Baking skills

Learn about the best baking tools, ingredient substitutions, and tips for baking perfect cakes, cookies, bread, and more!
Pound cake
Do You Always Need to Preheat the Oven? Here's What the Pros Say
Cookies on baking sheet
Here's Why Your Cookies Spread When They're Baked—and How to Prevent It
A measuring cup filled with packed brown sugar
How Brown Sugar and White Sugar Differ—and Why It Matters
Orange silicone pan
Why Pastry Pros Love Baking With Silicone Bakeware—Plus Expert Tips on How to Use It
Full loaf of bread on cutting board with butter
The Crucial Difference Between Bread Flour and All-Purpose Flour—and How It Impacts Your Baked Goods
five-ingredient-cookies-369-d111686_horiz-0922
Bake It, Don't Buy It: 6 Treats That Are Better Homemade
Flour in glass bowl with whisk
Cake Flour and All-Purpose Flour Aren't the Same—Here's When to Use Each
Sugar in glass bowl with wooden spoon
The Difference Between Cane Sugar and Granulated Sugar, According to Bakers
Roll of wax paper on countertop
Here's What Happens When You Put Wax Paper in the Oven
Orange Almond Cake batter topped with orange and blood orange slices in a springform baking pan
How to Use a Springform Pan—an Essential Tool for Cheesecake and Other Delicate Desserts
lemon olive oil cake
How to Use Olive Oil in Place of Butter in Baking
Cream of Tartar on spoon
Cream of Tartar Is the Secret to Lofty Meringues and Light, Chewy Cookies
pumpkin pies with crimped crust
How to Fit and Crimp a Pie Crust
Hazelnut cookies on baking sheet
14 Ways to Use Parchment Paper for Cooking, Baking, Food Storage, and More
round yellow cake in parchment paper lined cake pan
Why You Should Always Line Cake Pans With Parchment Paper—and the Right Way to Do It
close up view of light brown sugar in white bowl with a spoon
How to Make Brown Sugar at Home
5 mins
Slices of pumpkin pie
7 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Baking Pumpkin Pie
powdered milk with a glass of milk
Why Chefs Always Have Powdered Milk in Their Kitchen
baking soda and baking powder
Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder: The Differences Between These Popular Leavening Agents
cupcake flowers made of candy
How to Make Candy Flower Cupcakes in 3 Different Ways
Basic Pie Dough for Apple Pie
Basic Pie Dough for Apple Pie
basic pizza dough
Quick Basic Pizza Dough
1 hr 10 mins
Broccoli Cheddar Quiche
Broccoli-Cheddar Quiche
1 hr 30 mins
Close up of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies on plate from above
Here's Why You Should Refrigerate Cookie Dough Before Baking
martha in kitchen holding cake surrounded by desserts
8 of Martha's All-Time Best Baking Tips, According to Our Readers
vanilla-bean sugar cookies
How to Freeze Cookies and Cookie Dough the Right Way
lemon-ginger cookies recipe
The 10 Most Common Cookie-Baking Mistakes—and How to Avoid Them
Adding the Icing on Baked Christmas Cookies
How to Plan a Cookie Decorating Party, According to a Baker Who Hosts One Every Year
making sugar cookies
Test Your Cookie Skills With Our Cookie Week Quiz
Honey, maple syrup, molasses, coconut sugar
How to Replace Sugar With Honey, Maple Syrup, and Other Unrefined Sweeteners in Baking
Custard Creme Caramel dessert cooked in a bain marie of water
When to Use a Bain Marie—or Hot-Water Bath—When Baking
New York Style Cheesecake
No Cracks or Soggy Crusts: These 4 Tips Will Help You Make a Perfect Cheesecake Every Time
holiday sugar cookie varieties
6 Tips for Decorating Martha-Level Holiday Sugar Cookies
lemon cranberry meringue pie on table with white tablecloth
Making Meringue Is Easy—All You Need Are 2 Ingredients and Our Expert Tips
cutting board with citrus ginger cucumber beet oranges
30 Cooking Skills to Master Before You Turn 30
Perfect Pie Crust
Perfect Pie Crust
Basic Pastry Dough
Basic Pastry Dough
Bacon Cheese Quiche
Cheese and Bacon Quiche
1 hr 30 mins
woman using spoon to mix butter and sugar
No Mixer, No Problem: Here's How to Cream Butter and Sugar by Hand
Red stand mixer on kitchen counter
Here's Why You Should Be Using the Reverse Creaming Method for Cakes
nordic ware cookie stamps
Cookie Stamps Are the Quick and Easy Way to Make Decorative Treats—Here's How to Use Them
devil's food cake on cake pedestal
How to Cut Perfect Cake Slices, Just Like a Food Stylist Does
almond flour pancakes served with fresh strawberries
Everything You Need to Know About Baking with Nut Flours
Hummingbird Carrot Cake Recipe
How to Assemble a Layer Cake
Greasing baking pan with fingers
What's the Best Way to Grease a Cake Pan?
white painted wedding cake
50 Beautiful Wedding Cakes That Are (Almost!) Too Pretty to Eat
ml1203_1203_banan_cake.jpg
Your Most Common Cake Baking Problems, Solved
Orange-Cardamom Bundt Cake
Our Very Best Tips for Making a Perfect Bundt Cake, Including How to Properly Grease the Pan
3 pizzas
Chris Bianco's Pizza Dough
corned beef egg cups
23 Bite-Size Appetizers and Snacks You Can Make in a Muffin Pan
cookie press cookies
Cookie-Press Cookies
vanilla extract in small bowl
5 Vanilla Extract Substitutes to Use in a Pinch (Plus One You Should Avoid)
Old Fashioned Apple Pie
Old-Fashioned Apple Pie
macaroon vs macarons
Macaroons and Macarons Are Not the Same—Learn the Difference Between These Popular Cookies
heart cake pink frosting
How to Make a Heart-Shaped Cake—No Special Pan Required!
Almond Polenta Cake
How to Use Gluten-Free Flour in Place of Regular Flour, According to Experts
Baked Alaska Cake
Baked Alaska
3 hrs 45 mins
easter chick and egg cookies
18 Easter Cookies That Are Perfect for Your Holiday Brunch or Baskets
deep dish pizza how-to dough
Deep-Dish Pizza Dough
15 mins
Blueberry Cupcakes
Blueberry Cupcakes
1 hr 25 mins
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
15 mins
Dinner Rolls
Soft, Buttery Dinner Rolls
3 hrs 20 mins
puree fruit in metal sieve
Is There a Difference Between a Sieve and a Strainer?