What’s the better way to enjoy an afternoon than being immersed in easy baking recipes that let you flaunt your creative side?

Nothing. Baking is a joy in itself that gives you a positive mental side and relieves stress. It is an easy treat of chocolate, cakes, and brownies. These baking recipes are a creative expression that everyone should try once in a while.

So, here are some delicious baking recipes for beginners trying to express their creativity through sweet desserts.

Also, are you aware of baking holidays? Yes, you heard it right. Tripanner is organizing various baking and other culinary holidays across various cities. If you are interested in joining one, do check it out.

11 Easy Baking Recipes For Beginners

Our trimmed-down list of baking recipes includes puff pastry, cakes, and brownies to bread. You can try these with mere appliances like a food processor, hand-mixer, and oven to get the sweet outcome. 

1. Peanut Butter Cookies

Making Peanut Butter Cookies is fun. The crumbly texture and sweet, nutty flavor of these cookies make them all the more coveted by kids and adults.

Ingredients needed:

1. One cup crunchy peanut butter.
2. One cup unsalted butter.
3. One cup of brown sugar.
4. 2 large eggs.
5. One cup of white sugar.
6. Two and a half cups of all-purpose flour.
7. One teaspoon baking powder.
8. Half teaspoon salt.
9. One and a half teaspoons baking soda.

Directions:

Mix peanut butter, unsalted butter, and all the sugars in a bowl. After they are mixed, add in eggs.

In another bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt properly. And then add this mixture into the previously churned butter.

Put the prepared dough in the refrigerator for close to one hour.

Make small balls of the dough and put them on baking sheets. Design the cookies to your will and then bake them in a preheated oven, 375 degrees F, for approximately 10 minutes.

Bake for a little more time if they are not brown in ten minutes.

2. Banana Bread

Made with olive oil, banana bread is one of the healthiest and easiest baking recipes. Banana bread is very convenient for breakfasts, as it is health-conscious in addition to being delicious.

Ingredients:

1. Two cups of all-purpose flour.
2. Half cup light brown sugar.
3. Cooking spray.
4. One-fourth cup white sugar.
5. Half teaspoon kosher salt.
6. Two and a half teaspoons of baking powder.
7. Three very ripe mashed bananas.
8. One-fourth cup of extra-virgin olive oil.
9. Two large eggs.
10. One cup of chocolate chips or chopped nuts.
11. Two and a half teaspoons of vanilla extract.

Directions:

Whisk flour, white sugar, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl together. Set it aside after it is thoroughly mixed.

In another small bowl, mix mashed bananas, olive oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.

Mix the wet and dry ingredients of both bowls and mix until they are evenly blended.

Spread the parchment paper on a 9-inch loaf pan, leaving some overhang on the longer sides, and grease it with cooking spray.

Topple some chocolate chips and chopped nuts on the top of your previously made batter and transfer it to the pan. Keep the pan in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 45 minutes.

Check the bread now and if a toothpick comes out clean, take it out of the oven. If not, leave it for further 10-15 minutes.

3. Chocolate Cheesecake Cups

The best part about these cupcakes is that they can just be made with five ingredients.

Ingredients:

1. One ounce semi-square baking chocolate plus one-eighth ounce bakers (shavings).
2. Four-ounce fat cream cheese.
3. One-fourth cup sugar.
4. One-fourth cup sour cream.
5. One large egg.

Directions:

Set your oven to preheat at 225 degrees F.

Melt one ounce of chocolate in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Keep stirring it until it has completely melted.

Mix cream cheese, sugar, and sour cream in a bowl, using a hand mixer. Mix until it is smoothly blended.

Fold in egg in the mixture and blend again until it is smooth.

Now line mini cups and muffin liners in a muffin pan and add two tablespoons of mixture to each cup. After all the cups are filled, bake the first batch of cupcakes for 50 minutes.

Then let them cool for 30 minutes until they sit correctly, and then sprinkle the shavings over the cupcakes.

4. Almond Cake with Fresh Berries

This delectable gluten-free cake is the perfect dessert for you to serve at dinner.

