Now more than ever, home is where many of us are seeking refuge and solace in light of the novel coronavirus. This is a tough time, but we’re here for you—whether it’s a new pantry recipe or a useful tip for your kitchen, here are some ideas to make things run a little more smoothly for you and your loved ones.

On many occasions, baking a multi-step layer cake or whipping a creamy semifreddo is an accomplished and therapeutic process. On other days, when your life has thrown one too many curveballs, the most you can muster is to pour a glass of milk to go with that stale box of chocolate wafers sitting on top of your fridge.

This is where the everyman bread steps in, rescuing you from jumping ship on dessert. The following recipes cleverly transform your favorite pantry staple into treats worthy of any occasion—especially dinner.

Our Best Bread Desserts

1. Nutella Bread Pudding With Blackberry Coulis by Eric Kim

Leftover bread makes for the most luscious chocolate-hazelnut bread pudding, here bound together by a custardy cream mixture that couldn't be easier to whip up. The blackberry coulis (which just means strained fruit sauce) is optional, but tastes great against the rich, chocolatey base.

2. Panetón & Hot Chocolate Bread Pudding by Carlos Olaechea

Recipe author Carlos Olaechea recommends these brands of South American panettone, aka panetón: D’Onofrio, Winter’s, Gloria, and Motta, but mentions that Brazilian brands like Bauducco might be easier to find stateside. Regardless of what kind of stale bread you use, it's the hot chocolate sauce—spiked with Peruvian pisco—that really makes this dish.

3. Anthony Myint's French Toast Crunch by Genius Recipes

Here's milk toast, but way dressed up. Genius Recipes columnist Kristen Miglore describes this dish as a cross between French toast, tres leches cake, and creme brûlée. Sounds good to us!

4. Berry Summer Pudding by Merrill Stubbs

"If you've never had summer pudding, now's the time," says our co-founder and president, Merrill Stubbs. If there's a purer celebration not just of summer, but also of the adage "waste not, want not," then we have yet to find it.

5. Grilled Chocolate Sandwiches by Alice Medrich

Baker-slash-genius Alice Medrich gave us this salty-sweet wonder of a bread dessert recipe back in 2014—and we've never looked back.

6. Alex Raij's Croissants a la Plancha by Genius Recipes

This recipe is a great way to use up leftover croissants. It all starts with honey butter, which helps the cut sides of a stale croissant get caramelized and toasty in the pan.

7. Marmalade Bread Pudding by Izy Hossack

No one in the history of the universe ever said "no" to another bread pudding recipe. This one, by recipe author Izy Hossak, is pretty barebones and pantry-friendly—you just need a good orange marmalade (or other fruit jam) of your choice.

8. Pane Fritto (Fried Bread) by Emiko

Florence-based food writer Emiko Davies brings us this Italian dream: milk-soaked bread fried in butter. "Think of it as French toast," she writes, "but with a few small tricks."

9. Oozy Cherries Bread & Butter Pudding by HungryLarder

The recipe calls for brioche, but you could use whatever leftover bread you have lying around. As the cinnamon-spiced top bakes with the juicy cherries beneath, this bread dessert becomes a gooey, comforting treat.

10. Croissant Brittle by Emma Laperruque

This three-ingredient recipe from Big Little Recipes columnist Emma Laperruque calls for stale croissants, half-and-half, and sugar. That's it. The magic is what happens as the sugar and half-and-half–soaked croissant pieces bake in the oven—hardening, caramelizing, becoming the best thing you'll ever eat.

11. Persimmon Walnut Bread Pudding by Melina Hammer

Leftover challah utterly transforms in this special bread pudding recipe. It has all of the familiar notes of a traditional bread pudding, but with a couple exciting twists: 1) lemony mascarpone and 2) sweet, ripe persimmons in the custard center. Yes, please.

12. Challah Bread Pudding With Raspberries by Kendra Vaculin

Another challah wonder that proves yet again that sometimes, simple is best. Bright, juicy raspberries work especially well here with the soft-bellied, cinnamon and vanilla–spiced comfort beneath.

This article was originally published in 2014, but has since been updated with new recipes for all your pantry dessert needs.