Zoe's

Baking Inspiration

100 ideas to spark your next bake, organized by category.

Cookies

13 ideas

Drop, slice, sandwich, and decorate your way through these.

  • Brown butter chocolate chunk cookies with flaky salt
  • Chewy gingerbread cookies cut into festive shapes
  • Lemon crinkle cookies rolled in powdered sugar
  • Peanut butter blossoms with a chocolate kiss
  • Soft funfetti cookies for birthdays
  • Triple chocolate cookies with cocoa, chips, and chunks
  • Matcha white chocolate cookies
  • Oatmeal cranberry cookies with orange zest
  • Cookie butter stuffed snickerdoodles
  • Espresso shortbread dipped in dark chocolate
  • Maple pecan sandies
  • S'mores cookies with marshmallow and graham
  • Strawberries-and-cream thumbprint cookies

Cakes

13 ideas

From simple loaves to layered celebration cakes.

  • Classic vanilla layer cake with raspberry filling
  • Rich chocolate fudge cake with ganache
  • Lemon olive oil cake with a citrus glaze
  • Brown butter banana bundt cake
  • Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and toasted walnuts
  • Tres leches cake soaked in three milks
  • Marble pound cake with vanilla and cocoa swirls
  • Strawberry shortcake with whipped cream
  • Coffee walnut sponge cake
  • Coconut layer cake with seven-minute frosting
  • Spiced apple cake with caramel drizzle
  • Red velvet cake with a tangy crumb
  • Hummingbird cake with pineapple and banana

Cupcakes

12 ideas

Single-serving cakes begging to be decorated.

  • Cookies and cream cupcakes with a cookie on top
  • Salted caramel cupcakes with a gooey center
  • Pink lemonade cupcakes for summer
  • Hot chocolate cupcakes with marshmallow frosting
  • Chai spice cupcakes with honey buttercream
  • Black forest cupcakes with cherry and cream
  • Pumpkin spice cupcakes with maple frosting
  • Mint chocolate chip cupcakes
  • Champagne cupcakes for celebrations
  • Mocha cupcakes with espresso buttercream
  • Neapolitan cupcakes with three layers
  • Boston cream cupcakes with custard filling

Pastries

12 ideas

Buttery, flaky, and worth the extra effort.

  • Flaky butter croissants from scratch
  • Cinnamon-sugar palmiers
  • Fruit-filled hand pies
  • Chocolate babka with a glossy swirl
  • Cream puffs filled with vanilla custard
  • Danish pastries with cream cheese and jam
  • Apple turnovers with puff pastry
  • Eclairs with chocolate glaze
  • Pop tarts with homemade jam filling
  • Almond bear claws
  • Galette with seasonal fruit
  • Sticky honey-pistachio baklava

Holiday Baking

12 ideas

Festive bakes for every season and celebration.

  • Decorated sugar cookies with royal icing
  • Peppermint bark for the holidays
  • Pumpkin pie with a fluted crust
  • Gingerbread house from scratch
  • Hot cross buns for spring
  • Yule log (bûche de Noël) with cocoa bark
  • Heart-shaped linzer cookies for Valentine's Day
  • Pecan pie bars for the holiday table
  • Eggnog pound cake
  • Candy cane meringues
  • Stollen studded with dried fruit
  • Spiced pfeffernüsse cookies

Fruit Desserts

12 ideas

Let seasonal fruit be the star.

  • Mixed berry cobbler with biscuit topping
  • Peach crumble with cinnamon oats
  • Blueberry galette with a rustic crust
  • Strawberry rhubarb pie
  • Lemon blueberry buckle
  • Roasted plum and almond tart
  • Apple cinnamon turnovers
  • Cherry clafoutis
  • Raspberry oat bars
  • Grilled peaches with honey and mascarpone
  • Mango coconut sticky cake
  • Pear and ginger upside-down cake

Comfort Desserts

13 ideas

Warm, nostalgic, and made for slow evenings.

  • Sticky toffee pudding with warm sauce
  • Bread pudding with vanilla custard
  • Classic rice pudding with cinnamon
  • Warm chocolate lava cakes
  • Old-fashioned baked custard
  • Pumpkin bread with a streusel top
  • Cinnamon roll bake for a crowd
  • Self-saucing chocolate pudding cake
  • Apple brown betty
  • Buttermilk cornbread with honey
  • Snickerdoodle mug cake
  • Banana pudding with vanilla wafers
  • Warm peach and almond crisp

Quick Bakes

13 ideas

Sweet rewards in under an hour, minimal fuss.

  • 5-ingredient peanut butter cookies
  • No-chill chocolate chip cookies
  • Microwave mug brownie
  • Quick blueberry muffins
  • One-bowl banana muffins
  • Drop biscuits with jam
  • Easy lemon loaf
  • Puff pastry cinnamon twists
  • 3-ingredient coconut macaroons
  • Quick fudgy brownies
  • No-bake chocolate oat bars
  • Sheet pan sugar cookie bars
  • Quick scones with cream and jam