Quarantine can be stressful for a plethora of reasons, whether it’s job anxiety, relationship drama or too much family time. Thus, comfort foods are an absolute must-have, and what better way is there to reduce stress than by baking them yourself! Whether you’re the second coming of Paul Hollywood or a baking novice, making these simple treats is a great way to stay busy and practice self-care while social distancing.
Zucchini Bread
Slightly less basic than banana bread but just as delicious, this flavorful loaf from AllRecipes is a great way to use up leftover zucchini. Top with butter and honey before serving, and keep leftovers in the freezer for an easy premade breakfast.
Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 ¼ cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Steps:
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Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
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Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
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Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts (optional) until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
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Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.
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Slice and enjoy!
Snickerdoodle Cookies
Chocolate chip cookies will always be a classic, but there’s something about the cinnamon spice of snickerdoodles that make them far more comforting. Plus, they make your kitchen smell like the holidays.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 ¾ cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Steps:
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Mix softened butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1tps of vanilla extract and eggs thoroughly in a large bowl.
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Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
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Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture.
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Chill dough for at least an hour — important so that the cookies don’t come out flat — and chill an ungreased cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes in the fridge.
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Meanwhile, mix 3 tablespoons sugar, and 3 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl.
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Scoop 1 inch globs of dough into the sugar/ cinnamon mixture.
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Coat by gently rolling balls of dough in the sugar mixture.
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Place on chilled ungreased cookie sheet, and bake for 8-10 minutes.
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Remove from pan immediately and cool on a wire rack before serving.
Cheese and Scallion Scones
If you prefer savory over sweet, these cheesy scones from King Arthur Flour make for a fantastic sidekick to your morning plate of eggs. Keep them vegetarian, or crumble in some pre-cooked bacon to your dough for an extra kick of flavor.
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
1 cup grated or chopped sharp cheddar cheese
3 scallions, cleaned, trimmed, and chopped (both white and green parts)
2 large eggs
1/3 cup milk, cream, sour cream, or ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, optional, for flavor
1 teaspoon hot sauce, optional, for zing
A few slices of crumbled bacon, optional
Steps:
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment.
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Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Work in the butter with your fingers to make an unevenly crumbly mixture.
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Toss in the cheese and scallions.
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Mix together the eggs and cream (or dairy of your choice); and the mustard, hot sauce and bacon (if you’re using them). Add to the dry ingredients, stirring just until everything is evenly moistened; the dough will be very sticky.
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Liberally flour the counter and your hands. Pat the dough into a 10″ x 2″ rectangle. For larger, flatter scones, pat into a 15″ x 3″ rectangle.
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Cut the rectangle into 5 squares; then cut each square in half diagonally, to make a total of 10 triangular scones.
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Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 1″ between them.
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Bake the scones for 20 to 23 minutes, until they’re nicely browned. Remove them from the oven, and serve warm or at room temperature. Store, well-wrapped, at room temperature, for several days; freeze for longer storage.
Try out one of these recipes to shake up your quarantine snack routine and to hopefully find some joy in baking them in these trying times!