• EmilyR on October 21, 2020

  If you pre-ordered this one, make sure you get the bonus recipe .pdf, which includes : Savory zucchini bread with parmesan and herbs, Caramelized date snack cake with cream, Coconut angel food cake, Lemony poppy seed rugelach, Root vegetable galette, and Flaky all-butter pie dough. I made the savory zucchini bread with parmesan and herbs and it was excellent... perfect with a glass of wine.

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Spiced honey and rye cake

  • Tatiana131 on May 18, 2026

    Solidly comforting, smells great out of the oven and excellent toasted with butter.

  • elizabeth_dxqe67 on May 23, 2026

    An easy make and a subtle flavor that is perfect for gifting.

• Almond butter banana bread

  • elena1049 on February 15, 2021

    Have made this multiple times - always delicious! My new go-to banana bread as long as I also have almond butter on hand. I make in mini loaf pans and bake for approx 31 minutes.

  • Mlr5 on June 06, 2021

    I made this and it was really good. Mine seemed a little dense (didn’t rise as much as I thought) but I didn’t mind it that way. I may have used a smidge too much banana and that may have been the reason…I’d make it again, but wouldn’t necessarily call it a forever kind of recipe for me.

  • Astrid5555 on June 15, 2021

    Found some almond butter in the fridge and had a brown banana on hand, so made that one without any expectations. Wow, this will be my new go-to banana bread recipe. The almond butter swirl elevates a simple banana bread to something new. Highly recommended!

  • stef on July 26, 2021

    I had to make a couple of changes because I didn't have the ingredients. Instead of coconut oil I used canola and sour cream was substituted for Greek yogurt. Bread came out nice and moist and rose well. Lovely smell of almonds while baking. Ready in 53 minutes.

  • ChickenAndRice on May 20, 2023

    Tasty cake, but it doesn't have a very strong banana flavour. Very easy to make though, I've baked it twice to good reviews. Try using crunchy almond butter for more texture.

  • SpatulaCity on August 01, 2023

    Thought I had almond butter but it was actually natural peanut butter. Made the recipe with only that modification and it was so delicious! The saltiness and earthiness of the nut butter offsets the sweetness of the sugar and banana, and I loved the extra kick of coconut flavor. Baked fully in 60 min. Will make again!

  • jaxcap on August 09, 2023

    I made 4 mini loaves instead of a normal-sized one, finished baking in 25 minutes at 350 F. Very aromatic.

  • anya_sf on April 05, 2024

    Really tasty version of banana bread. White whole wheat flour worked well, providing texture without making the loaf dry. I didn't manage to achieve much of a swirl, so the topping mainly just stayed on top - which, FYI, got REALLY hot while baking - so if, like me, you normally touch the top of your quick breads to see if they're done, be very careful here!

  • aistern on September 12, 2024

    Made exactly as written. Was delicious. Freezes well, too.

  • robyn_6oitvf on January 28, 2026

    I’ve made this banana bread recipe with almond butter and peanut butter. Both versions were delicious.

  • nick_ixtfmj on February 04, 2026

    Great recipe overall - I do find it (like many other of Claire’s recipes) a little fiddly. But also like many of her recipes, it’s delicious.

  • dmdmdmmm on February 18, 2026

    This banana bread is a bit extra but it’s pretty good! If you wanna take your banana bread game to the next level, this is a good recipe.

  • Clairehg on March 02, 2026

    This is an excellent banana bread. Not too sweet, but very complex flavors. Will definitely add to my rotation.

  • zoelaz on April 26, 2026

    Made with almond hazelnut butter and with chopped almonds added. Delicious! Next time will bake just slightly longer (closer to 70 minutes) as the top collapsed slightly while cooling.

  • stephanie_rkbsca on May 19, 2026

    Beautiful banana bread with absolutely delicious swirl coating. The creamy texture of the almond butter blends wonderfully with the regular dough, and the almond butter gives it a delicate nutty taste that doesn’t detract from the banana.

• Poppy seed almond cake

  • nadiam1000 on December 10, 2020

    I love poppy seed and this is a great version of a poppy seed pound cake and, being an oil based cake, simple to put together. The almond and orange are delicious with the poppy seed, the glaze gives a sugary finish and the cake is moist. I may have over baked mine by 5 mins or so but it was not dry. It would have been a bit better texture, to me, if I baked it a little less.

  • LindaAphoto on December 31, 2020

    I agree with the previous note, I overbaked it by a few minutes but was relieved to find it was still moist. But yes, next time I’d love to bake it just right. I’m adding this recipe to my arsenal of easy, go-to comfort bakes for daily snacking. Deceptively plain, but it is not - everyone in the house loved it and it went fast! My only comment is that it does have a lot of sugar! And although she advises against it, I’d be curious to see if next time I can get away with a little less.

  • anya_sf on February 10, 2021

    Since my bundt pan is dark-colored, I baked the cake at 325 F; it was still done in around 80 minutes. I sprayed the pan with Baker's Joy and the cake did not stick at all. The cake was perfectly moist and tender, even better the next day when the syrup was evenly distributed throughout the cake. We loved the flavors. Next time I might try adding orange zest to the cake.

  • stef on March 01, 2021

    A very nice tender cake with almond flavour coming thru. I baked my cake at 350f and after 65 minutes it registered at 210f. Could have taken it out at 60 minutes. My stove is pretty accurate and this left me surprised. I will definitely bake it again.

  • Lepa on April 25, 2021

    This is a good almond-flavored cake but not a stand-out for me. Mine needed 80 minutes in the oven. I used grapeseed oil as I sometimes don't like the flavor of canola oil in baked goods. I used Baker's Joy on my bundt pan and didn't have any issues with sticking. I didn't adjust the oil or sugar but agree it was a bit sweet. The texture was dense and moist.

  • SugarTreeBaking on May 15, 2021

    As others have mentioned, my cake was ready and slightly over baked at 60 minutes. Nice flavor, love the crunchy poppyseed texture. I would bet this cake will be even better in a day or two.

  • robinswood on November 19, 2021

    I cut the sugar on this due to reviews that it was a bit sweet. Baked 75 minutes and that worked. I did not have orange juice so used lemon juice and Cointreau in the glaze instead, which was really good and I'll probably stick with that in future.

  • ChickenAndRice on May 20, 2023

    Personally feel like the cake was too sweet. I didn't like the texture of it - when it's fully baked it still seems 'wet' rather than moist. I will probably try it one more time in a bundt tin (did it in a loaf tin as directed) but I don't hold out a lot of hope for it. Not every recipe can be a winner.

  • Tessvssr on January 30, 2026

    I think I did something wrong since it came out quite gummy. Also thought the almond extract flavour was a bit too strong. I’ll try it again soon though to see if I can improve it.

  • caitlin_eslntl on February 03, 2026

    This recipe is perfect every time for me. Do as she says- make it exactly as written. It’s one of my favorites and always a go- to!

  • zoelaz on June 02, 2026

    Very easy, only requires one bowl. Got a little burnt on edges at only 75 minutes so I’ll watch that carefully next time

• Kabocha turmeric tea cake

  • EmilyR on October 21, 2020

    This is a very quick Autumn cake that feels healthy with so much kabocha. I used the garam masala and some habenero maple syrup for warmth. I'll definitely make it again.

  • hirsheys on September 25, 2021

    Delicious and unique recipe, though the turmeric flavor is more dominant than the squash (which is both good and bad?) The flavor is complex and interesting and definitely different than the usual pumpkin bread. That said, I'm not sure I need to make this again often (the coconut oil was annoying to work with), but I'm glad to have this recipe in my repertoire, especially if I ever get a kabocha in my CSA again.

  • Apollonia on October 25, 2023

    No force on earth can compel me to roast my own squash for puree. I don't care what anyone says, canned pumpkin is perfect so I used that here, and the cake came out great. The flavor on this was fantastic, really different from the usual but still felt very "fall." One note- mine came out juuuuusst underdone at the bottom, despite a clean skewer. Next time, I'll use a thermometer.

  • atrudeau on January 03, 2025

    I veganized this by using flax eggs. The kabocha is worth seeking out and roasting. It's one of my favorite recipes.

  • Astrid5555 on November 06, 2025

    What a lovely cake, fantastic flavours. Reduced the sugar by 20%, still sweet enough for me, but that's my personal preference. Made with home-made Kabocha pumpkin purée which I had made the day before. Would definitely make again.

  • apalmer91 on February 07, 2026

    On my second time making this, I ran out of coconut oil and used vegetable oil instead (per the notes). The coconut flavor that the oil imparts was missing so I’d recommend adding in a tiny bit of coconut extract if you’re substituting the oil. Love this cake- has been one of my favorites to make from this book.

  • Cgaskins on May 02, 2026

    I would leave out the seeds when making it again.

• Spiced persimmon cake

  • tarae1204 on December 28, 2021

    Three hachiya persimmons produced two cups purée, so I doubled this recipe to excellent results. As the persimmon flavor is mild, the flavor and texture from each listed ingredient makes an important contribution to the elevated end result.

  • Apollonia on November 27, 2022

    Made this with the substitute spice blend and thought it was fantastic--- felt very special for a loaf cake. I had to use three decent-sized persimmons to get the called for amount of puree (rather than the two called for), so note that you may need extra. I left the persimmon off the top because, though lovely looking I'm sure, I'd rather have more crunchy sugar top.

  • aschacht on November 11, 2024

    Delicious - I've made this twice now, once with very ripe hachiya and once with very ripe fuyu persimmons. I used pecans instead of walnuts both times, and the second time left off the persimmon topping and baked in a pullman pan for a slightly narrower and taller slice. Such a treat any time of day!

  • Astrid5555 on November 06, 2025

    Used the suggested substitute spice blend and it was fantastic. A very delicious fall bake I would make again!

  • janichkokov on December 29, 2025

    So beautiful! Tasty like a sophisticated zucchini bread. Served with passion fruit curd.

• Mascarpone cake with red wine prunes

  • GHolland on December 31, 2020

    Very good, easy recipe. Don’t over cook the syrup or you won’t have any to drizzle on the ice cream

  • CheesyKranskyLove on October 04, 2022

    The combination of mascarpone & mull wine-esque prunes is so good

  • nicole_lmgml1 on January 20, 2026

    Easy to make yet guests found it impressive! Crowd pleaser

• Pear chestnut cake

  • raybun on January 17, 2021

    This was my first time using chestnuts in a cake, I absolutely loved them with the pear. Definitely making this again!

  • evelyn_xzt59j on February 05, 2026

    Baked for 55 minutes- came out with a moist, springy crumb that lent a lovely texture. If anything, this recipe lacks a depth of pear flavor- the earthiness of the chestnut overtakes the fruit’s sweetness. Not a cake I’d make again.

  • Tatiana131 on May 18, 2026

    I really enjoyed this cake. The favors are mild but not boring. I’d likely use chestnut puree or a food processor to blend the chestnuts fully.

• Double apple crumble cake

  • dbp19 on January 18, 2021

    Really tasty. Can also substitute full-fat Greek yogurt for crème fraîche. The apples sort of melt together to create a pudding like texture in some places. Nice contrast to the crumble on top. Just wish the crumble adhered a bit better, but tasted amazing just the same.

  • lou_weez on June 20, 2021

    I didn't have apple butter so substituted apple sauce and used Greek yoghurt instead of crème fraiche. I also pressed the crumble ever so slightly into the cake as I didn't want it to fall off after baking. Everyone enjoyed this cake. I might add some rum soaked sultanas next time.

  • anya_sf on December 06, 2022

    Yummy, sort of a cross between apple cake and crisp. Greek yogurt worked instead of creme fraiche. My (homemade) apple butter had added maple syrup and spices, but was fine in this. 3/4 of the crumble was plenty. With the long baking time, the sides got quite dark, but the cake was still fairly moist. Still, I wonder if a lower temperature would be better.

