Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire rack inside. Carefully dry chicken wings with paper towels. In a large bowl, combine wings with baking powder and salt and toss until thoroughly and evenly coated. Place on rack, leaving a slight space between each wing. Repeat with remaining 2 batches of wings.

Place baking sheet with wings in refrigerator and allow to rest, uncovered, at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Add chicken wings and cook for 20 minutes. Flip wings and continue to cook until crisp and golden brown, 15 to 30 minutes longer, flipping a few more times towards the end.

Meanwhile, combine butter and hot sauce in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking until combined. Transfer wings to a large bowl, add sauce, and toss to thoroughly coat. Serve wings immediately with blue cheese dressing and celery sticks, conspicuously shunning anyone who says that real Buffalo wings must be fried.

Raising the pH does indeed improve browning, and it also creates an environment that weakens the peptide bonds naturally present in proteins. In theory, this means the proteins can break down more easily into shorter pieces, creating a texture that is less leathery or papery and more crispy. Is it true in reality? Well, my teeth tell me “yes,” but my lack of an electron microscope tells me “maybe.”

One final advantage from the baking powder: During its overnight rest on the chicken, it soaks up some of the protein-laden chicken juices from within. As it heats, it forms carbon dioxide gas in the same way that it would in a cookie dough or cake batter, inflating these juices into bubbles, which are then naturally hardened by the heat of the oven. And, as we all know, extra bubbles mean extra surface area, which means extra crunch!
1 to 4 pounds (450g to 1.7kg) chicken wings, cut into drumettes and flats
1 teaspoon (5g) baking powder per pound of chicken wings
1 teaspoon (5g) kosher salt per pound of chicken wings
2 tablespoons (1 ounce; 25g) unsalted butter per pound of chicken wings
2 tablespoons (1 ounce; 30ml) Frank’s RedHot Sauce per pound of chicken wings
Blue cheese dressing, for serving
Celery sticks, for serving

I set three new batches of wings on a rack set in a baking sheet and placed them, uncovered, in the refrigerator overnight. One was tossed with baking soda (a smaller amount than what had previously given me a bitter aftertaste), one was tossed with baking powder, and one was plain.

The next day, I removed the desiccated wings and baked them in a 425°F (218°C) oven, on the same rack that I’d dried them on. The results were even better than I’d expected:
Check out the hole structure on that, baby!

Although the baking soda–laden wings still had an off flavor, both the baking powder– and baking soda-treated wings showed markedly more bubbling and blistering than their untreated counterpart—just as much as a regular fried wing, in fact!

Could such a dramatic difference be attributed merely to improved browning because of the Maillard reaction? That’s part of the answer, but some research revealed that, most likely, it’s a combination of factors.

While Alton’s methods are always interesting, and often spot-on, my guess is that none of the supporters of the steam-and-bake technique actually performed a side-by-side test. When push came to shove, the three batches were virtually indistinguishable from each other.

Give The Wings a Rest
It was time to call in the big guns. Sure, it’d be nice if I could pick up a package of wings on game day and have them ready for dipping in blue cheese a few hours later. But wishing it ain’t gonna make it happen. As I discovered yet again, good results require careful thought, a bit of work, and plenty of time.

I decided to use a method that works wonders on whole birds and red-meat roasts alike: air-drying. Hopefully allowing the wings to dry on a rack overnight would dehydrate them enough that rapid browning could happen in the oven.

Special equipment
Rimmed baking sheet, wire cooling rack

If you are interested in making cutout cookies and decorating them, here are a couple of tips:

1. If the recipe you’re using has a chilling time, make sure you chill the dough, it helps prevent spreading when you bake.
2. In a similar vein, if I have the time, I’ll actually chill the cut out cookies in the fridge.
3. Let the cookies cool completely before icing otherwise the residual heat will cause the icing to melt.
4. It’s best to let the icing “cure” overnight. Sometimes it looks dry but it’ll dent.
5. Practice! I really does make perfect. Plus if your cookies don’t come out looking how you want them to, you always get to eat them.
I feel like they both have really good qualities and are kind of similar. They both have short legs and long bodies and are absurdly cute. Both breeds seem to have fun personalities too. To be honest, some of my favorite Instagram accounts are actually dogs. Dogs just too cute, like these cookies.
If you have a corgi lover in your life, or if you just love gingerbread, I hope you give these cookies a try. The gingerbread recipe is one that I’ve been making for over ten years, adapted from an old photocopy of a recipe that my sister-in-law gave me back in the day – to be honest I’m not sure where the recipe is from. I like it because unlike other recipes I’ve tried, it’s not too hard or crispy, even once it cools. I also upped the ground ginger in it to make it extra gingery.

