Desserts & Baking

The edges turn pale gold before the centers look finished, and that’s exactly when these cookies need to come out...

The first thing I noticed when I mixed the wet ingredients was that this cake doesn’t start like a butter...

The edges should look firm when these cookies come out of the oven, even if the centers still feel soft....

The cocoa smell comes up before the cookies have even finished baking, but the centers can look almost too soft...

The first thing I watch when this pie comes out of the oven is the center, not the color of...

The smell of ginger and cinnamon comes up as soon as the butter, brown sugar, and molasses are beaten together....

As the apples soften in the skillet, they turn glossy and start to smell like cinnamon—but they shouldn’t collapse into...

The first thing I watch for with oatmeal cookies is the edge: it should turn golden while the middle still...

The batter for these pumpkin bars is thick and vividly orange, and the cinnamon smells warm before the pan even...

A russet can be tender in the middle and still come out of the oven with a soft, leathery skin....