  • Astrid5555 on November 02, 2023

    This is one delicious apple cake with the crumble providing a delicious contrast to the custardy texture of the rest of the cake. A keeper!

  • hailey_tthlx3 on October 06, 2025

    This came out so tasty and moist.

  • dbruijn on March 22, 2026

    This was good. I needed to use up apple butter. Probably won’t make again until the next time I need to use up apple butter

• Rhubarb cake

  • lofolky on February 14, 2021

    This was so delicious! I used salted butter because I was out of unsalted, but other than that followed to a T and it turned out great! Will definitely be making this again.

  • meggan on March 08, 2021

    We had old rhubarb which can tend to be a little stringy so I left out the chunks and just used the mash and decorative top. I think it turned out well and I am not even a rhubarb fan!

  • Astrid5555 on March 21, 2021

    What a delicious rhubarb cake. I love the clear instructions and notes in this book, otherwise I would have probably panicked when my cooked rhubarb turned into a grey mass after adding the baking soda. Please do as she says and err on the side of overbaking and tent the top early with foil. It took almost 2 hours for the tester to come out clean in the middle.

  • anya_sf on June 10, 2021

    I needed to add a little extra water when cooking the rhubarb, but otherwise this was simple to mix. Although the tester came out clean after 80 minutes in the oven and the top felt firm, the cake started to sink upon cooling, so I baked it for another 10 minutes at 300 F (to avoid overbrowning) and there was still a tiny gummy layer at the bottom, although nothing terrible. The cake was super moist and tasty, plenty sweet but not overly so.

  • hirsheys on July 05, 2021

    I made the rhubarb cake yesterday and was wowed. I love rhubarb in all its incarnations (including pie), and have other cake recipes I like, but this is one of the absolute best. It’s both moist and rhubarb-y. I found the cake a little annoying to make (the rhubarb mush almost burned before it got soft, so I needed to put the lid on). I also don’t like the stringy rhubarb on top (makes it hard to cut), despite it looking pretty - will leave that off in the future. Can’t wait to make other things from the book, but I’m also just glad to have found this recipe. (My cake was perfectly cooked in the listed time) ETA: mix in extra rhubarb from top as chunks, instead, don’t add to mush.

  • leilx on August 18, 2021

    Made this several times this summer as written and it was a hit every time. Mostly took longer to bake for me, but I am at high altitude so I don't worry too much about things not working exactly as the book says. Would definitely make this again.

  • Hansyhobs on February 17, 2022

    Really tasty, I cooked mine for approx 80mins. Will do again

  • EmilyR on April 06, 2022

    Another dazzling review. I've been waiting for rhubarb for a long time and I got excited the moment I could buy it to make this.

  • KCKB on May 06, 2023

    Made this for a retirement party and several colleagues asked for the recipe! Wonderful, balanced flavor, and a nice choice when you know the other options will all be very sweet.

  • aistern on September 12, 2024

    Made the Bon Appetit version a few years prior. I think preferred that version but this was still good

  • stef on May 18, 2025

    Finally made this cake. As good as everyone noted. Rhubarb taste in every bite. Using a bread knife gave a neat cut.

  • amandabeck on May 31, 2025

    Think banana bread, but with rhubarb! Delicious. I left off the long strips of rhubarb because I was afraid they would be stringy and I didn't like the texture. Less spectacular looking but it didn't last long enough to matter because we ate it in less than a day!

  • eliza on June 10, 2025

    I made a half recipe in a 6” round pan, and also had to leave out the orange zest (added some lemon zest instead). I baked at 350 fan for 45 min then at 325 for 10 min. The cake was nice but I think I overbaked it a touch. Taste was good however I wasn’t blown away; took it to a gathering and everyone seemed to like it. I will probably make again and will reduce bake time. Very well written recipe.

  • angela_gnbj4y on April 20, 2026

    This is such a fun way to use up some of the first rhubarb of the season. When I read the instructions it felt like a lot of faff but it actually came together quite quickly and easily. I left the rhubarb off the top- did 3/4 in the puree and 1/4 small pieces per her recipe. Also subbed sr cream for the yogurt and omitted the orange zest. It’s a moist, delicious cake with zippy rhubarb flavor. Make it!!

  • sashae on April 27, 2026

    absolutely phenomenal, will make again.

  • zoelaz on May 10, 2026

    Very nice cake but extremely moist, definitely err on the side of over baking as instructed in the recipe. However, I do think the cake is a bit on the sweet side for myself as someone who enjoys the tartness of rhubarb and could cut the sugar despite the instructions not to

  • rita_uj484e on May 15, 2026

    Perfectly balanced, crunchy from the Demerara sugar. Such a lovely spring treat.

  • lindsey_5xsrit on May 30, 2026

    This was the second time I made the recipe, this time as muffins. A good recipe for rhubarb!

• Ricotta cake with kumquat marmalade

  • EmilyR on October 21, 2020

    I love kumquats so I had to make this. Obviously you can make each recipe individually, but together it feels like a cannoli meets a cake. The texture was very interesting with a softer middle, but everyone enjoyed it.

  • spatterson88 on April 05, 2021

    I topped this with berries that had been marinating in a hibiscus syrup. It was everyone's favorite part of the meal.

  • j.va on April 19, 2021

    Delicious dessert. The cake assembles exactly as written in the recipe, though mine needed a smidge longer to cook. It has the flavor of a ricotta cheesecake but is incredibly light. Served with the kumquat marmalade, which I made as directed except using vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract. Held up for several days afterwards in the fridge. Can't wait to make again and try another type of fruit on top.

  • MsMonsoon on April 06, 2026

    Doubled this recipe to get the 9-inch plus two 6-inch cakes. It was too much for my 11-cup food processor and I couldn’t add the flour so had to do that part in a big bowl. 1.5x a recipe would be better than 2x. My cakes needed a lot more time than 45 minutes — even the little ones went at least 55 minutes. The cakes are rich yet fluffy and resemble a cross between a cheesecake and a close-crumb pound cake. I might increase the lemon zest even more. I worried the kumquat marmalade had too much liquid but it cooled and settled into a good consistency. Look forward to trying this with various fruits.

  • elisa_m95b99 on February 21, 2026

    This was so yummy

• Flourless chocolate wave cake

  • bwhip on October 24, 2020

    Wonderful recipe, we just loved this cake. Great flavor with just the right amount of rum, light as can be, nice crispy top, with character from the wave pattern. Much less dense than most flourless chocolate cakes I’ve had.

  • LindaAphoto on December 31, 2020

    A great success with the family. We all loved it. Very light while still decadently chocolate. A recipe to bookmark and repeat. Easy to make, too.

  • Jane on March 22, 2021

    I found this an odd cake in the making though the result was good (though not up to Alison Roman’s Crispy chocolate cake with hazelnut and sour cream). I was worried about melting chocolate with oil, water and alcohol and the solid mass oozing oil did not allay my fears. It was hard to get it well mixed with the meringue with the result the cake was splotchy in appearance, though flavor and texture was good. I will try it again as it was a quick cake to make and bake.

  • Astrid5555 on May 14, 2021

    Very quick and easy to make. While we adults loved it, the kids found it a little too grown-up tasting, which might be due to the chocolate I used, still a keeper!

  • hirsheys on April 16, 2022

    Delicious and very rich. Made for Passover and we all were impressed with how good it was, especially for a Passover dessert. I don’t love the slight grit from the almonds, but I had to grind my own almond flour, so it may not have been as fine as was called for. (I certainly couldn’t sift it.) Next time, I’d serve with some loose whipped cream of creme fraiche. Otherwise, a big hit, even with Maya (3 year old). Had no issues with the method and made it as called for (no seizing or solidifying…) [technically should leave out Amaretto for Passover.]

  • sharone7 on May 25, 2021

    My chocolate seized the first time because I think I had the temperature up too high (damn this electric stove that I just can't quite figure out) but I redid it much lower and it worked beautifully. The cake was beautiful and turned out exactly as it's supposed to. (I love that in this book Claire Saffitz anticipates many of the questions home bakers might have.) I don't like chocolate so I didn't try the cake, but it was a huge hit with the birthday party guests.

  • yaleksly on November 21, 2021

    Wonderful cake! Still trying to get the waves just right, I don't quite get the same effect despite having the same crackly top. I never have dark rum or Amaretto on hand, so I've always substituted with a strong espresso in equal measurement. One day I hope to try it with either liqueur, to see the difference; the espresso does come through, especially when the cake is chilled. Freshly baked and cooled, the cake is airy and light. Chilled in the fridge, it seems to collapse slightly: it becomes closer to what I've experienced flourless cakes to usually be, somewhat dense or lightly fudgy. Not bad at all, and I think the almonds come through in flavor when the cake is chilled. As one other member noted, it is reminiscent of a chocolate mousse, in cake form!

  • nicole_lmgml1 on January 20, 2026

    Amazing. On repeat. I use the dark rum substitution. We add a dollop of whipped cream for serving, and that makes the whole thing sing. Happens to be gluten free which comes in handy with my in-laws, but I mostly make it at home where there are no dietary restrictions at all.

  • dmdmdmmm on February 18, 2026

    This was REALLLLYYYY good! Mine didnt rise as much as i would want to, and it was a bit tricky to make tbh bc I havent made a flourless cake before. But it was really tasty, and def something you should make from this book.

  • stef on June 20, 2021

    This cake turned out great. It was a chocolate mousse texture. I served it with whipped cream and berries.

  • Lepa on May 01, 2021

    Chocolate cake isn't my favorite but this was pretty good and everyone else loved it. The technique was a bit odd but my cake turned out perfectly (just like the picture) so I'm not complaining.

• Pistachio pinwheels

  • SugarTreeBaking on November 09, 2020

    My pistachios weren’t as green as those pictured, so the color contrast wasn’t as pronounced. Straightforward recipe, nice result. I could see these rolled in red sanding sugar instead of the course sugar for the holidays.

  • evatoad on March 07, 2021

    Did not particularly care for these. I found the dough quite hard to roll (unlike other pinwheel cookies I’ve made in the past) and the flavor was not as strong or interesting as I was hoping.

  • ellen_gvlooi on April 12, 2026

    made with a friend! so yummy and shortbread like

  • katie_jnnw03 on February 07, 2026

    So good not very sweet

  • nicole_lmgml1 on January 20, 2026

    Found these difficult to work with and didn’t love the outcome.

  • blairla on January 18, 2026

    These are very good, and in my opinion, only get better after a couple of days. I love to make them around Christmas because of the green swirl. Not a difficult recipe either. I love that everything is done in the food processor.

  • lindsey_5xsrit on December 25, 2025

    This was my first time making a cookie like this and I found the recipe easy to follow + loved the convenience of the dough coming together within the food processor. I used roasted / salted / shelled pistachios which worked great. Only failure on my end is that I ended up with cookies of uneven thicknesses (so some overdone cookies at the end) - she gives instructions to continually divide the dough but I would’ve been better off just slicing like I do her sugar cookies.

  • sdeathe on September 07, 2025

    Saffitz's comments at the beginning of the recipe are those of a professional baker. She makes it sound as though these are a snap to produce, and not too fussy. Well, they are not a major assembly with different components, but the recipe must be read and followed carefully to put the dough together properly (guess who got confused, after decades of cookie-making). The dough is extremely soft and spreads with an offset knife; it's hard to get it an even thickness. The pistachio dough is firmer, and is tricky to spread on top of the very soft base dough. Not too hard to roll up, and easy enough to form into a tight roll with parchment and a bench scraper. Closer to 14 minutes max in my oven, and better really golden around the edges, as my usual 'just done' didn't taste or feel quite right. Attractive. Popular with guests, who wanted the recipe.