This Creamy Tomato Lasagna Florentine is so deliciously comforting and simple. Noodles, tomato sauce, and a creamy spinach layer!
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
2–3 cloves garlic, minced
4–5 cups fresh spinach
2 cups 4% cottage cheese
2 eggs
1/4 cup ground flaxmeal (optional, see notes)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (mine was salty – if you’re using a non-salted variety, add an additional 1/4–1/2 teaspoon salt)
a very tiny dusting of nutmeg
a squeeze of lemon juice
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
4 cups tomato sauce
12 no-boil or oven ready lasagna noodles
3–4 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
I like to call this lasagna Super Saucy, which honestly I love. What I learned through the endless rounds of making it, is that if you don’t need your lasagna to hold together with awesome sliceability. And if you’re more the kind of person who is okay with scooping it out with a spoon and straight into your mouth, then you are in for a real lasagna treat when you make it the Super Saucy Way.

This pan of hot melted cheese I MEAN LASAGNA, while not at all clean and tidy like lasagna is supposed to be, was actually my favorite – it was so saucy, so soupy at first, but absolute lasagna perfection the next day with just the right amount of moisture and a clean(er) sliceability once it was completely cooled.

Roll the dough into 12 large balls (or 9 for HUGELY awesome cookies) and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes until the cookies look puffy and dry and just barely golden.Warning, friends: DO NOT OVERBAKE. This advice is probably written on every cookie recipe everywhere, but this is essential for keeping the cookies soft. Take them out even if they look like they’re not done yet (see picture in the post). They’ll be pale and puffy.
Let them cool on the pan for a good 30 minutes or so (I mean, okay, eat four or five but then let the rest of them cool). They will sink down and turn into these dense, buttery, soft cookies that are the best in all the land. These should stay soft for many days if kept in an airtight container. I also like to freeze them.
The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products we use and love!

A stainless-steel digital scale so you’ll always have a perfectly precise amount of oatmeal and raisins for your batch of cookies.
I bought this to weigh fruit and vegetables and was pleasantly surprised to find how easy it was to set up, how easy it is to work, and how consistent it is in its measurements. One of the nice features of the scale is the auto turn-off, which is helpful because I often forget to turn kitchen appliances off. A tapered French rolling pin made of Vermont maple wood so you’ll feel like you’re baking in your very own artisanal shop. A set of three nonstick silicone baking mats perfect for keeping your baking trays unscathed by sticky and burnt ingredients.I’ve wanted a set of these for years. I love how easily food slides off of them and how nice my baked goods turn out. They do a great job of protecting my pans from wear and tear, and they’ve allowed me to cut down/eliminate parchment paper and aluminum foil.A set of five natural baking extracts including orange, lemon, peppermint, cinammon, and vanilla, so your baked goods are imbued with lovely flavors.A set of five silicone utensils from Le Creuset that’ll have you icing cakes and butter basting pastries with ease.

A stainless-steel cooling rack versatile enough to be used for all your baking, broiling, roasting, or decorating needs! A great product! It held up well to baking, broiling, and being scrubbed clean with a basic kitchen scrubby. It fit perfectly in my standard cookie sheet and kept my food out of the grease! No warping or bending with heat or cold water.”A box of unbleached and compostable parchment paper that’s as eco-friendly as it is microwave and oven safe. You don’t have to choose between becoming a better baker and saving the planet!A retro KitchenAid stand mixer with attachments that’ll allow you to easily knead dough, whip up whipped cream, and mix cake batter. With a pouring shield, a tilting head, and a bowl with ergonomic handles, there’s almost no way you make a mess while inventing your new dessert!
I purchased my Artisan KitchenAid Stand Mixer about a month ago and I love it. I’ve whipped up loaves of bread, scones, cakes and all have turned out amazing. I love the ease of using the bread hook, it certainly does the hard work for me. The hooks are so easy to attach, and the 5qt stainless steel mixing bowl is the perfect size. My mixer came with a splash guard so I can add flour to eggs and butter without it flying everywhere. So happy I finally made the decision to treat myself by buying this mixer.

