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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at IUP chapter.

Everywhere on the internet there seems to be someone baking sourdough bread. While this is due to the efficiency that comes with making bread from scratch as well as boredom, I am sad to see a lack of sweet recipes.

I am a huge fan of baking. I love watching baking shows, but I also love baking stuff myself. I do it a lot during stressful times. To say this year has been stressful is an understatement. So, if you need a good hobby or want some sweets, I want to give you some of my favorite recipes.

The Wholesome Chocolate Chip Cookie

Nothing slaps harder than a good chocolate chip cookie. This recipe is from my great-grandma and they are perfect. It has the perfect bite of salt, which is very important to me because super sweet things can be sickening.

You can add anything to the basic dough, but I mostly stick to chocolate chips or M&Ms.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening

¾ cup brown sugar

¾ cup white sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon water (sometimes I add a little more to make the cookies softer)

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

2 eggs

 

Directions:

Mix all of the above ingredients together. Once it is combined well and resembles dough, add chocolate chips- as many as you prefer. Stir them in and use a spoon to place them on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 to 10 minutes.

 

Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies That Impress Grandpas

This is a recipe I tried out of curiosity during the holidays. Though I was afraid no one would like them, they became a hit with my family, especially my grandfather, whom I always aim to please.

Cake mix is actually a great substitute for many cookie recipes. Try it out with other cookie recipes and see what happens!

 

Ingredients:

1 box of white cake mix

2 eggs

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup white chocolate chips

 

Directions:

Mix all of these ingredients in a bowl. You might think you are making cake at first, but I promise you are not. Chill in the fridge for roughly an hour, but I sometimes just say “whatever” and put them in the oven immediately.

Like every cookie recipe, use a tablespoon to place the cookies onto a baking sheet. You can also use your hands to put them into a rounded ball if you are not afraid. These puppies bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees. Be careful though- they can be very soft.

Banana Bread- The King of all Breads

If people are going to make bread, why would you not want to make some delicious banana bread? Honestly, I love banana bread so much, my best friend and I have literally just driven around eating full loaves. Banana bread soothes the soul.

 

Ingredients:

½ cup butter

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 cup mashed bananas (make sure to have bananas as brown as possible)

1 teaspoon baking soda

 

Directions:

First, make sure you oil and lightly flour your banana bread pan. No one wants banana bread that sticks to the container. I recommend using pans that are 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½. According to my Google research, this is “a standard loaf pan.”

Next, with all good recipes, mix all of the ingredients together. If you are feeling super spicy, add some walnuts to this (unless you are allergic).

Next, pour the concoction into your pans and bake for an hour at 350 degrees. Now you have some delicious banana bread that will last you less than a day.

Hopefully, you actually try these recipes and enjoy them as much as I do. Baking is a fun hobby and, let’s be real, we all are bored enough to try anything.

A double Major in Communications Media and Journalism, passion for radio and for art