As school is starting to begin again and we all actually have to do stuff, I thought it would be a good time to share a list of quick and simple recipes when you need a low stress activity.
I find baking to be a great stress reliever, and especially good at getting my mind off things. Though I enjoy making more complicated recipes on the weekends, some times I just want something quick to make on a Monday evening.
Or maybe you’re just new to baking and want to start off with something simple. Whatever your reasoning (or maybe you don’t have a reason i don’t know) here’s a list of quick beginner recipes perfect for anyone.
Chocolate Chip Cookies: Starting off strong with a classic! Everyone loves a good chocolate chip cookie. They’re quick, simple, and just so good. I am willing to believe that a good chocolate chip cookie just out of the oven can cure any bad mood. It’s hard to be upset with a mouthful of chocolate chips. And, they’re customizable! You can add all sorts of different mix ins like pretzels, dried fruit, nuts, or candies.
Ice cream: Perfect for summer, our next recipe on the list is homemade ice cream! This is a no churn recipe, and it comes together super quickly with only a handful of ingredients. If you want it even easier, you can skip making the blueberry compote and experiment with adding different flavors. Try adding coffee, chocolate, or mint to the sweetened condensed milk instead of blueberries. If you do this, don’t add the lemon juice to the ice cream base!
Roasted Strawberry Goat Cheese Crostini : If you’re looking for something a little bit more snacky, this one’s for you! These summery little appetizers are quick to whip up, so you could be snacking on these in under 30 minutes. Not to mention the star here is strawberry, perfect for summer.
Brown Butter Cardamom Peach Crisp: The great thing about this recipe is that you can whip it up and then let it sit in the oven for a spell while you do other things. It features fresh summer peaches, slowly cooked with cardamom and brown butter oat crumble on top. Serve it warm with some good vanilla bean ice cream and you’ve got yourself a simply perfect end of summer dessert.
Banana Bread: Another classic here, banana bread! Although this recipe makes a more complicated dessert, you can always skip the grilling and the custard and enjoy a slice of plain banana bread. It’s also super rewarding to use up those black bananas in a delicious way.
Lemon Lavender Shortbread: Does she sound fancy? Yes. Is she difficult to make? Nuh uh. I love this recipe and it’s one of my favorites to make in a pinch. It comes together with only a few simple ingredients. Similar to the crisp, this one is great because you can quickly whip up the dough, and go do homework or go for a walk or something while it bakes.
Orange Cardamom Poppyseed Cookies: This is one of my favorite afternoon bakes. I actually came up with this recipe when I was baking something quick after school. I sort of just made it because I felt like it, and I didn’t intend on posting it. But then a few teachers at my school were crazy about them and asked for the recipe, so I made it!
Chocolate Almond Crunch Muffins: Ahhhhhh. Muffins. I love a good muffin. And, these ones are a little bit on the healthier side, if you’re into that kind of thing. These are really good, and they give off bakery vibes. They’ve got that good streusel on top that just adds an extra little pop of flavor.
Spiced Cranberry Orange Coffee Cake: This is one of my favorite fall recipes. It’s a simple idea and maybe that’s what makes it so good. A simple spiced orange cake is topped with fresh cranberries, and buttery streusel. Sitting down to a slice of this cake with a steaming mug of coffee is perfect on a rainy day.
Mocha Hazelnut Cookies: One of my personal favorites, these cookies are wrapping up our list today. They’re a little chewy, nutty, buttery, and of course, simple. They take a few of my favorite flavors, Nutella and coffee, and mash them into a cookie. The key to making these so good is using some ground up toasted hazelnuts. This gives them that hazelnut flavor without the added sweetness from relying only on Nutella.
The school year has started again, which is really stressful and tiring. BUT. It means fall is practically upon us. I had my first Pumpkin Spice Latte today and oh my gosh it feels good to be back! I feel like my mood is just so much better when the air is crisp, spooky songs are playing, pumpkins are everywhere, and the smell of cinnamon is in the air.
Whelp that’s it! Let me know if you try any of these out, I’d love to see!