Pretzels are a traditional German bread shaped into a pretzel knot made from a long loop of dough that’s twisted back onto itself. All pretzels are given a lye/alkaline water bath that gives pretzels their signature shiny chewy crust and undeniable pretzel flavor. Pretzels come in hard (snacking pretzels) and soft, like these ones and the ones you find at the mall at Auntie Anne’s.
What makes a pretzel a pretzel?
While there are many pretzel shaped foods out there (I’m looking at you tiny pretzel-shaped Danish butter cookies), what makes a pretzel a pretzel is the alkaline bath the unbaked pretzel takes before it is baked.
But then I kind of sabotaged us by popping an extra one into a paper bag and putting it into my giant cardigan sweater pocket. Let me tell you, the smell of a fresh pretzel in your pocket will drive you crazy, in a good way. Thankfully, we were able to put ourselves out of our pretzel craving torture, by eating the pretzel, of course. There was something especially celebratory and fall-ish, walking around sharing a soft pretzel in that crisp autumn air.

So in 90 bajillion degree Cebu, Philippines, back in fateful 2012, yes I WAS trying to bake chocolate chip cookies. In true Pinch of Yum must-have-the-food-now style, it made 0% rational sense. I had butter that was literally melted from sitting out on the counter for, like, three seconds, I had NO brown sugar, and I added a little too much extra flour. I proceeded to bake the accidental cookies in my oven which I had to start by lighting a FIRE with a MATCH inside of it and which had NO TEMPERATURE MARKINGS other than the numbers 1-5. I am laughing out loud over here – howwww did I do anything?
WHAT MAKES THEM THE BEST
I’ve always loved that old Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, but I’ve always kind of been annoyed about it, too. Like why does it need to melt only half of the butter? Does it really not work to melt ALL of it? And why does it need the spoonful of brown sugar? Or does it? Sheesh, how annoying is the person who wrote that recipe anyway?

All the good cookie eaters of the world!

We were made for such a time as this.

These cookies are soft, thick, bricks of chocolate chunks and buttery dough baked into a heavy, milk-loving cookie that is my most favorite chocolate chip cookie of all time. ♡

Wait, though. They are singing a love song to you: BAKE ME.

BAKE ME IN YOUR OVEN RIGHT NOW.
HOW THESE COOKIES CAME TO BE
A loooong time ago, when we were living in the Philippines, I accidentally discovered my new favorite way to make cookies. The recipe is many many years old, but if you like to creep, they can be located here.

And let me just take a moment to acknowledge that seriously without fail – everything good that I make is always inspired by haphazard accidents, including but not limited to broken refrigerators and lacking ingredients and my really strong tendency towards laziness. Everything including these cookies and all their iterations.

We know the season of gingerbread is over, but I couldn’t resist making these little gingerbread corgis. I get that gingerbread is associated with Christmas, but I think it’s really a winter cookie; I love the warmth of the spices and fresh gingerbread out of the oven on a cold day can’t be beat.
Of course these guys aren’t right out of the oven – they’ve had a lot of time to cool off before being decorated. Decorating cookies with royal icing is something that I find deeply satisfying. I even had a short stint as a professional cookie decorator. Real talk: I just decorated cookies and sold them at a local bake sale, but it’s kind of sort of like being professional, right?
Anyway, these corgi cookies are so cute that after I finished decorating, I stared at them for a good five minutes. Mike walked into the kitchen and asked me what I was doing and I was so entranced that it took me a couple of seconds to reply. Corgis are one of my favorite dog breeds (dachshund are the other) and I’m forever trying to decide if I want a corgi dog or a wiener dog.