  • stef on November 22, 2025

    These came together quickly. Even though my pistachios were not too green when ground the paste was a pistachio green. I found I had a hard time having the demerara sugar stick to the roll. A delicious cookie and would make again.

• Cranberry-pomegranate mousse pie

  • puddlemere on November 27, 2020

    Made for Thanksgiving. I love the speculoos crust with this, although I slightly overbaked it. The filling was perfectly set and really flavorful. The only negative was it seemed just a touch too sweet for me.

  • Shewi128 on March 12, 2021

    Absolutely delicious recipe. I made the speculoos cookie crust as well. To me, it had a perfect balance of tart and sweet. It was worth getting the specialty ingredient (pomegranate molasses).

  • hirsheys on November 29, 2025

    Very tasty combo of flavors - speculoos crust is a must. Did not make cranberries on top and did not miss them.

  • Baxter850 on December 20, 2025

    Delicious. Perfect Thanksgiving dessert. Sophisticated and not too sweet.

  • BachranBears on December 29, 2023

    So delicious and will be repeated annually for Thanksgiving. Didn't wind up making the whipped cream and was still delicious without it. Easy to make the components over the course of a few days to help with prep and planning.

  • dmdmdmmm on February 18, 2026

    This is a really pretty pie! Tho it’s just a biiit to tart for my taste. Pretty easy to make

  • evelyn_xzt59j on January 29, 2026

    Beautiful in appearance, but had a strange, tart-yet-lactic flavor that was not entirely pleasant. Don’t skip the sugared cranberry garnish- it does add a wonderful sweet tart crunch that breaks up the otherwise overbearing smoothness of the pie.

• Malted “forever” brownies

  • LindaAphoto on December 31, 2020

    The weight measurement for the water (to add to the cocoa powder) is off. It’s double what it should be. Still, this is the only recipe so far from the 3 I have made in this book, that I was not thrilled about. Felt and tasted more like a dense chocolate cake than a brownie. Definitely not my “forever” brownie recipe. But the other recipes I’ve made are delicious.

  • jzanger on January 18, 2021

    I’m not sure I’ll ever be bold enough to declare a brownie recipe my “forever” recipe, but these were excellent. They are superbly rich and chewy. I’ve never encountered her technique for putting them in the fridge to make them chewy but they certainly were chewy. Next time I would use a stand mixer because my batter was much too thick to whisk vigorously by hand for almost a minute. I recommend adding walnuts in place of some of the milk chocolate.

  • lofolky on February 14, 2021

    Super dense and rich. We really enjoyed these, but still in search of our “forever” brownie.

  • evatoad on March 07, 2021

    Sensational. The malted milk powder is a game-changer. I added walnuts and used dark chocolate chips instead of milk chocolate at the end (personal preference). Will make again for sure.

  • dmdmdmmm on February 18, 2026

    These were really goooood fudgy brownies.

  • evelyn_xzt59j on January 25, 2026

    Baked 45 minutes, still came out almost completely raw.

  • lavenderfields on March 08, 2025

    As one who never liked overly sweet box mix brownies and their texture, these were the best brownies I've ever had! Used Whoppers for the milk chocolate AND included the malt powder (I'm a fiend for malt). Incredibly rich and dense in the best possible way.

  • Staceydee on March 12, 2026

    Love these brownies

  • kellilee on April 08, 2023

    Followed the recipe exactly as written and agree that these are "forever" brownies. Perfect in every way - had to work hard to limit my intake to only one brownie per day as these brownies could be addictive. Love the chewy texture. Home run!

  • anya_sf on July 14, 2021

    I didn't see the correction to the water weight and used the amount listed in the book, but the brownies still turned out okay. I only had 2 oz milk chocolate, so added 1/2 c walnuts too and preferred the nuts. Baked 30 minutes, the brownies seemed to be done (although the surface wasn't that shiny), but the texture was a little too fudgy in the middle for my taste and I like fudgy. Overall good, but not my favorite brownie recipe.

  • tarae1204 on April 25, 2021

    Quite rich, extremely fudgy in the interior. The malted milk powder and dark brown chocolate introduce a flavor of caramel. Personally, for me, these were too rich. One could bake in a tart pan and present it as a fancy chocolate tart.

• Foolproof tarte Tatin

  • raybun on January 17, 2021

    This is probably the most laborious tatin I’ve ever made, but also the most delicious! I did have to make a significant change when I discovered only 2 apples left, so I poached 3 quince using a recipe on EYB by Ottolenghi (pomegranate poached quince). Absolutely spectacular, and I’m looking forward to trying with apples.

  • anya_sf on November 01, 2023

    I don't know if I'd call this foolproof - mine certainly wasn't perfect. For some reason, my Honeycrisp apples did not soften enough, even after 2 hours of baking. I ended up microwaving them. The tart baked up nicely, but there was A LOT of liquid caramel, so I'm glad I put the rack over a sheet pan to catch it (Claire says to put it over the sink, but I'd hate to waste it all). With all that liquid, the crust softened immediately. Still, the flavor was excellent.

  • ginger_0gphso on January 31, 2026

    This was not as sweet as I wanted it to be. And it was a bit soggy

• Meyer lemon tart

  • dbp19 on January 18, 2021

    Really exceptional. Refreshing. Give yourself plenty of time for this one, since it takes two sub-recipes (almond tart crust; lemon curd). Save your dough scraps too, because it will most certainly crack and shrink a little bit.

  • Astrid5555 on April 07, 2021

    We loved this tarte. The combination with the raspberry jam on the bottom makes for an interesting combination. Added some Italian meringue on top because I just enjoy using my blow torch a lot.

  • SugarTreeBaking on February 19, 2023

    Simply fabulous. I made this for a dinner party and it got rave reviews. I used blueberry jam in place of the raspberry. The browned almond flour in the crust was a technique I will use often. Will make again during Meyer lemon season. Note: Costco here in the states has 4lb bags of Meyer lemons in February/early March.

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2023

    Really delicious combination of flavors. The lemon curd was just sweet enough - still puckery. Next time I will use more raspberry jam for added sweetness and because the flavor wasn't as noticeable as I'd have liked.

• Blood orange and olive oil upside-down cake

  • Astrid5555 on January 22, 2021

    This is a beautiful looking cake with some crunch in the batter from the semolina flour. However, the olive oil taste was a little too pronounced for my taste (should have probably used a fruitier one).

  • EmilyR on February 01, 2021

    I prefer the olive oil cake from little flower baking co., but this is a solid choice. The semolina flour is an interesting touch and the candied blood oranges sure are beautiful.

  • SugarTreeBaking on May 15, 2021

    Beautiful, unusual and delicious cake. Make sure to thinly slice the oranges as the recipe states. Let it sit a day or two as the flavor just gets better.

  • khopkins1012 on January 23, 2025

    Outstanding. Baked in a 9" springform pan with no modifications. Required about 60 minutes in oven.

  • ellwell on January 26, 2025

    This was terrible. I was never expecting to say that based on the previous reviews. I followed the recipe exactly and was so excited to make it for company. Warning: It is important to cut off the dome if you are going to turn it upside down to show off the orange slices. Unfortunately I did not cut enough off which caused the cake to fracture upon flipping. Secondly, taste was terrible and I was embarrassed to serve it to company. Nobody ate it and we threw out the rest. I love olive oil cakes and just made the one from Eating Out Loud (also made with semolina) which was an infinitely superior recipe.

  • gloriole on August 15, 2021

    Claire instructs to use a springform pan, but I found that the sugar syrup leaked out and I definitely wished it stayed in the pan to create a beautiful sugary crust/glaze on the surface. It was also a pain to clean the pan. I would definitely just use a normal cake pan since it slid out really easily. Be sure to thinly slice the oranges as the recipe calls for, as thickly sliced oranges skins would be tough and bitter. I used a mandolin for mine. While the oranges looked beautiful, I found it hard to eat on top of the cake. The whole slice would pull off the cake in a bite, leaving naked bites of the cake. I personally felt the cake did fine without the orange slices. The semolina was a very nice and interesting touch though, creating a textural note that I appreciated in the cake.

  • Hansyhobs on March 05, 2022

    Delicious. Would absolutely do it again. My big problem with CF recipes is that she wants you to use so many bowls which is annoying but her recipes really work. This looked so impressive. I used a mandolin to slice the oranges which is a good tip. I used an 8 inch pan as I don't believe 10 inch is a regular size in the UK. Took about 20 mins longer to cook.

• Chocolate chip cookies

  • dbp19 on March 06, 2021

    The bake time quoted in the book yields a crunchier cookie. Bake for 16-17 min for crunchy edges and a soft middle. I couldn't find chocolate disks, so I made do with what I had: a bittersweet chocolate baking bar chopped up + milk chocolate chips. Still the best chocolate chip cookies I've ever made.

  • hirsheys on December 23, 2021

    These were fine, but not great and certainly not better than the Tara O’Brady ones that are my favorite.

  • apalmer91 on January 12, 2026

    I can’t get the cookies to not spread profusely and the oven timing seems incorrect. They are delicious, though- maybe just not worth the effort?

  • kate_qda8y4 on May 14, 2026

    The brown butter makes these a 10/10! Chilling the dough is essential so do not skip! I’ve loved this recipe for years, it never disappoints.

  • zoelaz on April 27, 2026

    Baked these in 2 batches, one after chilling in the fridge for the 18 minutes called for in the recipe- got fully burnt. The second I froze and baked from frozen, and baked until golden brown not to time. Much better though a little greasy almost. I think it’s important to let the browned butter cool completely before continuing the recipe, despite it saying this is not necessary, and will try that next time

  • dmdmdmmm on February 18, 2026

    Cookies are my absolute kryptonite! But im glad this came out well and they were pretty great!!!

  • blairla on January 18, 2026

    I rarely used to bake chocolate chip cookies until I had a kid who decided they’re his favorite cookie. So now I bake them fairly frequently in hopes of finding one that’s “just right”. This ain’t it. They’re not bad, and they’re certainly easy to make. But spread is unpredictable, and taste is just okay. My personal opinion is they have too much chocolate. I find that spread improved the longer the dough balls spent in the freezer. So one day in freezer, weird spread. One week in freezer, slightly less weird spread. One month in freezer when I baked up the last of the batch, the spread was basically normal.

  • evelyn_xzt59j on January 25, 2026

    Dough must be chilled before baking to avoid over-spreading.

  • rachel_ywqstg on February 12, 2026

    My new go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe! Easy and satisfying, the instructions are clear about what texture to expect at every step. I do need to adjust the cook time based on if I am baking same day, chilled overnight, or frozen, but not hard to monitor until golden brown.

  • katie_jnnw03 on February 07, 2026

    Best chocolate chip cookie recipe

  • jack_hh25z3 on March 16, 2026

    Letting the dough rest overnight does make a difference

  • stephanie_rkbsca on May 19, 2026

    Delicious massive cookies with indulgent combination of chocolate.

  • stef on February 21, 2022

    Easy to make with no mixer. Definitely needs refrigeration. I got 29 cookies using a tablespoon scooper. Baking time 12 minutes and cookies were 3" wide. A nice crunchy edges and chewy middle. Won't go on list as favorite

  • anya_sf on August 11, 2021

    I made 1/2 batch, yielding 10 cookies, using half 74% bittersweet chocolate disks and half chopped 60% bittersweet chocolate (not a fan of milk chocolate). This dough is unusually soft, so chilling is a must. I baked one batch after 5 hours of refrigeration and the 2nd after 48 hours; we couldn't discern any difference. The first batch baked 16 min and the second one 15 min and I slightly preferred the shorter baking time. The cookies were large and thin with chewy centers and crispy edges. Truly excellent! The only change I'd make would be to chop all the disks at least in half as the whole disks seemed too big. Great thing about these is I could finish a whole cookie without it feeling like too much, yet I didn't need a second.

