Happy New Year! We all say it every year—the days flew by! My 2025 was packed with more amazing experiences, recipes and fun. I hit a personal milestone with my Substack (thank you for subscribing!), led trips in Italy and Paris, and am planning several others for next year.
To wrap up the year, I put together a list of my 10 most popular recipes of 2025. As always, it’s an eclectic and fun list featuring all kinds of flavors and treats. If you’ve tried any of these recipes, would you be so kind as to leave a rating/review? It helps other people find them more easily. Cheers to a new year!
These graham crackers are named after the flour, not my husband, whose name is also Graham. Graham flour is a whole grain flour that’s more coarsely ground than regular whole wheat flour. It is what these childhood favorites were originally made with and gives them their classic flavor and texture.
A shatteringly thin crust and a super light and stretchy interior is the bread most beloved by my family. This loaf delivers on all of it. The simple ingredients mixed with a short autolyze (just a fancy word for making a slurry of flour and water, then a quick rest), gives the bread the beautiful interior texture.
Bless whomever first thought to combine zucchini and chocolate. These two unlikely partners make fantastic cake together. The moisture in the vegetables translates to a super-rich cake—and all rich cakes are made even better with chocolate. I love the bittersweet edge of a darker chocolate, but semisweet works beautifully here as well.
Breakfast Cookies are the answer when you need a healthy breakfast but you're running out the door! Make these ahead of time and you won't need to skip the most important meal of the day.
These chocolate chip cookies are the result of what I learned making countless batches for decades. I also explain what the ingredients do to a cookie and how baking can change them. You can tweak your cookies to be just how you like them using my cookie guide toward the bottom of the post.
Basque cheesecake with its mahogany-colored top and super-rich custardy interior is one of my all-time favorite desserts. I was inspired by the season to add roasted pumpkin and spices to the cheesecake base and it may not be traditional, but it’s delicious.
All of the components of the classic German torte without the fuss. This cherry chocolate cake has layers of dark chocolate cake, fresh whipped cream and sweet cherries spiked with Kirschwasser.
The story of my life with sweets started with an auspicious meeting with Twinkies. I would never presume to create anything as iconic as the original, but these homemade Twinkies are freakin' delicious.
I’ve made the blueberry muffins and the carrot cake and OMG! You never disappoint! Delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipes, I have a lot more recipes to make
Hi, I made the carrot cake and it’s delicious. The 2nd time I made it I substituted the vegetable oil for coconut oil but it came out too dense . What is the better substitute for vegetable or canola oil for carrot cake?
Thanks
Nancy
Hi Nancy, you could also use avocado oil if you’d like to try something different. Coconut oil is typically a better substitute for butter because it’s solid at room temperature. Enjoy!
On the Great courses Plus. Your first lesson in making the dough. You don’t specify how much salt and yeast go into the three cups of water. Also, what’s the temperature of the oven?
I’m probably late coming to the party but I recently found Zoe Bakes and one thing I complain about other cooking shows lately is “They don’t teach”. I am so happy every time I watch Zoe I always learn from her and she is so much fun! Thank you Zoe
I was so excited to find Zoe’s tutorial for her pavlova on Instagram. I have made many a pavlova over the years but they were always the “low-rise” variety. Good & well received, but I always dreamed of being able to make a “high-rise” pavlova like I had seen in a local bakery in Vancouver, BC where I live. Let me tell you that bakery has nothing on Zoe’s “perfectly imperfect” pavlova. The tutorial & recipe ensure a stunningly spectacular “high rise” meringue. And it turns out “perfectly imperfect” every time.
I'm Zoë François and I love to bake. This is where I play with sugar and take the mystery out of baking everything from cookies to wedding cakes. I studied pastry at the CIA (the culinary school, not the spy agency), worked in restaurants, have written 10 cookbooks and you can find more of my creations in my Substack Newsletter and YouTube videos. More...
I’ve made the blueberry muffins and the carrot cake and OMG! You never disappoint! Delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipes, I have a lot more recipes to make
Hi, I made the carrot cake and it’s delicious. The 2nd time I made it I substituted the vegetable oil for coconut oil but it came out too dense . What is the better substitute for vegetable or canola oil for carrot cake?
Thanks
Nancy
Hi Nancy, you could also use avocado oil if you’d like to try something different. Coconut oil is typically a better substitute for butter because it’s solid at room temperature. Enjoy!
On the Great courses Plus. Your first lesson in making the dough. You don’t specify how much salt and yeast go into the three cups of water. Also, what’s the temperature of the oven?
Hi Gary, you may need to reach out to the great courses for support, but everything you need should be in the course materials.
I’m probably late coming to the party but I recently found Zoe Bakes and one thing I complain about other cooking shows lately is “They don’t teach”. I am so happy every time I watch Zoe I always learn from her and she is so much fun! Thank you Zoe
Thank you so much for watching Kate. We’re so glad you enjoy it!
I was so excited to find Zoe’s tutorial for her pavlova on Instagram. I have made many a pavlova over the years but they were always the “low-rise” variety. Good & well received, but I always dreamed of being able to make a “high-rise” pavlova like I had seen in a local bakery in Vancouver, BC where I live. Let me tell you that bakery has nothing on Zoe’s “perfectly imperfect” pavlova. The tutorial & recipe ensure a stunningly spectacular “high rise” meringue. And it turns out “perfectly imperfect” every time.
This is wonderful, Marcia! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed the Pavlova. Cheers!