18 Seriously Good Sweet Treats You Can Dunk In Your Tea & Coffee
Desk essentials: Pen, paper, diary, headphones and your coffee’s best friend — something sweet.
Whether you’re hunched over your desk or taking a quick morning or afternoon break, there’s always an opportunity for a snappy and happy bite.
We’ve got recipes to supply that pep, from a delicious blueberry bakewell to a ginger kiss and sweet honey cookie. Most will keep well placed in a container on your desk (though some would benefit from chillier conditions).
If you’re feeling generous, share them too. Bigger slices, like vegan banana bread or a chunky coffee cake, will be ideal for handing around to your colleagues.
This slice is a crumble, a pudding and a biscuit all wrapped into one. A topping, sprinkled with ground almonds, enjoys nutty notes.
This vegan banana bread recipe heroes coconut oil, overripe bananas, cinnamon and ginger for a dense sweet loaf.
Orange, oat and chocolate-chip biscuits
Crispy, citrusy and full of dark chocolate — what else to say about these huge chocolate-chip cookies? Try chopping your own chocolate for interesting irregularities.
Grapefruit, blueberry and white chocolate cake
This treat has been given the “perfect tea cake” moniker. It’s hard to disagree with melted blueberries, grapefruit and zingy icing.
Auckland baker Petra Galler’s pillowy ginger kisses took a long time to perfect, and feature a golden syrup buttercream.
Cardamom, lemon and ginger slice
This well-spiced and lemony slice might pair nicely with something herbal. Perhaps peppermint or pomegranate?
Though seasonal plums are particularly delicious in this warm cake, you can also look to canned varieties in the winter months. Just make sure you serve it with something velvety, like creme fraiche or icecream.
These gooey pull-apart cookies will turn a cup of tea into a hot chocolate with just a few dunks.
A final sprinkle of shredded coconut makes this slice appear extra luxurious.
These pinwheel cookies are deceptively easy. Hazelnut spread is swirled with vanilla dough for a hit of moreish chocolate.
Marsala almond chocolate slice
Nigel Slater’s chocolate slice is uber-decadent. It doubles up too, with cocoa and dark chocolate supplying rich flavours.
These snappy little cookies are simple and sweet. They’ll also store nicely at your desk or workspace for mid-morning or mid-afternoon snacking.
Golden syrup, condensed milk and macadamia nuts make a delicious filling for this satisfying slice.
Mandarin supplies both juice and zest to this mini cake recipe. Treacle and ground ginger give these gems their dark and caramelised look and flavour.
Take a slice of this buzzy and rich coffee cake and pair it with your favourite decaf brew. Or, if you need a proper pick-me-up, double your dose!
Flourless banana and rhubarb loaf
This loaf swaps flour for nuttier options — think ground almonds and coconut. Those two rhubarb stems add something interesting to your presentation and tang to your palette.
Old-school cornflake and ginger cookies
Cornflakes are an underrated baking ingredient. They add so much crunch and a toasty flavour. These simple and gingery cookies are a prime example.
Though we’re certainly a fan of the in-office vending machine visit, we could be convinced to swap out our picks for this homemade Snickers bar. It’s made with cashews, dates, peanut butter and plenty of chocolate.