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Everyday baking recipes to try

By Baking Chart editors · Updated 2026-07-16 · ~5 min read

In the mood to bake? Here are 5 new recipes to try, including Classic Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins, Everyday Chocolate Chip Cookies, Simple Vanilla Sponge Cake. Each one lists the ingredients, times and step-by-step instructions so you can follow along easily.

Classic Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins

Prep15 min
Cook22 min
Total time37 min
Servings12 muffins
DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

  • 280 g all-purpose flour
  • 200 g granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 240 ml buttermilk
  • 115 g unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 200 g fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 1 tbsp flour (to toss the berries)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 200 C (390 F) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cases.
  2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla until smooth.
  4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and fold gently with a spatula until just combined, leaving a few streaks of flour.
  5. Toss the blueberries with the 1 tbsp flour, then fold them in with two or three strokes to avoid overmixing.
  6. Divide the batter among the cases, filling each nearly to the top.
  7. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean, then cool in the tin for 5 minutes before lifting out.

Tips

  • Frozen berries work well straight from the freezer; do not thaw or they will bleed into the batter.
  • No buttermilk? Stir 1 tbsp lemon juice into 240 ml milk and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Everyday Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep15 min
Cook11 min
Total time26 min
Servings24 cookies
DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

  • 225 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 150 g granulated sugar
  • 165 g light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 340 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 300 g semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 190 C (375 F) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
  2. Beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, beating until smooth.
  4. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl, then stir into the wet mixture until just combined.
  5. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  6. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the sheets, spacing them about 5 cm apart.
  7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are golden but the centres still look soft, then cool on the sheet for 5 minutes.

Tips

  • For thicker cookies, chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking.
  • Pull them out while the centres look slightly underdone; they firm up as they cool.

Simple Vanilla Sponge Cake

Prep20 min
Cook25 min
Total time45 min
Servings1 two-layer cake (10-12 slices)
DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

  • 225 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 225 g granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 225 g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 180 C (350 F) and grease and line two 20 cm round tins.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar together for about 3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour with each to stop the mixture curdling.
  4. Fold in the remaining flour and baking powder, then stir in the milk and vanilla to a soft dropping consistency.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the tins and level the tops.
  6. Bake for 23 to 27 minutes until golden and springy, and a skewer comes out clean.
  7. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely before filling.

Tips

  • No self-raising flour? Use 225 g plain flour plus 2 1/2 tsp baking powder.
  • Sandwich with jam and whipped cream, or buttercream.

Rustic No-Knead Bread

Prep15 min
Cook45 min
Total time1 tim
Servings1 loaf
DifficultyMedium

Ingredients

  • 400 g bread flour
  • 1/4 tsp instant dry yeast
  • 1 1/4 tsp salt
  • 300 ml lukewarm water
  • extra flour for shaping

Instructions

  1. Whisk the flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl, then stir in the water until a shaggy, sticky dough forms with no dry flour left.
  2. Cover the bowl and leave at room temperature for 12 to 18 hours, until the surface is dotted with bubbles.
  3. Tip the dough onto a well-floured surface, fold it over on itself a few times and shape into a rough ball.
  4. Place seam-side down on a piece of floured parchment, cover, and let rise for 1 to 2 hours until puffy.
  5. About 30 minutes before baking, put a Dutch oven with its lid inside the oven and heat to 230 C (450 F).
  6. Lift the dough on its parchment into the hot pot, cover, and bake for 30 minutes.
  7. Remove the lid and bake a further 12 to 18 minutes until deep golden, then cool completely on a rack before slicing.

Tips

  • The dough should read hollow when tapped on the base; an internal temperature near 96 C (205 F) confirms it is done.
  • Cutting the loaf while hot makes it gummy, so wait at least an hour.

Fudgy Cocoa Brownies

Prep15 min
Cook30 min
Total time45 min
Servings16 squares
DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

  • 170 g unsalted butter
  • 300 g granulated sugar
  • 85 g unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs
  • 100 g all-purpose flour

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 175 C (350 F) and line a 20 cm square tin with parchment.
  2. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar, cocoa and salt.
  3. Let the mixture cool for a couple of minutes, then whisk in the vanilla and the eggs one at a time until glossy and thick.
  4. Add the flour and stir firmly with a spoon for about 40 strokes until the batter pulls away from the sides.
  5. Scrape into the tin and spread level.
  6. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes until the top is set and a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  7. Cool completely in the tin before lifting out and cutting into squares.

Tips

  • For clean cuts, chill for 30 minutes and use a knife wiped between slices.
  • Do not overbake; a skewer that comes out fully clean means they will be cakey rather than fudgy.

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