• Thrice-baked rye cookies

  • Astrid5555 on April 07, 2021

    These cookies are spectacular! I could have eaten the cookie dough just as is, the pre-baked flours smelled heavenly. I am not sure the eggwash/sugar sprinkle before baking is necessary, this made the cookies rather on the sweet side for me. Next time I will use my decorative rolling pin and skip the eggwash/sugar sprinkle, and there will be many more times baking these cookies for me!

  • tarae1204 on April 26, 2021

    Delicious! These cookies entail many steps and stages, but it’s a small batch of dough and manageable. The toastiness brings out all the caramel and chocolate flavors of the rye flour. I loved the Demerara sugar for sweetness and a little texture. Try to roll these thinner than 1/4 inch if you can.

  • bching on May 06, 2021

    My husband likes these cookies a lot. They taste like stodgy peanut butter cookies to me. Lots of work and the instructions for rolling and cutting the dough weren't very specific. I lined a 12x17 rimmed baking sheet with parchment and pressed the dough into it. It worked very well. Toasting flour is a technique I am happy to have learned.

  • leilx on August 18, 2021

    Recipe is a bit of a hassle with a lot of steps, but turns out a delicious and unusual cookie. I like the idea mentioned below of using a decorative rolling pin.

  • SpatulaClark on October 19, 2021

    Not quite what I'd expected. I thought these were too crumbly/buttery/sweet, but texture settles after a day or two. Skipped egg brush and sugar sprinkle, and didn't miss it. These have been liked by all so far, with feedback including comparison to salted caramel.

  • melenie_6io5ew on March 13, 2026

    Grid up caraway seeds and add to dry ingredients to really get the rye flavor!

• Pineapple and pecan upside-down cake

  • anya_sf on April 08, 2021

    A lot more work than a typical pineapple upside-down cake. I wish I could say it was worth it, but I'm not convinced. The cake was certainly pretty and used nearly a whole pineapple, but the pineapple layer actually ended up kind of thin relative to cake. The cake had good flavor but was slightly dry (though may have overbaked a little).

• Brown butter cream cheese frosting

  • caitmcg on January 16, 2022

    I agree this is a stellar frosting, and I will probably never make plain cream cheese frosting again because the brown butter version is indeed that good. I used around two-thirds of the amount of confectioners sugar, and the result was plenty sweet for me.

  • Staceydee on March 11, 2026

    This is dangerously good

  • Clairehg on June 02, 2025

    Sooo delighful. Not too cream cheese forward.

  • EmilyR on April 05, 2026

    Brown butter makes everything delicious, so this is obviously part of that. I used this frosting on a different carrot cake and reduced the sugar about 50g, which I’d do again. Add dry milk to have even more browned butter solids, but beware they do show up flecking the frosting along with the vanilla.

  • tarae1204 on May 21, 2021

    This is an indulgent and unforgettable frosting. It’s rich, fragrant and a lovely pale brown. It’s so good, it does alright with vanilla extract but it deserves your vanilla bean, it’s that good.

  • stockholm28 on April 03, 2022

    This frosting is really fantastic. I appreciated her note to get the butter and cream cheese to the same temperature to avoid lumps an used a thermapen to measure the temp of both the cooled butter and cream cheese. The frosting came out beautifully smooth. I’ve had problems with lumpy cream cheese frosting in the past and never knew that the temperature difference was the cause. This will be my new go-to cream cheese frosting recipe.

  • hirsheys on April 27, 2025

    Super delicious. I don’t always love frosting, but this one is remarkably yummy.

• Marcona almond cookies

  • Apollonia on January 22, 2022

    Very easy and very, very fast, but not knock your socks off. The Marcona almond on the top was a nice, and noticeable touch, but the marconas in the dough were, in my view, indistinguishable from regular almonds, so you might save yourself some money by using those & adding salt to the dough and just topping with the marconas. For reasons I don't understand people sometimes pooh pooh almond extract, but frankly despite using good almond paste and almonds, this still could have used a drop or two of extract.

  • jbuchman on September 21, 2021

    Very easy and quick.

  • Twysbeek on March 04, 2022

    Come together very quickly and easily, added a drop of almond extract based on another note. 10 minutes had mine overly browned, 9 minutes were more ideal.

• Miso buttermilk biscuits

  • Apollonia on January 20, 2022

    These were great. Not too salty (despite my committed use of salted butter), with a nice flake and great buttery, umami taste. Mine didn't get super tall but weren't dense tasting. Will definitely make again.

  • kwansicle on May 10, 2024

    Delicious and an interesting, easy, make-ahead snack. Baked from frozen and was just as good as fresh.

  • Clairehg on June 02, 2025

    These were SOOO delicious and were very easy to make! With the butter it was delightful.

  • simone_lu3llo on March 05, 2026

    Taste was good, but biscuits don’t come out very tall and fluffy.

  • EmilyR on December 21, 2020

    These biscuits are incredible. I'm not much of a biscuit maker - until now - so I got nervous looking into the oven and seeing a pool of butter at the bottom of the pan, however upon cooling they soaked it all up and are super delicious! Also, wonderfully paired with Ottolenghi's butter miso onions.

  • evatoad on March 07, 2021

    These were good, though not transcendent. I would make them again and maybe make some slight adjustments (such as backing off the miso a bit). I enjoyed them through the next few days, split and toasted, with jam and also with scallion cream cheese.

• Buckwheat blueberry skillet pancake

  • Apollonia on August 01, 2021

    This received only so-so reviews in our house. We typically make Smitten Kitchen's Extra Billowy Dutch Baby, so maybe it was only the novelty that turned my crew off (always a possibility), but to my mind it was a bit thick and heavy for a dutch baby. I didn't really taste the brown butter either, and that step, plus the "platform" for the berries added a bit more work than I want in this kind of breakfast.

  • anya_sf on January 31, 2021

    I messed up (lack of sleep) but this still turned out well. I accidentally browned all 5 Tbsp butter and added it all to the batter. Forgot to add the eggs until after the butter was added. With the batter made 24 hours ahead, this was a fairly quick breakfast. I thought the edges would puff more relative to the center, but the whole pancake remained pretty thick and didn't really fall (maybe due to my mixing mistakes). Still, it was very hearty and good!

• Tomato tart with spices and herby feta

  • Astrid5555 on August 02, 2021

    Amazing with perfectly ripe summer tomatoes. Had some flaky pie crust n the freezer to use up and decided to make this on a whim. Loved the combination of roasted and raw tomatoes together with the whipped feta!

  • Rachaelsb on June 28, 2022

    Delicious!! And so much fun to make:-). Dough is incredibly easy to work with, and as promised very flaky. The roasted tomatoes with shallot and spices is great complement to raw tomatoes and the whipped feta with cooked garlic….over the top!! So happy with this dish.

  • anya_sf on August 06, 2021

    I forgot to drizzle the tomatoes with oil before roasting, so did so afterwards and they were still fine, maybe just not quite as good. I omitted the fennel seed (out); the seeds aren't strictly necessary but do provide nice pops of flavor. This tart was delicious and I appreciated that the various components could be made ahead. Leftovers were good the next day. If not using the crust from the book, note that it's larger than a standard single pie crust.

  • aistern on September 12, 2024

    I made this with puff pastry, which Claire said you could substitute. I didn't think this recipe was anything special, but the notes from others make me want to try it with the crust from this recipe.

• Gâteau Basque

  • Astrid5555 on July 06, 2021

    Excellent! Made the compote on day 1, the pastry cream and the dough on day 2, assembled and baked on day 3. If you spread the recipe out like that it is not that involved to make. Do wait to cut for a day as recommended (I just did not want to because it smelled so delicious), otherwise the pastry cream is still a little liquid and tends to ooze out. Easier to cut neatly after chilling in the fridge for a day. A real crowd pleaser!

  • evatoad on March 07, 2021

    Sensational. Will make again. It’s a project, but the finished cake is rich enough to be sliced in small pieces and keeps for a while. and is at once unusual, unassuming, and triumphant. The crème patissière melds with the top layer of pastry and gives the impression of a (shallow) cheesecake, but I like this significantly more than I like cheesecake.

  • mirage on December 09, 2023

    Definitely need to make this over a few days. This is currently my favorite dessert! It really is amazing.

• Coffee coffee cake

  • Astrid5555 on May 14, 2021

    Made half a recipe in an 8x8 inch cake pan. Perfect for coffee & spice lovers, will use the cake part of the recipe for other cakes as well. Delicious!

  • hirsheys on August 29, 2021

    I made half a batch of this and may have over baked it a touch, but still enjoyed it a lot. It takes a little getting used to - the flavors are lovely, but it’s a little jarring at first that it isn’t the pure cinnamon flavor of normal coffee cake. That said, it’s not too sweet, very fluffy, and the cardamom/coffee taste is nicely balanced. Sukhi thought it was heaven (cardamom and coffee are her two favorite flavors, so not surprising!) Definitely worth making again.

  • aistern on September 12, 2024

    Best coffee cake! Involved recipe but worth it

  • smcculle on March 16, 2024

    worked great with bob's 1-1 gluten free flour

  • jazmin_l3pudo on February 15, 2026

    Super moist and very COFFEE flavored. Would make again.

  • MaryJane7 on June 14, 2024

    Before making this recipe, I read many comments mentioning that the cake turned out very dry. So, I decided to use an adjusted version suggested by a Reddit user, which had received lots of positive feedback. I also used half the ingredients to bake it in an 8x8 pan. The cake was moist enough for a coffee cake but quite bland for our taste. Next time, I will try the classic King Arthur's cinnamon coffee cake. I might eventually mix the two recipes to get more cinnamon and coffee flavor.

  • Iwantobeahobbit on January 16, 2025

    Coffee and cardamom is such a dreamy combination in this cake! My bake didn't come out too dry like others have experienced. For all the effort involved I'm glad I made a 9x13 batch.

  • elisa_m95b99 on February 07, 2026

    Very yummy but makes a large portion. Next time I might try to half the recipe !

  • lucia_dbdl2m on March 23, 2026

    Great coffee flavor and loved the hint of cardamon

  • nicole_lmgml1 on January 20, 2026

    Love!!

  • simone_lu3llo on February 26, 2026

    Have made this recipe countless times, it’s incredible.

  • lou_weez on July 11, 2021

    YUM!! This is a real coffee lovers dream cake. Soft, billowy cake heady with coffee and spices topped with a crunchy crumble....mmmmmm.

  • bwhip on October 28, 2020

    If you really like coffee, you'll really like this cake. Coffee in the cake, coffee in the swirl, coffee in the topping. :) I think next time I might put a little cocoa in the swirl just to give it a hint of chocolate to go along with all the coffee. As I do with many new recipes I haven't tried yet, I halved the batch and made this in an 8" x 8" pan rather than the 9 x 13.

• Soft and crispy focaccia

  • Astrid5555 on May 20, 2021

    Excellent, chewy crumb and crusty top, made with the garlic & rosemary topping. My new go-to focaccia recipe.

  • sarahawker on October 19, 2023

    Delicious, made the rosemary topping. I'm not great about remembering multi-steps in breadmaking so I think it overproofed in the first rise but we still had some decent bubbling.

  • simone_lu3llo on February 13, 2026

    Dough didn’t rise or get very bubbly at all. Final taste was fine, but was hoping for a thicker, fluffier result. I guess it’s supposed to be a thinner focaccia?

  • nicole_lmgml1 on January 20, 2026

    There’s a helpful YouTube video of Claire making this. I can’t imagine making it without the stand mixer. I usually top mine with halved cherry tomatoes.