Ingredients: 

1. Three large egg whites.
2. Three large eggs.
3. One tablespoon vanilla extract.
4. One pinch is acceptable sea salt.
5. Two-third cup of sugar.
6. Two cups of almond flour.
7. One cup of mixed frozen berries.
8. Powdered sugar for sprinkling.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place a rack in the middle of it.

In one bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar together, setting just two tablespoons of sugar aside for later use. Whisk the mixture for about one minute until it becomes pale and thick.

Add vanilla extract, salt and then set the mixture aside.

In the bowl with a hand mixer, beat six egg whites until they become entirely opaque on a medium speed for about one minute.

Sprinkle the two tablespoons of sugar and mix again.

Stir one-fourth of egg whites to egg yolk mixture with a rubber spatula. Scrape almond flour and about remaining egg whites on the yolks.

If the mixture still has a few streaks of egg whites left, add the flour and fold in until you have an utterly blended cake batter.

Line with parchment paper and grease a 9-inch spring pan with spray. Pour the batter and shimmy until it has perfectly settled in the prepared pan.

Let it bake for about 35 minutes until its top has become golden brown.

Sprinkle it with powdered sugar and serve it after it has cooled.

5. Almond Butter Brownies

These thick and fudgy brownies are the squares of pure chocolate bliss that take just fifteen minutes of baking.

Ingredients:

1. One-fourth cup and two tablespoons cocoa powder.
2. One cup of almond butter.
3. Half cup and three tablespoon honey, maple syrup, or agave.
4. Half cup rolled oats or one-third cup of almond flour.
5. One-eighth tablespoon salt.
6. One and a half tablespoons of baking soda.

Directions:

Set the oven to preheat at 325 degrees F and line an 8-inch pan with grease or parchment paper.

Use a food processor to blend the oats until they are excellent.

Drop all the ingredients in a bowl and stir until it is completely smooth.

If you are using dry almond butter, ass two tablespoons of milk for a smoother batter.

Transfer the prepared batter to the pan and even it out with a spatula or a spoon.

Let it bake in the center rack for about 15 minutes and take it out when they look a little underdone.

Set it aside to cool completely for half an hour, or you can leave it overnight too for perfect and soft brownies. Served warm with chocolate sauce, these brownies make a straightforward dessert.

Baking Beyond Boundaries: A Psychologist’s Perspective on Culinary Therapy

Jennifer Silver, a Clinical Psychologist and Owner at Macleod Trail Dental Clinic offers insights into the transformative nature of baking, transcending the kitchen to become a profound therapeutic endeavor:

Creative Expression:

Baking, as a creative outlet, allows individuals to express themselves in unique and personal ways. In my practice, I’ve witnessed how choosing a recipe, selecting flavors, and deciding on decorations are acts of creative expression.

This culinary creativity extends one’s identity and preferences, offering a space for autonomy and personal exploration.

Presenting a visually appealing and delicious final product becomes a tangible representation of one’s creativity and competency, fostering a positive self-image and boosting self-esteem.

Through creative expression in baking, [individuals satisfy their taste buds] and nourish their psychological well-being.

Narrative Construction:

Narrative construction, inherent in following a recipe, is akin to crafting a personal story. As a clinical psychologist, I observe that the structured sequence of steps in a recipe provides individuals with a predictable and orderly narrative.

Each step becomes a chapter, leading to the climax—the final creation. Engaging in this narrative construction mirrors an individual’s capacity to bring structure to a recipe.

It extends to their ability to create a meaningful and ordered narrative in their own life. The anticipation, fulfillment, and [sense of] accomplishment in completing each step contribute to a satisfying narrative arc, fostering a sense of purpose.

6. Individual Apple Crisp

One of the delicious baking recipes if you want to spend some alone time with a hot cup of dessert.

Ingredients:

1. One apple.
2. One teaspoon lemon juice.
3. One tablespoon and two teaspoons of brown sugar; divided.
4. One-fourth teaspoon of ground cinnamon; divided.
5. Two tablespoons of all-purpose flour.
6. One-eighth teaspoon of kosher salt.
7. One tablespoon of chopped pecans.
8. One tablespoon of salted butter.
9. And some vanilla ice cream for serving.

