Baking Basics & Planning

Small techniques make a big difference in baking. Learn how to measure flour correctly so cookies and cakes turn out as the recipe intends, and use our holiday baking timeline to spread the work out before the busy season.

• 25 Baking Gifts for Kids and Teens (Kits, Tools and Aprons by Age)

  Baking gifts for kids and teens sorted by age: kid-safe tools, aprons, baking kits, decorating sets and gifts for teen bakers, plus safety notes for young.

• 15 Christmas Morning Breakfast Bake Ideas (Make-Ahead)

  Christmas morning breakfast bake ideas you assemble the night before: savory egg bakes with hash browns or biscuits, French toast casserole, cinnamon roll.

• 30 Homemade Edible Christmas Gifts (Cookies, Breads, Candy and Pantry Treats)

  Edible gifts for Christmas recipes: 30 homemade cookies, breads, candies and pantry treats to give, with shelf life, packaging, labeling and shipping tips.

• 25 Gingerbread House Ideas (Plus How to Choose a Kit)

  Gingerbread house ideas for beginners, kids and ambitious builders: snowy cabins, candy-cane cottages, graham-cracker villages, roof and yard tricks, and how.

• Sturdy Gingerbread House Recipe (with Template Measurements)

  A sturdy gingerbread house recipe for building: firm construction dough, template measurements for a classic house, royal icing glue and assembly tips so it.

• 12 Holiday Baking Gift Basket Ideas (What to Put Inside)

  Holiday baking gift basket ideas: 12 themed baskets, what to put inside small, medium and large baskets, cookie gift boxes and bags, and how to wrap them.

• Holiday Baking Timeline: What to Make Ahead and When

  A week-by-week holiday baking plan for cookies, pies and rolls. What freezes well, what to bake the day before, and how to store everything safely.

• How to Measure Flour Correctly (and Why It Changes Everything)

  Why scooping flour can add too much, how to spoon and level, when to weigh, and how oven thermometers and room-temperature ingredients fix common baking.

• Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Easy Caramel Sauce

  Pumpkin bread pudding made with stale brioche or challah, a spiced pumpkin custard and an easy caramel sauce. Make it the night before, plus storage.