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As someone who enjoys baking way <\/em>more than cooking, I\u2019m usually in charge of dessert. Some holidays, that means poring over new and classic cookbooks, saved recipes (thank you, Recipe Box<\/a>), and beloved blog posts to curate a menu (one is just not enough!)\u00a0of FOMO-inducing bites. For Thanksgiving I made McDonald\u2019s-style apple pies<\/a> (from Stella Parks\u2019 award-winning cookbook, BraveTart<\/em><\/a>) and this no-bake Oreo cheesecake<\/a>, for strategic reasons (there\u2019s only so much oven space) and show-stopping results (my sister thought I\u2019d bought it at a bakery, which is also equal parts flattering and insulting).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Other holidays, like the ones quickly approaching, I just can\u2019t be bothered. I throw planning (and caution) to the wind, and turn to reliable shortcuts<\/a> to close out the meal \u2014\u00a0and 2023 \u2014 with a sweet spread.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n For some fresh inspo this year, I reached out to Sarah Fennel, founder of Broma<\/a>, a (mostly) baking blog with expectation-defying desserts<\/a> in all shapes and (serving<\/a>) sizes<\/a>. While she\u2019s no stranger to a totally from-scratch situation, Sarah also loves a good shortcut. Here are three of her absolute favorites and ways to make them your own for the holidays.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cMy go-to is brownie mix,\u201d says Sarah, and more specifically, Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix. \u201cI think it\u2019s the best because it has some chocolate chips in it (but really any of the Ghirardelli mixes).\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cBrownie mix specifically is sometimes even better than homemade,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s just a little bit lighter, and sort of chewier, and it\u2019s just awesome.\u201d It\u2019s also endlessly riffable, as Sarah adds that \u201cthere are so many ways to make things that are semi-homemade.\u201d (Have you tried these one-ingredient upgrades<\/a>?) \u201cInstead of making any sort of pie bars, like a pecan pie bar, you can do brownies on the bottom<\/a> and just use brownie mix. Or if you are doing a pie, you can just put brownie mix as the filling and bake it off. It feels like it\u2019s homemade \u2026 and it\u2019s amazing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cCookie dough is also one that you can mess around with,\u201d says Sarah. While she doesn\u2019t have a favorite brand (\u201cI feel like they\u2019re all pretty similar\u201d), she prefers to buy cookie dough that\u2019s sold in a log or even a tub over one that\u2019s pre-cut. \u201cIt\u2019s less exposed to air so it\u2019s going to be a little bit fresher.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n She uses it as a base and then gets \u201ccreative with it\u201d by breaking the cookie dough into little balls, placing them in a baking pan and then swirling them with Nutella, peanut butter, fluff, or even some combo of the three before baking everything off.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Another favorite?\u00a0\u201cFrozen pie dough<\/a> that\u2019s already in a tin pan.\u201d It\u2019s nonnegotiable for brownie pie, naturally; classic apple pie<\/a>; or even a New Year\u2019s Day quiche<\/a> because \u201cit cuts down on prep time\u201d in a way refrigerated or rolled-up pie crusts don\u2019t. (Those doughs \u201ccan get too sticky\u201d or \u201cbreak as you roll [them] out.\u201d) Plus, you don\u2019t have to fold it over the pie dish and make it look pretty.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n2. Cookie Dough (sold in logs or tubs)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n