Directions:

Set the oven to preheat at 375 degrees F.

Take a bowl and toss lemon juice, apple, two tablespoons of brown sugar, and a one-eighth tablespoon of cinnamon in it. Pack all these ingredients in a baking dish.

Now mix pecans, flour, salt, butter, and remaining sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Squeeze and mix it with your fingers until the mixture comes crumbling into little clumps.

Scatter this mixture over the apples and bake it for about 35 minutes until the top of it has become golden brown. Now serve it with ice cream.

7. Blueberry Scones

What’s better than celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with Cheese scones and Blueberry Scones. These crisp, crumbly edges with soft centers are the most tasty ones.

Ingredients:

1. Two cups of all-purpose flour.
2. Two and a half teaspoons of baking powder.
3. Half teaspoon salt.
4. Half cup froze unsalted butter.
5. Half cup granulated sugar.
6. One teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
7. One large egg.
8. Half cup of heavy cream.
9. One cup of fresh blueberries or frozen ones.
10. Coarse sugar for topping.

Directions:

Add flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk it until it has completely evened out.

Use a box grater to grate the frozen butter and add it to the flour mixture. Use your fingers to mix it until it comes in the form of small crumbs.

Place this mixture in the refrigerator for a while.

Whisk egg and half cup of heavy cream together and drizzle it over the flour mixture. Add the blueberries until everything seems softened.

Now pour all the contents on the counter and knead it to make a dough. After the dough is prepared, cut it into the size of scones you want to make.

Brush scones with heavy cream and sprinkle coarse sugar before placing them on a lined baking sheet. Place it into the refrigerator for 15 minutes and meanwhile preheat the oven at 400 degrees F.

Now line another baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

Now place the scones and bake them for 20-25 minutes.

After it is out of the oven, let it cool for just a few minutes, and then top it with some icing. Leave it in a refrigerator for two days, and then they are ready for you to eat.

8. Chocolate Chip Cookies

Nothing can lift your sour mood better than chocolate chip cookies. It’s just an added benefit that these cookies are easy to make.

Ingredients: 

1. One cup of white sugar.
2. One cup of light brown sugar.
3. One cup of salted butter.
4. Two large eggs.
5. Two tablespoons of pure vanilla extract.
6. One tablespoon of baking soda.
7. Three cups of all-purpose flour.
8. Half spoon of baking powder.
9. Two cups chocolate chips.
10. One tablespoon salt.
11. One tablespoon of baking soda.

Directions:

Line parchment paper on a baking pan and preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Set it aside.

Blend sugars and butter until it is evenly combined.

Now add in eggs and vanilla. Blend until it is fluffy.

Mix the dry ingredients with the wet one until it is completely smooth.

Add the chocolate chips to the mixture and then knead it properly to make the cookie dough.

Once made, roll the dough in the size of cookies you want and place it on the baking pan.

Bake for about 8-10 minutes and then keep it aside for two minutes before removing it to let it cool.

9. Sesame-Poppy Crisps

Making this delicious crispy cookie is one of the best baking recipes at home that takes only 10 minutes of baking.

Ingredients:

1. One tablespoon of poppy seeds.
2. Three tablespoons of white or black sesame seeds.
3. Two and one-fourth cup of sifted confectioner’s sugar.
4. Four ounces of unsalted butter.
5. One cup of wheat flour.
6. Six large egg whites.
7. One teaspoon of walnut oil.

Directions:

Line baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper and let the oven preheat to 375 degrees.

Roast the sesame seeds in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until the seeds are fragrant or lightly brown. Let it cool for a few minutes, and then add poppy seeds to it.

Use an electric mixer or handheld mixer to blend butter and sugar. First on low speed, until smooth, and then on medium speed, until it is fluffy.

Add eggs and flour and blend again until they are combined.

Now stir in some walnut oil by hand and use a fitted piping bag to pipe out disc-sized cookies on the baking sheets.

Let it bake on upper and lower racks for 7 minutes, and then rotate the bottom sheets before letting it bake for another 8 minutes.

