor for the sauce.
• Fresh Raspberries: Garnish for serving.

Why Crème Fraîche?

This recipe uses crème fraîche, which adds a smooth, velvety texture and elevates the flavor compared to a standard cream cheese cheesecake batter. You can usually find it at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, or larger grocery stores.

How to Make Mini Cheesecakes

Follow these easy steps to assemble these creamy, no-bake treats!

1. Prep: Line 10–12 muffin tins with plastic wrap.
2. Crust: In a small bowl, combine the crumbs from the graha