My Best Recipes of 2021
December 21, 2021
It was a year full of plenty of experimentation in the kitchen for me, and I always love looking back at what I created. This year, I had so many delicious recipes, it was tough to choose favorites, so I’m breaking it down award-show style. Discover my best recipes of 2021, and be sure to let me know which ones you loved!
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Best Overall Recipe:
No-Bake Molasses Cheesecake with Butter Rum Sauce
While I really enjoyed so many of my recipes, it’s wasn’t a tough decision to choose my overall fave. There was something special about this cheesecake. First, it’s a simple recipe to make. Because it’s no-bake, there aren’t very many places to mess up.
Also, the flavor combinations were just mouthwatering. The cloying sweetness of molasses is balanced by tangy cream cheese. The creamy texture compliments the crunchy graham cracker crust. And the whole thing is tied together with a gooey butter rum sauce.
Now for the rest of these, I’ll introduce you to a few favorites in each category. Then you can reveal the winner!
Best Fruity Treat
During the produce season, I tend to focus a lot on fruit-centric desserts and breakfast recipes. This year was no exception. Each of these choices highlights a different fresh fruit, by pairing it with complimentary flavors: orange & cream, rhubarb & strawberries, cherry & cheesecake, blueberries & corn, and apples & cheddar.
And The Winner Is...
Skillet Apple Cobbler with Cheddar Biscuits!
This dish combined sweet and savory, making it not only a delicious dessert, but also perfect for brunch. It's one of my rare apple recipes that didn't use any additional spices, really allowing the apples themselves to shine, alongside fluffy cheddar biscuits.
Best Non-Fruit Dessert
Whether chocolate, cream, or nut-based, these non-fruit desserts deserve their own category. Each of the sweets I selected here show off a delicious flavor or combination, featuring different styles of preparation: cookie bar, cheesecake, torte, brownies, and pastry, showing off the versatility of dessert.
And The Winner Is...
Flourless Miso Torte With Butterscotch Sauce!
Not only does this rich dessert feature one of my favorite secret ingredients in miso, it also specifically lacks an ingredient that I tend to rely on: flour! The gooey butterscotch sauce takes this dark and mysterious dessert to another level with a sticky sweetness, sure to impress.
So many great recipes highlighted 2021! Here are a few favorites.
Best Cookie
Cookies went from being one of my least favorite to one of my favorite things to bake. I love experimenting with flavors in a small-scale treat. Plus, these are perfect for sharing with friends and family. From chewy to melt-in-your-mouth, these cookies each represent a wonderful snack.
And The Winner Is...
Homemade Peach Ice Cream Sandwiches with Ginger Molasses Cookies!
It might be cheating to put an ice cream sandwich in with the rest of the cookies, but I think these chewy and sweet ginger molasses cookies may have been the winner on their own. Add in the creamiest perfect peach ice cream, and there's simply no competition.
Best Drink
As I always say, it’s not brunch without cocktails, and honestly, it would be Slumber & Scones either. These drinks are full of character, ranging from classy to colorful, and all have plenty of flavor. Featuring bourbon, tequila, rum, vodka, and even a zero-proof option, they really accentuate the variety of drinks I created this year.
And The Winner Is...
Chocolate Old Fashioned!
This was the hardest category for me, but I just cannot get over how gorgeous and decadent this twist on one of my favorite classic cocktails is. Chocolate just pairs so perfectly with every single flavor already in an old fashioned, it just felt like a natural progression. And now it's a delicious dessert too!
Honorable Mentions
There can only be so many favorites, but I feel like I need to mention some other highlights of the year:
Multigrain Cocoa Cinnamon Rolls with Brown Butter Glaze
I posted this recipe on December 31 of 2020, which technically means it couldn’t be a favorite of 2021, and that it was after my favorites of 2020 post. But don’t let these cinnamon rolls slip through the cracks. They are a game changer.
Guest Posts
I loved being able to feature two of my blogger friends and their own original recipes this year. Be sure to check out Sarah’s Decadent S’mores Drip Cake and Lynn’s Café Mocha Overnight Oats!
Blueberries
Let’s give a shout out to the fruit that kept me going this summer! Not only are blueberries the easiest of all the berries to pick, but they taste delicious and keep on adding their gorgeous color to recipes like Blueberry Lemon Bars with Gingersnap Crust and Blueberry Goat Cheese Ice Cream.
Butternut Squash Cheesecake with Toffee Sauce
This was one of my favorite recipes from developing the idea, all the way through the execution and eating it. But I’m not sure if it counts as a fruity or non-fruity recipe? If I keep cooking with butternut squash, I might need a new category!
Did I miss your favorites? Let me know in the comments if you agree with these choices. Then, let’s get excited for another year of new, adventurous recipes.
