Always wanted to bake beautiful desserts and treats but didn't know where to start? Baking is one of those skills that many people wish they possess, but somehow perceive as unattainable.

To help out first-time bakers, I've compiled a list of 10 recipes for beginners I often make in my own kitchen. Novice bakers will be pleased to find an assortment of cupcakes, pies, and bars!

I have arranged these easy baking recipes according to their difficulty level. Essentially, the first few are the easiest recipes and the last couple border on the edge of intermediate baking.

Let me know which recipes you think are absolutely delicious, and which ones you will try out! Happy baking!

1. Chocolate Chip Vanilla Cupcakes

We’ll start off easy with classic vanilla cupcakes, with a slight twist.

This recipe is great for even the most inexperienced of bakers, because it relies heavily on what they know: following the instructions on the box.

However, adding semi-sweet chocolate chips turns these basic cupcakes into creative creations.

These also make great mini cupcakes!

Ingredients:

1 package Betty Crocker Vanilla Cake Mix

1 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 or 4 eggs

2-3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 can store-bought vanilla frosting

chocolate sprinkles

To make Chocolate Chip Vanilla Cupcakes

1. Follow instructions on cake box, using water, vegetable oil, and eggs as directed.
2. Before pouring into cupcake cups, fold in as many chocolate chips as desired.
3. Bake according to instructions on the box.
4. Spread on vanilla frosting and top with chocolate sprinkles!

2. Mug Brownie

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons flour

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

4 Tablespoons water

1/8 teaspoon/a pinch of salt

2 Tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

vanilla ice cream (optional)

To make a Mug Brownie:

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a microwave-safe mug.
2. Add chocolate chips (optional) last.
3. Microwave for about 1 minute and 40 seconds.
4. Optionally, top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

3. Chocolate Pudding Pie

Ingredients:

1 package JELL-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding Mix (3.9 oz.)

1 1/2 cups cold milk

1 Keebler Ready Pie Crust (Graham Cracker)

1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

To make Chocolate Pudding Pie:

1. Whisk together chocolate pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes.
2. Pour into graham cracker pie crust. Let stand about 5 minutes.
3. Top with COOL WHIP.
4. Refrigerate until set, anywhere from 1-3 hours.

4. Basic Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

3/4 cup milk

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

any icing of your choice

To make Basic Chocolate Cupcakes:

1. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a separate large bowl, add unsweetened cocoa.
3. Heat up milk in the microwave until hot (not boiling!), and add this to the cocoa.
4. Whisk until all the lumps of cocoa are gone and the mixture is smooth.
5. Then, whisk in sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla, and the egg.
6. Finally, add in the flour and baking soda mixture until just combined*.
7. Divide batter among 12 muffin cups, 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
8. Let cool before adding any icing of your choice!

*It is extremely important that you stop mixing the moment all the flour disappears. To achieve the right texture, it is important to not overmix.

5. Mini Pies in a Cupcake Tin

Ingredients:

2 packages of 2-count Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts

2 cans of 21 oz. pie filling

1 egg, whisked (to brush over the top of the pie crust)

To make Mini Pies:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.
2. Roll out one pie crust. Cut out 4-inch circles of dough*.
3. Press each dough circle into the bottom of a muffin tin so that a tiny rim of dough remains sticking out the top. Repeat with remaining pie crusts until all muffin cups are filled.
4. Fill each cup with 1/4 cup pie filling.
5. Use the remaining dough to cover the top of each pie**.
6. Use a pastry brush to brush the top of each pie with the whisked eggs.
7. Bake for 25-20 minutes or until the crust is lightly golden.
8. Let cool for 15 minutes. Then, use a knife to carefully loosen the edges of each pie and gently lift each pie out.

*I use a circular lid with a 4-inch diameter and trace around it on the dough to cut out perfect circles.

**I usually make a lattice crust; I cut out five strips of dough, place two horizontally and three vertically, and weave them through each other to make a lace pattern. However, you can also simply cut out another 4-inch circle of dough and join it along the edges with the bottom crust.

6. Easy Chocolate Fudge

This fudge recipe has been my absolute favorite since I was just six years old.

There are two small challenges in this recipe: the double boiler setup and making sure the chocolate doesn’t burn.

The recipe walks you through easily creating your own double boiler, if you don’t own one. However, to keep the chocolate from burning, you have to stir the mixture constantly.

