886 better recipes

Pinto bean muffins with raisins, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Beans puréed into the batter add moisture and protein without anyone knowing. Ready in 40 minutes.

A cookies and cream layer cake made with white cake mix and crushed Oreos folded right into the batter. Easy enough for beginners, impressive enough for birthdays.

Simple flour-based chicken dipping batter with seasoned salt and baking powder for light crispiness. Dip and fry for a crunchy golden coating on any chicken piece.

Apple topped cake with whole wheat flour, honey, egg whites, and yogurt in the batter, crowned with sliced apples and a cinnamon-sugar drizzle. A lighter bake.

Big-batch raisin bran muffins spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, loaded with mixed dried fruit and nuts. Buttermilk batter that keeps in the fridge for weeks.

Crepes a la Neige, a Quebec tradition using fresh packed snow instead of eggs in the batter. Fried golden and served with molasses or grated maple sugar.

Deep-fried ginger shrimp in a light batter with garlic, chili sauce, and whipped egg white. Crispy, golden, and served with the tail on for easy dipping.

Chocolate raisin snacking cake with cocoa, cinnamon, and chopped nuts, made in one saucepan. Raisins get simmered first to plump them up, and the warm cooking liquid goes right into the batter.

Mix self-rising and whole wheat flours with club soda into thin batter, pour into a hot skillet, and cook on one side only for spongy Ethiopian flatbread.

Soft apple cookies loaded with raisins, nuts, and warm spices, topped with a vanilla powdered sugar glaze. Apple juice in the batter doubles down on fresh apple flavor.

Buttery blueberry muffins bursting with berries thanks to a clever trick: mashing half a cup of blueberries into the batter for intense fruit flavor in every single bite.

Self-saucing chocolate puddle pudding: a cocoa cake batter with boiling chocolate sauce poured over before baking. Vegan-friendly, egg-free, and magically creates its own gooey sauce.

Savory garlic muffins with crushed garlic and chives baked into a quick bread batter. A warm, fragrant alternative to garlic bread that pairs with pasta, soup, or stew.

Indian pakoras made with chickpea flour batter spiced with garam masala, coriander, and turmeric. Dip eggplant, potato, pepper, mushroom, or onion and fry until crisp. The chaiwala classic at home.

Cherry and almond Christmas cake: maraschino cherries, apricots, ginger, and almonds macerated in amaretto and brandy, baked into a lighter apple-puree batter, then soaked in more amaretto. A boozy, fruit-packed festive cake that keeps for a month.

Marbled pumpkin cheesecake squares swirl a tangy cream cheese topping into a spiced pumpkin batter built with prune puree instead of butter or oil. Lower-fat fall dessert with cinnamon, ginger and clove.