We've all been there. We want dessert, but we not they want a mountain of dishes to deal with. So we've rounded up our favorite one-bowl bakes, a collection of easy toss-and-mix recipes that require no special tools and only get one plate dirty, but don't compromise on flavor.
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
1) Quick and Easy Fudge Brownies
Cocoa powder gives these brownies their fudginess. All the ingredients are simply mixed together in a single bowl, so it's the perfect recipe for when you want (really, need) brownies ASAP. Plus, you can make them easily gluten free with Measure for Measure the flour.
Get the recipe: Quick and Easy Fudge Brownies
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
2) Whole Grain Banana Bread
Yes, you should another The banana bread recipe in your life. Why? Because this recipe is incredibly adaptable to what you have on hand. mix chocolate chips, do it 100% whole wheat, reduce sugar to your liking – the choice is yours. See the baker's tips at the bottom of the recipe page for all your options. One last tip: Reuse a measuring cup to mix the cinnamon and sugar so that the surface is saved on the dishes.
Get the recipe: Whole grain banana bread
Photography by Kristin Teig; Food Styling by Liz Neily
3) Light Cinnamon Bread
Not only does this sourdough bread come together in one bowl: it's also no-dough and only requires one proofing, meaning your kitchen will be filled with the aroma of toasted cinnamon sugar in no time. The best part? Those melted pockets of Sweet cinnamon sticks in every bite.
Get the recipe: Light Cinnamon Bread
Buy the recipe: Sweet cinnamon sticks
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
4) Golden vanilla cake
This rich and soft cake is made possible by reverse creaming. We bake it in one 9″ x 13″ pan. for a light layer cake that can be decorated with a simple dusting sugar, or spread out your round pans for a convenient layer cake. (And, if you're willing to use a second bowl, make cream!)
Get the recipe: Golden vanilla cake
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
5) Buttermilk Biscuits
There's no planning ahead needed for these buttery and salty cookies—they're ready in just 30 minutes, from start to finish. Plus, these cutters they make shaping a breeze. Consider your weekend (dare we say it day of the week?) sorted breakfast.
Get the recipe: Buttermilk Biscuits
Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne
6) Tahini Poppy Seed Pound Cake
A delicious cake doesn't always require many steps. From the deep flavor of tahini to the crunchy texture of poppy and sesame seeds, this not-too-sweet pound cake has everything it needs to become your ideal dessert for any time of day.
Get the recipe: Tahini Poppy Seed Pound Cake
Photography by Rick Holbrook; Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
7) Basque style cheesecake
The beauty of a Basque cheesecake is its many contrasts: a creamy, gooey interior and a bubbly caramelized exterior. However, despite its stunning appearance, this amazing dessert requires only five ingredients (cream cheese, sugar, salt, eggs and heavy cream) and the dough is boiled in a food processor.
Get the recipe: Basque style cheesecake
Photography by John Sherman; food styling by Liz Neily
8) Quick dinner rolls in large batches
Baking for a crowd doesn't always mean more time (or plates). This dough comes together in your stand mixer bowl and makes two dozen rolls. Thanks to two and a half large spoons yeastthe recipe calls for just two short 20-minute rises to make these soft buttery dinner rolls.
Get the recipe: Quick dinner rolls in large batches
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
9) Soft chocolate chip cookies
Chocolate chip cookie preferences spark heated debate, but if you're into soft cookies, this recipe is for you. (And it may even convert some who prefer fresher cookies.) A few special ingredients make these unique: Whole wheat flour adds a subtle flavor, while a splash of vinegar helps cut through the sweetness and makes the inside lighter.
Get the recipe: Soft chocolate chip cookies
Christina's dough
10) Blueberry Breakfast Cake
This dreamy breakfast cake might not seem like something you can throw together in just 10 minutes with a single bowl, but this recipe is so much more than the sum of its parts. The ricotta and sour cream give the cake a light and fluffy texture, similar to a clafoutis or a Dutch baby, and the ripe berries are bursting with fresh, sweet flavor.
Get the recipe: Blueberry Breakfast Cake
Photography by Rick Holbrook; Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
11) Maple-Pear Upside Down Cake
Upside Down Cakes do all the decorating for you. This recipe from The Bread School Cookbook call for whole wheat flour to complement the sweetness of the maple and caramelized pears. Or, make an easy swap with other seasonal fruits like stone fruit or apples. (The recipe calls for mixing the melted butter and syrup together in a small bowl before pouring it into the pan, so it's not technically a one-bowl bake, but you can use a reusable liquid measuring cup to measure the buttermilk in dough. just stick it in a bowl.)
Get the recipe: Maple-Pear Upside Down Cake
Photography by Rick Holbrook; Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
12) Cookies with almond cloud
almond paste, almond extractAND almond flour give these cookies their soft, cloud-like interior and crunchy, shell-like texture. They are a beloved favorite from our bakery for a reason!
Get the recipe: Almond cloud cookies
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
13) Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
When you want a chocolate chip cookie but don't have the patience to let the dough rest overnight, cookie bars are the way to go. These blondies have all the most desirable features of bar cookies: a shiny, flaky crust, a chewy interior, and pockets of molten chocolate.
Get the recipe: Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Melina Hammer
14) Orange and Greek yogurt cake
Think of this dessert as a cream cake-meets-snacking. Greek yogurt gives the cake a delicious taste and a full spoon VANILLA complements orange juice and zest for well-rounded flavor.
Get the recipe: Orange and Greek yogurt cake
Food photography and styling by Liz Neily
15) Cream Tea Scones
Using heavy cream instead of butter makes an even lighter cream: Just beat it flour, sugar, salt and yeast together, then add the cream until a cohesive dough forms. You will have to combine VANILLA and heavy cream in a measuring cup ahead of time, but it's a small sacrifice for perfectly soft tissues. All that's missing is a side of clotted cream and your favorite jam for a snack worthy of afternoon tea.
Get the recipe: Cream for tea
Cover picture (Cream for tea) by Liz Neily.
