Stella Parks

Buying Guides

The Best Chocolate for Baking

Our go-to milk, dark, and extra-dark chocolate bars for better baked goods at home.

Stella Parks

Baking

Yes, You Really Do Need a Stand Mixer for That

The most important thing a stand mixer has to offer isn't convenience; it's power.

Stella Parks

Baking

The Best Stand Mixer for Bakers, According to BraveTart

Why our resident pastry wizard is so obsessed with one stand mixer in particular.

Stella Parks

Baking

Icing on the Cake: A Guide to Basic Frosting Types

All the basic cake frostings and when to use them.

Stella Parks

Recipe Collections

Stella's Favorite Recipes of 2019

The sweet and savory recipes Stella makes at home.

Stella Parks

Baking

A No-Fuss Chocolate Yule Log That’s Easy to Roll

How to make a no-crack chocolate roulade, perfect for your holiday Yule log.

Stella Parks

Baking

Classic Chocolate Yule Log

For a light and fluffy chocolate roulade, no cracks in sight.

Stella Parks

Eggs

Pistachio Frosting

Homemade pistachio paste and French buttercream join forces in this rich and creamy frosting.

Stella Parks

Baking

Real Talk: DIY Vanilla Extract Is a Waste of Time and Money

Exploring the complexities of commercial vanilla extract and the failings of homemade.

Stella Parks

Baking

Top Your Yule Log With These Super-Realistic Meringue Mushrooms

How to make meringue mushrooms that look just like the real thing.

Stella Parks

Baking

Perfect Meringue Mushrooms

Flavorful little meringues, as cute as a button—mushroom, that is.

Stella Parks

Cakes

Lemon and Ricotta Join Forces in This Tart and Tangy Cheesecake

An aromatic cheesecake packed with layers of lemony flavor.

Stella Parks

American

Lemon-Ricotta Cheesecake

A bright and tangy lemon cheesecake, made with cream cheese and fresh ricotta.

Stella Parks

Baking

Calm, Cool, Collected: The Only Way to Jelly Roll

The easiest and most effective method for ensuring a jelly roll won't crack or tear.

Stella Parks

Baking

Old-Fashioned Jelly Roll

A light and simple dessert for any occasion.

Stella Parks

Cakes

Extra Light, Extra Tangy: Meet Our No-Bake Greek Yogurt Cheesecake

A light and fluffy twist on no-bake cheesecake.

Stella Parks

Cakes

No-Bake Greek Yogurt Cheesecake

Tangy Greek yogurt stars in this cross between no-bake cheesecake and the best vanilla mousse.

Stella Parks

Apple

Apple Cider Doughnuts That Taste Like Apples Fall

A new approach to a classic fall treat.

Stella Parks

Apple

The Best Apple Cider Doughnuts

Yeast raised apple cider doughnuts that are crisp and light.

Stella Parks

Apple

Make Apple-Cinnamon Everything With This Freeze-Dried-Fruit Topping

Amplify the apple flavor of any cider doughnut with a topping made from cinnamon, sugar, and freeze-dried apples.

Stella Parks

Apple

Apple Cinnamon Sugar

Ground to a fine powder, freeze-dried apples take classic cinnamon sugar to 11.

Stella Parks

Baking

These DIY-Nutella Rolls Are Our New Favorite Chocolate Delivery System

Upgrade your weekend brunch with homemade Nutella and roasted hazelnuts, twirled up in a yeasted dough.

Stella Parks

Baking

Overnight Chocolate-Hazelnut Breakfast Buns

Make-ahead buns stuffed with chocolate and caramelized hazelnuts, for an all-star brunch.

Stella Parks

Baking

How Silicone Baking Mats Are Ruining Your Cookies

How baking on parchment versus silicone can affect the color, texture, and size of a cookie.

Stella Parks

Almonds

BraveTart's Almond Cake: Fluffy as a Butter Cake, Nutty Like a Torte

Almond flour gives this nutty cake a hearty texture and torte-like crumb.