  • rachel_ywqstg on February 08, 2026

    Delicious - soft interior with a crispy bottom. Claire’s youtube video and clear instructions were so helpful! I made the garlic rosemary topping and recieved many compliments - even with a same day bake! I will try the optional overnight proofing next time.

  • anya_sf on July 07, 2021

    The dough was super slack, almost batter-like, even after extra kneading, but since it gets poured into the sheet pan, it wasn't too bad to work with (just very sticky, even after oiling hands). I used the gram weight of flour, which I think is correct (ounces are wrong). I chilled it overnight. Made 2 toppings: rosemary-garlic and potato. There was much more of the potato, so I spread it on 2/3 dough with rosemary-garlic on 1/3. The potato side took longer to bake and I worried the rosemary side would be overdone, but it was fine. Despite all the oil, the focaccia stuck to the pan a lot. It was delicious, but quite oily; your fingers will get messy.

  • bwhip on October 25, 2020

    Excellent! As the name says, "Soft and Crispy." It's both of those things, just perfectly. I made the Tomato-Garlic-Thyme version, with tomatoes from our garden, and it was wonderful, and pretty easy to put together, with very clear instructions. Loved every bite.

  • CheesyKranskyLove on October 04, 2022

    Extremely good right out of the oven. I used 2 quarter sheet pan in lieu of a half sheet and proofed for slightly less time.

  • DKennedy on February 13, 2024

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGnMrM9qDtE

  • DKennedy on May 10, 2023

    Claire has a Youtube tutorial for this recipe.

• Pull-apart sour cream and chive rolls

  • Astrid5555 on June 19, 2021

    Made a quarter of a recipe for a snack for 4, wish I had made more! Fluffiest rolls I have made in a long time, the chives make it into something special.

  • anya_sf on January 12, 2022

    Tender, fluffy, and tasty. The dough took longer to rise initially, but my kitchen is rather cold. I made 1/2 recipe in an 8"x8" pan, so they were rectangular rather than square. Next time I will be more generous with the flaky salt on top.

  • Xyz123 on February 20, 2022

    This is what it must feel like to eat a cloud. They are so light and fluffy and they taste great!

  • Foodycat on April 16, 2022

    Like Astrid I made a quarter recipe as part of dinner for 2 - absolutely amazing. So fluffy and almost briochey. I baked them in the kettle barbecue for 30 minutes - the tops were a little dark but the cook was perfect. I used wild garlic instead of chives. Edited December 2024 I have made this recipe so often! For Christmas this year I made them a week ahead, shaped them and froze them in a buttered tree-shaped Panettone mould. On Christmas Eve I thawed them overnight in the fridge and then baked them on Christmas morning. They took longer to prove before baking than usual, but they rose perfectly.

  • puddlemere on November 27, 2020

    Made these for Thanksgiving, and they're great! Super soft and fluffy. Some of the chives on the outside of the rolls got a little caramelized in the oven and they added some great pops of flavor. Makes me wonder if there's a way to caramelize the chives before adding them to the dough to get more of that flavor inside the rolls.

  • robyn_6oitvf on January 28, 2026

    a lot of work, but worth it

  • katie_jnnw03 on February 07, 2026

    I make this every year for all holidays. It gets easier the more you make it.

  • chawkins on November 16, 2025

    These were okay to me. May be I was expecting too much from all the raves it got here. I made half a recipe in and 8x8” pan.

  • Clairehg on January 22, 2026

    These are now the go to request for holidays. Definitely need to give them time to rise to make them not so dense and the perfect fluffiness!

  • andreapcoburn on December 29, 2025

    The best rolls I’ve ever made. I have made them 3 times now. Also, this last time, I was slightly short the sour cream but had some sour cream based chip dip so I used about 1/4 cup of it to make up the difference, which was really good too - they had even more of a zesty flavor.

  • andreapcoburn on April 10, 2026

    Amazing rolls! I have made them for every holiday over the last year. Green onions are good if you can’t find chives. Also, one time I was low on sour cream but had some leftover sour cream herb dip and used that, and it was really good that way too.

  • evakim on October 29, 2025

    These are amazing as everyone says they are! I topped them with some Parmesan grated on a microplane when they came out of the oven the second time I baked these and it was a really nice touch.

  • lindsey_5xsrit on December 27, 2025

    These are absolutely amazing - the perfect dinner roll! This is the first bread recipe I’ve ever attempted and it’s so well written and easy to follow.

  • morgan_rdlrx7 on January 13, 2026

    I’m required to bring these every Thanksgiving.

• Strawberry cornmeal layer cake

  • Astrid5555 on June 20, 2021

    Made half a recipe in an 8-inch cake ring. Used quick-cooking polenta instead of fine cornmeal, which gives a pleasant crunch to the cake. Not too sweet, perfect summer treat!

  • nutrica6 on May 10, 2024

    This is an easy but impressive seasonal dessert. It is light and not too sweet. I used regular cornmeal and thought the texture was great. Would be great with stone ground as well though. I found the instructions and cook times were spot on, would do it exactly the same next time.

  • sbrooksh on June 11, 2024

    This was good, not too much work. Instructions very accurate. Yummy but I’m not sure it was significantly better than cornbread with strawberries and cream

  • elisa_m95b99 on February 07, 2026

    I crave this recipe. I love the combo of strawberry and cornmeal

  • adrienne_809c8y on June 01, 2026

    Low effort, high reward recipe! Added four tablespoons powdered sugar to whipped cream. Delicious!

• Meyer lemon curd

  • Astrid5555 on April 07, 2021

    One of the easiest and quickest lemon curd recipes I have ever made. Rubbing the zest into the sugar makes for an incredibly aromatic and fragrant curd. My new go-to recipe.

  • JuneHawk on July 15, 2024

    Weirdly salty and not sweet enough.

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2023

    Delicious, not-too-sweet curd. I loved that the lemon zest wasn't strained out.

• Sweet tart dough

  • Astrid5555 on April 07, 2021

    Was curious about the method of pressing the dough into the tart tin and not rolling it out. Took me quite some time to get it done evently, but held up beautifully without using any pie weights, no slumping at all!

  • anya_sf on March 14, 2023

    Flavorful pastry. The tin-lining method worked well initially. Par-baking took 30 min with foil on, then another 15 with foil off. The pastry didn't slump, but the bottom separated from the edges. I was able to press them back together while the tart shell was still warm, plus patch the cracks with the leftover dough. However, the edge did tend to fall off when we sliced the filled tart, so next time I will try to seal them together better.

  • evelyn_xzt59j on February 02, 2026

    The foil-lining method did eradicate any slumping, but I did find the foil stuck in some areas, creating cracks/holes in the parbaked pastry. Luckily, I followed Claire’s advice of saving dough scraps to patch up the crust when I baked my tart.

• Chocolate-hazelnut galette des rois

  • Astrid5555 on February 05, 2022

    Made this back in January, the addition of Nutella with the frangipane is delicious! If you make this a two-day project it comes together quite quickly. Will make again next year!

  • Pinkrupee on May 07, 2024

    Straighforward to make (though ready-made rolled puff pastry isn't wide enough for the 10" round needed , but it worked when I cut a wide strip off the end to 'stick' on the width) and impressive and tasty, possibly a teensy bit dry to eat without cream or ice cream when you tuck in after everyone's gone.....!

  • als102 on March 09, 2026

    This is out of this world - such good flavor and not too sweet!

• Brioche dough

  • Astrid5555 on July 11, 2021

    This is a super forgiving brioche dough, beautiful to handle. Used half a recipe to bake a brioche loaf for breakfast and the other half to make the Apricot Brioche Tart from the same book.

  • Clairehg on June 02, 2025

    Soooo yummy and not too labor intensive.

  • anya_sf on March 01, 2021

    Despite several mistakes, this still turned out well, so I'll have to try again. Initially the dough was super slack, almost soupy, to the point where I removed the bowl and weighed it; it seemed 100 g light, so I added 100g extra (?) flour - which presumably should have been added in the beginning, assuming I didn't weigh the flour correctly at first. After that the dough came together fine. After chilling 24 hours, I used half the dough for the twists, half for a loaf. I put the loaf in my cold oven to rise...then forgot about it until the next morning :( Amazingly, it hadn't deflated, so I baked it and it actually baked up OK, rising more in the oven.

• Silkiest chocolate buttercream

  • Astrid5555 on December 27, 2021

    This recipe makes a smooth, chocolatey, and very delicious buttercream, a little bit more involved than my usual Swiss meringue buttercream because you have to make an Italian meringue and use a sugar thermometer. Got rave reviews from everybody.

  • katrina_jhypqm on March 17, 2026

    silkiest, best tasting buttercream i’ve used. very involved but worth the effort

• Plum galette with polenta and pistachios

  • Astrid5555 on September 23, 2021

    We really loved this one. The polenta and pistachio nuts provide some crunch while at the same time help soaking up the juices from the plums. Will definitely bake this one again next fall!

• Apple tart

  • Astrid5555 on October 14, 2021

    This tart is delicious! When making this recipe over two days (rough puff pastry as well as the stewed apples on day 1) and finishing the tart on day 2, this is quite manageable even on a weekday. Apples at their best!

• Vanilla sugar palmiers

  • Astrid5555 on October 24, 2021

    Used up all the rough puff pastry scraps I had saved in the freezer to make mini vanilla sugar palmiers. Great little snack with a cup of coffee.

• Quince and almond tart with rosé

  • Astrid5555 on October 24, 2021

    Used half a recipe of the Rough Puff Pastry I still had in the freezer, still a project over 2 days to bake this. You have to prepare the quince, poach them in spice-infused rosé wine, cook the liquid down to make a quince jelly, let it set in the fridge and bake the tart. Quite good, but too-high-effort-to-taste-ratio to repeat.

• Pistachio Linzer tart

  • Astrid5555 on May 02, 2021

    There’s something with Claire Saffitz’s cake and cookie batters that just makes you want to eat them raw. This is the most delicious cake batter ever, and it also bakes into a delicious cake as well. Being Austrian it was kind of strange to use pistachios and raspberry jam for a Linzer tart when you traditionally only use hazelnuts or almonds and red currant jam. However, this was one of the best Linzer tarts I have ever eaten.

• Sour cherry pie

  • Astrid5555 on July 20, 2021

    We really liked this one. The pie dough is very flaky and as already mentioned overnight refrigeration helps to settle the juices perfectly. Will repeat next sour cherry season.

  • evelyn_xzt59j on January 29, 2026

    Incredible flaky crust, and a sweet-tart, nuanced flavor to the filling. Don’t make my mistake and go overboard with the lemon zest- it tends to overpower the finer flavors on the almond extract and cardamom. Overall, a showstopping bake in both appearance and taste.

  • stef on June 27, 2021

    A very good cherry pie. Thickener was cornstarch but I didn't get that cornstarch taste. Overnight refrigeration settled the juices nicely. Family liked it a lot.

• Peach Melba tart

  • Astrid5555 on June 30, 2021

    I also cheated and used store-bought puff pastry and made half a recipe. If you make the peaches and the pastry cream a day ahead, this comes together really quickly. An impressive looking dinner party-worthy summer dessert!

  • anya_sf on June 28, 2021

    Easy to make using store-bought puff pastry. I made 1/2 recipe using 3 peaches and 2/5 (2 egg yolks) of the pastry cream, which fit nicely into the tart shell. Despite docking, the pastry puffed up a lot during baking and the top layer crumbled when pressed down; fortunately it was covered by the pastry cream. This tart was really delicious, although a little messy to eat as the peach half kept sliding off the tart when I tried to cut bites with my fork.

