Flour

Just wait until you cut it open to oohs and ahhs of family and guests!

To an American, carrot cake means a rich spiced cake frosted with super-sweet cream cheese icing. But to a Tuscan, this moist cake has no spices at all. In fact, cinnamon is rarely used in desserts and only occasionally used in some savory cooking. This recipe comes straight from my family recipe box. Served with the mascarpone cream, it is a lovely dinner party dessert, but it also works well with your morning espresso or afternoon coffee.

As much as I love regular pancakes, there’s something about Dutch babies that elevates them to the status of something special. Even though they’re surprisingly easy to make, they’re so impressive when they emerge out of the oven all puffed up and proud. Since I tend toward savory rather than sweet breakfasts, this Dutch baby, loaded with spicy roasted chiles and melty cheese, is right up my alley.

Around the World in 30 Soups: This month we’re collaborating with chefs, cookbook authors, and our own Kitchn crew to share a globetrotting adventure in soups from countries and cuisines around the world. Today’s stop: Lebanon. We turned to Julie Ann Sageer, author and host of Julie Taboulie’s Lebanese Kitchen, to share one of her favorite “Lebanese soul food” recipes — a lemony Lenten classic handed down from her grandmother.

If you’ve got leftover caramelized onions, or you are about to make a recipe that uses them, double up. And while you’re at it, grab that loaf of leftover bread because you are about to embark on a trip to France in one delicious vegetarian casserole based on the famous soupe à l’oignon gratinée.

Try as I might, I’ve never found a soup more beloved than Panera’s broccoli cheese soup. With a Panera in nearly every shopping center, I find myself stopping in between errands with my young kids or meeting my mom and sister at Panera for weekday lunches, and the broccoli cheddar soup is one of my favorite orders. Served in a steamy bread bowl, this soup is a dependable classic that satisfies from the first bite all the way to devouring that bread bowl.

How do you make tuna noodle casserole better? How about some artichokes and capers? A few easy upgrades turn this classic into a fast and fancy French-inspired supper.

This homey cake, perfumed with just a hint of fresh thyme and lemon zest, is as moist and tender as they come.

Here's how to make cornbread for a crowd.

What would some of our favorite comfort food classics looks like if we asked a nutritionist to give them a makeover? In this series of recipes, you see how smart choices around vegetables, meats, and cheese make for a lighter, more nutritious take on everything from mac and cheese to meatloaf without ever compromising the flavor.

Rhubarb is an odd fruit. To begin with, it’s actually a vegetable — a vegetable with poisonous leaves. The stalks are crisp and juicy, with a vegetal crunch rather like celery. And yet this prosaic stalk can produce some of the most beautiful and delicious food of the spring season. It’s also far easier to prepare than we realized; this crumble involves no pre-cooking, no stewing. It’s a fast dessert with a delicate sweetness and hearty topping.

Everything you've ever dreamed a blueberry muffin would be.

Lemon meringue pie, with its tender-crisp crust, tangy-rich filling, and light-as-air meringue, is the perfect mid-winter baking project. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to make the classic pie — and we’ve made it even easier with our simple three-step process. There are two essential components to any lemon meringue pie.

Meet our new favorite centerpiece-worthy dessert.

Classic buttermilk biscuits are a staple in my household. Quick, easy, and light as a feather, they can be served for breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner and even dessert! The technique is simple (hint: freeze the butter and use a light touch) but the results are spectacular. I’ve been making these buttermilk biscuits for over 20 years now. They’re so much a part of who I am that I can almost go all grandma-style and make them without measuring!

Every cook needs a foolproof biscuit recipe, and this version proves to be just that, along with a welcome addition of zesty fresh herbs and savory black pepper. Greek yogurt subs in for more traditional buttermilk, providing an airy texture and a oh-so-subtle tang. These delightful biscuits are easy enough for a weeknight meal, but impressive enough for dinner with friends!

Nothing beats the smell of homemade biscuits — the aromas of toasty butter and cheese oozing out of the oven make your home smell amazing. Aside from being quick and easy to prepare, biscuits can be made with a variety of ingredients and are the perfect weeknight alternative to dinner rolls. Your cast iron skillet replaces the cookie sheet — carry it to the table and let the pan keep the biscuits warm while you serve dinner.

Biscuits are notoriously fussy. Good ones, at least! This recipe combines the best traits of the temperamental (but ever-loved) butter biscuit and the cream biscuit. The flavor is clean and milky, the tops are crisped and buttery, and the crumb is oh-so-delicate. You do still have to be careful not to overmix at two important points while making this biscuit: when adding the butter and cream cheese, and especially when adding the liquid. This recipe has very little liquid.