If you are interested in making cutout cookies and decorating them, here are a couple of tips:

1. If the recipe you’re using has a chilling time, make sure you chill the dough, it helps prevent spreading when you bake.
2. In a similar vein, if I have the time, I’ll actually chill the cut out cookies in the fridge.
3. Let the cookies cool completely before icing otherwise the residual heat will cause the icing to melt.
4. It’s best to let the icing “cure” overnight. Sometimes it looks dry but it’ll dent.
5. Practice! I really does make perfect. Plus if your cookies don’t come out looking how you want them to, you always get to eat them.
I feel like they both have really good qualities and are kind of similar. They both have short legs and long bodies and are absurdly cute. Both breeds seem to have fun personalities too. To be honest, some of my favorite Instagram accounts are actually dogs. Dogs just too cute, like these cookies.
If you have a corgi lover in your life, or if you just love gingerbread, I hope you give these cookies a try. The gingerbread recipe is one that I’ve been making for over ten years, adapted from an old photocopy of a recipe that my sister-in-law gave me back in the day – to be honest I’m not sure where the recipe is from. I like it because unlike other recipes I’ve tried, it’s not too hard or crispy, even once it cools. I also upped the ground ginger in it to make it extra gingery.

This usually means that there’s too much flour in the dough, keeping them from spreading more. Be sure to always measure your flour correctly (spooning it in to the measuring cup vs. scooping from the bag). Since you can always add more, it’s important to not over-flour to start with. See the video in this post for reference on the correct consistency!

Can I freeze chocolate chip cookie dough?
Yes! Roll them up into balls, freeze them on a sheet pan, and then keep them in a bag in the freezer until ready to bake. We’d recommend letting them thaw on a sheet pan (covered) before baking.

Can I make these gluten-free?
We’ve never tried it with this recipe, but I’m sure you could! If you have a favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour, that’s probably your best bet. We’d love to hear how it goes.

How should I store the cookies after baking?
The cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days, or in the fridge for a week. We like the fridge method to keep them fresh!

We’re always trying to eat a little better around here. Right? Maybe.

But there is one thing that I love more than anything in the world – yep – going there, and that is a really good, thick, soft, chocolate chip cookie with a glass of milk.

Today, tonight, whenever it is, if you’re going to eat a cookie, please make it count.

Please make it a soft, hugely huge and always soft, and buttery and chocolate chippy and perfectly soft (did I already say that?) chocolate chip cookie that will take your life to the next level.
I replicated the ULTRA THICK, ULTRA SOFT texture (it called for bold, right?) and maybe even improved the flavor with this version that is similar, but way easier and more sensible than the original.

And by sensible, I mean… just… like, lazy sensible, okay? I don’t mean THAT kind of sensible. You might need to start looking for another blog if you need your cookies to be sensible.

There is nothing sensible about this beautiful sugar and butter perfection.

Buttery, crisped cookie ridges with a melty chocolate and slightly underdone center is going to give you the best of both cookie worlds, all in the couch-friendly format of individual deep dish cookie bowls.

The path to a lot of the recipes on Pinch of Yum starts with me trying to solve a problem for myself. And my problem was: end of night, end of week, tired and lazy but… I wanted cookies. I’m saying it like it’s past tense but it’s just kind of my life, indefinitely.
From our recipe tester: If you’re running into issues with your cookies, you can reference the examples above to help find out what may have gone wrong. One of the keys to achieving the perfect cookie is to ensure the correct amount of flour is used. Ideally, the flour should be weighed. In testing, we found that 6.75 ounces of flour was the correct amount. Without a food scale, don’t pack the flour into measuring cups and always level the flour off.

Roll the dough into 12 large balls (or 9 for HUGELY awesome cookies) and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes until the cookies look puffy and dry and just barely golden.Warning, friends: DO NOT OVERBAKE. This advice is probably written on every cookie recipe everywhere, but this is essential for keeping the cookies soft. Take them out even if they look like they’re not done yet (see picture in the post). They’ll be pale and puffy.
Let them cool on the pan for a good 30 minutes or so (I mean, okay, eat four or five but then let the rest of them cool). They will sink down and turn into these dense, buttery, soft cookies that are the best in all the land. These should stay soft for many days if kept in an airtight container. I also like to freeze them.
The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products we use and love!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Microwave the butter for about 40 seconds to just barely melt it. It shouldn’t be hot – but it should be almost entirely in liquid form.
Using a stand mixer or electric beaters, beat the butter with the sugars until creamy. Add the vanilla and the egg; beat on low speed until just incorporated – 10-15 seconds or so (if you beat the egg for too long, the cookies will be stiff).
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until crumbles form. Use your hands to press the crumbles together into a dough. It should form one large ball that is easy to handle (right at the stage between “wet” dough and “dry” dough). Add the chocolate chips and incorporate with your hands.
Ingredients
8 tablespoons of salted butter
1/2 cup white sugar (I like to use raw cane sugar with a coarser texture)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (more as needed – see video)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (but I always add a little extra)
3/4 cup chocolate chips (I use a combination of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks)