• Apricot and cream brioche tart

  • Astrid5555 on July 11, 2021

    One of my favorite bakes from this book so far. Quite quick to assemble with the brioche dough in the fridge overnight. The cream topping is just a mixture of crème fraîche (in my case leftover sour cream) mixed with an egg yolk, vanilla paste and a little sugar. A must bake for apricot season!

• Chewy molasses spice cookies

  • jbuchman on September 27, 2021

    Fabulous and easy to make. Refrigerating the dough overnight makes it easier to handle.

  • okmosa on April 26, 2022

    These weren’t the kind of chewy I was expecting; I was looking for a thicker chewy cookie. These cookies were OK chewy on the center but the edges were crispy crunchy. I agree with the other notes to increase the spices a little bit. My dough was in the refrigerator probably three hours and it was surprisingly soft to work with, but workable. I’m not sure if more time in the refrigerator would have alleviated that. Overall, a fine cookie, but I’m going to keep searching for the chewy molasses/gingerbread cookie for me.

  • stef on September 25, 2021

    A delicious cookie. I added a bit more of each spice. No apple cider vinegar so I used sherry vinegar. This is going on my Christmas baking list.

  • ehallison on November 30, 2021

    I had the dough in the fridge almost 2 hours and it was still very soft. Next time I'll leave it for at least 3 hours.

  • hbakke on December 26, 2020

    Chewy and delicious. The dough was still very soft after an hour in the refrigerator, so were a little difficult to roll in the sugar. I would probably leave these in the fridge longer next time. I also might increase the spices a little next time as they seemed a little muted (possibly old spices). I would make these again.

  • KCKB on December 04, 2022

    Making these today and will report back how they turn out. Questions for other bakers: 1) I noted what people said about needing more spices and wondered, would it help to bump up the salt? With unsalted butter and only 1/2 tsp kosher salt, it sounds to me like that could be part of why the flavor might be a little flat. 2) also, any idea why the recipe asks you to make two 6x6 squares of dough before refrigerating, if it’s just going to get portioned into balls rather than rolled out? Seems weirdly specific (not a criticism, just an observation) … and would it work better to pop the dough in the freezer rather than the fridge? Would love to hear if others have insight on these questions!

  • KCKB on December 04, 2022

    Following up now that cookies are done: yes, I think their flavor would benefit from salted butter/more salt. And I suspect Claire’s culinary school training is behind the precise instructions to shape the dough in a 6x6 square, etc. - I found that it worked fine to scoop the dough into a couple of zipper-lock plastic bags (easier to wash and re-use), flatten it out and pop in the freezer before breaking off chunks and rolling in sugar.

  • apalmer91 on January 12, 2026

    My husband and family always raves about this cookie. I’ve included it in both 2024 and 2025 cookie boxes and everyone comments on it, specifically.

  • AllisonML on April 12, 2026

    I made these for Christmas and they were my favorite cookie from the season

  • lindsey_5xsrit on December 25, 2025

    I love this recipe and make it every holiday season! This year I prepared the dough ahead of time and froze per her instructions - 16 minutes in the oven and they were perfect.

• Rice pudding cake with mango caramel

  • jd_z77v3u on January 23, 2026

    I really liked this. it's nice that it's a bit of a change-up from the usual gluten free dessert options, and looked very impressive on the table.

  • nicole_lmgml1 on January 21, 2026

    Flop for me. I found this very fussy to make, and unpleasantly firm to eat. I'm assuming I overcooked the rice pudding, since the visual indicator she described didn't really happen for me (and I had trouble imagining what it would look like).

  • gloriole on August 15, 2021

    The mango caramel was the absolute star of the show in this recipe. It added such an amazing depth and layer of flavor. The rice pudding cake on the other hand, felt too dense. I did make the recipe in a smaller 7.5 in cake pan vs a 9 in pan, so the cake was taller in height than intended. The cake does need to be enjoyed at room temp or warmer for several reasons. 1) The caramel needs to be warm to be poured over the cake. 2) The rice pudding cake was really only enjoyable at room temperature or warmer. Any colder and the rice pudding felt too stiff and an odd contrast to the warm caramel and softness of the mango. Mango can be served either warmed up or cold. Either works. While Claire writes to serve the cake with thinly sliced mango, I found that the slices were too thin to balance out the cake and caramel. Chunks would be better. Claire rated the recipe as easy, but I'd rank it higher in difficulty due to the time and labor required in babysitting the rice pudding + caramel.

• Goat cheese cake with honey and figs

  • mahealani on March 30, 2025

    After baking this I was a bit worried because it did not rise up much and was pretty short in the springform pan. But oh the taste and texture was fantastic. I put macerated strawberries on top instead of figs and it was a super hit at our small Oscar watch party.

• Caramelized honey pumpkin pie

  • orangesandlemons on May 17, 2022

    The filling of the pie is my all-time favorite pumpkin pie recipe. I found that it made twice as much filling as needed. The first batch, I made Saffitz's crust. The second batch, I used an Alison Roman crust and me and my roommates preferred that.

  • nicole_lmgml1 on January 20, 2026

    She explicitly says not to use chestnut honey, but I did anyway, and it was amazing. First bite I wasn’t even sure I liked it, and thought that chestnut honey had ruined it. But by the third bite I was obsessed.

  • olivia_35w3k2 on February 01, 2026

    So delicious! I under-filled it because the crust got wonky, and over baked it a smidge. Delightful nonetheless! Will be making next year for sure.

  • khopkins1012 on December 04, 2024

    The honey is subtle and most noticeable as an endnote. I had enough extra filling to fill two, two-ounce ramekins. I would repeat.

• Apple and Concord grape crumble pie

  • rachelleg88 on October 12, 2021

    Do not be turned away on how labourious the grape peeling is - it's not that bad and it's definitely worth it! :)

• Blackberry caramel tart

  • Clairehg on June 02, 2025

    OMG DELIGHTFUL!!!! This was BEAUTIFUL and received raving reviews. I would make this anytime blackberries are in season, it's THAT good!

• Blueberry slab pie

  • Charlotte_vandenberg on July 06, 2024

    Made this for a barbecue with colleagues, easy to make, lots of comments on how nice it is to also have a dessert that’s not too sweet. It was still a little warm when I served it.

• Salted halvah blondies

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2022

    Tasty, unusual blondies. The flavor reminded me of peanut butter. After 25 minutes of baking, the center was puffed but seemed too soft and the edges were barely golden, so I baked it an extra 5 minutes and the blondies were perfectly soft and chewy.

  • aistern on November 25, 2023

    Really enjoyed this recipe!! The flavors were an interesting twist of sweet and salty. The halva dissolved and didn’t add much texture

• Brown butter and sage sablés

  • kwansicle on May 10, 2024

    Maybe an acquired taste, but seemed to go down well with others. Unsurprisingly quite strong on the sage.

  • emanfena on November 02, 2024

    Have made for parties and potlucks three times and everyone always comments on how delicious they are. A slightly lighter version of a shortbread, nice salty/savory quality to balance the sweetness

  • stephanie_zzui3u on November 29, 2025

    Flavor was great but had mixed results in form both times I baked

• Cinnamon sugar palmiers

  • evelyn_xzt59j on January 30, 2026

    Perfect recipe with perfect results. I did add an extra set of letter folds to my rough puff dough for a little extra lamination, but that’s personal preference :)

  • AllisonML on April 12, 2026

    I’ll confess here that I used Trader Joe’s all butter puff pastry and followed the recipe. They were delicious ??

• Aunt Rose’s mondel bread

  • stef on June 06, 2021

    A different way of making mondel. You flip the loaves three times during baking and then cut. I found that difficult, one of them cracked. Might try baking it like a biscotti

• Coconut thumbprints

  • dmdmdmmm on February 18, 2026

    These were okay. I guess i’m just not a fan of crumbly cookies

  • meichal_yfc8fy on January 26, 2026

    These are delicious but also a lot of work a few times I made them I put jam in the thumbprint instead of caramel to save time.

• Oat and pecan brittle cookies

  • katrina_jhypqm on March 17, 2026

    subbed pecan brittle for just toffee bits due to allergy. added chocolate. brittle got lost with chocolate, would omit chocolate on next try. really nice snap and chew on these cookies

  • joshua_1bfpk1 on February 17, 2026

    The only changes I can share is for a better chew, whip cooled brown butter & sugar until light and airy versus mixing until the color changes. Rest for 24 hours in the fridge, freeze for at least 3 hours before baking. I prefer to bake small batches so 3-4 cookies at a time, middle rack, rotate at 12 mins like the book states but shape with a ring mold or a deli container to maintain the spread.

  • breck_x0p0c8 on May 15, 2026

    These take a long time but they're worth it.

  • blairla on January 18, 2026

    Very good! Not quick, but worth it, and they freeze well. I have successfully made with other nut brittles including a Marcona almond one, so you may have success riffing on these too.

  • apalmer91 on January 12, 2026

    Incredible incredible cookie. So worth the extra time and effort.

  • stef on April 21, 2021

    These cookies came out as promised. Crispy on the outside chewy in the middle. I made them smaller using #40 scoop and they spread and were big enough. Baking time 12 minutes.

  • dbp19 on January 18, 2021

    Best the day they’re made, so they retain a bit of crunch. They soften up over a few days and give an ultra-chewy cookie. Not that I’m complaining.

  • Xyz123 on October 19, 2021

    The brittle is worth making and eating on its own! So good. I make a double batch of these and freeze them. When I have a craving, I pull out what I need and have fresh cookies in no time.

• Minty lime bars

  • tarae1204 on April 25, 2021

    The recipe suggests these will be easier to cut after an hour in the fridge but they were still quite soft and messy. These were good and well-appreciated, but for me the recipe didn’t feel reliable enough, the curd underset. You just don’t taste the mint in the shortbread crust unless eaten alone, although perhaps there’s a perception of it to balance the lime. They were very tangy. Recipe calls for 7 limes and I was juuuust able to produce 3/4 c juice from those. Safer to have 8-9.

  • gloriole on August 15, 2021

    Super tangy and tart, prob a little too much for me. It's a bit shocking on the first bite, but it does grow on you. That said, the flavor of lime was so strong that you can't taste the shortbread and the mint at all. It didn't feel like a balanced recipe and didn't leave me wanting more. Also, unsure whether it's the recipe or me, but the curd simply did not fully set, even after several hours in the fridge. Cutting into it was a soft gooey mess in the middle, which didn't make for a pretty pic or serving plate. The bars were simply too fragile and messy for handheld treats. Also, the recipe calls for corn starch that would thicken the lime/lemon/sugar solution, but mine didn't thicken very much with that step. The recipe also asks for the juice of 1 lemon and 7 limes, and that made juuuusssttt enough on the dot, so, have an extra one just in case.

• Peanut butter and Concord grape sandwich cookies

  • Foodycat on May 24, 2022

    On her Youtube channel, Claire does a thumbprint variation and a classic variation. I did the classic. My only change was to add a little bit of cinnamon to the granulated sugar the balls of dough were rolled in. Absolutely delicious - absolutely melt-in-the-mouth. Now I have also made the thumbprint variation - she shapes the cookies, bakes them and then adds the jam, which is much more successful than baking with the jam in. Really good.

• Classic birthday cake

  • katie_jnnw03 on February 07, 2026

    Well loved

  • sharone7 on May 25, 2021

    Everything I've made so far from Dessert Person has been a winner. This cake flavor is delicious and the chocolate cream cheese frosting turns out so pretty. I made about 2/3 recipe of the frosting and still had some left over after a crumb coat, regular coat, and some piping.

• Confetti cake

  • samantha_p4p04u on April 27, 2026

    I think the cake and frosting is really tasty! I did find the cake to have a little bit of a cornmeal texture which was odd. Everyone loved it at the party!

  • lindsey_5xsrit on January 02, 2026

    Made this recipe as cupcakes with her chocolate cream cheese frosting and it came out great!

