My Cozy Go-To Baking Recipes This Winter

Hello everyone!

In lieu of a the regularly-scheduled podcast episode, I’m coming at you with my most loved baking recipes this winter.

I’m not gonna lie, between the grey skies and the pregnancy hormones, this winter has been really tough for me so far (hence the less strenuous podcast schedule, I thank you in advance for your patience as I tread through my new mental state). Baking has been one constant, warming beacon of contentment for me this season, even more than usual, and I’ve found some really really great recipes lately.

Below I’m linking my 5 favorite recipes I’ve made this winter, as well as 2 more than I plan to try soon. I’ve arranged them from least-to-most involved so no matter your level of baking experience you can still have fun with something on this list.

The act of making something sweet with my hands is so satisfying and the end results have been satisfying all my cravings. It’s always better when it’s homemade!

Cozy scone moment.

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Without further ado: these are my favorites right now:

1.Chocolate chunk chai banana bread from Half Baked Harvest. You make it in one bowl and it's nostalgic and warming. I like to sub some of the flour for oat or almond flour sometimes, but it's delicious as is.

2. Simple Chocolate cake by Manon LaGrève. I got the recipe from her cookbook "Simple French Baking," but I've linked where she shared it on Tiktok. Her recipe is in metric, but if you have a kitchen scale it's so easy.

3. Moist carrot cake with cream cheese frosting from Cookies and Cups. I made this a few weeks ago for my mom's birthday and it was DIVINE. I'd never actually made a carrot cake before, but this one is definitely a keeper.

4. Shockingly easy no-knead focaccia from Bon Appetit. It's in the name, it really was shocking to me. I sprinkled the top with course sea salt and rosemary before baking and it was gorgeous. I plan to make this many many times this year.

5. Chocolate orange scones. I use this recipe, again from Half Baked Harvest, but I sub the lemon for orange and replace the poppy seeds and berries with as many chocolate chips as feels right.

And here’s two extras, they both happen to be cardamom based and are next on my list to try this month!

-Swedish cardamom buns from Fix Feast Flair. The focaccia has given me confidence with yeast, so maybe these are soon!

-Cardamom cake with roasted pears from The Palatable Life. Gorgeous and simple, I can't wait to make this.

Banana bread interlude.

And, of course, I like to enjoy with a cup of tea or almond milk, or (in the cake or chocolate cake or banana bread) a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.

I hope you find a few hours of inspiration and wonderful smells through these recipes, I highly recommend them all! 

I’ll be back next Thursday with the next podcast episode, and until then you have a lovely week.