12 treats to bake while you wait for the election results

Scrape chocolate sauce from a bowl with a spatula. Roll cookie dough into balls with your hands. Glaze cinnamon rolls while they are still hot from the oven. For many, baking is a great way to pass the time. It is practical, methodical and requires your full attention. (You can't doomscroll and knock at the same time.) Best of all, there's a delicious reward at the end.

It could be a few days or more before we know this year's election results. The recipes below are just what you can do while you wait. Then you can read the news again.

See more Easy recipes for distraction on NYT Cooking, in addition to collections of Easy baking And Easy fall baking.

Peanut butter blooms.Craig Lee for DailyExpertNews

Peanut butter and chocolate are a natural combination, and this recipe (which also happens to be our most popular Christmas cookie) further proves that point. These easy peanut butter treats are crunchy on the outside yet slightly soft on the inside. They're ready in 35 minutes and are rolled in granulated sugar for an extra crunch before going into the oven. During the last few minutes of baking, a Hershey's Kiss is pressed into the center of each piece.

Recipe: Peanut butter blossoms

Christopher Testani for DailyExpertNews. Food stylist: Simon Andrews.

These pull-apart buns from Naz Deravian are a version of Japanese milk bread, also called Hokkaido bread, popular at many Asian bakeries. The key to these soft, springy rolls is tangzhong, the traditional Chinese technique in which flour and liquid (milk or water) are boiled into a paste and added to the dough after cooling.

Recipe: Pull-out milk rolls

Ryan Liebe for DailyExpertNews. Food stylist: Simon Andrews.

Melissa Clark unlocks a great flavor combination here: a fragrant, bittersweet richness, thanks to Campari, olive oil and melted butter. Three types of fresh lemon juice and zest – grapefruit, orange and lemon – add brightness. If you want to take it a step further (highly recommended), simmer some Campari and a little sugar in a syrup to drizzle over the cake. (And maybe even make a Negroni. The Campari is already out!)

Recipe: Campari olive oil cake

Christopher Testani for DailyExpertNews. Food stylist: Simon Andrews.

Lidey Heuck achieves a desired shiny, crackly top by dissolving the sugar in the butter and then stirring in the chocolate chips until melted. You can use semi-sweet or dark chocolate, depending on your preference. Add half a cup of chopped nuts if that's your thing.

Recipe: Brownies

Mark Weinberg for DailyExpertNews. Food stylist: Yossy Arefi.

These classic treats from Scott Loitsch have the ideal balance between salty and sweet, crunchy and gooey. The secret to achieving the soft, chewy texture is melting the marshmallows evenly and gently. (Too much heat and the sugars can caramelize, resulting in harder or drier treats.) Browned butter gives the treats a toasty, rich flavor, and the rainbow sprinkles are optional but highly encouraged.

Recipe: Rice Krispie Treats

Armando Rafael for DailyExpertNews. Food stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.

Are you out of apple picking and not sure what to do with your orchard harvest? Try this simple one-bowl dessert from Vallery Lomas. Apple slices nestled in buttery batter become jammy, while the outside becomes crispy and caramelized. Of course, serve with a scoop of ice cream.

Recipe: Easy apple buckle

Linda Xiao for DailyExpertNews. Food stylist: Yossy Arefi.

Yossy Arefi elevates a giant food court-style chocolate chip cookie with the addition of browned butter. And at least one reader agrees: “Much better than any cake… I used the recommended frosting just around the edges (added chocolate up to half) and sent it to work with my husband for a birthday party. It was a hit!”

Recipe: Chocolate chip cookie cake

Christopher Testani for DailyExpertNews. Food stylist: Simon Andrews.

Beautifully flaky and golden brown, these five-star biscuits from Sam Sifton are excellent on their own, or smothered in white sausage gravy, with eggs and grits. They're easy to bake, even if you've never made cookies before, and are ready in under an hour from start to finish.

Recipe: All-purpose cookies

David Malosh for DailyExpertNews. Food stylist: Simon Andrews.

Yes, you can make cinnamon rolls without waiting an hour for the dough to rise. This recipe, which Margaux Laskey adapted from “At Home With Magnolia: Classic American Recipes From the Owner of Magnolia Bakery,” by Allysa Torey, is ready in 45 minutes from start to finish. Instead of yeast, baking powder and baking soda ensure a quick rise. Toasted pecans add crunch to the cinnamon-sugar filling, and a tangy cream cheese frosting coats the soft, cake-like rolls as soon as they come out of the oven.

Recipe: Easy cinnamon rolls without yeast

Christopher Testani for DailyExpertNews. Food stylist: Simon Andrews.

Light and moist, these dairy-free, egg-free chocolate cupcakes from 'Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World' by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero are a hit with everyone. (“Even the non-vegans!” wrote one reader.) Cocoa powder in the batter and frosting gives these treats their sweet, chocolatey flavor.

Recipe: Vegan chocolate cupcakes

Yossy Arefi for DailyExpertNews (photography and styling)

Yossy Arefi has once again given us an exceptional afternoon snack cake (which is also delicious for breakfast or really anytime). This recipe is lightly spiced and nut and fruit free, but don't let that stop you from adding half a cup of chopped nuts or dried fruit, if you like. The grated carrot in the lemony glaze is more for color than flavor, so feel free to skip it if that's too much effort.

Recipe: Carrot Loaf Cake with Zesty Lemon Glaze

Rachel Vanni for DailyExpertNews. Food stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.

Dan Pelosi's version of the classic pumpkin muffin introduces earthy cardamom into both the batter and topping for an extra layer of warmth. Combine them with a cup of coffee and your coziest cardigan.

Recipe: Pumpkin Cardamom Crumb Muffins