Chess bars are a Southern treat typically made with a cake base topped with a rich cream cheese filling that’s very, very sweet. Here, I heavily reduce the sugar and replace the flour-based cake ...

California Live's Laila Muhammad gets a baking lesson from Loren Castle, founder and CEO of Sweet Loren’s.

These Raspberry Chocolate Bars are a perfect mix of rich chocolate and bright berry flavor, layered into a dessert that looks ...

Meadow Ramsey's cardamom bars are rippled with homemade raspberry jam. (Portrait by Christina House / Los Angeles Times; cookie photo by Silvia Razgova / For The Times; food and prop styling by Leah ...

Instructions: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter and sugar in bowl of electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on medium speed just until combined. With mixer on low, add vanilla.

We asked several L.A.-area pastry chefs and cooks to contribute their favorite holiday cookies. Each is a simple, homestyle cookie that reflects each contributor’s memories of holidays past. Around ...