  • Staceydee on March 12, 2026

    Didn’t love the texture of this cake

  • EmilyR on February 07, 2025

    recipe here : https://www.randomhousebooks.com/campaign/confetti-cake-dessert-person/

  • Clairehg on January 29, 2026

    This just screams kid birthday cake in the best way! So flavorful and delicious. Only downside is it take NINE eggs!

• Carrot and pecan cake

  • Clairehg on June 02, 2025

    Everyone LOVES this one! With the brown butter frosting, it's delightful, and I'm sayiing that as someone who doesn't even like carrot cake.

  • hirsheys on April 27, 2025

    Made this for Easter - made half a recipe in 9 inch (worked great) with 1/2 a recipe frosting. Very good, but we wanted the carrots smaller, so grate on fine option and then chop maybe, especially if a very mature carrot like mine was. Also didn’t use nuts - next time I would.

  • Staceydee on March 12, 2026

    Obsessed with this recipe

  • hailey_tthlx3 on April 06, 2026

    This came out super tasty and moist! It was a big hit for my families Easter dinner.

  • samantha_p4p04u on March 17, 2026

    One of the best things from this book and I think it’s worth the pain to do the three layers of cake. I’ve done a 13x9 and cupcakes and it’s not the same.

  • jessica_me21zm on February 16, 2026

    I did not like Joe this recipe was written, but I will make it everytime. Best carrot cake I’ve ever had. Everyone raved over it!!

  • sharone7 on May 25, 2021

    This cake was wildly popular. The brown butter cream cheese frosting is not to be believed, and the flavor of the cake itself is lovely and subtle.

  • stef on April 05, 2021

    This is a wonderful carrot cake. Nice and moist with strong ginger flavour. Loved the brown butter cream cheese frosting. Grated carrots with food processor.

  • stockholm28 on April 03, 2022

    I made this in cupcake form. The cake was very good, but the brown butter cream cheese frosting was fantastic. This made 19 cupcakes. I ended up with an extra cup of frosting since the cupcakes didn’t require as much as the three layer cake. Repeat-worthy.

  • tarae1204 on May 21, 2021

    This is a wonderful cake that can handle swapping all purpose flour for a gluten free blend. The only difficulty I had was measuring the mass of the carrots vs the stated gram weight. I think I was low in carrots so the cake came out salty. 2 teaspoons kosher salt is just a LOT for a cake - if I make it again, I will halve the amount of salt. The brown butter cream cheese frosting is insanely good.

  • dbp19 on January 18, 2021

    You know a cake is gonna be excellent when you can just eat the batter on its own. You can also toast your nuts in the toaster oven. I didn’t have enough pecans and used a pecan-walnut combo and all turned out perfectly. I also made this with a hand beater instead of a stand mixer and it worked well.

• All coconut cake

  • laurenlangston on October 02, 2022

    Multiple components, much work, incredibly worth it. This is one of the best textured crumbs I’ve ever made and would be very happy to use it as a base for other celebration cakes.

  • Xyz123 on April 19, 2022

    This was a wonderful coconut cake. Not too sweet and lots of coconut flavor. I didn’t add the fresh coconut to layers and only added the toasted coconut to the sides. I’ll definitely make this again.

  • Suphada on March 31, 2021

    This recipe is on p 200-201

  • meichal_yfc8fy on January 26, 2026

    My favorite cake. Every component is important but it’s easy to make non-dairy or with fresh milled flour too. I found that the custard, toasting of the coconut flakes, and softening the cake with coconut milk had the most impact on the outcome.

  • alicek94 on October 17, 2023

    This cake is amazing and a favorite at my house. I skipped the coconut meat because I couldn't find it anywhere and that was totally fine. I also use GF flour as well and it comes out great (albeit on the slightly denser side).

• Chocolate buttermilk cake

  • katrina_jhypqm on March 17, 2026

    had high hopes for this cake but came out super dry

  • Clairehg on June 02, 2025

    I've tried this twice and can never get it right - turns out very dry. Probably won't try a third time, although I so badly want it to be good!

• Strawberry-rhubarb Pavlovas with rose

  • Frogcake on September 17, 2022

    This recipe makes gorgeous pillowy pavlovas. The best pavlovas I have ever made! I followed the meringue recipe to the letter but made some changes in the topping. I didn’t macerate the strawberries because they were local Quebec variety and sweet enough. I served the meringues with sliced berries, peaches and kiwi (for colour). Despite the large amount of sugar in the meringue, they are not overly sweet - just perfect, and if you follow the technique, the texture is heavenly. I didn’t add the rose water but will in the future. I was intrigued by the mango caramel sauce in another recipe (rice pudding cake, in the same cookbook) and served it with vanilla ice cream as dessert for another dinner party. I had some left and drizzled droplets on the pavlovas. This was also a heavenly little change that I would consider doing again. I forgot to note that this recipe makes a lot of pavlovas - I made 28 decent sized portions!

• Fruitcake

  • MonicaMadeIt on March 07, 2022

    I really love this cake but it's a lot of labor (and time) and definitely not for everyone. The cake itself requires so much expensive dried fruit, it is a privilege to be able to afford all of it. My Kitchenaid mixer was barely capable of mixing the dough. after baking, you spend 2 months soaking the cakes with brandy, and finally you coat in raspberry jam, cover in rolled-out marzipan, and lastly encase a layer of royal icing. The covering/icing phase was not nearly as simple as the book made it seem. however, the finished product is fruity, chewy, and boozy, if you're into that, and will keep a long, long time (2 months and counting here).

• Black sesame Paris-Brest

  • als102 on May 11, 2026

    I was really excited about this one and it was kind of a let down. It tastes fine, but compared to the rest of the recipes in this book it is a little bland. The black sesame pastry cream is tasty and not too sweet. Oh well!

• Preserved lemon meringue cake

  • CaptainPantsless on April 07, 2026

    I overcooked the sugar syrup a bit and lost some loft to the meringue, but still delightful. The orange blossom water adds sooo much interest without overwhelming.

  • als102 on February 20, 2026

    Other than using a zillion eggs, this recipe is fantastic! Really excellent flavor and the instructions are clear. I'd happily make this (and the lemon curd) again in the future.

  • Tatiana131 on May 18, 2026

    It’s a solid 9/10 - almost an ideal dessert, but I’m reserving 10 out of 10 for something transcendent. The preserved lemons add a sophisticated tang and ever so salty accent. In the same vein as salted caramel, but more subtlle. The lemon curd between the layers provides rich moisture with a strong lemon tang and the meringue contains a teaspoon of orange blossom water. Overall, a signature flex dessert for sure, when I want to spend two days on a cake.

• Brown butter corn muffins

  • anya_sf on April 23, 2021

    These were lighter than expected, moist, tender, mildly sweet, with lots of corn - more corn kernels than flour or cornmeal. Made with frozen, thawed corn kernels, bites of corn were occasionally a bit chewy; freshly cut corn kernels would probably be inconsistent in size, which would actually be nice here. Next time I might chop some of the corn into smaller pieces.

  • dmdmdmmm on February 18, 2026

    These were suuuper moist, light and fluffy! This is easily a nice filling snack to have

• Seedy maple breakfast muffins

  • JeffALNY on March 19, 2026

    I was making a snack for a group of people with unknown palates so I chose this because honestly it looked a little boring, but it was really delicious!

  • TheresaH on March 20, 2026

    These are pretty good. Nice crunch from the seeds and juicy pop of blueberries.

  • anothersarah on August 03, 2023

    I love a seedy muffin. I subbed banana for applesauce and some of my berries sunk to the bottom but these still turned out good. I might use less maple next time and roll the berries in flour first.

  • anya_sf on May 23, 2024

    Tasty muffins for seed lovers. I made the batter the night before, except for the blueberries, which I stirred in the morning of baking. The chilled batter took an extra 10 min to bake. Texture was relatively light the day of baking; the next day it was much denser, but still pleasant.

  • mary_xo214q on March 26, 2026

    Better the second day but still not much flavor. If I use this recipe again, I will really increase the spices or add lemon zest or some other flavoring.

• Classic English muffins

  • kellilee on November 09, 2024

    Recipe warns that if you rest the dough for more than 12 hours, you lose your "nooks and crannies" - and recipe was right. Be warned! But looked beautiful and tasted great, just denser than an English muffin should be.

  • evelyn_xzt59j on January 29, 2026

    Addicting. Follow the instructions exactly- use a biscuit cutter to punch perfect circles, and don’t be tempted to stray from keeping the griddle on low and slow- the wait is worth it! Don’t throw your dough scraps away- they do nicely as a baker’s snack, griddled in the time between batches. ;)

  • anya_sf on January 24, 2021

    The trickiest part with these was figuring out when to make them since I prefer to bake midday, but the timing here doesn't permit that. In the end, it wasn't too much work to make the dough after dinner and griddle them in the morning. Claire says that way you can enjoy them fresh, but honestly they were better toasted, so feel free to make them ahead. I patted my dough a bit thin in places and got 9 pretty muffins, 1 not-too-badly-cobbled-together muffin, and 1 badly-cobbled-together muffin which sort of fell apart (I hated wasting the scraps). These muffins had good flavor with the classic nooks and crannies inside.

  • sbrooksh on April 09, 2022

    These were delicious and really easy. I was truly surprised the dough came together since it was so wet, but after 10 minutes of mixing at medium high speed (6 on a kitchen aid stand mixer) it was clearing the walls. I also thought the parchment paper step was a bit overkill at first, but I realized that it helps you feel for uneven thickness in a way that simply patting doesn’t. I’ll definitely make these again.

• Brioche twists with coriander sugar

  • Shewi128 on March 18, 2022

    These turned out great, I loved the flavor and texture of the cardamom sugar.

  • anya_sf on March 01, 2021

    Lovely! I wasn't sure if I made the dough correctly (see my notes there), but these turned out well. They untwisted somewhat as they rose and baked. The pastries were soft and tender with a nice crunch from the sugar. I substituted organic turbinado sugar which had a fairly strong flavor, so the coriander wasn't really detectable. Next time I'll try cinnamon and/or cardamom and perhaps a different sugar.

  • Maefleur on February 25, 2023

    Easy, after the brioche dough is made, which is not difficult with Claire's guidance. Love the flavor and crunch of the coriander sugar with the tender pastry.

  • jd_z77v3u on January 23, 2026

    try it with the coriander! sounds a bit odd at first but it's yummy. kind of lemon-y and floral.

• Strawberry-almond bostock

  • amy_xgmemf on March 23, 2026

    Easy and delicious recipe. The components did not take long to make. I did use brioche from Trader Joe’s but hope to tackle the brioche recipe in here one day!

  • anya_sf on March 05, 2021

    I prepped the slices the night before, so morning assembly was very quick. I love most any bostock and these were no exception. The strawberries added freshness, but also moisture, so the frangipane did not fully set in the centers. The other fruit variations mentioned (fig, blueberry, cherry, blackberry) sound really good as well.

• Babkallah

  • stef on November 14, 2021

    This was delicious. A nice crunchy top but a babka consistency inside. I filled it with nutella. Only problem was my braiding wasn't tight enough. Demerra sugar is a nice touch. Will repeat.

  • CheesyKranskyLove on October 04, 2022

    This was so much work for something that only tasted ok

  • triciatemp on March 22, 2026

    This was such a hit for my family. I will definitely make again.

  • stephanie_zzui3u on December 23, 2025

    Seriously delicious!

  • dmdmdmmm on February 18, 2026

    I thought the braiding was easier than I thought it would be. But this was just okay to me. I think i browned it a biiiiit too much on the top.

  • als102 on March 09, 2026

    This was a little disappointing! I love both challah and babka and this was very meh. I think the filling is what was lackluster to me. My go-to babka recipe is still from the King Arthur bread book.