With only a handful of ingredients and few steps, this recipe brings simple satisfaction.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter (half a stick)

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)

1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz.)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon/a pinch of salt

To make Easy Chocolate Fudge:

1. Lightly grease an 8-inch square pan.
2. Fill a pot about 1/4 full of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer.
3. Place another metal pan or bowl on top of the pot. The bottom of the pan or bowl should not touch the water*.
4. Place the butter and chocolate chips in the pan or bowl. They will begin to melt. Stir until smooth.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the condensed milk, vanilla, and salt.
6. Pour into the prepared pan and chill fudge in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours, or until firm. Cut into squares.

*Essentially, this is an alternative for a double boiler!

7. Low-Calorie Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons butter (a little more than half a stick)

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup low-fat milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make Fudgy Brownies:

1. Grease an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.
2. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
3. In a separate microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter and chocolate chips for 3 15-second intervals (45 seconds total). Stir every 15 seconds until smooth. Let cool.
4. In another bowl, whisk together sugar, milk, and vanilla extract.
5. Combine the chocolate mixture with the sugar mixture.
6. Slowly add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. The dough should be firm rather than a batter.
7. Place the dough into the pan. Press the dough down and smooth it out until it covers the pan*.
8. Bake a 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Chill overnight. Cut into 16 squares.

*You may want to use vinyl gloves or similar.

8. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

These are a favorite summertime treat for me! I kick this recipe up a notch by filling them with vanilla bean ice cream.

However, for first-time bakers, find comfort in the fact that these cupcakes are based off a package of pre-made peanut butter cookie mix.

I created this recipe initially when I wanted to figure out how I could use a package of cookie mix to make cupcakes instead.

The end result was a delectable combination of peanut butter and chocolate—without having to measure out any sticky peanut butter from the jar!

Ingredients:

1 package Betty Crocker Peanut Butter Cookie Mix*

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1 1/4 cups water

3 eggs

3 squares of unsweetened baking chocolate (1 oz. squares)

any icing of your choice

*Note: Ignore the instructions on the cookie mix!

To make Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine cookie mix and vegetable oil on medium.
2. Add water by 1/4 cup increments and add eggs slowly until well-blended.
3. Microwave baking chocolate according to instructions on the box.
4. Add melted baking chocolate to mixer and mix on medium-low until blended.
5. Divide into 24 muffin cups, 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
6. Let cool before adding any icing of your choice!**

**I personally recommend vanilla!

9. Blueberry Crumb Bars

Bar recipes are generally good for beginner bakers, because everything is baked at once in a pan. There is no worrying about leaving even space between dough lumps or preparing secondary components or rushing to make icing.

With fresh blueberries, these Blueberry Crumb Bars are a hit with friends and family. Give them a try!

Ingredients:

1 cup white sugar

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup shortening

1 egg

4 cups blueberries

1/2 cup white sugar

3 teaspoons cornstarch

To make Blueberry Crumb Bars:

1. Grease a 9x13-inch pan.
2. Stir together sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Use a fork* to blend in the shortening and egg. The dough should be crumbly.
4. Pat half of the dough into the prepared pan.
5. In another bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch.
6. Very gently, mix in the blueberries.
7. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the bottom crust. Add remaining dough over the berry layer.
8. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until the top is slightly brown.
9. Let cool and cut into squares.

*Alternatively, use a pastry cutter.

10.Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cookie Butter Frosting

Here’s another recipe that uses pre-made, store-bought cookie dough and turns it into a cupcake batter. When the holidays come around, this is a quick recipe to whip up and share with the family!

Cookie butter (or speculoos) sounds strange and foreign, but it can be found in the peanut butter or nut spreads aisle at most grocery stores.

The spice cookie flavor pairs amazingly well with gingerbread, which is why it works so perfectly in the icing for these cupcakes.

Disclaimer: this is the most challenging recipe on this list. Despite the initial difficulties you may face when attempting to bake these, I guarantee that you will persevere!

Ingredients:

1 roll Pillsbury refrigerated gingerbread cookies (30 oz.)

4 eggs

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

1 cup cookie butter spread

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup whipping cream (optional)

1/8 teaspoon/a pinch of salt

To make Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cookie Butter Frosting:

1. First, let cookie dough and butter stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
2. In a bowl, break up cookie dough.
3. Beat in eggs with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until well-combined and smooth.
4. Divide mixture into 20 muffin cups, 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat butter and cookie butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
6. Beat in powdered sugar, salt, and whipping cream (optional) until fluffy.
7. Let cupcakes cool for about 15 minutes. Pipe frosting on top of cupcakes.