Stella Parks

Baking

Fluffy and Nutty Almond Layer Cake

The secret is a one-two punch of almond flour and almond extract.

Stella Parks

Baking

Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies: Just Pantry Staples, Totally Vegan

Grab your favorite extra-virgin olive oil for an aromatic, vegan twist on chocolate chip cookies.

Stella Parks

Baking

Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies

A simple vegan chocolate chip cookie infused with the richness and aroma of extra-virgin olive oil.

Stella Parks

Baking

Cookie Science: The Importance of Scraping Your Bowl

When one or two cookies spread, brown, and rise differently from the rest, don't blame the oven—brush up on your technique!

Stella Parks

Baking

A Lactation Cookie Only a Mother Can Love

A special treat for nursing mothers, loaded with chocolate, malt, and macadamia nuts.

Stella Parks

Baking

Vegan Lactation Cookies

A hearty vegan cookie, full of chocolate chips, oats, and macadamia nuts, for nursing mothers.

Stella Parks

Baking

Lactation Cookies

Treat nursing mothers to a batch of these malted oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, studded with macadamia nuts and scented with spices.

Stella Parks

American

Seven-Minute Frosting: The Fluff of Legend

A quick and easy old fashioned frosting, no butter in sight.

Stella Parks

Cakes

Old-Fashioned 7-Minute Frosting

An old fashioned frosting as light and fluffy as a cloud.

Stella Parks

Cakes

Level Up Your Ice Cream by Leveling Your Cake

If you love cake and ice cream, how about cake in ice cream?

Stella Parks

Baking

Triple-Pistachio Breakfast Buns, the Make-Ahead Breakfast of Your Dreams

An overnight rise makes these pistachio buns the perfect centerpiece for a make-ahead brunch.

Stella Parks

Baking

Pistachio Buns

After making pistachio ice cream, turn those milk-soaked pistachios into the homemade pistachio paste that's laced into every bite of these fluffy, nutty buns.

Stella Parks

Ice Cream

For the Best Pistachio Ice Cream, Toast the Nuts and Ditch the Paste

Forget pricey tubs of pistachio paste and make outstanding ice cream with fresh, whole pistachios.

Stella Parks

Dairy

From-Scratch Real Pistachio Ice Cream

How to make the best pistachio ice cream, from whole pistachios rather than paste.

Stella Parks

Desserts

Beyond Vanilla: Extracts, Oils, and Waters That Can Improve Your Baking

How to use essential oils, extracts, and herbal distillates to flavor (or enhance) your favorite desserts.

Stella Parks

American

For This Mocha Icebox Cake, You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Cookie

A 100%-from-scratch icebox cake made with mocha whipped cream and crispy cookies.

Stella Parks

American

Mocha Mascarpone Icebox Cake

Layers of crispy cookies and bittersweet mocha whipped cream—what's not to love?

Stella Parks

American

Anything Is Possible When You Mix and Match Ice Creams and Swirls

From fruit syrups to caramel and homemade Nutella, here's how to customize your favorite ice cream with a swirl.

Stella Parks

Desserts

How to Make Ice Cream Cones From Scratch

A waffle cone machine can make crisp and flavorful cones for your ice cream.

Stella Parks

American

Waffle Cone Recipe

Hazelnut oil is just one of the special ingredients in these rich and nutty ice cream cones.

Stella Parks

Baking

For This Gorgeous Pistachio Cherry Tart, It Pays to Frangi-plan Ahead

A pistachio twist on a classic frangipane tart.

Stella Parks

Baking

Cherry and Pistachio Frangipane Tart

Cherries and pistachios join forces in this buttery frangipane tart.

Stella Parks

Cherry

How to Make No-Waste, No-Fuss, No-Cook (No-Poison!) Cherry Pit Syrup

This bright and fruity syrup makes the most of the cherry pits we normally throw away.

Stella Parks