As a published baking cookbook author, I’ve made my fair share of baked treats. And every year, I pull together a list of new baking recipes to try and I call it my “baking bucket list.” The list is basically filled with my baking-related goals—recipes or techniques that I’ve been too intimidated to try, or some failures I want to revisit. This year, I want to tackle cinnamon sugar-drenched morning buns, and I’m envisioning laminated croissant-style dough filled and baked in a muffin pan. I’d also love to whip up cheese soufflé, and a meringue or pavlova roulade/roll.
Anyway, I thought readers might enjoy browsing some recipes that have been on my baking bucket list over the years. These recipes can definitely be more challenging, but so rewarding to complete!
Do you have any baking recipes that you want to work on? Perhaps some recipes that have intimidated you in the past and now you’re ready for a challenge? Find inspiration below!
Baking Bucket List Recipes
Crème Brûlée
Many beginner bakers are SHOCKED at how easy crème brûlée is! There’s only 6 ingredients required and if you follow my success tips, you’ll be gifted with the smoothest, creamiest dessert ever.
Homemade Madeleines
These airy teacakes aren’t difficult, but they do require your attention, patience, and precision. This very detailed recipe will guide you!
Beautiful Pastry Braid
This dough comes together using a “rough puff” method to create countless flaky layers. One reader says: “This recipe is delicious! I was intimidated by the pastry dough & braid but the detailed instructions were very helpful and it turned out delish. ★★★★★“
Homemade Croissants
Golden, extra flaky croissants require time, patience, and plenty of rolling. My very thorough post and recipe will help guide you—you can absolutely handle this project! One reader says: “Absolutely the best! Croissants were flaky and delicious. Step-by-step guide and video were so helpful. First time ever making them and I’m totally sold! ★★★★★“
Lemon Pudding Cakes
With fluffy lemon cake on top and rich lemon pudding on the bottom, these unique lemon pudding cakes are a tangy texture dream.
French Macarons
This is an in-depth beginner’s guide to homemade French macarons. I include my kitchen-tested recipe, plus plenty of success tips, descriptions, overview of techniques, list of tools… basically everything you need to get started AND to succeed!
Vertical Cake
What? Where? When? How? This is a vertical layer cake. Assembled with vanilla sponge cake, lemon blueberry swirl whipped cream, and lemon cream cheese buttercream, this vertical cake is a beautiful masterpiece. It’s soft and light with an impressive aesthetic!
Homemade Glazed Doughnuts
Fried, old-fashioned, and comforting. It’s so much fun to make homemade doughnuts from scratch without leaving the comfort of home.
Chocolate Soufflé
One of the most luxurious desserts requires just 7 ingredients. It’s all about the technique! One reader says: “We were nervous making a soufflé for the first time. We followed the instructions to a T, watched the video, and they turned out AMAZING!!! The texture was perfect, the rise was so high… we will definitely make this again. ★★★★★“
Checkerboard Cake
This is a 4-layer vanilla cake twisted up into 1 seriously mesmerizing checkerboard design. So much fun to cut into because the real party is INSIDE the cake!
Cream Puffs With Homemade Choux Pastry
Choux pastry has the reputation for being difficult, but it’s surprisingly simple and prep time is only about 15 minutes. Try it once and you can make an array of pastries: cream puffs, profiteroles, eclairs, and more! One reader says: “I have never made choux before and found so many recipes that were very complicated—yours was perfect! Just made a batch and beaming with pride! ★★★★★”
Brownie Baked Alaska
What a showstopper! This brownie baked Alaska combines a homemade brownie base with your favorite ice cream flavor (like mint chocolate chip); then you’ll smother it with toasted marshmallow meringue. A truly memorable and impressive treat!
Homemade Bagels
This easy recipe proves that you can make deliciously chewy bagels in your own kitchen with only a few basic ingredients and baking tools. You’ll be rewarded with fresher-than-ever bagels, plus the bragging rights for from-scratch baking.
Tiramisu Crepe Cake
This impressive tiramisu crepe cake features 25 paper-thin homemade crepes, 24 layers of fluffy tiramisu filling, dustings of cocoa powder, and is finished with whipped cream. It’s almost unbelievable that such a fancy cake is totally doable in your home kitchen.
Which of these recipes have you tried? I have some more inspiration in my advanced baking recipes section. Have fun!
What happened to your pages of muffin recipes? I was looking for your master muffin recipe and all I found were your bakery style master
Hi Sandra, here is the recipe for 1 Batter for Infinite Muffins.
Could you use almond flour in place of all purpose flour in your recipes?
Hi Kathy, almond flour is very different from all-purpose flour, and it’s best to only use it in recipes that are specifically written for its use. Here are all of our recipes that call for almond flour.
Hi Sally!
This recipe tastes amazing but how do I get the colour to stay white like yours? Mine has a buttery colour after adding the butter and vanilla extract
Hi Kirsten, happy to help! What recipe are you referring to? Usually with frostings like our vanilla buttercream, you can add a *tiny* drop of purple gel food coloring to offset the yellow in the frosting. Sounds weird, but it works!
Hi Sally, As other I love your website and recipes…in fact, so do my two daughters and my two sisters. One recipe I’m always looking for is a Chocolate Roll, with some sort of white cream filling, with chocalate icing on the top of roll. Its best kept in the refrigerator and then sliced for presentation. Do you have any recommendations for that type of recipe?
Hi Kathy! Here’s our favorite chocolate roll cake recipe – let us know if you give it a try. And thank you so much for making and trusting our recipes!
Thanks to your inspiration, I have made seven of the 15. 2023 holds a lot of promise!
I love the recipes and would like to know if you have put them in a book?
I have not put any of these recipes in a book, actually! A couple of them (or a variation of them) may pop up in my next cookbook though. I am currently working on the manuscript. 🙂 So, for now, all of these recipes just live on my website.
Too good love it. Great keep it up.
Dear Sally and team, I love your recipes— they are making me popular. Please try popovers— mine never come out right…I know you will figure it out— and share the secrets with your loyal followers (like me) – thanks
When my 14 year old wants to try a challenging recipe (macarons, croissants) we always come to your site because of how in depth and easy to follow your directions are. I’ve never had a recipe fail when using your recipes which keeps me returning. Thank you for all of the testing and retesting you do.
I used two of your recipes for a senior cooking class in our small town in Northern Minnesota. The class absolutely loved the Baked Oatmeal (we really loaded with fruit: apples, blueberries and craisins) and the honey whole wheat english muffins. Food prices are very high here – so DIY recipes are really appreciated! I really enjoy your posts and recipes! Thank you.
I’d love to see your recipe for brioche, particularly brioche buns. My husband likes the “brioche hamburger buns” sold at our grocery store bakery because they’re so soft. I’ve tried other recipes but they come out heavy and tough. I can’t find a brioche recipe on your website. Please help! P.s., I love all your recipes I have tried.
Such a wonderful suggestion, thank you! I love brioche buns for sandwiches and such.
I need a no fail quiche recipe. I hope you can help me.
Hi Kathy, here is our favorite quiche recipe. Hope you enjoy it!
I am excited by all your recipes. I love all the recipes, especially the chocolate ones.
Sally, since following your site, have enjoyed reading & going through your detailed write up on recipes. My all time fave is your moist chocolate cake. Perfect everytime I bake it. TQ again.
I also have a baking bucket list. This year I want to improve on painting with buttercream using a palette knife. There are crazy artists out there! Moreover, I have been practicing making vegan macarons with aquafaba, however, they are even more finicky than regular French macarons, let’s see how it goes!
Painting buttercream, yes! I would love to have more practice with that.