I’ve been meaning to write a post on this topic for a while, and since so many of us are at home stress baking from our cupboards anyway, now seemed like the perfect time to finally sit down and do it. Let’s talk about all the things you can bake with pantry staples. The amazing thing about baking is how many things you can make with just a handful of ingredients. When it comes down to it, most baking recipes are just different ratios of the same pantry staples. This means that if you keep a basic stocked baking pantry, you can always make something delicious.
If you have the ingredients on these lists, you’ll be amazed at just how many different things you can make.
Basic Baking Pantry Staples Level 1 (The Essentials)
All-purpose flour Sugars (granulated, brown, and powdered) Cocoa powder Baking soda Baking powder Salt Milk Butter* Large eggs Vanilla extract Peanut butter (not natural-style) Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Recipes will typically specify either salted or unsalted butter. If you have salted butter and unsalted is called for, reduce the salt in the recipe by 1/4 teaspoon per 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) of butter in the recipe. If you have unsalted and the recipe calls for salted butter, increase the salt by 1/4 teaspoon per 1/2 cup.
Basic Baking Pantry Staples Level 2
Vegetable oil Shortening Oatmeal (quick-cook or old-fashioned) Ground cinnamon Cream of tartar
Level 1 – If you have everything on the “Basic Baking Pantry Staples Level 1” list, you can make everything from this section. Level 2 – If you have everything on both lists, you can make everything from levels 1 and 2. Level 3 – You’ll (potentially) need ingredients from both lists and the extra ingredients bolded in the notes below each recipe.
Make sense? Hopefully that’s a yes, and happy baking.
Level 1 Pantry Staples Recipes
Small-batch Shortbread Cookies – Shortbread cookies are as simple as it gets and made with just four ingredients. If you have white chocolate and sprinkles, you can add them, but toppings are totally optional. Need a bigger, more frosting-covered version? Make these Frosted Brownies or swirl in some peanut butter for Small-batch Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies. You can also add ice and make Frozen Hot Chocolate, peanut butter and make Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate, or make a cold version for Chocolate Milk.