Dinner is always infinitely more exciting when there are biscuits. Flaky, buttermilk, or drop, I don’t really care — just bring home the biscuits! Taking the time to work with cold butter and roll and cut out the dough isn’t something I always have time for, especially on a weeknight, but this is the easiest from-scratch biscuit recipe you’ll ever make. It calls for just two simple ingredients, no rolling or cutting, and just a few minutes of your time.

This is the kind of comfort mid-winter dinners beg for.

A perfect mess of Southern greens, thanks to the rule of three, with biscuits from a grand dame of Southern cooking to mop up the potlikker.

This play on classic cream biscuits gets a fresh upgrade with help from sunny citrus and a finishing touch of coarse sugar. They skew slightly sweet, making for tender, pillowy biscuits that instantly feel a little bit more fancy. I love them with a spread of jam in the morning, or piled high with fruit and cream for dessert. Of all the biscuit variations out there (and there are a lot), cream biscuits are my absolute favorite.

These cheddar bacon biscuits put all others to shame.

This is a dinner salad for pasta-lovers. Creamy Caesar-dressed orzo and bite-sized pieces of crispy, lemony chicken breast are layered over a bed of crunchy chopped romaine and tomatoes in a hybrid meal that brings the ease and satisfaction of pasta night to a vibrant, dinner-ready salad. When making this recipe, I want you to treat the grains of orzo just as if you were making a pasta salad.

If you want a quick, fresh-off-the-griddle flatbread, it doesn’t get much easier than this dough that uses just two ingredients. In just about 30 minutes from start to finish, you’ll be tucking into tender flatbreads that can be eaten with dip, rolled up with your favorite fillings, or used to sop up something saucy that you’re serving for dinner. Oh, and guess what? There’s no stand mixer or special equipment required. Here’s how we do it.

Do you ever reach the end of the week and feel like there’s absolutely nothing in the fridge and takeout seems to be the only option? This flatbread is for you. Tender yet crisp, it can be turned into pizza, sandwiches, or even fill out a hearty cheese and snack board for Friday movie night. These flatbreads take about an hour and a half from start to finish, so start them before you grate the cheese, make a sauce, or just continue to stare into the barren fridge any longer.

The leftovers are even better than eating it the first time around.

Like any great stew should, the aroma of this hearty pork and apple stew will make your kitchen smell amazing.

Giada dresses it up with rustic sun-dried tomatoes, a red wine reduction, fresh herbs, and kobocha squash.

Corn chowder is a classic soup bursting with the sweetness of corn. It’s oh-so-creamy and body warming. When you add quick-cooking shrimp, corn chowder not only tastes great and feeds the soul, but it is also transformed into a complete meal in a single bowl. Usually, the thickness of a chowder comes from two sources: the starchy potatoes and the heavy cream.

This one ingredient makes all the difference.

Miracle Meals are the family-friendly dinners that save you time, money, and effort — but not at the expense of taste. They’re dishes that allow you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with the people you love. This month’s Miracle Meal comes from Meleyna Nomura, a San Francisco-based mom of two. Feeding a family is no joke.

I tend to be a purist when it comes to classic dishes, but this twist on mac and cheese has me changing my tune. Swap in tender potato gnocchi for the usual elbow or shell pasta, and the result is even more decadent and comforting than the original. Each bite is cloaked in a creamy cheddar cheese sauce, and the whole skillet is topped with Parmesan cheese to create a crispy golden crust. There’s no arguing the power of homemade mac and cheese.

A few big spoonfuls of bright, herby pesto make mac and cheese a weeknight dinner suitable for summer. The creamy, nutty flavors of sharp cheddar play nicely with the herby pesto, which brings a vibrant contrast to the cheese’s richness. Store-bought pesto is always a back-pocket shortcut for us, but during the summer fresh become our first choice. So when considering this for dinner, include homemade pesto in the plans too.

Swedish meatballs are one of the easiest, most delicious ways to switch up your weeknight meatball routine. Unlike their Italian counterpart, Swedish meatballs are warmly spiced (think: nutmeg and allspice) and simmered in a creamy gravy, perfect for ladling over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. These meatballs are too good to only be enjoyed inside the IKEA food court. Here’s how you can make an even better version any night of the week.

This is how you do French toast during prime pumpkin season (aka right now!). It’s a sweet, seasonal breakfast casserole for a crowd and powerful enough to win over the most ardent pumpkin spice critic. Thick cubes of buttery brioche are soaked overnight and infused with rich custard packed with warm spices and a double dose of pumpkin. Then it’s dotted with a crunchy brown sugar and pecan streusel that takes it over the top. Amazing, right?

The most delicious use of leftover stuffing.

Ever since I met this sweet slow cooker breakfast casserole, I’ve been hosting weekend brunch as often as possible. It’s a treat to be sure, loaded with tender cubes of custard-soaked brioche tinged with the warm scent of pumpkin spice and topped with a nutty brown sugar streusel. You’ll want to keep this one in rotation all year long. French toast casseroles are my easy go-to solution for serving this breakfast favorite to a crowd.

