I believe in dessert, always. And no matter the occasion, be it a holiday, potluck, or random Wednesday night, I skew towards no-fuss desserts that don't require fancy ingredients or a ton of legwork. Turns out that our readers feel exactly the same way. The most popular desserts on the site this year consisted of family-friendly recipes that celebrated ease, simplicity, and sometimes chocolate.

Of course this list includes brownies! But not just any brownies — this version is intensely chocolatey, decadent, and chewy. And best of all, it comes together with a short lineup of pantry staples. Go make this recipe right now.

This chocolate avocado pudding is as chocolatey and luscious as any other pudding, and it's even richer-tasting, more unctuous, even more chocolatey. Best of all? It's vegan and gluten-free.

This is the ideal lemon bar that lights up our world. It greets you with a buttery shortbread crust that is sturdy but tender enough to bite through, and a thick and luscious filling with a balance of sweetness and tangy lemon brightness.

Many months later this no-bake dessert still makes me smile, in part because it incites the sweet nostalgia of Jell-O and Cool Whip from my youth. Think of this potluck favorite as a whimsical play on lemon cream pie.

This is a layer cake that anyone — beginning bakers and seasoned pros alike — can make. Layers of sunny lemon cake are topped with the lightest, just-sweet-enough whipped raspberry frosting, then all it needs is a scattering of fresh raspberries and some lemon zest and you're good to go.

This was quite possibly the most delicious dessert I made all summer, and if you love sherbet I'm certain you'll agree. With just two ingredients and a food processor it couldn't be easier to pull together.

Not a season goes by that there's not a place for fruit crumble as dessert. With a crisp, buttery crumb topping, it's a perpetual crowd-pleaser that's easy enough to make on a weeknight.

If you love classic soft and chewy peanut butter cookies, you will adore this version. It takes this nutty favorite to new heights by mixing peanut butter chips and roasted peanuts into the dough.

Like clockwork, when the first fall chill hits the air I know it's time for apple crisp. I've tried so many variations over the years and this skillet crisp is easily my favorite.

This is nothing like traditional carrot cake, and that is exactly what makes it so memorable. It skips the warm spices, and instead this lightly sweetened, orange-hued cake is all about the carrots.

Combine chocolate with some sweet crunch and a little salt, and you have a sprinkle that instantly makes almost any dessert even better. We especially love it on ice cream, cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and pudding.