Baking can be quite a refreshing experience, regardless of whether one bakes sweet treats, bread, or something else. The satisfaction after seeing a fluffy, crumbly, or crusty snack come out of the oven is like no other. That being said, baking for the first time can make a person nervous. If that’s the case, one can try a few easy, beginner-friendly baking recipes to get the hang of baking before moving on to something complex.
Chocolate chip cookies
One of the world’s most relished and popular baked treats, the chocolate chip cookie, is surprisingly easy to bake using only a handful of ingredients. All beginners need for this easy baking recipe is all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, unsalted butter, shortening, vanilla extract, eggs, and bittersweet chocolate.
- Add the flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl and whisk them together.
- In a separate bowl, mix brown sugar, butter, granulated sugar, shortening, and vanilla extract. Once these ingredients combine and form a creamy mixture, add the eggs and beat for a few more seconds. Use an electric stand mixer for convenience.
- Now, add the flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture and mix with a spatula. Once done, add chunks of chopped chocolate and mix again.
- Refrigerate the dough for a few hours until chilled.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Meanwhile, place parchment paper on the baking sheet, scoop out small pieces of dough, and place them on the sheet. Make sure to leave enough gap between the scoops.
- Bake the cookies for around 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- After removing the cookies from the oven, let them cool completely and then enjoy.
Apple cinnamon bread
Beginners looking for easy bread recipes can consider making apple cinnamon bread. Apples are a key ingredient in this recipe. To get the best flavor, one must pick fresh and juicy apples. The other ingredients include brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter, granulated sugar, eggs, applesauce, vanilla extract, and whole milk.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. While the oven heats, peel and chop the apples into small cubes and mix them with brown sugar and ground cinnamon.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add butter and granulated sugar to this mixture and beat using a stand mixture. Once creamy, add eggs to the butter and beat again. Next, add applesauce and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until mixed.
- Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat on low speed. While still mixing at low speed, slowly add the milk and beat until fully mixed. Turn off the mixer and whisk a little by hand to ensure there are no lumps at the bottom.
- Pour this batter into a loaf pan until halfway, and spread it evenly. Then sprinkle the apple cubes and pour more batter until the pan is full.
- Switch the oven to baking mode and set the timer for a little over an hour. At the half-hour mark, consider covering the top of the bread with aluminum foil to prevent the top from getting overcooked.
- To check if the bread is baked, insert a toothpick in it. If it comes out clean, remove the bread from the oven. Once the bread cools, cut it into slices.
Orange pound cake
Like cookies, cakes are a popular dessert beginner bakers can try. The orange pound cake is an easy recipe to consider if someone has just started baking. The ingredients include fresh oranges, eggs, sugar, all-purpose flour, butter, and baking powder.
- Whisk or beat the eggs and sugar together until the mixture becomes fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. Add this mixture to the egg and sugar mixture and stir until blended.
- Melt some butter, add it to the mixture, and stir. Then extract the juice from fresh oranges and pour it in.
- Prepare a baking pan and pour the mixture into it. Place the pan in the oven and bake.
- To check if the cake is baked properly, insert a toothpick and check if it comes out clean. If it doesn’t, bake for some more time.
Walnut brownies
Brownies are another simple, no-fail baking recipe for beginners. To make walnut brownies, one will need semi-sweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, salt, eggs, vanilla extract, instant coffee granules, butter, salt, sugar, baking powder, all-purpose flour, and, of course, walnuts.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. While the oven heats up, spread some butter and flour on a baking sheet.
- Add butter and chocolate chunks to a bowl and place it over boiling water. Once melted, let the mixture cool slightly.
- In a different bowl, add some eggs, instant coffee granules, vanilla extract, and sugar, and stir. Add the butter and chocolate mixture to this bowl and stir to mix.
- In yet another bowl, sift some flour, baking powder, and salt and add the chocolate and egg mixture. Add chopped walnuts to this batter.
- Pour the batter onto the baking sheet and bake until the toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove the pan, allow the brownies to cool, and refrigerate them before cutting slices and serving.
There are several quick baking recipes for beginners on the internet, along with baking tips. Following these can be fun for people who want to start a new hobby or just keep themselves busy.