15 Things to Bake When It's Too Cold to Go Outside

Rum Raisin Bread Pudding with Warm Vanilla Sauce

Leftover bread from the holidays? Use it up in this sweet pudding, made complete with sweet apples and a vanilla-rum sauce.

Persimmon Cheesecake

In season through the fall and winter, persimmons are a unique fruit worth seeking out. You can often find them in Asian markets or well-stocked grocery stores. In this recipe the fruit is blended into the cheesecake base, all poured atop a crunchy walnut crust.

• 16 Stunning Cheesecakes to Brighten Your Winter Holidays

Ninety Minute Cinnamon Rolls

Gooey and sweet, it's a no-brainer to choose cinnamon rolls for wintertime baking. But sometimes this classic goodie seems to take a large amount of time and effort to rise and bake. Instead, use this simple recipe that will have you enjoying warm cinnamon rolls in under two hours.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Can't decide between red velvet cake, brownies, or cheesecake? Well now you don't have to choose. The rich brownie base it topped with a vanilla cheesecake blend featuring swirls of red velvet batter.

Fluffy Cake Doughnuts

Forget the deep fryer. You can make delicious doughnuts at home by simply baking them in a doughnut pan. Flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg, these doughnuts are excellent on their own, glazed, or powdered.

Apple Hand Pies

Using prepared pie dough is an easy shortcut that still produces wow-worthy hand pies. The homemade apple filling is the star, featuring tart Granny Smiths, sweet brown sugar, and spicy cinnamon.

Cranberry Upside-Down Coffee Cake

Make your morning a little more magical with a slice of this seasonal coffee cake. Cranberries and chopped pecans are baked into the bottom, only to be flipped over for an impressive presentation.

Ginger Bars

A comforting blend of molasses, ginger, and vanilla flavor these easy-to-make bars. "Beautifully moist and delicious, definitely not cakey, with a nicely balanced ginger flavor," describes reviewer Catie Tod.

Basic Babka

"This Jewish treat is a hybrid of sweet roll, swirl bread, and coffee cake," says Nicholio. "It's a sweet yeast dough that you roll out, fill, and roll up like a jelly roll, then cut, twist, and bake in a loaf pan. Don't worry: It looks fancy (and it IS a little messy), but it's seriously easy to do."

Chef John's Chocolate Lava Cake

Get your chocolate fix with warm cake and a gooey dark chocolate center. Best part? They're ready in just over an hour, so you can satisfy your sweet tooth in no time.

Cinnamon Palmiers

Palmiers may look complicated, but when using store-bought puff pastry they're a cinch to roll up. Reviewer Rob Tanner says, "This is so easy and so good! Crispy and sweet with a satisfying chewiness."

Whoopie Pies

Get a taste of nostalgia with this lunchbox favorite, whoopie pies. The tender chocolate cookies are sandwiched together with rich vanilla frosting, perfect for a simple dessert or sweet snack.

Pear Cobbler

In season Bosc pears are the stars of this rustic cobbler. Using minimal sugar and whole-wheat flour, this wholesome dessert really lets the fruit's natural flavor shine.

• Winter Produce You Should Be Enjoying Right Now

Janet's Rich Banana Bread

You can't go wrong whipping up a batch of banana bread. The secret ingredient to this recipe is sour cream, which creates a soft and moist finished product.

Apple Scones

Perfect for serving up with a cup of tea, these apple scones are easy and fast to make. "These melt-in-your-mouth delights send a wonderful Sunday morning aroma of cinnamon and apples through the whole house," says Sue Levine-Kelley.