Fresh bread, layer cakes, and casseroles: if it cooks in the oven, it's fair game. Our baking guides share tips and tricks for baking the best sweet and savory fare.

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All Bakeware Baking
A bowl and plate containing freshly baked buttermilk biscuits
The Real Reason Your Baked Goods Won't Rise (It's Not the Recipe)
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I've Baked Thousands of Cookies—This Simple Trick Stops Bottoms from Burning
A slice of pumpkin pie topped with a dollop of whipped cream on a plate with a fork placed beside it on a table
I Asked 3 Pastry Chefs How to Make the Best Thanksgiving Pies—They All Said the Same Thing
Various pie crusts and fruitfilled pies arranged on a table
I Tested Butter, Shortening, and Lard in Pie Crusts—This One Was the Clear Winner
Four muffins labeled Oil and Butter one muffin from each group sliced in half to show texture
Butter vs. Oil for Baking—Here's Which Fat Makes the Best Cookies, Cornbread, and Cake
Cherry pie slices on different plates one labeled with flour type
I Tested 3 Types of Flour for Pie Crust—Here’s the One That Stayed Crisp and Flaky for Days
Slice of pumpkin pie on a plate with a fork next to it
The Pastry Chef Trick for Silky-Smooth Pumpkin Pie Every Time
Side view of mille feuille
I'm a Former Pastry Chef—This Is the Only Puff Pastry I Buy for Holiday Baking
Jubilee bundt
12 Essential Cake Tips From Baking Legend Dorie Greenspan
Tray of Parkerhouse Rolls, on a brown textile, with a side dish of butter and small serving dishes to the side.
The Surprisingly Simple Way I Finally Got My Bread Dough to Rise Perfectly
Side view of pouring caramel on sticky toffee pudding
I Asked 3 Experts Why Caramel, Butterscotch, and Toffee Taste So Different and Got Surprising Answers
A sliced baguette showing the crust and the texture of the interior
I Tried Every Flour I Could Find. This One Finally Made My Bread Perfect
Overhead view of various tests of cakes
I Tested 20 Ways to Upgrade Boxed Cake Mix — Here's What Works (and What Doesn't)
Two cookies side-by-side on a marble surface.
The Overlooked Baking Step That Could Be Ruining Your Cookies
Ingredients for a recipe including honey in a small bowl berries sugar butter and spices arranged on a tabletop
Finally, a Mess-Free Way to Measure Sticky Ingredients Like Honey and PB
Person breaking open a gooey chocolate chip cookie in their hands
Skip the Oven—This Is the Faster, Easier Way to Make Soft, Warm Cookies
Close-up of a bag of macerated apples
This Simple Baking Trick Guarantees Perfect Apple Pie Every Single Time
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No Brown Sugar? This Simple 2-Ingredient Fix Works Every Time
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Hot Kitchen? Here’s How to Keep Your Pie Dough From Melting
Side view of cake
Does Coffee in Desserts Actually Give You a Buzz? We Did the Math
a basket of blueberry muffins on a marble countertop
Why Skim Milk Deserves a Place in Your Fridge, According to an Expert Baker
The baked maple brown sugar oatmeal cookies cooling on a wire rack.
My Simple Ingredient Swap for the Coziest Fall Desserts
stand mixer creaming butter and sugar
The Real Reason You Should Use a Stand Mixer Isn't Convenience
Sifting powdered sugar onto a tray of cookies
This Sugar Swap Could Make or Break Your Desserts
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6 Measuring Mistakes That Derail Dessert
spreading frosting on top of square pan of red velvet brownies
I Tested 5 Methods for Softening Cream Cheese—This Is the Fastest, Easiest Way
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This Simple Trick Lets You Enjoy Fresh Scones Whenever You Want
Slice of bread with peanut butter spread evenly
The Peanut Butter "Rule" I Finally Broke—And Why It’s the Key to Better Baking
Overhead view of dumping oats into a bowl
Want Better Oatmeal? It All Starts With Buying the Right Oats
Overhead view of a hand reaching to grab many cookies
Tackle Holiday Cookie Baking Like a Pro With These 4 Tips
Overhead view of baking set up for grill
You’ve Been Underusing Your Grill—Here’s How to Bake on It
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How to Best Freeze Cookie Dough
a pile of cake flour
The Flour You Must Have for Perfect Cakes, According to a Pastry Chef
How to Make a Herringbone Pie Crust
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The Stand Mixer Setting Home Bakers Overlook, According to a Pastry Chef
A slice of pumpkin pie on a plate.
7 Rules for Making Perfect Pie Dough, According to a Pastry Chef
Irish soda bread in a parchment-lined cast iron skillet in the oven.
I’m a Chef—I Always Check These 5 Things In a Kitchen Before Making Any Recipe
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Do You Scoop or Spoon Your Flour? A Pastry Chef Weighs In on How to Measure Flour Correctly
One round cake pan lined with a circle of parchment, hands pressing a circle of parchment into a second cake pan.
The Simple Restaurant Trick for Lining Cake Pans Perfectly Each Time
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How to Make Christmas Cookies Look Like They Came From a Bakery, According to a Pastry Chef
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How to Make a Stunning Lattice-Top Pie, According to a Pastry Chef
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Winter Weather Could Be Ruining Your Baking—Here's How to Fix It
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This Easy Trick for Homemade Brown Sugar Saves You a Trip to the Store
Overhead view of pie crust
How to Combat Soggy Pie Crusts With Epsom Salt
Overhead shot of six bowls containing ingredients for homemade brownie mix, each with a different variety of Dutch cocoa
8 Unexpected Ingredients All Savvy Bakers Should Have
Sliding a charred broccoli rabe pizza onto a serving tray
How to Make Great Pizza in an Outdoor Pizza Oven
Meringue on pink background
The Science Behind Vegan Meringues
The levain used for sourdough bread rises in a glass jar, about triple its starting volume.
How to Ferment Sourdough Properly
Bags of different types of flour against a purple background.
Types of Flour: A Guide
Homemade lofthouse cookies on a baking sheet.
How Silicone Baking Mats Are Ruining Your Cookies
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What's the Difference Between Instant, Active, and Fast-Acting Dry Yeasts?
close up of ap flour sourdough starter on day 11
The Science of Sourdough Starters
Slices of crusty white bread
What Is Gluten? The Science Behind Great Dough
Spooning up a bit of custard topped with cherries in a glass cup.
What to Do With Leftover Vanilla Bean Pods
A large, hardened lump of brown sugar in a zip-top bag, the opening of which has been rolled back and propped open.
The Quickest Way to Soften Brown Sugar
Measuring spoons, measuring cups and a kitchen scale.
The Best and Most Accurate Way to Measure Wet and Dry Ingredients for Baking
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How to Make a Paper Piping Bag
Two hands gently hold a smooth ball of dough on a wooden work surface.
How to Knead, Fold, and Shape Sourdough Bread