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Hi Bold Bakers!
It’s a very strange time all around the world right now with a lot of us finding ourselves in an unusual situation being quarantined at home. As a professional chef and baking expert, I’m here for you!
Before cabin fever kicks in I’m here to offer some relief (and a much-needed distraction)! Let’s make the most of this time and use it to learn, develop, and hone our baking skills while also bringing joy to you and your families. Stress baking? You bet. Quarantine baking? I’ve got you covered.
Did you know you can make a multitude of my recipes with basic limited ingredients that you probably have to hand right now? Things like butter, flour, sugar, eggs, etc. are staples in everyone’s kitchen! Below is a list of recipes from pancakes to muffins and even homemade pasta you can make with cupboard staples. Let’s make the most of this time if you can, and gather the family and head into the kitchen and get baking! Let’s all #bakelifebolder.
Before You Dive In
If you’re unsure of what you can make with the limited ingredients you have on-hand, no worries, my team and I will do our best to help you out! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post with the ingredients you have, and we’ll help you come up with something you can bake.
Here’s a good start on what you can make with what limited ingredients you have — and don’t forget to scroll the whole way through for all kinds of recipes from pasta to bread, and from pancakes to homemade ingredients:
2-Ingredient Pasta (plus Whole Wheat Pasta, Vegan, and Gluten-Free Pasta)
Not only does 2-Ingredient Pasta make fresh, amazing pasta, but it only uses eggs and flour — and after you make it, you can even freeze it later. Make my 2-Ingredient Homemade Pasta.
Irish Soda Bread (Brown and White, both Yeast-Free)
If you’re running low on, or are completely out of, yeast, you don’t need it at all for Irish Soda Bread. It’s also a very quick recipe and you can have fresh bread in no time at all. Make my Irish Soda Bread.
Pancake Mix
Breakfast is important, so make your own Homemade Pancake Mix so you have it on-hand to whip up a breakfast anytime.
No-Knead Whole Wheat Bread
If you’re looking for a bread with a good amount of whole wheat, look no further — this one is as simple as it gets. You leave it overnight to ferment and the next day you can have great Whole Wheat Bread without any kneading.
3-Ingredient Cookies (Peanut Butter Cookies, Shortbread, and More)
It doesn’t get much easier than 3 ingredients, so you can make all kinds of cookies with just that many, right at home. From Peanut Butter Cookies to Shortbread, there’s something for everyone.
3-Ingredient Flatbread
One of my most popular recipes, 3-Ingredient Flatbread is simple and doesn’t take a lot of time at all. If you’re someone who has plain yogurt on-hand, this one you need to make — you can even freeze your flatbreads for later.
Best-Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies are a staple, right? Mine happen to be the Best-Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies — and it’s all thanks to the ratio of white to brown sugar. If you’re out of brown sugar, you can even make your own.
Best-Ever Irish Scones
Irish Scones are way easier than you’d think. The results are wonderful and will go great with some of the other homemade recipes that come later on this list — like Homemade Butter and Homemade Jam.
Crazy Muffins
One base muffins recipe, then you can add in whatever you have on-hand — chocolate chips, frozen blueberries, you name it. Make my Crazy Muffins!
Banana Bread
If your bananas are starting to turn and you don’t want to waste them, you can make yourself a loaf of my Best-Ever Banana Bread!
Best-Ever Buttermilk Biscuits
Best-Ever Buttermilk Biscuits are great for a filling addition to dinner, and if you’re out of Buttermilk you can easily make your own with milk and lemon or vinegar.
No-Knead Cinnamon Raisin Bread
It’s nice to treat yourself, and my warm No-Knead Cinnamon Raisin Bread will definitely reward you for your efforts — but you can actually make a lovely white bread out of this recipe too: just leave the cinnamon and raisins out of it and it’s perfect for sandwiches.
Easy Chocolate Crepes
Breakfast doesn’t have to be boring, and crepes sound like a pancake’s fancy cousin, but they’re just as easy. Make Chocolate Crepes and you’re in for a treat.
Homemade Butter
Out of butter but you have cream? Make your own butter — the added bonus is that you actually make Buttermilk during this simple process too, so you are getting two recipes in one!
3-Ingredient Microwave Jam
Check your freezer, you might have a bag of frozen berries stashed in there. Take them, add two more ingredients, and make fresh jam for your homemade bread… right in the microwave.
Sour Cream
Making your own Sour Cream at home is easy and encouraged! Taco night and baking that calls for it will never be the same.
Cream Cheese
You don’t need to run to the store for cream cheese, you can just make Homemade Cream Cheese right at home.
Whipped Cream
If your kids are begging for whipped cream on your pancakes, and you have the cream, you can just whip some up yourself — pun intended. Make Whipped Cream.
Buttermilk Substitute
You can get buttermilk as a side product from making your own butter, but, you can also easily make a buttermilk substitute in the quantity you need without having to make butter, too.
We’re Here To Help
If you comment on this post down below with what limited ingredients you have on-hand, I (and my team) will do my best to help you figure out what you can bake with what you have! It takes a village and community to get through unusual times, and this is no exception. Don’t hesitate to reach out! And when you bake something, share it on your favorite social media platform with the hashtag #bakelifebolder.
And you can always follow Bigger Bolder Baking on Pinterest for more ideas.
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About Us
Meet Gemma
About Us
Meet Gemma
Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.
Hi gemma! I currently don’t have access to flour where I live but I do have oats. so I was wondering if u could help we thinkn of some thinks to make. thanks
Hi Gemma,
I have cocoa powder , milk, brown sugar , bananas , butter. I wanted to make some sort of brownies or cake but i only have whole wheat flour…dont know if that will work well.
Also, do you have some homemade chocolate recipie? I’ll be really happy if i find a recipie to make some????
Hi everyone,
I have a suggestion. Most of the Indian homes are very well stocked up on rice. So I have a quick recipe using rice. Soak rice overnight. In the morning grind the soaked rice with thick coconut milk to form a batter. Add salt as required. Then make crepes out of it ! Simple.
Its extremely tasty and very easy too !
Anyone can make it. You can have it with chutney.
Thanks and regards,
Shruthi Achut.
Lemon juice, onion, soy sauce, pasta, sun dried tomatoes, tomato sauce, mashed potatoes, cooked potato wedges, leftover kfc chicken, eggs, lettuce
Hi Gemma! I recently bought dark brown sugar for a recipe, but there’s still a lot left, can you give me some recipes that uses dark brown sugar?
Hi Gemma????, right now in my kitchen I have potatoes, onions ,tomatoes, spaghetti, milk, homemade oat flour, sugar, vanilla, margarine (But I can also buy butter at the shops because it’s still available as well as heavy cream, though a lot of brands here do not produce cream that can whip up, here in Lilongwe, Malawi), cinnamon, baking powder, salt, wheat flour (or white flour- it’s a flour used for making breads), cocoa powder, cake flour, food colorings and yeast (but I think it’s gone bad). Can you please suggest a few recipes I can make with these ingredients???? Hope… Read more »
Any suggestions for flour, bicarbonate of soda and eggs? Possible sweet variations also would be good ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Kind regards. Love your posts!
Hi gemma, there is no supply of cocoa powder due to corona virus, please recommend some good recipes without cocoa powder which are your favourite.
Hello Gemma! I have flour, sugar, milk, eggs, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, butter, baking powder and soda in my pantry with me. Can you suggest me a simple and easy to make recipes that I can make with these?
Hope you stay safe!
what can i substitute yogurt for the flat bread gemma only have a bit of it used it for my first time flatbread hope they taste good , we’ll see at dinner time !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you