• Speculoos babka

  • nicole_lmgml1 on January 20, 2026

    Really nice!

  • Shewi128 on March 18, 2022

    This babka was great, but I agree with the previous poster about decreasing the amount of topping. It was way too much for the amount of bread.

  • anya_sf on October 22, 2021

    Delicious! The babka had an excellent texture. However, the crumb topping baked up dry, which made it seem like the bread itself was dry when it wasn't. I liked the cinnamon crunch and appearance of the topping, but would make maybe half of it next time; there was quite a lot.

• St. Louis gooey butter cake

  • chickchickyboom on February 07, 2021

    I followed the instructions exactly and this turned really incredible. I love the topping, especially where it caramelized over the butter cake. I gave some to a friend for the holidays and her family devoured it in 20 minutes!

  • sbrooksh on September 01, 2025

    I am an St Louis native and very familiar with GBC. I actually got the rise called for in the recipe (unlike my go-to Melissa Clark recipe) after a few hours at room temperature after the fridge overnight. but realized I actually preferred less rise. Also the cake itself was a bit eggy, and the “dough” was much closer to a batter, which I think also lent to the very light, stretchy base; almost reminded me of a canele. Not my favorite, probably wouldn’t make again.

• Walnut-maple buns

  • molly17659 on May 18, 2026

    I made this for a brunch and it was a hit. I have never even attempted a recipe like this and i was so proud of how it turned out! It was very simple, even though it involved a lot of steps. I expected the dough to be lighter and softer after chilling but it was very dense, I thought I messed it up but I kept going - I'm so glad I did! It was easy to roll out and cut and after the second rise I was feeling much more confident. The one change I would make would be to double the cardamom filling. It was really good but it got lost in all the dough. I can't wait to make this again!

  • MonicaMadeIt on November 28, 2023

    I felt like a baking goddess after how well these turned out. The dough was extremely simple (although my ancient kitchenaid could barely handle mixing in the butter chunks and the high speed beating of the dough). I did have to add about 2 Tbsp flour as suggested. After an overnight rise, the dough behaved perfectly and the caramel was so easy to make. The descriptions of when to bake the rolls, with the photo showing baseline and 50% doubled, were quite helpful. I can see using the dough for other sweet roll applications such as jam filled, cinnamon sugar and raisins but no nuts, etc.

  • grace_xe2lnk on April 15, 2026

    Made me feel like a pro baker

  • grace_xe2lnk on April 15, 2026

    Made me feel like a professional baker!

• A little bit of everything bagels

  • anya_sf on February 09, 2021

    These turned out really ugly, but tasted great with the proper chewy texture. I didn't have granulated garlic, so just used more onion. Otherwise made as directed. The dough was quite stiff, but that seemed correct; just added a little water to mix in the seeds. The dough rose nicely. Problems started when shaping. I tried to make 9 equal pieces, which meant cutting some bits off to combine with others, but I guess they never fully combined when rolled into balls. The dough did not stretch evenly and tore in places. I tried to smooth out the bagels so they looked mostly okay at that point. Chilling and boiling all seemed fine (did float test). But when they baked, all the uneven bits popped out so the exteriors were not very smooth at all. So for next time: maybe add more water to dough, knead longer, try to cut into 8 even pieces (easier than 9; don't combine bits), let dough relax before stretching. Also may be able to push the 12 hour chilling time a little longer.

  • anya_sf on June 28, 2021

    Tried making these again and finally produced a photo-worthy version. Kneaded the dough longer (still adding a little water with the seeds), eyeballed 9 portions to avoid combining bits of dough, and followed Stella Parks' shaping instructions - which, to be fair, are essentially the same as those in this book, just more detailed and with a helpful video. I also chilled the shaped dough 18 hours with no issues.

• Spelt croissants

  • anya_sf on April 15, 2021

    This was my most successful attempt at croissants yet, although still not perfect. The detailed instructions were easy to follow and I appreciated that I didn't have to roll the dough to precise dimensions on each turn. My kitchen is cool, great for lamination, but not great for proofing; the croissants took 5 hours to rise and never doubled - increased about 1.5x - but were puffy and wobbly. Unfortunately, they leaked a lot of butter. As an experiment, I reserved 3 shaped, unbaked croissants in the fridge, which then rose for 6 hours the next morning, and they turned out the same. These were super flaky and good, although a little too salty (this is the only recipe I've seen that calls for salted butter), and the centers of the large croissants were a little doughy, despite being fully browned on the outside. The 2 smaller bonus croissants were baked through.

  • puddlemere on December 31, 2020

    This was my first time making croissants and this was a great recipe. The instructions were very clear and the photos were super helpful. They came out perfectly! They are quite involved so I'd probably only make them for a special occasion or something, but if I did make them again the only thing I'd change is making them a bit smaller.

  • Cgaskins on July 21, 2025

    This was my first attempt at making croissants, and it was a very nice experience. We knew they took quite some time to make, so planned to make them over 2-3 days with chilling time. The croissants turned out beautifully and tasted wonderful. Make sure you follow the ingredient list and use the fancy butter when she states to. I did follow her instructions and measured with a ruler to make sure everything came out correctly. Everything was easy to follow and very clear.

• Cherry cream cheese Danishes

  • Clairehg on April 03, 2026

    These were very yummy! Honestly not super complicated but are an all day activity in that you have to stop and start quite a few times. Mine never got dark brown like the recipe states despite leaving them in for probably too long.

• Kouign-amann

  • JeffALNY on February 14, 2026

    I made this for a buddy who was visiting and this is her favorite pastry. I was daunted by it being at the very peak of the pain index in the book but the directions are immaculate. I should’ve left mine in the oven a little longer but that’s a problem with the oven. For a first-timer, I was thrilled and my friend LOVED them. We ate them for breakfast every day of her visit.

• Garlic and rosemary focaccia topping

  • anya_sf on July 07, 2021

    Very tasty topping, but a bit sparse to cover the whole tray; next time would increase the rosemary at least.

• Tomato, garlic, and thyme focaccia topping

  • rachel_ywqstg on February 20, 2026

    Another delicious topping option for foccacia!

• Purple potato focaccia topping

  • Collin135790 on April 21, 2026

    Excellent! Great foccacia! Purple potato looks great as a topping! Next time I’ll reduce the salt in the dough a bit. Tiny bit too salty for me.

  • anya_sf on July 07, 2021

    A bit of work to prepare, but not difficult and quite good. A generous amount - covers the entire surface so the top of the dough doesn't really brown. Could reduce to leave gaps between potato slices, allowing for some browning.

• Crispy mushroom galette

  • bching on February 16, 2021

    I made the vegetarian version (an olive oil crust). The filling was good and the crust was excellent. I used hedgehog and maitake mushrooms but button mushrooms would be fine.

• Honey tahini challah

  • anya_sf on November 19, 2021

    I used a mixer for the dough. It was quite soft, so I added some extra flour, figuring this was OK since the hand-kneading instructions said to flour the surface generously. The dough seemed great, but even at 70 F, hardly rose at all after 3 hours. I gave up for the day, refrigerated the dough overnight, and tried again the next day, letting the dough rise wrapped in a plate warmer for several hours. It finally rose, so I continued with the recipe. The shaped loaf also took a few hours to rise. There was quite a bit of oven spring. The challah had good texture and flavor, not really sweet, but with noticeable honey and sesame flavors. Definitely recommended for sesame lovers.

• Feta-za’atar flatbread with charred eggplant dip

  • CheesyKranskyLove on October 04, 2022

    Honestly too much work for me to repeat this recipe again

  • nancy_ykljtr on February 23, 2026

    Delicious! Will use more feta next time - maybe add in garlic or herbs to the bread. If planning to transport / store, would recommend holding off on the zaatar oil until ready to consume.

• Pigs in a brioche blanket

  • MonicaMadeIt on February 21, 2022

    These were a HUGE hit at the Super Bowl party we attended. the dough was easy to work with but we ended up with 9 hot dogs' worth of dough instead of 8. The dipping sauce of mustard, sour cream, and hone was delicious.

• Ricotta and broccoli rabe pie

  • MonicaMadeIt on January 03, 2022

    This was a LOT of work. I enjoyed the end result but the pastry was challenging. I had never made an olive oil crust before, so wasn't sure what to expect. it has kind of a sandy texture, not unpleasant but it's definitely not flaky. We had the quiche for dinner last night about 20 minutes after it finished baking, and it was missing something flavor-wise. My husband and I put hot sauce on it. This morning, I had a room-temperature slice and it tasted better. I guess that's why we are instructed to let it cool completely before serving, but who has time for that? Also, I couldn't find broccoli rabe so used 2 crowns of broccoli that were chopped small and roasted at 425 deg for 15 minutes. otherwise followed the recipe.

• Chocolate cream cheese frosting

  • lindsey_5xsrit on January 02, 2026

    A great frosting but make sure to follow the recipe temperatures for the ingredients - my chocolate partially solidified while being combined leading to shaved chocolate texture throughout.

• Speculoos crust

  • evelyn_xzt59j on February 01, 2026

    Delicious results, but the recipe barely yielded enough crust to cover the bottom of the tart pan in my pomegranate mousse pie. Next time, I’d increase the batch size by 25% for a thicker, more stable crust.

• Frangipane

  • amy_xgmemf on March 23, 2026

    First time making Frangipane and this was pretty easy and delicious. I made this for the bostock recipe but could use it to make almond croissants or spread leftovers on toast

• Lemon curd

  • evelyn_xzt59j on February 01, 2026

    Made the meyer lemon variation- due to the small size of this lemon variety, you will need 10 lemons to produce the required amount of juice! Nevertheless, the curd (pictured in my unbaked meyer lemon tart) was sweet, floral, and the perfect chord of tart.

• Pastry cream

  • anya_sf on June 30, 2021

    Good, straightforward pastry cream recipe.

• Coconut pastry cream

  • meichal_yfc8fy on January 26, 2026

    Made this for the all coconut cake, delectable.

• Flaky all-butter pie dough

  • nicole_lmgml1 on January 20, 2026

    This never really turns out in my kitchen

  • anya_sf on August 06, 2021

    Great method resulting in a super flaky crust. It's larger than a standard 9" crust - would likely fit a 10" deep-dish pan. I used it for the tomato tart rolled into approximately 8" x 13" rectangle.

  • Foodycat on January 07, 2023

    Really good method! I used a double recipe for an apple pie and it was just fabulous.

• Flaky olive oil dough

  • bching on April 25, 2021

    Easy and delicious for savory mushroom galette.

  • mdcbakers on January 14, 2023

    Lived up to its name! Was super flaky and had a nice flavor.

• Sweet yeast dough

  • anya_sf on October 22, 2021

    Half a recipe was easy to make in a stand mixer (unlike half a recipe of, say, brioche dough), although I did need to add a few extra tablespoons of flour. After 8 hours of chilling, the dough was very easy to work with. I used it for babka.

• Soft and pillowy flatbread

  • isabelle_j5s8iq on April 11, 2026

    These are so easy and so good! I use instant mashed potatoes and it works amazingly.

• Rough puff pastry

  • JessElisabeth on April 05, 2026

    Turned out well! Pretty pleased for my first attempt.

  • Clairehg on January 29, 2026

    I would like to try this again, but found it to be really difficult. It did not come out as I hoped (not even close really).

• Mint “forever” brownies

  • thekait on January 18, 2026

    Used mint aero bars as I wasn't able to find the Andes bars. Delicious! A big girl at Christmas gatherings.

• All-purpose crumble topping

  • liz_uzylsf on May 29, 2026

    Tasty crumble topping. Bakes up with a nice crunch. Would use again on other coffee cakes.