After you take it out, let it sit for 5 minutes before keeping it on the cooling rack.

Elevating Baking Visuals on Social Media with Design Expertise

Mimi Miller, the Founder of Shop Mimi Miller, shares a few tips on how to use graphic design elements to make your baking posts stand out:

• Color Harmony: Utilize color theory to make your baked goods pop. Complementary colors can create a vibrant contrast, while analogous colors offer a harmonious and soothing visual.
• Typography and Text Overlays: Adding text to your images can provide context or add a playful touch. Select fonts that align with the mood of your baking – whether it’s whimsical, elegant, or rustic.
• Balanced Composition: Apply the rule of thirds in your layout for a pleasing composition. Arrange elements [in a way that guides] the viewer’s eye through the image.
• Branding Consistency: If you’re managing a baking brand, ensure your posts have consistent branding elements like logos, color schemes, and typefaces to enhance brand recognition.
• Filters and Overlays: Experiment with subtle filters or overlays to add texture or mood without overshadowing the baked goods themselves.
• Creative Cropping: Sometimes, a close-up of the texture or an unusual angle can be more enticing than the entire item.
• Storytelling through Imagery: Use design elements to narrate the story behind your bake – whether it’s a family recipe, an experiment, or a seasonal special.

Remember, the goal is to make your audience almost taste the baked goods through their screens.

10. Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This incredibly moist chocolate cake is one of the top recipes you can snack on all week long.

Ingredients:

1. Two cups of grated unpeeled zucchini.
2. Two and one-fourth cups of all-purpose flour.
3. Half cup unsweetened cocoa powder.
4. One teaspoon salt.
5. One teaspoon baking soda.
6. Half cup unsalted butter.
7. One and three-fourth cups of sugar.
8. Half cup vegetable oil.
9. Two large eggs.
10. Half cup buttermilk
11. One teaspoon vanilla extract.
12. One cup of semisweet chocolate chips.
13. Three-fourth cup of chopped walnuts.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease the baking pan.

Take a medium bowl and whisk cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, and salt in it.

Take another large bowl and blend oil, butter, and sugar until it is thoroughly mixed.

Add the eggs simultaneously and keep blending them all the while, so the mixture stays even all over.

Pour the vanilla extract and dry mixture into this wet one and start mixing. Add the buttermilk, mix in grated zucchini and mix the dough properly.

Now pour the batter of the cake into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the cake mix and let it bake for 50 minutes. Let it bake until the toothpick inserted in the cake comes out completely clean.

You can drizzle it with caramel sauce while serving. This is one of the most simple recipes for baking a tender cake that will make you get lost in its rich, velvety taste of dark chocolate.

11. Lemon-And-Orange Citrus Cookie

Ingredients:

1. One large egg.
2. Two teaspoons of grated orange zest.
3. One teaspoon of grated lemon zest.
4. Three-fourth cup of sugar.
5. One teaspoon vanilla extract.
6. Half cup unsalted butter.
7. One-fourth teaspoon of salt.
8. One-fourth teaspoon of baking soda.
9. Five teaspoons of cornstarch.
10. One cup of all-purpose flour.
11. One teaspoon of orange extract.
12. Thin lemon or orange peel.

Directions:

Let the oven preheat to 350 degrees F.

Use an automatic mixer or a hand-held mixer to blend the butter and sugar for 2 minutes on slow speed. Rake down the sides and then blend it for 3 minutes on high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Add the zest of lemon and orange and blend on high for 20 seconds.

Blend flour and all the other ingredients in another bowl and beat it for one minute. Mix the dry and wet ingredients and beat them out until softened.

Wrap the dough in plastic and keep it in the refrigerator for two hours.

After that, remove the dough from the refrigerator, cut it into slices, place it on the baking sheets, and let it cook for 6-8 minutes.

These are our prescribed fun baking recipes for all. These give a great twist to your bland days with their overly sweet texture.

And the best part is these are less time-consuming, making it all the more convenient for everyone. So, you can take out your bowls and let the stress from the day dissipate whenever you want.

Guest Author: Saket Kumar