This is what happens when an old-fashioned country recipe called scalloped cabbage gets dolled up and heads into town for a dinner party. It elevates cabbage into elegance with a creamy Gruyère sauce and a tumble of sautéed mushrooms. The Gruyère and bacon add flavor, of course, but cabbage still reigns in this dish. Should you prefer to keep this meatless, all is not lost — simply omit the bacon and replace the bacon fat in the béchamel sauce with butter.

Chocolate cupcake cravings are a real problem for those of us without an office or classroom to share a whole dozen with. Ditto for those of us without a decent cupcake bakery nearby. Enter: the single-serve chocolate cupcake. It’s baked in a toaster oven with just a few pantry staples, and it’s here to solve all our problems with a rich and chocolatey answer — not to mention a perfectly tender crumb.

When it comes right down to it, we are all just trying to find the best way to feed ourselves and our families. Somewhere in the middle of the frozen food aisle and foraging for our own fresh produce, the “best way” appears a bit fuzzy from time to time. If you are trying to find a balance between convenience and homemade, cost efficiency and saving time, then start with this simple recipe for pancake mix.

With a million and one recipes out there, a pancake really has to be something special to make it stand out from the crowd. Friends, today I give you just such a pancake. A whole plate of them, actually. The lightest, fluffiest pancakes any of us here at Kitchn have ever had the pleasure of either making or eating. Every time I make them, I wonder why I ever bother making anything else. Is that enough of a hook? I sure hope so, because these pancakes deserve to be made far and wide.

This recipe is full of smart shortcuts.

When I first met Amy Halloran, she was cooking pancakes on a griddle she brought to someone else’s house. After I tasted her pancakes, which were thin, tender, and sweet with the taste for fresh flour, I knew why her name was synonymous with pancakes. Her genuine passion for the pancake has been a lifelong affair. The years of study, measuring, mixing, and flipping have resulted in the best pancakes I’ve ever eaten.

I strongly believe that pancakes are the greatest “anytime” food — they shouldn’t be reserved strictly for breakfast or brunch because they also make a filling lunch or dinner or snack. Basically anytime is the right time for pancakes, except when you don’t have time to cook a whole batch — or don’t need to. Single-serve pancakes consist of two perfectly cooked cakes, ideal for sandwiching with butter and drizzling with maple syrup.

These chard fritters are a perfect example of the French culinary ability to transform a few humble ingredients into something greater than the sum of their parts.

These cornbread pancakes are my new favorite pancakes. They are so good, I dare you to try them and not come to the same conclusion. Even better, while they feel like something you’d whip up on a special occasion, they’re super simple to make — as easy as regular ol’ pancakes. I discovered these pancakes at Louisville’s Silver Dollar, a modern honky tonk in Clifton (just east of downtown) in a former fire station.

Although I get pretty weary of the pumpkin madness that hits the universe come October — I’m looking at you, Starbucks — there are two things I’ll make an exception for: bread pudding and pancakes. And since this post is clearly not about bread pudding, let’s talk about what we like to call “Pum’Cakes” around our house. They’re so good!

I often wonder what would happen if I could pursue all of the ideas and dreams that churned within my brain. I might be a Nobel prize winner, best-selling author, philanthropist, olympic athlete, or a beauty queen by now. I would definitely be a better girlfriend, daughter, sister, and friend. I would listen harder, talk less, and love more.

Some desserts were just made for Pinterest — and for the adoring oohs and aahs of a rapt crowd. It was only a matter of time before the delicate French classic, gâteau de crêpes, became the dessert that slays. A stack of what seems like a thousand paper-thin crêpes, sandwiched with billowing cream, this dessert was born hundreds of years too early for Instagram, but it’s back — and it’s an internet sensation.

A quick, custardy treat to bake for dessert tonight or breakfast tomorrow morning.

It's the perfect summer treat.

Boiled is not a word you might think belongs in the same breath as frosting, that whipped and luxurious better half of a cupcake. But for those with long memories or grandmothers with a certain bent towards the traditional, this unlikely phrase will evoke yearning and nostalgic delight. Boiled, milk, and frosting — here’s what it is, and why you really must master it. Boiled milk frosting was once the most popular frosting for red velvet and devil’s food cakes.

Carrot cake cupcakes are the tastiest way to incorporate a dose of veggies into a sweet treat — especially when there’s a swirl of cream cheese frosting piled on top. These cupcakes are as easy as can be, requiring just one bowl and a whisk to make the batter. Even the kids can help here! The cupcakes emerge from the oven fragrant with cinnamon and nutmeg, and the cream cheese frosting whips up fluffy and sweet to finish things up.

