Welcome to BA Bake Club, a community of curious bakers. Each month senior test kitchen editors Jesse Szewczyk and Shilpa Uskokovic share a must-make recipe and dive deep on why it works. Come bake and learn with us—ask questions, share pics, listen to our podcast, and lots more here. This shareable pull-apart monkey bread will … Read more
First things first: Never, but never, be tempted to swap in nonstick cooking spray for the melted butter when making popovers. Especially not this popover recipe, which was first printed in the July 1957 issue of Gourmet and was so popular with readers and editors alike that it appeared again in the 1991 anniversary issue dedicated … Read more
These banana chocolate chip muffins have range. Serve them at brunch, take them to a housewarming party, or make a batch to snack on throughout the week—no matter the time or place, they’re sure to please. Overripe bananas have the best texture and richest banana flavor, so wait until yours are brown and speckled. To … Read more
Making a Dutch baby (a.k.a. German pancake) is a cook’s ultimate cheat code: It’s one of those breakfast recipes that look difficult to make when in reality it is quite simple. Just blend a few pantry staples (eggs, milk, flour, pinch of salt, etc.) into a smooth, thin batter, pour batter into a hot pan, … Read more
Breakfast breads dress up a brunch table, encouraging everyone to have another cup of coffee and stay awhile. Homemade muffins and quick breads welcome new neighbors and make excellent additions to a care package. But these recipes can also serve as a gift to yourself—stashed in your freezer, they offer a sweet (or savory) bite … Read more
How we tested the toasters When it comes to the perfect piece of toast, sliced white sandwich bread is the ultimate blank slate—so we started by grabbing a few bags of Wonder Bread to gauge how each machine could handle the basics. We toasted pieces of bread at each setting on the low to high … Read more
Frozen shredded potato patties transform into a crispy yet fluffy crust for this meaty hash-brown-and-egg casserole. It hits as well at a leisurely brunch (it’s prime holiday breakfast fodder) as it does for a weeknight dinner. Need a go-to breakfast bake for busy mornings? This cozy crowd-pleaser is a make-ahead dream (see Do Ahead for … Read more
Is there a marked difference between New Jersey–style crumb cake and New York–style crumb cake? Not really. But as someone from the Garden State, I’ll always think of this style of cake as the former. “Crumb cake” is a moist vanilla cake topped with a thick layer of cinnamon-scented brown sugar streusel. Unlike “coffee cake,” … Read more
The All-Clad’s settings make a huge difference in doneness. Megan Wahn Other waffle makers we tested There’s no easy way to say this: The real revelation of this test was just how mediocre most waffle irons are. But at least they were consistent in the ways in which they were mediocre. Far and away, the … Read more
The sun is out, the birds are singing, and there’s a sweet scent in the air. Strawberry season is officially upon us, which means that these strawberry muffins should be at the top of your to-bake list, right along with the requisite strawberry shortcake. Showcasing spring’s finest jewels, these muffins are chock-full of strawberry flavor … Read more