8 tablespoons of salted butter
1/2 cup white sugar (I like to use raw cane sugar with a coarser texture)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (more as needed – see video)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (but I always add a little extra)
3/4 cup chocolate chips (I use a combination of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks)
OTHER FAVORITE CHOCOLATE SWEETS AND TREATS:
Deep Dish Cookie Bowls For Two
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars
The Best Easy Peanut Butter Pie
Salted Caramel Brownies
Blackout Chocolate Cake
COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Why did my cookies flatten?
The three most important things about this recipe are 1) Melting the butter, 2) Adding enough flour, and 3) Not baking for too long. If you find that the dough is wet and it REALLY sticks to your hands, you probably need more flour. I’ll usually add a few tablespoons at a time to get it to the right consistency. See the video in this post for reference as well as the cookie chart in the recipe card!

The best idea ever? Putting these warm cookies in my mouth and calling it dinner. Excellent.
Just thought I would share my good ideas with you. Yea… I’m kind of a show off.
OATMEAL PECAN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Oatmeal Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
I’m full of all sorts of good ideas.
Like… the good idea I had to cream two stick of butter with two cups of sugar.
Like… the good idea I had to add eggs and vanilla extract.
Like the awesome idea I had to add oats and flour and spices.
And chocolate. That was totally a good idea.
Putting chunks of dough in the oven? Also a great idea.
Yea… I was on a good idea roll.
The best idea ever? Putting these warm cookies in my mouth and calling it dinner. Excellent.
Just thought I would share my good ideas with you. Yea… I’m kind of a show off.

Typically, breakfast casseroles includes sausage and potatoes. I loaded this one up with fresh veggies and greens instead, including red bell pepper, green onion and spinach. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Evenly disperse the remaining cheese on top.
This healthy breakfast casserole is the perfect addition to a holiday breakfast spread. Since it offers some protein and vegetables, it’s a great way to help balance those delicious carb-heavy treats, like muffins and pancakes. I’d be thrilled to find this option alongside bagels and cream cheese. Leftovers are good for lunch, too.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Evenly disperse the remaining cheese on top.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes (keep an eye on it), until the eggs are puffed and appear cooked, and the center of the frittata just barely jiggles when you give it a gentle shimmy. For good measure, insert a fork about ¼-inch into the center of the eggs and make sure the fork comes out clean.

Nuts: Pecans, walnuts, almonds, or peanuts would all work well.
Seeds: Pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds are good options. You could use up to 1/4 cup flax seeds or chia seeds—these seeds absorb moisture, which is why I suggest limiting the quantity.

The shrimp is about a five-minute grill, and the couscous is a five-minute cook. Even if you do them separately you are looking at a 10-minute project, but if you do them in tandem it is so fast.

Of course, my main issue isn’t time, but if my kids will eat this. Shrimp is notoriously tricky for kiddos. Check out the report card below to see how mine did with it. Let’s dive in!
WHAT ARE THE BEST SKEWERS FOR GRILLING SHRIMP?
There are two options when it comes to skewers: metal and bamboo. Metal are nice because they don’t burn, but they also let the shrimp rotate and are harder to manage. Personally, I like bamboo skewers for quick-cooking dishes like this. Just soak them briefly in water and they work great for shrimp.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Microwave the butter for about 40 seconds to just barely melt it. It shouldn’t be hot – but it should be almost entirely in liquid form.
Using a stand mixer or electric beaters, beat the butter with the sugars until creamy. Add the vanilla and the egg; beat on low speed until just incorporated – 10-15 seconds or so (if you beat the egg for too long, the cookies will be stiff).
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until crumbles form. Use your hands to press the crumbles together into a dough. It should form one large ball that is easy to handle (right at the stage between “wet” dough and “dry” dough). Add the chocolate chips and incorporate with your hands.
Ingredients
8 tablespoons of salted butter
1/2 cup white sugar (I like to use raw cane sugar with a coarser texture)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (more as needed – see video)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (but I always add a little extra)
3/4 cup chocolate chips (I use a combination of chocolate chips and chocolate chunks)