This savory tart is a stunner — there’s no denying that. Blossoms made of butternut squash ribbons, sage- and garlic-flecked ricotta, and a tender olive oil crust make for a dish that’s 100 percent worthy of any and all Thanksgiving dinners. But the best part? Your guests will appreciate just how fancy it looks, but they’ll never know just how easy it is to make.

The name translates literally to "flame cake," but flammekueche is neither a cake, nor is it on fire.

Whether you eat this deep-dish skillet cookie when it's warm and straight from the oven or let it cool and eat it by the slice, there's no wrong approach.

Did you eat enough cookies before Christmas? If not, make these today. Just for you. Not to share.

For as long as I can remember, peanut butter blossoms have been a given at my family’s annual cookie swap. Showered with a light layer of crunchy sugar and filled with a signature chocolate kiss at the center, I could always count on them to be nestled amongst all the Christmas cookie classics. This year I’m bringing a spiced twist to the spread. It’s everything you’d expect from peanut butter kiss cookies, with a subtle hint of warm cinnamon.

When you’ve reached the point of salad fatigue and are looking for a way to make the most of sweet summer corn and juicy red tomatoes, look no further than this savory cake. It’s inspired by tomato cobbler and skillet corn bread, with a nod to the sweetness of a classic tarte Tatin. This cake comes out of the oven with a crisp edge and a light and tender crumb.

These lively gingerbread-spiced chocolate chip cookies are easy to make and even easier to eat. When it comes to texture, this is a classic chocolate chip cookie — crisp on the outside, tender on the inside — but tucked into that dough is something extra special. The bright taste of ginger packs a fun and surprising wallop. The warm winter spices add a festive note and a pinch of heat, while the chocolate chips offer familiar and delicious comfort and oozy goodness in every bite.

Put this recipe on repeat all year long.

This beloved old-world cake is often dubbed as the pride of the Easter table.

This casserole is tater tots living their best life.

I don’t often write about muffins or even make them at home because, to be honest, I just don’t like most muffins! The typical coffee shop fare tends to have big, domed tops and are often too sweet for my taste. I’m drawn to those dense hippie muffins that are packed with a good bit of whole grain flour and interesting flavors and textures — which is exactly the kind of muffin I’m sharing today.

Here’s a recipe out of my weeknight playbook: a quick, easy, reliably moist batch of whole wheat muffins. They are a homey accompaniment to soups and salads, and since these only need to bake for 15 minutes, you can start them and be eating in under half an hour. (Leftovers are lovely for breakfast, too!) This is an adaptation of a recipe my mom made frequently while we were growing up, but I’ve tweaked it a bit.

Part muffin, part frittata, these savory breakfast muffins boast a texture that’s soft, airy, and rich. Plus, there’s a secret ingredient that gives these muffins an added protein boost. If savory foods dominate your morning cravings, these tomato-basil muffins are for you! If you’re not a fan of cottage cheese, don’t be turned off by its inclusion at the top of the ingredient list.

Has the first flush of cool weather got you itching to do some fall baking? Let these morning glory muffins stuffed with a slew of seasonal ingredients be your first foray back into autumnal flavors. The texture of these muffins comes from the mixture of shredded sweet potato and apple, plump raisins, coconut flakes, and chopped walnuts that are stirred into the whole-wheat batter.

When I think back to the cookie trays of my youth, so many good recipes come to mind. But the ones that stand out are the perfectly round and pillowy cream cheese cookies I always looked forward to. Dressed up with a simple dusting of powdered sugar, these tender cookies just might remind you of super-soft sugar cookies, with a subtle tang that makes them all their own. These are my favorite kind of holiday cookies.

The slow cooker is a mainstay of modern American cooking — but it’s not just you and me firing up the Crock-Pot on a weeknight. Famous chefs and celebrities are not above its charms, and this week we’re bringing you five recipes from five kitchen stars that show off their favorite ways to put the slow cooker to good use. Most people associate Crock-Pots with thick, hearty stews or fork-tender cuts of meat.

We love a good muffin for its simplicity. In fact, a good muffin should deliver far more than the effort you put into it, and these oat- and raisin-studded carrot muffins can claim that fame. This batter has applesauce and grated carrots for moisture, spices for flavor, and raisins for pops of sweetness (although if you’re a raisin-hater, chopped dates are a delicious substitute).

There’s probably a fine line between what makes something a cupcake rather than a muffin. For me, a muffin has a nice domed top, doesn’t have frosting, and shouldn’t give me a sugar rush during breakfast. These rich chocolate muffins have a delicious double dose of chocolate, but they also contain a lot of ingredients I eat at breakfast anyway, like milk, eggs, and our secret — Greek yogurt, which adds tenderness and protein.